POWERS 25 #12 (DARK HORSE COMICS)

Powers 25 #12 feels like Bendis & Oeming (Dark Horse Comics) finally saying, “You wanted the truth? Here it is.”

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Michael Avon Oeming, colors by Nick Filardi, lettering by Josh Reed, and published by Dark Horse Comics through Jinxworld, this issue brings the Powers 25 storyline to a close without relying on one massive superhero battle. Instead, Bendis turns the finale into something much more personal: a confession.

Credit: Dark Horse Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Oliver Simms is finally forced to explain what happened with Archie Gates, the portals, the mysterious faceless body, and—most importantly—another version of himself.

That's what grabbed me about this issue. The multiverse isn't being used simply as an excuse to show us alternate versions of characters. Bendis uses it to ask a much more interesting question: What happens when you see a world that turned out better than yours?

Simms finds a reality where heroes who died in his world are still alive, and eventually comes face-to-face with another Oliver Simms. That encounter forces him to confront twenty-five years of anger, disappointment and resentment.

It makes Simms' story tragic because you can understand where some of his anger comes from without excusing what he ultimately does. He feels betrayed by people he trusted and convinced himself that revenge was justified.

Bendis also manages to make this feel like a science-fiction story, revenge story and police procedural all at once.

Michael Avon Oeming's artwork is perfect for that tone. His heavy shadows and exaggerated expressions make the interrogation scenes feel claustrophobic, while the portal sequences explode across the page. Nick Filardi's colors really help separate the strange dimensional imagery from the darker world surrounding Simms.

My biggest criticism is that this issue is VERY dialogue-heavy. If you aren't invested in the history of Powers, some of the exposition may feel dense. As a conclusion to Powers 25, I think it works.

FINAL GRADE: 10

The case reaches a satisfying stopping point, Kutter and Moon get an important win, and there are still enough loose threads to push the story forward. The creators even confirm that the detectives will return for another case.

And that's really why Powers continues to work after all these years:

It's superhero insanity treated like a homicide case.

Have you read Powers 25 before? Let me know down in the comments. Make sure to like, subscribe, and follow Fanlight Zone on all platforms.

And until next time...Read Your Comics.