“I am not spooning interdimensional goo in my mouth, Power Girl.“
Following a brief intermission starring their shared supercat Streaky, Power Girl and Supergirl reunite in their first team-up since last year’s Supergirl Special to investigate a string of disappearances connected to a new party drug that has recently hit Metropolis. The Girls of Steel must rely on their shared wits and power sets—well, except for Paige’s whole new dimensional punching thing—but as they delve deeper, they find themselves (herself?) navigating a new and bizarre underworld beneath the city.
Supergirl Special, written and drawn by Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge respectively, did many things. First and foremost, it reestablished Supergirl’s complexities; secondly, we’re treated to a new establishment of Supergirl and Power Girl relationship dynamic that’s presented as a matter of self-pity and the searching of self-love. And like the reunited Girls of Steel, Leah Williams is rejoined by Power Girl Special artist Marguerite Sauvage for a trippy new arc.
DC Comics
Coming off of the previous installment, Power Girl and Supergirl are thrown into a mystery involving this new drug Avalon’s unnatural highs. The two dabble in some what could be considered illegal activities (well, technically) that lead them to the unusual world of Ferimbia. What is apparent in this sophomore arc already is that Leah Williams has developed a signature style with her ongoing Power Girl stories, playing with more mature themes with a sense of humor relaying back to the raunchiest of underground comix; that is displayed in the dynamic between the Karas, particularly in their uniquely suited approach to handling things together.
The story functions with the comedic sensibility of a buddy cop movie – after all, there is a hint of absurdity to seeing these two heroes infiltrate college parties despite having a decade on the students. Though this particular issue presents itself as a light-hearted comedy, and knowing the previous stories that Leah Williams has written with these characters—Paige’s bestie Omen included—the arc is bound to evolve into a more reflective tale for the two heroes.
All of that established, the series returns to the storytelling style that hasn’t been present since Power Girl Special. And though it is more than welcome, it has contributed to an inconsistent usage of tone throughout the series, which proves to be a hindrance when grasping the overarching storytelling issue-by-issue. While the changing tone can benefit towards more the more experimental aspects the book frequently opts for, going from John Carpenter’s The Thing to a fantastical 21 Jump Street is a tonal whiplash and says that the book still hasn’t fully decided what it wants to be seen as. The shifting tone can work depending on the book, but as a more traditional comic series in its formatting and storytelling, consistency must be formed for the ongoing story to thrive. This is however more of a contribution to a problem in the overarching side of things rather than a problem with the issue itself.
DC Comics
Otherwise, the best part of the comic has to be the return of Sauvage’s art and colors. The story’s tone benefits from that purely with her work going from her traditional art style of bright beautiful colors, high fashion-inspired backdrops and design work, then evolves into a more laid back and cutesy style to reflect what the drug Avalon does to the mind. The narrative themes of fantasy and drug-induced trips inspire an engaging and not to mention beautiful setting that makes the more comedic scenes flow with grace from panel to panel.
Sauvage’s art continues to present itself as a perfect match for Power Girl and Supergirl, playing on the more regal aspects of a “girly girl” aesthetic. Kara and Paige are drawn to look like the prettiest souls in the multiverse and that is never not highlighted as they go about their lives in the story. With an art style that’s inspired by fashion designers and runway models, Sauvage presents a visual tone more apparently consistent with the storytelling style than previous issues, reasserting herself as an ideal collaborator for Williams, and especially on this lead character.
Overall, Power Girl #6 is a welcome return to form in Leah Williams’s now year-long tenure that started in Action Comics #1051, greatly benefiting from Marguerite Sauvage’s delightful returning creative presence that is injected with some added fun and cutesy visuals. Though the series is undeniably experiencing some growing pains, there’s no denying that it continues to deliver a refreshingly engaging take on the Girl (or Girls) of Steel.
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