Powers #5 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Michael Avon Oeming (art), Nick Filardi (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Christian hits rock bottom as his relationship with Heather suddenly falls apart but unbeknownst to him, Heather has two very big secrets.

What’s Good: Oeming’s artwork is absolutely superb this month, but it’s really unique in that its greatest strength isn’t jaw-dropping visuals or stunning splash pages.  In fact, this is arguably a pretty restrained issue as far as Powers goes.  What makes the art stunning is how Oeming emphasizes the “sequential” in “sequential art” and what exactly that means.  The panel-to-panel transitions are incredibly smooth and both physical actions and mental processes are incredibly well plotted out.  There’s a great sense of logic and movement from panel to panel that leads to a really organic feel.  Honestly, it’s the sort of work that  makes most other comics feel stilted by comparison.  It’s been a while since I’ve encountered a comic with such a natural flow to it.

Plot-wise, quite a bit happens this month.  As the opening issue to a new story-arc, this issue certainly fulfills its function, offering tantalizing bits of some very major things to come.  When a first issue is giving you visions of an apocalyptic future, you know you’re going to be in for on heck of a ride.

It was also a very good month for Enki Sunrise, who Bendis is clearly trying to build up as a character.  He, more than ever, shows a softer, more human side to the character, letting us see a more sympathetic, even maternal Enki which really stands in juxtaposition to the hard-nosed Enki we’ve mostly seen these far.  Bendis is quickly adding texture to Enki and is making her a fully realized character and I like what I’m seeing.

Speaking of vulnerability, it’s hard not to feel for Christian when he’s down in the dumps.  Bendis has always done a great job of writing his leading man’s heavy burden(s) and that’s no different here.  It’s just always so easy to feel bad for Christian.

Powers #1 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Michael Avon Oeming (art), Nick Filardi (colors), and Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: Detectives Christian Walker and Enki Sunrise try to learn to live with each other as they embark upon their first case together.

What’s Good: Powers is a rightfully celebrated series and I can assure you that this relaunch issue lives up to its previous volumes.  In more or less every way, this is the definition of what a good comic should be.

Certainly, all of the Bendis hallmarks are in place.  The staccato dialogue and the creative profanity are in fine form.  That said, what also returns is Bendis’ ability in Powers to portray multi-layered, real, and complex human relationships.  It’s all the more impressive that he manages this with Enki Sunrise, a character that has remained ill-defined and two-dimensional up until this point and was one of the few weak spots of Powers’ last arc.  Finally, Bendis manages to flesh out the character a bit and give her a little more life.  Moreover, he’s actually well on his way to making her likable.  Readers of Powers will know this to be no small feat.

And he does this through minimal, subtle strokes.  In a few pages of near-wordless action, we arguably learn more about the character than we have through the entirety of the last arc.  Furthermore, when she attempts to forge a bond with Christian, the dialogue is expertly played; her conversation is scattered, stumbling, and awkward.  Really, the syntax says as much about the character and her desires as her actual words.

For a first issue, Bendis also manages a large scope.  Upon finding an old associate dead, we get a flashback to a period of Christian’s past that is all gaudy film noir.  I’ve always loved Bendis’ visiting of Christian in previous eras, as his treatment of these time-periods are evocative yet honest, and this is the case here.  I also have always enjoyed noticing the subtle differences, and similarities, between Christian’s personality then and now.  It’s an absolute pleasure to see a Christian this month that is, for lack of a better word, an asshole, if not a tag-along.

Beyond this, the sense of mystery is palpable and Bendis makes me want more.  This is also thanks in large part to Oeming’s artwork, and this is his best work in some time.  His paneling is as abstract and creative as ever (one memorable double-page spread tracks our characters’ path across a street and up a building), without causing the confusion that Powers’ previous arc was at times guilty of.  Colorist Nick Filardi also improves the series, alleviating it of the slightly excessive darkness of prior issues.

Oeming’s style urban environments are absolutely beautiful despite their seeming simplicity, heavy with mood and dark ambiance.  His rendition of the flashback is also well done: it glows with just enough life and vibrancy to distinguish it from the present day without becoming overly self-conscious, and of course ,the present-day is as grim and gritty a place as ever.

What’s Not So Good: None whatsoever.  Some might say that we didn’t get enough information regarding the actual murder and make cries regarding plot progression.  Relax, it’s only the first issue and besides, Powers has long been more about the characters anyway.

Conclusion: Comics bliss… This should satisfy even the most stalwart Bendis-hater.

Grade: A

-Alex Evans