“Again and again, I transformed. And so, it seems, do you.”
With Supergirl and Power Girl’s uptake in popularity, DC’s finest have experimented beyond belief with the two characters and their stories with romance, action, and mystery. What Leah Williams and Eduardo Pansica do with their tenure on Power Girl is one for the history books as they explore the horror of Krypton with this first arc, and tack on a striking tease to the future to boot. This installment focuses on the troubled mind of a Paige that is possessed by the Symbio ship she feared was coming.
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Williams’ love for horror shines with Symbio’s narration throughout the story as he steals the life of Paige Stetler and tries to take total control over the Fortress of Solitude. It’s expressed less as a monstrous villain taking control of a heroine and more as an obsessive individual trying to reclaim their property, which makes him an even more disturbing threat.
Symbio’s character, on top of all of this, exists to be a parasitic play on a typical sci-fi horror trope with Williams making him feel like an unstable and controlling artificial intelligence. Helping further this angle of Symbio’s character is Pansica’s stellar art, which makes him appropriately intimidating for an alien AI parasite. This installment might be Pansica’s best as the action and horror he uses to elevate William’s writing showcases the visual and tonal range of the book.
In case it felt a bit dark, Pansica and Williams provide some comedic relief with the appearance of Omen and Streaky. Pansica immediately uses the visual cue of Omen’s power to brighten up the scene dramatically, allowing for a strong comedic moment that still doesn’t take the weight of the encounter lightly.
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Admittedly, Williams and Pansica have had some ups and downs with this arc, but for a storyline that follows up from an event tie-in released earlier in the year, the concepts at play and the creatives in charge are more than successful in making the book appealing. They show the rebirth of old threats and leave new scars for the series protagonist, effectively crafting an opening arc that promises a very different and intriguing future for her.
All around, Power Girl #4 is a brilliant end and tease to the future. We’re excited to see what comes next for Power Girl, whether it’s the Streaky focused story coming up in January or her upcoming crossover with Supergirl. Despite being saddened over Pansica’s departure, I’m sure Williams and co. will continue the excellent work. Their effort on Power Girl is very well-defined thus far as they make sure that their experimentation with the character allows for a beneficial evolution to her and the people around her.
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