IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics
WRITER: Warren Ellis
ARTIST: Tula Lotay
LETTERS: Richard Starkings
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2014)
Rated M / Mature
Supreme created by Rob Liefeld
It's true. About two decades ago, I read a few comic books featuring Supreme, Rob Liefeld's version of Superman, produced for his company, Extreme Studios, and published by Image Comics. Actually, until I recently read that Supreme was Liefeld's version of Superman, but more aggressive than the Man of Steel, I did not remember much of anything about the character or his comic books.
Now, there is a new Supreme comic book, Supreme Blue Rose written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Tula Lotay. It is like nothing any of the original Image Comics founders could have imagined one of their comic book would be.
Supreme Blue Rose #1 introduces a young woman named Diane Dane. We first meet her in her dream world, where a wheelchair-bound young man warns her not to trust someone named Darius Dax. Back in reality, Diane is an unemployed journalist with no job prospects or even expected freelance assignments. Diane visits National Praxinoscope Company, where she meets Darius Dax. He has a job for her – find Ethan Crane, and the payout for doing so could be as high as one million dollars.
I am intrigued by Warren Ellis' concept, as I usually am by his comic books. However, I sometimes find my intrigue turning into disinterest when “this sounds cool,” turns into “where are you going with this.” Honestly, I don't know if I want to make an effort to keep reading Supreme Blue Rose, but then again, may I will read more. I find that Ellis keeps me curious, and there are not too many comic book creators that make me curious and intrigued.
I love Tula Lotay's art and graphics for this series, especially the illustration-design combination that yields the cover for Supreme Blue Rose #1. On the interior art, the combination of traditional inking and digital inking creates graphical storytelling that engages the imagination, so I could not help but want to read this art. There is also a sketchbook section in this first issue that opens the door on the illustrative thought process behind Supreme Blue Rose.
I think some people will like Supreme Blue Rose, obviously. Others may be surprised, once again, by what imaginative comic book creators can do with Rob Liefeld's creations.
B
www.imagecomics.com
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux
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