Everyone has that one show that they loved, but was cut down in its prime. Maybe it was Firefly. Maybe it was Our Flag Means Death. Who Are The Power Pals? #1 showcases what happens to two would-be aspiring actors when their superhero show dries up, and what happens when they attempt to chase past glories. Years ago, Alex Green and Derek Summers starred in Power Pals, a TV show where they played a crime-fighting duo. But their show was canceled after an extremely brief run, sending their dreams plummeting down to Earth.
The duo wind up going viral after donning their old costumes and getting into a fight in front of Hollywood’s Chinese Theater. But their reactions are completely different: Alex believes that he can truly make a difference in the world, while Derek sees it as a way to get back to the top. Little do they know that their newfound limelight is about to bring a world of trouble on their heads.
Who Are The Power Pals? isn’t the first comic book to serve up a meta narrative about the ups and downs of fame, but it has a very unique perspective thanks to writer Duane Murray. Murray is an actor himself, so some of the elements – including Alex and Derek’s less than successful auditions that open the issue – feel like they come from a place of experience. But Murray’s script is also chock full of funny moments, including a paragraph that reads: “It was clear superheroes could never be successful on films or TV.” That got more than a few laughs out of me.
Dark Horse
Ahmed Raafat provides a unique visual style for the comic, jumping between past and present to showcase how Alex and Derek’s lives have changed. Back in their Power Pal days, they were fairly handsome, Glen Powell-type guys; in the present, Derek’s packed on a few pounds while Alex’s knee acts up. My favorite part about the visuals is how Raafat draws some pages as a series of TV screens; with the grainy effect you’d only get from a VCR, not to mention some carefully layered captions from Rob Jones, it really feels like watching a old TV special.
The biggest draw of Who Are The Power Pals? #1 is the friendship between Alex and Derek, and how it survived those ups and downs. Alex is more of a straight arrow – he might have only played a superhero on television, but he truly sees the values as something to live up to. Derek is dealing with the crushing weight of life, or rather letting it crush him. This is reflected in a pair of pages that run parallel to each other; Alex, looking at himself in his Power Pals costume, starts to work out…then gets a wicked cramp. Derek, upon learning that people are laughing at them rather than cheering them on, adops a thousand yard stare. This wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if it wasn’t for the combination of Murray’s script and Raafat’s art; when all’s said and done, they’re the real Power Pals.
Who Are The Power Pals? #1 is a tale that oscillates between comedy and drama with ease, while also serving as commentary on the labyrinth that is Hollywood. We might take shows like The Penguin and Daredevil: Born Again for granted, but this comic shows that it takes timing and luck to bring those shows to life. Hopefully those factors are on Alex and Derek’s side.
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