After a brief hiatus, The Power Fantasy returns with issue #6 this week. The series has effectively given us a sense of what each of its super-powered characters are, but now it’s time to unveil a new one. In a story where each of the six supers is a nuke ready to go off, The Power Fantasy #6 reveals one may have an edge that could tip things into global annihilation.
The machinations of confrontation move ever forward in The Power Fantasy #6. But first, there’s a handy data page revealing the powers and how many kills per hour they could pull off. Dark stuff, but it’s a reminder even if some of these characters seem purely good, their ability to take lives is frightening.
This issue juggles two main plots. One involves Magus and his newfound relationship with the American government. He’s working with them to ensure America can control the other supers. The other involves Heavy and his secret that could set off a confrontation between the supers. There is a check-in with other characters, but it’s brief.
The secret of Heavy’s involves his home base, which keeps Etienne’s mind powered out. That same base hovers over Earth and has its own cultish community within. It’s in this base that his secret was birthed and grown.
I want to live there.
Credit: Image
Like previous issues, it’s not a direct conflict that sparks higher tension but the very idea of Heavy having this secret at all. Much like the nuclear arms race, the horror and tensions go up thanks to choices and seemingly unprovoked moves. We’re reading a story of superpowered people that’s more like chess than a boxing match.
Outside of these main plots, information regarding one of the supers, Elisa Hellbound, opens things up. The opening data page reveals which supers are more powerful than others, but we also learn Elisa is rather special for a different reason. Add in the fact that some of these supers seem to have elements of heaven and hell, and their origins continue to offer surprises.
Art by Caspar Wijngaard is great, especially the structures and environments in this issue. Heavy’s Haven base, with its guts exposed while it’s being built, is a site to see. It has sci-fi epicness similar to something John Harris might cook up. Another character appears to have a base in space made of junk. The juxtaposition between the two adds to the characters who live in them. Wijngaard’s use of colors continues to operate this book from most.
The Power Fantasy #6 continues to build its intricate web of power plays and hidden agendas, crafting a narrative more focused on strategic maneuvering than explosive action. While some may find the pacing methodical, the layered storytelling and striking visuals make it a compelling read for those invested in its escalating tensions.
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