The Power Fantasy has been an exciting shot in the arm for superhero storytelling. The first two issues revealed a world where six superpowered people have replaced the threat of nuclear war but are maybe even more dangerous. Heroes considering the implications of not “fixing” humanity or standing by and doing nothing linger as the third issue delves deeply into one of the key super-powered people: Santa Valentina.
Something that sets The Power Fantasy #3 apart from the previous issues is that Santa Valentina is the “first” super-powered person in this story. This makes her different, with a role that is revealed to be more pure, good, and motherly than all the rest. She wants what’s best for the world, but she is also morally obligated not to mess with humanity too much. That is unless characters like Etienne influence her.
The Power Fantasy #3 opens in 1945 with the birth of Santa Valentina at the very moment the first atomic bomb went off in Los Alamos. It seems her entering the world coincided with humanity’s ability to destroy itself. From there, the story jumps around a bit, revealing more about Santa Valentina’s backstory and important differences in this world’s history from our thanks to the inclusion of super-powered people.
The first page has some great juxtaposition.
Credit: Image
Writer Kieron Gillen does a good job showing her implicit goodness. She’s almost the Superman of the book, it seems, as she wants what is best for humanity and almost shrugs off violent acts by world leaders or even other super-powered people. She doesn’t want to be a god to the people by any means.
She’s also the embodiment of goodness, as is the scene when she forces the world to hear a really good song. This outlook on humanity is juxtaposed well with Etienne, who, in the very first issue, killed many people to ensure world peace. Santa Valentina and Etienne have very different ways of influencing people.
Caspar Wijngaard continues to do excellent work, starting with the hyper-realistic-looking atomic bomb test juxtaposed with Santa Valentina’s birth. She’s angelic and pure good no matter the age she’s depicted. There are also some cool layout ideas at work, like Santa Valentina exiting the Pyramid as if she was in a side-scrolling video game.
There are many visual choices that’ll have you lingering on the page. Scenes set in 1957 between Santa Valetina and Etienne have a pastel look, with backgrounds almost like those in a children’s book. This choice shows simpler times for these characters. Closing out the issue on a full page splash that’ll make you gasp is just icing on the cake.
Regarding world-building, this issue shows how events like the Cuban missile crisis went in a different direction. A handy timeline at the back of the book does a lot to reveal details not yet shown in this issue–a bold choice that’ll make you want to read issues as Gillen calls out specific characters and specific issues yet released.
The Power Fantasy #3 opens up the world and its history while fleshing out one of the six super-powered people. The characters’ complexities and their world are, at times, riveting while also keeping you invested in the narrative. The scope is large and the real-world nature of superheroes is profound and moving.
You must be logged in to post a comment.