REVIEW: ‘DC Power: A Celebration,’ Issue #1

DC Power: A Celebration #1 is an anthology one-shot published by DC Comics, focusing on the DC Universe’s black heroes. And smartly taking a page from Marvel’s Voices, the majority of the creative teams involved are Black creators. This helps lend authenticity to many of the tales, while also spotlighting characters that don’t usually get the limelight. In fact, I could definitely see many of these stories leading into ongoing series—and one of them actually will.

“Black Paradise” focuses on Will Everett, aka the Amazing-Man. It’s written by Evan Narcisse with art by Darryl Banks and colors by Hi-Fi. Black Lightning stars in “Separate But Equal,” which is written by Lamont Maggee with pencils by ChrisCross, inks by Juan Castro, and colors by Wil Quintana. Queen Nubia and Bumblebee feature in “The Queen, The Bee, And The Symphony,” which is written by Stephanie Williams with pencils by Alitha Martinez, inks by Mark Morales, and colors by Alex Guimares. Green Lantern John Stewart features in “Keeping The Peace” from writer Brandon Thomas and artist Natacha Bustos.

Aqualad and Kid Flash star in “Own Your Name” from writers Dorado Quick & Jordan Clark, artist Clayton Henry, and colorist Marcelo Maiolo. Cyborg stars in the appropriately titled “Booyah!”, from writer Morgan Hampton, artist Valentine De Landro and colorist Marissa Louise. “Vixen and Batwing” is written by Chuck Brown, illustrated by Petterson Oliviera, and colored by DJ Chavis. The entire issue is lettered by Andworld Design.

Throughout the issue, each of the heroes deals with issues of identity, including where they belong in the world and making a life for themselves outside of superheroics. It’s most prominent in “Own Your Name,” as Kid Flash is struggling with his own place in the Flash family. Is he worthy of his title? It’s a question that Quick and Clark bring up at multiple points throughout the story, and one that Aqualad is willing to help his fellow hero with. Henry also has a blast illustrating the teen heroes’ respective powers, with bolts of golden lightning flying off of Kid Flash’s body and Aqualad summoning waves of water – all of it given bright, vibrant life by Maiolo’s colors.

The best stories in this one-shot are “Booyah!,” “The Queen, The Bee, and the Symphony,” and “Keeping The Peace.” At this point, Williams could write Nubia in her sleep, and the fact that she’s reunited with her creative team from Nubia: Queen of the Amazons is a bonus. Martinez, Morales, and Guimares make sure both Nubia and Bumblebee are distinct. The former is tall and muscular as befitting an Amazon, and her skin is a deep rich brown. In contrast, Bumblebee has flowing reddish hair and lighter skin. And the plot is comic booky as all get out: both women are out on a shopping trip and end up fighting Monseuir Mallah. An Amazon and size-shifter versus an evil French gorilla is exactly the reason I read comics!

“Keeping the Peace” offers more insight into Stewart’s duties and how his childhood shaped his insight into a Green Lantern. Thomas shows that being a Green Lantern isn’t just waving a magic ring around, it’s learning how to defuse conflict. And that’s not often an easy task, especially when both sides refuse to see reason. Bustos delivers some animated, vibrant art that reminds me of Justice League Unlimited at times, which is awesome. And “Booyah!” is a great look into what makes Cyborg tick. He still grieves for his mother but has come to terms with his cybernetic condition. Hampton may be a fledgling writer, but he has a great handle on Cyborg—and a great art team in de Landro and Louise, who give the former Teen Titan a sleek makeover. DC Power also features bio pages detailing the history and powers of each hero, which I love. Not every superhero is going to be on the level of Batman or Superman, and this can help new readers who want to know more about the characters.

DC Power: A Celebration #1 turns a spotlight on the Black heroes inhabiting the DC Universe, with a collective of Black creators at the helm. Hopefully, this isn’t a one-and-done deal, as I’d love to see the spotlight turned on even more Black heroes. It truly lives up to its name of being a celebration.

DC Power: A Celebration #1 is available wherever comics are sold.

Collier "CJ" Jennings

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.