In it's current incarnation, Squadron Supreme volume 2 seems to be trying to take elements of the Ultimate Universe, create new concepts based on ideas from the 616 universe and blend them with elements of the Squadron's own universe. While still to early to really tell how successful this will be, we've already seen a re-imagining of the Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Woman concepts. All three have been included in teaser art and on covers released before issue one came out, so I don't think I'm spoiling anything. Issue 2 continues to expand on this idea focusing mainly on the four members of the Icarus moon mission. I don't think it'll be a surprise who that group is meant to represent. All these characters have very little in common with their counterparts in the 616 or ultimate universes. There are just enough similarities to make them somewhat familiar.
What isn't familiar to me, is Howard Chaykin's writing on this story. This doesn't quite feel like a Chaykin story. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you're really looking for that specific flavor. Since Chaykin is an artist as well as a writer, it could be that I'm looking for the way he tells the story visually and that's what feels different.
Marco Turini does a decent job on the art, but it isn't stellar. Highly detailed and fairly photographic in nature, he follows the styles of other similarly styled artists who have worked on titles like this from Marvel. There is a lack of expressiveness in his line quality that leaves some of the pages unremarkable. However, there are some beautifully laid out pages in the book as well. No doubt, many readers will be impressed with the realism he achieves within these pages. The problem with creating comic books with alomost photographic realism in the art is it requires a greater degree of accuracy in perspective, proportions, anatomy, and architecture, to name a few. When something is very cartoony it's easier to accept if things don't always quite work in the real world. However, when you draw more realistically, things better look right, and Turini doesn't always pull it off. There are times when arms, legs and necks don't quite look right. Having said that, I'll point out that these inconsistencies will only be noticable to people who really look at each panel. If you skim as you read, it won't make a bit of difference to you.
All in all, it's an interesting story with better then average art that will entertain fans of superhero comics.
COVER: GREG LAND with JAY LEISTEN and JUSTIN PONSOR
WRITER: HOWARD CHAYKIN
ART: MARCO TURINI
COLORS: GURU FX
LETTERS: JOE CARAMAGNA
EDITOR: JOHN BARBER
Parental Advisory …$2.99
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