REVIEW: Power Girl #14
Power Girl #14, “Veni Vidi Luigi or Whatever the Romans Said”, doesn’t shy away from the traumatic effects Omen suffered last issue. Having successfully mixed light hearted antics with hard hitting issues the entire run, we’re left with one of the darker cliffhangers yet. All things point to an epic showdown that’s been building since issue #1 as this story arc plays out.
The standard cover is by Yanick Paquette and Arif Prianto. Adopting the company wide white covers of the All In debut issues, Power Girl is front and center as she takes joy in her flight capabilities. One of the better additions to Power Girl’s recent character growth has been the more outward acknowledgement of her connections to Superman and the family crest hanging out in the background continues that reinforcement.
Miguel Mercado’s variant has “Rosie the Riveter” vibes as Paige displays her flexed left arm. The lighting hits her just right to accentuate her massive bicep as well as the pleased look on her face. It’s definitely a cover showcasing strength in more than one form.
The variant by Simone Di Meo is a fun anime stylized take on Power Girl. Flying over the Daily Planet, Paige gives a knowing look back at us as the sun reflects off the background buildings.
The foiled incentive variant is by Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sánchez. As with all their incentive variants from the All In launch, they masterfully capture the essence of the main character in just a single image. Along with the standard cover, the ability to contrast white on white and still have both instances look like the pure color is incredibly impressive.
Adriana Melo and Colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr. continue their interior art duties. Keeping track of the entire assembled cast, both in and out of costume, is nothing short of impressive. Also, the way they visualize how Omen can somewhat communicate with Streaky is delightful. Melo and Fajardo are proving to be experts at dynamic conversational scenes, as this issue is primarily plan building with little superheroic action, yet never loses your attention. Their work mixes well with Leah Williams writing and makes the characters extremely relatable.
Leah Williams, lettered by Becca Carey, does a small time jump to showcase how badly traumatized Omen is from Ejecta’s ambush last issue. It also serves as a skip over their involvement during ‘Absolute Power’ without compromising continuity. This issue sees Natasha Irons become a more prominent member of the supporting cast which feels like a great fit for her character. The dialogue feels like authentic conversations and banter friends share which has been a highlight throughout the series. As promised, we learn a great deal about Ejecta although her origins remain a mystery. Who she’s connected to is very concerning as well as the possible deadly cliffhanger we’re left upon. Everything and everyone Power Girl holds dear is at risk and Paige may be powerless to stop what’s coming for her.
(8/10) I personally feel this is the best creative team we’ve had on this book. The art and writing in Power Girl #14 really mix well to bring these characters and situations to life on an entirely different level. My only critique is another character is allowed in on Paige’s identity on what seems like a whim. Not that she really needs an alternate ID (Kara, Conner, and Kenan seem to do fine without one), but I fear she’s being too reckless about having one.
