“Looking at you is like gazing upon the surface of a thousand suns.”
Whether it’s the tale of the Titans of Olympus or the expansive lore of Marvel’s Thor, the stories of Gods and their worlds are a favorite playground in comics. With DC, however, their dives into mythology have been the more traditional out of the Big Two with their stories of Wonder Woman wrestling with the Gods of Olympus and nods to the creation of Galatea through Diana Prince herself, and not to mention Shazam. With Greek mythology being their staple, it made sense that the next step was Norse mythology so naturally, Power Girl making out with an Asgardian who allegedly isn’t a part of the CIA was the next step into fleshing out DC’s Asgard.
There is a lot to say about this month’s Power Girl as writer Leah Williams continues her streak of genre experimentation, this time with former Nightwing artist Travis Moore, who initially worked as one of the co-creators to this current take on Asgard back in Wonder Woman with writer-duo Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan. The jump back into this setting, while fun, is a bit unusual as we see the continued romance of Paige Stetler and Axel Gust, now with the knowledge that he is the nerdy cousin of Siegfried, Slayer of the Dragon Fafnir.
Ultimately, the biggest problem with this installment happens to be the same one as the last issue which is the inconsistencies of Axel Gust’s character. We see him go from a shy but charming character in the earliest issues of Power Girl and we now see him with a personality shift that makes him feel like a different character than whom we first met, which isn’t aided by the sudden Asgardian plot twist. Williams put a lot of energy into his character being a fun mystery and the outcome hasn’t felt as fulfilling as it should.
One of the other complicated issues with his connection to Asgard is how it shows a somewhat simplified depiction of God realm, this being because it takes cues from Marvel Comics’ more upbeat and joyful depiction while abandoning the Asgard we met through the eyes of Vertigo’s Sandman. Axel’s connection to it incidentally fuels an awkward rift in DC’s depictions of these myths which has seen a decline in quality over time.
Despite these problems, Williams and Moore make a good few home runs with the romance and art throughout the issue. Moore’s art style has always complemented a slice of life atmosphere and that was truly taken advantage of here with the many down to earth scenes between our titular hero and Axel. The chemistry between these characters does exist and it’s best showcased here with Williams taking clear inspiration from DC’s long history of romantic stories while still keeping a tight hold on the chaotic feel prevalent in her work.
DC Comics
Moore’s colorist, Sebastian Cheng, also helped with establishing the warm and romantic atmosphere present in the issue. Moore and Cheng give off almost a storybook vibe to the story with its high fantasy. Moore’s design work for the Asgardians is brilliant for its emphasis on a classic swords and sorcery aesthetic for the many characters Paige and Axel encounter. This is not the first time Power Girl has encountered high fantasy in this series either, with her team up with Supergirl in the psychedelic land of Ferimbia being only a couple arcs ago.
Ultimately, Power Girl #12 is a fun dive into romantic fantasy as Williams continues with the genre experimentation throughout the series. Despite some of the problems seen between this issue and the last, readers will always be greeted by a fun story with some engaging and heartwarming moments, whether it’s a couple’s first kiss or a traditional nordic feast.
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