25 years ago, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming created one of the most unique takes on the superhero genre with Powers. Powers follows detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim as they investigate a world full of superheroes and, consequently, superpowered crime. Bendis and Oeming reunite to bring us a new chapter in their capes and crimes saga with Powers 25 #1, resulting in a rather unique celebration of their creation’s anniversary.
While it would be easy for Bendis and Oeming to deliver a Powers comic that returned to Walker and Pilgrim’s dynamic, or focused on a “lost story” from their original run, they decided to go in a different direction and introduce an entirely new set of characters. This time, the focus is on new Powers detective Kutter, who ends up investigating a strange murder scene with a jaw-dropping twist that’s bound to hook readers on future issues.
What makes Powers so interesting is how Bendis approaches the idea of melding together a noir story with the more outlandish whims of a superhero universe, and Powers 25 continues that streak. The very first pages see Kutter coming across the body of a massive superheroine…and when that superheroine seemingly rises from the dead, she fires at it. She also yells at a Spider-Man-esque teenage hero to leave before he contaminates a crime scene, which is the proper response any police officer would give you about a crime scene.
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Equally impressive is Oeming’s artwork, which handles the blend of crime fiction and superheroics very well. Again, the scene with the giant superheroine is a great example; she stands out thanks to Oeming making the most of a two-page spread that shows the wreckage of what happens when a giant-sized human crashes face-first into the earth. Another set of pages is set up like the opening of a crime scene, slowly building up dread as different panels show different angles of the events that transpired. Nick Filardi adds to this with the way he approaches certain characters’ color schemes. While the superhero characters are clad in bright, eye-grabbing colors, the rest of the book is a mix of blacks and blues that adds to the noir vibes.
I do have to give Powers 25 #1 credit for the way it’s set up as both a continuation of the original Powers and a great jumping on point. You don’t need to know the history of Powers to enjoy this comic; all you need is a love of superheroes and a willingness to step outside the usual norm of comic books. Bendis and Oeming even say as much in the issue’s opening page. Powers 25 #1 also features a letter from Bendis detailing the origins of Powers, and a surprising confession that he never expected to be writing a superhero book. Given that this is the same man who’s given the world superhero hits like New Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man, that’s rather ironic – but it shows just how Powers, and its creators, have grown over the years.
Powers 25 #1 acts as both a new chapter for one of the longest-running independent comics in history, and its glorious return – not to mention the reunion of its creative team. This is a comic that’s truly for everyone: newcomers have a new series to read, and longtime Powers fans have a new story after years of waiting.
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