“They know death approaches, and just want to die in peace. On their own terms.”
It’s always just when things are going well for you that you begin to feel that everything could fall apart, and that is a feeling Power Girl has been all too acquainted with lately. When her investigation into the mysterious Kryptonian virus goes deeper than she bargained for, she tries to latch onto the simpler things in life to keep herself from breaking down – but simpler doesn’t always mean easier.
Following her unsettling second encounter with the space pirate Amalak, Paige is left vulnerable and retreats to an unorthodox companionship in the confines of the Fortress of Solitude. But as the past she fears draws ever closer, the stability of life that has kept her uneasy optimism intact up to now is quickly being overtaken by a sinister, slow-burning dread.
DC Comics
For starters, it’s worth saying that the greatest strength of this issue is its focus on, and portrayal of, Paige’s vulnerability. Being considered the more calculated of the two Supergirls is a factor, but a history of isolation can make even the most rational person crack under the pressures of personal anxiety and expectations – maybe even especially so. What becomes apparent in this issue is that Leah Williams has no intention of stopping Power Girl’s personal trials, even going as far as to be less traditional in her means for the character. Williams is clearly using this book as a way to experiment with her writing in a way that reflects her developing career; with each new book comes improvements and a few setbacks.
With this experimentation in mind, we see a recurring theme done strikingly well with Paige’s fear of being alone stemming from the loss of Krypton and Earth-2. We see this portrayed in a saddening light as Paige grows closer to a dying animal in the Fortress of Solitude that is the last of its species. Williams presents the idea that Paige, much like her Earth-0 counterpart, is a victim of existentialism; she lives a life strong with her best friend Omen but suffers from repeated bouts of guilt and misery, forced to mourn for herself and others she’s lost, which reveals the true crux of this arc with this symbiotic entity. She is hurting and she does not want to die alone.
What is admirable about Williams’ writing is that she makes an effort to improve and grow as a writer, showing a strong level of dedication and love toward the craft that allows her to continue the charming (and not to mention horror-inspired) stories we know and love. Power Girl simply further proves to be an example of that and shows why the recurrence of pacing issues present here is more or less acceptable due to her consistent growth as a writer. The atmosphere of this issue’s story is a fitting one within the context of what it’s going for and mostly succeeds, but it is hurt by the fact that the main narrative has already been tonally jumping around up to now and reads just a bit jarringly.
DC Comics
In contrast to the writing, Eduardo Pansica has grown since the days of Supergirl with Marc Andreyko and proves that his art remains a strong contender in the Maid of Might’s publication history. However, his forte in Power Girl has put him and his work onto a fascinating track as he has focused more on civilian life and space horror concepts than the romantic space opera he worked on with Supergirl. With Paige, Pansica feels a lot more suited for showing the slice of life. Now, with that versatility, and despite the brilliant play on isolation this issue, his depiction of Power Girl’s alter ego and the world of Metropolis create stronger atmospheres than the cold and haunting halls of the Fortress of Solitude. This is all to say that this tonal shift works for this issue, but ultimately lacks some of what has made the series appealing up to now.
Ultimately, Power Girl #3 is a strong issue that delves further into the mystery of the Kryptonian virus while also showcasing a touching dive into the more solemn parts of the titular character’s psyche. What it suffers from is more or less that the overarching narrative does not appear to have found its footing yet and thus makes it feel just a bit tonally jarring. This is also still a strength on the team’s part, however, as they are clearly willing to take each issue in a new and unique direction, which will always be enough to keep us coming back for more.
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