Writers: Leah Williams and Joanne Starer
Art: Marguerite Sauvage and Natacha Bustos
Colors: Marguerite Sauvage, Marissa Louise and Tamra Bonvillain
Letters: Becca Carey and Ariana Maher
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $5.99
Release Date: May 30th, 2023
Power Girl and Omen (AKA Lilith) return in Power Girl Special #1. Power Girl recently gained psionic abilities in the Lazarus Planet event, and she and Omen have become inseparable, with Omen training her in the use of her powers. When old Justice Society nemesis Johnny Sorrow attacks with his Four Horsemen, will Power Girl be able to master her new powers to take him down?
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The Story
Two characters I never imagined ever meeting were Power Girl and Omen. But since the Lazarus Planet event, the two have become close, and they’re an excellent duo, with Omen’s zen-like calmness a good contrast to Power Girl’s quick temper and restlessness. Power Girl Special #1 begins with the pair walking through a psychic realm hand-in-hand. They’re two close friends having a night out together on a Summer evening. It’s a lovely moment, soon interrupted when they realize it’s just a trap created by Johnny Sorrow, and once they break free of his trap the main story kicks off. Johnny Sorrow is one of the more intriguing DC Villains. He seems to be a combination of Psycho-Pirate and Marvel’s Purple Man, a man who can manipulate and control people with his horrific visage and powers. He sets his sights on Power Girl, trying to destroy her mind.
Power Girl, a woman who loves physical melee and throwing punches, quickly finds her fists do nothing against Sorrow, as any physical attacks pass through him like a ghost. This, combined with Sorrow’s psychic manipulation, challenges Power Girl like she’s rarely been challenged before. The story really gets into Power Girl’s psyche, how she’s always been a loner and why she’s chosen to be that way. She goes looking for other members of the Superman Family to help her stop Sorrow, and it’s an odyssey where we (and she) learn a lot about her. I’ve always been a fan of the character, but over the years, writers have cranked up her anti-social and combative personality while neglecting other aspects of her, making her a one-note character. This book gives us a multi-faceted Power Girl, one who’s not just about pounding or beating things to a pulp.
Omen is equally interesting. She’s another character I’ve always liked, all the way back to when she was just plain Lilith in the old Teen Titans series. Her powers have been greatly amped up since those days, but she’s still the same calming presence she’s always been. I love that she’s Power Girl’s close friend and I hope the two become like Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, not necessarily lovers, but inseparable, because the best scenes are when they’re interacting. With one of Sorrow’s Horsemen attacking Gotham, a member of the Batman Family pops up in the book also in a brief but fun moment. The battle scenes and the visuals are amazing throughout and this was a fantastic book. I hope if DC does a Power Girl miniseries or series in the future, they’ll keep writer Leah Williams and artist Marguerite Sauvage on the book. A backup story with Fire and Ice is also included. It’s a fun story where Fire and Ice try to contain a natural disaster, which leads them into conflict with Guy Gardner. We get a good battle between Fire and Guy Gardner and a visit from another DC hero that leads to a surprise ending.
The Art
Marguerite Sauvage’s art on Power Girl Special #1 is magnificent. Her linework is so detailed and her colors so bright and textured the pages seem almost three-dimensional. The psychic attacks by Johnny Sorrow, Power Girl and Omen are especially vibrant, swirls of multi-colored bubbles that dot the panels and look both beautiful and terrifying. Fantastic work throughout. Natacha Bustos’s art on the backup story is also lovely, bringing out the personalities of the characters (especially Guy Gardner’s jerkiness) perfectly. The skirmish between Guy Gardner and Fire is especially great and despite both characters are swathed in green, you always know which character is which. Beautiful work.
Final Thoughts
Power Girl Special #1 is a terrific showcase for Power Girl and what makes her such a great character. It puts her up against a villain who truly challenges her, gives new insights into her character and it’s action-packed. Omen also shines here and Johnny Sorrow is as terrifying as always. The backup story with Fire and Ice rounds out the book with a fun story and a great battle between Fire and Guy Gardner. Highly Recommended.