REVIEW: ‘Power Girl,’ Issue #1

Power Girl #1 is published by DC Comics, written by Leah Williams, pencils by Eduardo Pansica, inks by Júlio Ferreira, colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letters by Becca Carey. Power Girl’s event featuring alien artifacts is invaded by dangerous intruders, forcing her to make decisions that will not keep Superman happy.

This issue brilliantly fits the style and tone of Action Comics and Superman but is crucially focused on the world of Power Girl. There’s a terrific lightness and confidence to the opening, with an immediate influx of alien material. And it doesn’t take long for that to rise to a crescendo of chaos. The energy that Williams implements keeps the pace fast, with multiple examples of how high the stakes can go. In the second half, the comic calms down, settling after all the liveliness. The side of Power Girl’s life that involves the Super Family and Kryptonians comes to call, with just as much tension in the last segment as in the first one, and it sets up the rest of the series with a dangerous threat. 

Power Girl #1 brilliantly demonstrates depth within the personality of the protagonist. One of the best aspects of Williams’ script, which has been noticed in other Power Girl books by the same writer, is establishing Omen as a crucial part of the comic. The partnership is fantastic, giving Paige someone to bounce off of. The inclusion of Omen creates the humor and excitement at the start of the book, and the connection the duo has is adorable.

And it’s not difficult to deduce that when Power Girl is on her own, her confidence and belief in herself goes down. Part of that is due to when she’s with Omen, she’s the star of the show, with someone who helps her succeed. When Paige is alone or with Superman, she’s inexperienced and like a student. The villain of this comic is great, with superb confidence and swagger as he walks into the room, even up against a Kryptonian.

The art is beautiful. Pansica brings many new elements to the design of Power Girl, which is revealed a few pages into the first issue. To start, she’s in a stunning formal dress, with an amazingly cool transition into the costume. Not decked out in a jacket, the look takes a few inspirations from Superboy’s apparel. Omen also looks superb in both her outfits, initially seen in a tuxedo before switching into her uniform. The alien visitors are gloriously ugly except for their leader, who has a brand new design. Using a yacht as a setting is glamorous and different and leads to a form of comparison. The fight is terrific, utilizing space and elevation as the battle moves from the boat to the sky to the alien ship, and the superpowers escalate to match the destruction that is allowed for each location.

The colors are also sensational. The main characters are beautifully vibrant and varied, so there is a myriad of shades on every panel. The white, red, and yellow that are prominent on Power Girl complement Omen’s orange and green well but oppose the purple and dark red of the villain. The background colors are frequently less prominent, allowing the brightness of Power Girl to dominate the pages.

Power Girl #1 is an energetic beginning. There have been glimpses at the setup of Omen and Power Girl through one-shots and tie-ins to events, but now there is the chance for this creative team to flourish. The book really does carry the feel of a Super Family comic, but Paige’s life is the centrepiece of all of it. Everything has a slant to it that skews it towards Power Girl rather than Superman, presenting her with much more responsibility. The comic works as a partnership between Paige and Omen, as there is constant commentary and multiple voices to keep that energy alive from start to finish.

Power Girl #1 is available where comics are sold.