Since this review was posted, Warren Ellis was outed as an abuser. As comic books are a collective effort, this review will remain live, but I cannot in good faith recommend purchasing this book or other works by this person.
Comic book reviews for Supreme Blue Rose #4, Supreme Blue Rose #5, Supreme Blue Rose #6, and Supreme Blue Rose #7 by Warren Ellis and Tula Lotay
Average rating: 2.75/5 stars
Supreme Blue Rose #4 by Warren Ellis
Art: Tula Lotay
Our princess gets a name — Zayla Zarn. And we find out that she’s no princess at all.
In fact, the bar she’s in is actually a superhero team’s secret headquarters. That’s become a bar. That Doc Rocket remembers as a secret headquarters. I love how he calls Zayla out on her shit when the rest of the men just fawn over her. Of course, Darius doesn’t remember his past.
So I take it that a Supreme, which in this case is Ethan Crane, can rewrite the universe, and that the last time it was rewritten, pieces fell out of place at Littlehaven, and that messed up the timeline. So much so that Chelsea seeing the future sees an end of humanity that Zayla calls a dark age. Though Zayla’s version has a little more hope in it when she says that humanity recovers. It just takes a very long time.
Seems like one of Ethan’s former team members should be looking for him. Not Diana, who has never met him. So I’m not sure why she’s the one on the hunt. Why isn’t Zayla out there herself?
And how has the timeline never gotten messed up before when these people clearly remember the old timelines?
Supreme Blue Rose #5 by Warren Ellis
Art: Tula Lotay
Diana is saved by Professor Night. Professor Night who has escaped the TV set, leaving only Evening Primrose to get serious with that universe or what little of it is there. I do love that in issue #4 we saw his truck crashed against the tree in Littlehaven.
With Father Jack Lancome, does this mean we have some kind of good vs evil, heaven vs hell situation? Lord, I hope not. I mean, that would make everything too darn simple.
Doc Rocket pulls Chelsea back from the future she sees. Of course, he needs her to update him on everything science. What is everything science? Will she fall on his head like the Supreme Being fell on Father Jack’s?
Everyone in Littlehaven doesn’t seen to be very alarmed at all this weirdness or that they cannot really recall Ethan. Did he live there before history got rewritten?
Zayla was the ghost in Diana’s house?
Supreme Blue Rose #6 by Warren Ellis
Art: Tula Lotay
So it wasn’t Professor Night, but Reuben Tube who saved Diana and got Linda. Yes, I knew Linda was one of the superpowered folks. Linda is just too competent.
I’m not sure about the constant introducing of new characters. This book has one issue left to go, and it seems like we haven’t gotten anywhere but introductions. I’m just as frustrated as Diana. Though I don’t have Linda with her shotgun to help out.
I’m not sure what I think of Diana talking about how her mental illness is her power to see things in the world that others don’t. Is this an empowering stance? Or is this why Darius was able to convince (and manipulate) Diana to take on this possibly deadly mission?
So the whole thing is happening because Darius is trying to make a Supreme place (a heaven) just for himself, one without his former teammates, because they left him behind? Or Zayla left him behind? He’s so burned over a lady?
Chelsea just got ramped up with power. Suddenly she knows a lot of thing she didn’t beforehand.
And Evening Primrose is upon the world.
There’s only one more issue to wrap this up?
Supreme Blue Rose #7 by Warren Ellis
Art: Tula Lotay
Less than jazzed about the ending to this issue. I’m not a fan of fully circular stories. I like characters and situations that grow. Not remain the same.
Ethan is killed by Darius. Again. Ethan blows up. Reality changes, and Danny lets us know. Then Diana has to go on the case again as she’s Ethan’s wife and can always find him.
Round and round and round again. Maybe Diana and Linda will actually hook up this time. That would make me happier.
Post-script reviewer’s note: after doing some digging, I found out that this story is actually a revamp of an old superhero team under a 90s Image imprint. Figures. Ellis loves doing things like that. While he’s always great at taking someone else’s characters and improving them, this book was too much introduction and too much given the small reach the original Supreme comics would’ve had.