Powers (comics)

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Powers

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Publisher Image; Marvel/Icon Comics
Schedule Monthly
Format Ongoing series
Publication date 2000 to present
Number of issues Vol. 1 #1-37; Vol.2 #1- continuing
Creative team
Writer(s) Brian Michael Bendis
Artist(s) Michael Avon Oeming
Colorist(s) Peter Pantazis
Creator(s) Brian Michael Bendis; Michael Avon Oeming

Powers is an American comic book series by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Michael Avon Oeming. It was originally published by Image Comics from 2000 to 2004 after which it was moved to Marvel Comics, where the series launched Marvel's Icon Comics division for creator-owned titles.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Powers is set in a world where superpowers are relatively common but not mundane. It follows the lives of two detectives, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, police officers in a Homicide department devoted to cases that involve "powers" (people with superpowers). Walker himself used to be a costumed superhero named Diamond, but became a police officer after he lost his abilities. Though stripped however, he still retains his contacts within the superhero community, even becoming engaged to an ex colleague who is later killed.

Deena Pilgrim, his partner, is also hiding a dark secret that has been troubling her. She contracted superpowers during a fight with an underworld thug named the Bug, an event which she kept under wraps. Then she unintentionally kills her abusive boyfriend with her powers in self-defense, and hides the evidence. This leads to her being under investigation by Internal Affairs.

[edit] Character histories

[edit] Major characters

  • Christian Walker - Homicide Detective for the Powers division. Walker was previously a power before losing his abilities. There are many things about him that are still coming to light (such as an apparent immortality). The Millennium Guard, a secret group of intergalactic guardians, offer Walker the chance to be the world's latest secret Guardian. He accepts the responsibility along with the powers that come with it.
  • Deena Pilgrim - she started off as a lowly police officer on the streets of the Powers city. Pilgrim was at first partners with the corrupt Captain Adlard who worked for Mama Joon, a powerful crime boss who would later be killed by an off-the-rails police officer (using a stolen Power crystal). The body of Captain Adlard was found in a dumpster seven years prior, which at the time of the story would make it just before Deena's transfer (upon request) to work with Walker as part of the Powers Homicide department. Not much else is known of her past.

[edit] Supporting characters

  • Retro Girl - The first arc details the death of Retro Girl (first name Janis, last name unrevealed), a popular and powerful super-heroine. Retro Girl is in fact a legacy of women - with or without powers - who are continuously reincarnated. Walker has met several incarnations in his lifetime, but he has only vague recollections of them. The latest incarnation is Callista, a young girl he saved.
  • Captain Cross - Head of the Department, he has known Walker since the 80's during and after his stint as the super-hero Diamond. They met when Diamond helped him with a case, the exact nature of which has still to be revealed. It has been noted that Walker's job might be a gift from him.
  • Detective Kutter - Deceased. Bendis once explained that at least one of his characters had to be an id. Kutter is it, rude, crude and at times interfering, but despite his coarse personality he was a good detective. He was killed during the "Legends" arc when an apparently dead power decapitated him.
  • Triphammer - Real name Harley Cohen, an Iron Man like character, he chose to disappear after the events of "Who Killed Retro Girl", in which he kills the man who has been targeting powers and was responsible for the death of Retro-Girl. He has since reappeared only once after having had extensive plastic surgery. It has been revealed that he is the inventor of the "power drainer", a device capable of temporarily neutralizing the abilities of super-powered individuals.
  • Zora - Deceased. A power, like Christian Walker she appeared to have immortality, but unlike him, she possessed a greater capacity for memory. She and Walker knew each other for years but according to her, for much longer since the time of Ancient China. They were shortly engaged before she was killed by a government created power who went insane. She claimed her abilities came from her complete lack of belief in all things spiritual and her acceptance that she was her own God.

[edit] Cameos

Throughout Powers, characters by other comic book artists sometimes make appearances. One instance is in the "Who Killed Retro Girl" arc, where there are two two-page spreads of various villains and heroes being questioned.


Author Warren Ellis (Crooked Little Vein, Doktor Sleepless) appears in Volume 1 issue #7 at length as himself doing a ride-a-long for reference material.

[edit] Daily strip

The first, second ,and third complete story arcs, "Who Killed Retro Girl?", "Roleplay" and "Little Deaths" were published online in a daily page-per-day format, and the fourth arc, "Supergroup", is currently being released, with one or two new pages on weekdays.

Free to visitors and with permission from series co-creators, Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Oeming:

Who Killed Retro Girl? [1] Roleplay [2] Little Deaths [3] Supergroup (in progress) [4]

[edit] Music

Singer/songwriter Brodie Foster Hubbard performs a song called "Powers," which incorporates his own life and allusions to the Super Shock storyline.

[edit] Collected editions

Vol. Title Reprinted issues ISBN# Publisher
1 Who Killed Retro Girl? Powers Vol. 1 #1–6 ISBN 1-58240-183-7 Image Comics
2 Role Play Powers Vol. 1 #8–11 ISBN 1-58240-232-9 Image Comics
3 Little Deaths Powers Vol. 1 #7, 12–14, Annual,
Powers Activity And Coloring Book		 ISBN 1-58240-269-8 Image Comics
4 Supergroup Powers Vol. 1 #15–20 ISBN 1-58240-309-0 Image Comics
5 Anarchy Powers Vol. 1 #21–24 ISBN 1-58240-331-7 Image Comics
6 The Sellouts Powers Vol. 1 #25–30 ISBN 0-7851-1582-X Image Comics
7 Forever Powers Vol. 1 #31–37 ISBN 0-7851-1656-7 Image Comics
8 Legends Powers Vol. 2 #1–6 ISBN 0-7851-1742-3 Icon Comics
9 Psychotic Powers Vol. 2 #7–12 ISBN 0-7851-1743-1 Icon Comics
10 Cosmic Powers Vol. 2 #13–18 ISBN 0-7851-2260-5 Icon Comics
11 Secret Identity Powers Vol. 2 #19–24 ISBN 0-7851-2261-3 Icon Comics
12 The 25 Coolest Dead Superheroes Of All Time Powers Vol. 2 #25–30 ISBN 0-7851-2262-1 Icon Comics

[edit] Others

[edit] Awards

The series won the Eisner Award for Best New Series for 2001 and Brian Michael Bendis won the Best Writer Eisner Award in 2002 and 2003.

[edit] External links