Marvel's Squadron Supreme (of America) and DC's Retaliators

Some of you may be aware that, at various points in time, both Marvel and DC have seen fit to create characters which show varying degrees of "homage" to those of their competitors. (This is apart from those times when both companies have worked more directly together, be it via the Amalgam Comics label or through more "traditional" Marvel-DC crossover titles.)

On the one side, there are Marvel's various incarnations of the Squadron Supreme, a team of superheroes who look oddly familiar... Most recently, an Earth-616 "Squadron Supreme of America" has been introduced, featuring in ongoing storylines such as the current War of the Realms event. Exactly who and what this current version of the Squadron are is somewhat of a surprise, for anyone who might wish to avoid spoilers before checking out their Marvel Database entry.

On the other side, DC's current Earth 8 is home to various characters who look oddly familiar... not least of which being the Retaliators, a team of superheroes who, as it happens, appear in print under the "Major Comics" label in other DC universes. Not coincidentally, one of the team members is called Major Max, who happens to look like a certain other character who (nowadays) shares part of her alias with the name of her comic publisher.

Given that Marvel have decided to lean more heavily on the Squadron in the current comics, I wonder if it is at all likely that we might one day see a live-action version of them on the big screen, or perhaps on Disney+; or, for that matter, if DC might make use of some or all of the Retaliators in a future medium? Or, might it be the case that using "homage" characters in print is one thing, but that animated or live-action portrayals might be going too far without the other side's permission?

And, well, would anyone want to see any more of these "homage" characters in the first instance?

 

Homage is a very generous way of describing it.

Some of these "homages" have even been done by the artist who created the original.

 

Squadron Supreme have been used heavily by Marvel at various points over the years. Especially Hyperion and Nighthawk. Hyperion was a member of the main Avengers team for a while even. There's been some legit character and story work done with them that make them far more than just the Justice League copies they started off as.

They've also appeared on various Marvel animated tv shows. Wouldn't be terribly shocked to see them show up on the animated What If show on Disney+ if Feige decides there's no need to save them for some possible live action debut far in the future. (While we initially heard that What If would mostly spin out of various events in the MCU, it's possible that if it gets renewed for a second season they could expand their horizons to an even more limitless multiverse.)

At this point, with the movie Brightburn coming out next week, I can't imagine that DC would have any ability to stop Marvel from making a Squadron Supreme movie.

Now as to whether they'd want to, that's another question. There are definitely some good stories there, no matter which way they'd want to go with it, but it would take a serious investment of time and effort from Marvel to make introducing those characters actually worth it. (The fact that they could go multiple different ways with the Squadron may make them appealing to the movie makers though.)

On the other hand, for DC, I'd say they're probably far more interested in something like Injustice. There's some legit characters in there that they could actually do something with.

 

I didn't realize that Squadron Supreme was part of the 616 universe. I imagine with the multiverse opening up there is room for them in the movies, just like there is room for Marvel Zombies.

 

Which ones would those be?

 

I need to do some more research to find a specific DC/Marvel example, but one I can point to from Marvel and Crestwood Publications (later sold to DC) is Fighting American https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_American created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby - who had also created Captain America.

 

Doesn't quite fit the definition, but Dave Cockrum worked on LoSH and then co-created the Imperial Guard.

 

Who can forget "Buried Alien"?

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Buried_Alien_(Earth-TRN242)

 

https://www.quora.com/Which-characters-have-DC-copied-from-Marvel

Although the headline is a little unfair, since in many cases DC were first.

 

Not sure that counts as a homage.

 

I doubt it's any more of a homage, but their creation of the Guardian also deserves mention.

 

Glad to see that the jms version didn't take hold.

 

I would love to see a Squadron Supreme movie, just so Marvel Studios can demonstrate they can make better movies for DC's character than DC and Warner Bros.

 

They can't. Most of their Marvel Universe stuff is massively successful mediocrity.

 

We agree to disagree n this point.

 

DC has a couple of Avengers pastiches. The Champions of Agnor are the longest-running, first appearing in the 1970s, but there's also the Maximums (inspired by the Ulitmate Universe) and, as mentioned, the Retaliators. But none of these have the visibility among comics fans that the Squadron Supreme does. I could see Marvel doing a Squadron movie. I can't imagine Warners ever doing a Champions of Agnor movie.

 

Surely the Squadron have been around long enough now to have achieved some sort of legitimacy.

 

Other than carrying a shield, the Guardian doesn't have much in common with Captain America.

 

True. But neither Hyperion nor Gladiator have a huge amount in common with Superman other than being the most powerful flying brick of their respective teams, and yet each is recognized as a pastiche / homage to him.

In Guardian's case he's a peak human carrying a shield and he was created by Simon and Kirby. Even if we don't recognize him as a homage (or even a ripoff), it's still worth noting the resemblance.

 

Give me Alan Moore's Supreme any day.