The Battle Of Heaven And Hell: Reviewing ‘The Power Fantasy’ #16

It’s difficult to review The Power Fantasy #16, given its surprising ending and what this means for the future of this series. I can’t really even discuss the narrative structure of this book — nay, to this sixteen-issue run — without spoiling it for fans. So, let’s focus on what I can say about this awesome final issue. Although I will admit that the minute I finished this issue, I had a real, burning desire to return to the very first issue. Indeed, with the Easter break only a few weeks away, I reckon I’ll be doing a full read-through. Take that as both a glowing endorsement of this series and writer Kieron Gillen as well as artist Caspar Wijngaard, who knock it out of the park on this issue with art that takes your breath away. There are very few contemporary comic book series that I find the time to re-read these days.

It’s Manchester at the dawn of the new millennium, and we get a face-off between the angel, Santa Valentina and the demon, Eliza Hellhound. A figurative battle of Heaven and Hell with only one winner walking away from this one. A scene of Hellish, brooding colours juxtaposed against the lighter, brighter tones of Valentina. The perfect colour palette from Wijngaard, whose skills as a digital artist help bring a vibrant brightness to the page that almost glows in the enveloping dark. But that’s not even the best of it. Wait till you get a load of a particularly stunning set of splash pages that not only emphasise the scale of this battle, but in the climax, Wijngaard raises his game with pages that look painted. Think Stephanie Hans (Gillen’s co-creator on the excellent Die) and you’re not far off from imagining the art style exploding off the page. And it doesn’t end there. 

Not only is this a fitting end to this series, but it’s also a tour de force of both writing and art working in sync with each other. After 16 issues, I cannot help but be invested in these characters. You may not cry, but you should be affected. I was.

As for the ending? As I said, you really do want to pick this one up as quickly as you can to avoid the inevitable spoilers. It’s one of the most existential, boldest and beautifully brutal comics out there. And out now from Image Comics.