A Birthday With A Bang: ‘The Power Fantasy’ #11 Review

I have a confession to make. I have been avoiding reviewing much of the second story arc of writer Kieron Gillen and artist Caspar Wijngaard’s The Power Fantasy because of its complexity. And when you’re a busy guy in a busy world with deadlines to meet, sometimes you can’t afford to re-read a comic no matter how much you want to. But I am glad I am not alone, and this is something Gillen is all too aware of, as he explains in the back-up essay to this issue. That, and the inclusion of a data page at the start of the issue, much like a summary of events so far. Consequently, this concluding issue of the second story arc was a lot easier to read. That and the lack of time shifts really helped me enjoy what is one of the most cerebral comics out there at the moment. 

Magus is dead. And has been for quite some while. But, his identity has been taken up by the non-powered Dev, husband to the highly-powerful Eliza Hellhound, both of whom are planning on killing Etienne Lux. A plan I am not against, and I suspect, neither will the readers. But at a birthday party? That’s low.

From the very start, tension builds. When is a birthday party not a party? When it’s an ambush. This fact creates tension from the off with the juxtaposition of Etienne and Valentina swapping pleasantries while Dev and Eliza plot. Ever aware of the changes in tone this series demands, Wijngaard shifts the colour palette accordingly. Although both he and Gillen have spent a good deal of time establishing these differences in colour and temperature over the past ten issues. Helping establish these various mise-en-scenes and essential to the whole tonal shifts of this series is letterer Clayton Clowes. I never give these unsung heroes enough credit, but his work on this title is not only integral, but highly original and evocative of each character he puts words into the mouths of.

It’s the perfect combination that only adds to my claim of its cerebral nature. It all makes for challenging but great storytelling. Right to the very end, and a conclusion that only creates more intrigue for what comes next. But, for that, we’ll all have to wait until October. But with so much time, I have no excuse to re-read the whole goddamn saga so far. Like Watchmen, an obvious counterpoint, as Gillen is more than aware of, every time you read it, you get something more. A layered, complex comic that seems to be as much joy for the creators to produce as it is for me to read.

The Power Fantasy #11 is out now from Image Comics