Issue #2 came out in January 1995. The plot and layouts are by Keith Giffen. The co-plot and script is by Giffen's longtime partner Robert Loren Fleming. The pencils are by Jeff Johnson and the inks are by Dan Panosian.
We pick up this issue still in flashback to 1939 and Ethan Crane is dead from the experimenting by Dr. Wells. Ethan lasted far longer than the previous test subjects.
We then see that Maxine is listening to the interview with a lab assistant. She is making a list of pros and cons about moving ahead with her story and "Supreme destroying the entire planet" goes on the cons list.
Speaking of which, Supreme is in Illinois visiting a prison that happens to have buildings structured in the sign of the beast: 666. This sets Supreme on his guard from his arrival and asking to be pointed to Death Row. There he finds a bunch of paranormal killers, one of whom likens Supreme to a vision from Revelations.
Supreme kills them all.
As he's leaving, we hear him talking to God as his father, lamenting the time he was a Bible salesman selling Bibles in the Dust Bowl to needy farmers. The farmers would cast aside their faith when the rain fell. But Ethan learned his lesson. To reward every man what he deserves.
Back in 1939, Wells and his assistant are excited when Crane's body comes back to life.
Wells has a theory that they're seeing evolution in process, making whatever is in Ethan stronger. Wells proposes killing Crane again and again to further the evolutionary process. Or like the Hindus believe that each death brings a soul closer to enlightenment.
Maxine learns this process went on for months. She also learns that eventually Ethan escaped. His last words were "Ecce homo," which refers to Christ on the Cross. It means "Behold the man."
As she is listening to the recording of this interview we see Supreme looming outside her window.
In Washington, two powerful men are talking about Supreme's killings in the prison and their concerns that he might kill more paranormal figures.
It comes out that one of them took samples of Supreme when he returned from space and made a clone of Supreme, complete with memories. They go to see the clone in Iowa and it turns out the clone has been quoting scripture in his sleep. If released, the clone will believe it is Supreme and they'll have no control of it.
One of them orders the other to wake up the clone. They show the clone TV footage of the real Supreme's destruction. They tell clone Supreme that the real one is the imposter and is branding people with 666.
The clone flies off to kill real Supreme and one of the men wonders if they'll destroy half the planet. But the other says to stop worrying, that they'll likely kill each other.
This is a really bad plan.
Meanwhile, Maxine dreams that real Supreme breaks into Maxine's house and kills her by crushing her head with his hand.
After awaking and throwing up, she goes to her computer to see that Supreme was there and left his story, "The Gospel according to Ethan Crane."
We'll find out more next time.
I mostly like this series. It's well written and I find the characterization of Supreme as an overtly Christ-like figure, but much more wrathful, to be interesting. But that doesn't really feel like enough narrative thrust for a story. Supreme is treated more as a villain but there are no heroes. And his backstory isn't really that interesting. So, it's not bad, but considering this is as good as Supreme ever gets until Moore takes over, it's not like anyone who chose to skip these stories were really missing out.
