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The Power Fantasy #6-11
The Power Fantasy Volume 2: Mutually Reassuring Destruction
Imagine six people of such power that if they ever came into conflict, the world would end. Now imagine them never coming into conflict. Which is easier to imagine? The critically acclaimed series’ second volume continues to pull blocks from the Jenga tower of total annihilation.Come dance to the ticking of the doomsday clock with KIERON GILLEN (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, DIE) and CASPAR WIJNGAARD (HOME SICK PILOTS, ALL AGAINST ALL) in the second collection of this sell-out epic. Collects THE POWER FANTASY #6-11
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2025
21 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Kieron Gillen
1,472 books1,907 followersKieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 25, 2025
Eliza was a devoted Christian woman, and a low-ranking member of Magus’s pyramid cult, who used magic she learnt from her higher-ranking husband, who had learnt it from Magus, to sell her soul and attain unlimited demonic power so she could defeat The Queen. The Queen, an alien being containing the consciousness of her entire race, came to Earth and tried to destroy the world, until Eliza killed her. However, the ensuing battle destroyed the entire continent of Europe, an event since referred to as the Second Summer of Love.
Magus joins forces with the US military in a bid to bolster his power, and Etienne finds out about Heavy’s superpowered son. These events destabilize the fragile power dynamic of the nuclear family, forcing them to choose sides. Magus reveals to Eliza that he is really Dev, her previously presumed dead husband, who took over Magus’s abilities and identity after the events of the Second Summer of Love, to convince her to join him and find a way to safely kill Etienne. She joins him, and they execute the plan, killing Etienne in front of the other members of the nuclear family, but Etienne is revealed to somehow still alive.
Another Epic volume. Love this story so much and can’t wait to see what comes next. The writing, characters, pacing, and art are all top-notch. Strongly Recommend.
Magus joins forces with the US military in a bid to bolster his power, and Etienne finds out about Heavy’s superpowered son. These events destabilize the fragile power dynamic of the nuclear family, forcing them to choose sides. Magus reveals to Eliza that he is really Dev, her previously presumed dead husband, who took over Magus’s abilities and identity after the events of the Second Summer of Love, to convince her to join him and find a way to safely kill Etienne. She joins him, and they execute the plan, killing Etienne in front of the other members of the nuclear family, but Etienne is revealed to somehow still alive.
Another Epic volume. Love this story so much and can’t wait to see what comes next. The writing, characters, pacing, and art are all top-notch. Strongly Recommend.
September 3, 2025
Kieron Gillen writes comics for people who read perhaps too many comics. He plays with tropes and expectations in an expansive way: fun for everyone, but especially for people who think they know what's coming next. A true joy
October 28, 2025
I like this book and recognize that it’s very good - smart writing, excellent art, intriguing concept - but I can’t fully get into it for similar reasons as to why I bounced off Disco Elysium. It’s very forward about how smart it is in terms of politics and philosophy, but it’s all right there on the surface. It is indeed a very smart book, but on the nose or on the sleeve. That kind of vibe doesn’t get as much mileage from me, but I’m at least intrigued enough to keep reading, especially since I’m reading this one via hoopla.
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August 14, 2025Having shown us a world on the brink in the first volume, obviously Gillen and Wijngaard spend the next installment poking at the house of cards. Some of this comes through rolling the clock back, showing us more of Jacky Magus and Eliza Hellbound, who didn't get as much spotlight as some of the other superpowers in the opening issues. There's also the whole Europe thing to address, and why in this timeline the press would have been more than justified in getting as worked up about the Second Summer of Love as they did here. As sins past will tend to, these and other matters set faultlines crackling towards the story's present, and soon people are being forced into hasty actions because they feel cornered, which we all know never ends badly. But what makes it truly tragic is that while all of the characters have their flaws, none of them, not even the one who sold her soul, are actually bad people. As Gillen says on the letters page, "really, 'What does a fuck do with power?' isn't that interesting. We know what fucks do with power. We live on Earth." But it turns out certain familiar phrases about power, and good intentions, hold true even for the non-fucks. I'd like this series to run for a while yet, and part of that is simply because it's a very good comic, but also because I really don't want to see its world, battered as it may already be, end as horribly as it looks like it's about to.
September 21, 2025
Sometimes a series comes along that clearly has more going on under the hood than what's going on in the panels. The Power Fantasy made a statement about fighting being the failstate in it's opening arc, and the followup exemplifies that well.
Showing pieces of the infamous "Second Summer of Love" it's like putting a puzzle together over time. In the present, as secrets get loose and a new face is invited to the party, a deadly plan is hatched, and we finally have a casualty. Who it is, a bit expected. But what comes out of it!? that's what vol 3 will be for.
Showing pieces of the infamous "Second Summer of Love" it's like putting a puzzle together over time. In the present, as secrets get loose and a new face is invited to the party, a deadly plan is hatched, and we finally have a casualty. Who it is, a bit expected. But what comes out of it!? that's what vol 3 will be for.
September 27, 2025
I don’t even know where to begin. This was better than the last and I am so pumped for the next! This volume essentially “fixed” all of my problems with the last one and gave us even more in this wonderfully fucked-up world. As always, the art-style and storytelling was terrific. No notes.
September 20, 2025
Fantastic stuff. I wonder where Gillen is headed with this. I can't imagine the series ending with the Earth still intact.
December 11, 2025
this is like a superhero version of DIE
if you like die you will like this
i like the first vol better but this was a good continuation
i hope there more as it wasn't really a ending
if you like die you will like this
i like the first vol better but this was a good continuation
i hope there more as it wasn't really a ending
October 30, 2025
4.5 stars rounded down kieron gillen you’ve done it again
September 20, 2025
just keeps getting better.
as should be true of a story about realpolitik, it's always hard to guess what happens next. not in the sense that events aren't foreshadowed but in the sense that, perhaps unfortunately for the world, these superpowers are all humans with clear ideologies, often understandable motivations and unique personalities which means that when faced with the consequences of their own and each others' powers, their actions and reactions are tempestuous and plans are constantly changing. and really, that's what a political thriller should be and where Gillen has always shone most (so much of his work centres around similarly powerful yet human ensembles trying to wrestle with their impact on the world, and so many of his best moments come from them doing shocking things that you just know are gonna have a million unexpected ripple effects, cf issue 10 of Immortal X-Men and the last few of WicDiv's fourth volume.
also shoutouts to Wijngaard's art which is also getting better and more dynamic as more characters come into play. for example, in the issues flashing back to 1989 (as an aside, i'm so glad those exist, i needed more details about that after the allusions to it in volume one), the contrast between the fluorescent pastel colours and panels moving across the page like sunbeams which create the psychedelic peaceable utopia of the Queen and the harsh reds and blacks of Eliza's hell powers. oh and the combination of his art and Cowles' lettering is also exceptional in depicting the strange bi-gendered alien from the 70's, with split reds and blues like it's being seen through 3d glasses.
we're in for yet another all timer here, just wish i didn't have to wait for more
as should be true of a story about realpolitik, it's always hard to guess what happens next. not in the sense that events aren't foreshadowed but in the sense that, perhaps unfortunately for the world, these superpowers are all humans with clear ideologies, often understandable motivations and unique personalities which means that when faced with the consequences of their own and each others' powers, their actions and reactions are tempestuous and plans are constantly changing. and really, that's what a political thriller should be and where Gillen has always shone most (so much of his work centres around similarly powerful yet human ensembles trying to wrestle with their impact on the world, and so many of his best moments come from them doing shocking things that you just know are gonna have a million unexpected ripple effects, cf issue 10 of Immortal X-Men and the last few of WicDiv's fourth volume.
also shoutouts to Wijngaard's art which is also getting better and more dynamic as more characters come into play. for example, in the issues flashing back to 1989 (as an aside, i'm so glad those exist, i needed more details about that after the allusions to it in volume one), the contrast between the fluorescent pastel colours and panels moving across the page like sunbeams which create the psychedelic peaceable utopia of the Queen and the harsh reds and blacks of Eliza's hell powers. oh and the combination of his art and Cowles' lettering is also exceptional in depicting the strange bi-gendered alien from the 70's, with split reds and blues like it's being seen through 3d glasses.
we're in for yet another all timer here, just wish i didn't have to wait for more
November 8, 2025
Read this awhile ago following as quickly as I could after the first volume. However, I found this one disappointing. Way too much talking. Left me still confused about what exactly each character's powers are or can be. And there is so much time jumping to fill in background events (which are referred to as if we are fully informed about them) and also to show the history of the main characters' relationships and interaction that it all gets a bit jumbled -- especially when they spend most of their time in the present talking.
September 24, 2025
3.5
Interested to see where it’s going but I found this volume pretty confusing. The perspective and time jumps didn’t help.
Interested to see where it’s going but I found this volume pretty confusing. The perspective and time jumps didn’t help.
October 12, 2025
The early dashes of nonlinear plotting in these issues borders on feeling like needlessly convoluted friction for cleverness sake, but that calms down by the midpoint and becomes a strength by the end of this arc, as old truths get revealed to the reader out of order, at moments when they’re pointedly more meaningful.
Otherwise, with much of the premise-setting out of the way in vol1, vol2 can focus on its unique clash of superpowers, a consciously philosophical struggle instead of the more typical punchy-shooty sort. And not the “two supermen floating in the air and monologuing at each other” sort either, but instead a half dozen different beings with asymmetric strengths and weaknesses putting plans and counterplans into place that they see as unfortunate but necessary for the greater good. It all heads to an explosive conclusion, with some exciting character-building reveals along the way. The art teams makes all of Gillen’s heady ideas look vibrant and exciting on the page, bringing a dynamism that makes it easy to forget how little traditional action there is.
“Magic or not, a guy selling you tech having tech problems isn’t exactly convincing.”
“Our sins are eternal. They sit in the past, untouchable, immutable, done. But our perspective on those sins? They change as we do. What you did is of no interest. How you see them today? That is everything. They are done. You change.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes, I am too, at least intellectually.”
“I perpetuate the illusion to soothe her, not manipulate her.”
“Soothing her isn’t manipulating her?”
“Touché.”
Otherwise, with much of the premise-setting out of the way in vol1, vol2 can focus on its unique clash of superpowers, a consciously philosophical struggle instead of the more typical punchy-shooty sort. And not the “two supermen floating in the air and monologuing at each other” sort either, but instead a half dozen different beings with asymmetric strengths and weaknesses putting plans and counterplans into place that they see as unfortunate but necessary for the greater good. It all heads to an explosive conclusion, with some exciting character-building reveals along the way. The art teams makes all of Gillen’s heady ideas look vibrant and exciting on the page, bringing a dynamism that makes it easy to forget how little traditional action there is.
“Magic or not, a guy selling you tech having tech problems isn’t exactly convincing.”
“Our sins are eternal. They sit in the past, untouchable, immutable, done. But our perspective on those sins? They change as we do. What you did is of no interest. How you see them today? That is everything. They are done. You change.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes, I am too, at least intellectually.”
“I perpetuate the illusion to soothe her, not manipulate her.”
“Soothing her isn’t manipulating her?”
“Touché.”
September 28, 2025
I don't wanna say that "this is as good as comics can get" but it's very tempting.
I genuinely don't think any version of this story could be half as good if it was attempted in another medium, which is kinda why I'm not even going to mention anything to do with the plot. They know they're making a comic, so they're using the storytelling devices unique to comics to their fullest capacity. It's hard not to sound pretentious but this really is to a comic book what a "film" is to a "movie."
Gillen, Winjngaard, Cowles, Hughes, and West are all at full-throttle, relentlessly batting a hundred with every panel. They all know what they're doing, and they're doing it masterfully, and when it all comes together it's genuinely astonishing.
I keep prattling on about the art medium and stuff, but also the story and characters and themes are all just really top-tier by themselves.
Pretty solid comic, all things considered.
I genuinely don't think any version of this story could be half as good if it was attempted in another medium, which is kinda why I'm not even going to mention anything to do with the plot. They know they're making a comic, so they're using the storytelling devices unique to comics to their fullest capacity. It's hard not to sound pretentious but this really is to a comic book what a "film" is to a "movie."
Gillen, Winjngaard, Cowles, Hughes, and West are all at full-throttle, relentlessly batting a hundred with every panel. They all know what they're doing, and they're doing it masterfully, and when it all comes together it's genuinely astonishing.
I keep prattling on about the art medium and stuff, but also the story and characters and themes are all just really top-tier by themselves.
Pretty solid comic, all things considered.
December 12, 2025
I don't know if I can review this because I don't know how to not let what I have read since cloud how I felt about 6-11. However.
I think this may be the strongest section of this story so far. Issues 1-5 through were very good (with issue 1 being the strongest period), but never quite strayed away from feeling like an introduction. We were constantly being reminded things about characters and dynamics that made it feel repetitive, even when reading across month. By issue 11, we don't have etienne dropping the word ethical every 10 pages so that marks an improvement there.
I began to see the bigger picture and feel for the characters, the tension ratcheted up. I really find these characters and dynamics and I wish they were dug into a little bit more than they are.
I think this may be the strongest section of this story so far. Issues 1-5 through were very good (with issue 1 being the strongest period), but never quite strayed away from feeling like an introduction. We were constantly being reminded things about characters and dynamics that made it feel repetitive, even when reading across month. By issue 11, we don't have etienne dropping the word ethical every 10 pages so that marks an improvement there.
I began to see the bigger picture and feel for the characters, the tension ratcheted up. I really find these characters and dynamics and I wish they were dug into a little bit more than they are.
December 24, 2025
There is no better feeling that seeing all the promises of the first volume being fulfilled on the second... and then some.
Kieron Gillen does an excellent work, once again, when it comes to world and character building, and is able to keep the readers engaged at all times, whether we are revisiting past events to better understand the present, or just going along for the wild ride that is said present.
And, of course, we also get that superb art to boot, in what surely is the most imaginative and inventive story about superpowers made lately.
Plus, big surprises and revelations all along, and even a bigger cliffhanger of an ending to leave us wanting for the next one.
Fun times! End times?
Kieron Gillen does an excellent work, once again, when it comes to world and character building, and is able to keep the readers engaged at all times, whether we are revisiting past events to better understand the present, or just going along for the wild ride that is said present.
And, of course, we also get that superb art to boot, in what surely is the most imaginative and inventive story about superpowers made lately.
Plus, big surprises and revelations all along, and even a bigger cliffhanger of an ending to leave us wanting for the next one.
Fun times! End times?
November 7, 2025
For all the first volume had the sense of an unstable rock face I still wanted to imagine the nuclear family stable and fearing each other forever. The series has so effectively left me believing that this awful state is as good as it gets, and yet the more we see the preparation here the horror only grows. Open hostilities, what might be the beginning of the end of the world, somehow feels like a relief. Action, high stakes, these might be worse in a technical sense but at least they feel more heightened and less real than the posturing. I enjoyed this massively but I'm wondering if Gillen and Wijngaard can keep the tension up.
September 8, 2025
Some answers about the Second Summer Of Love put the relationship between the Superpowers into sharper perspective. Meanwhile, Heavy makes his move, someone steps out of the shadows, and someone explodes, quite literally.
I was worried that I'd have forgotten too much about this book between trades, but I slipped back in almost right away, which I always find is a good sign. The world's compelling, the characters are all various degrees of terrible in different ways, and just when you think everything's going one way, it goes the other.
I was worried that I'd have forgotten too much about this book between trades, but I slipped back in almost right away, which I always find is a good sign. The world's compelling, the characters are all various degrees of terrible in different ways, and just when you think everything's going one way, it goes the other.
October 13, 2025
"The Power Fantasy volume 2: Mutually Reassuring Destruction" did not pull any punches. We find out what The Second Summer of Love was, found out Eliza's deal, and some interesting growth from one of the Atomics. And that ending!
Written - Kieron Gillen
Art - Caspar Wijngaard
Lettering - Clayton Cowles
Designer - Rian Hughes
Reasons to read
-Answers!
-Some power flexing
-Those on the planet who can do the most harm actually talking about it
-Did not see that coming
-Crazy monster design
Cons:
-Waiting for volume 3
Written - Kieron Gillen
Art - Caspar Wijngaard
Lettering - Clayton Cowles
Designer - Rian Hughes
Reasons to read
-Answers!
-Some power flexing
-Those on the planet who can do the most harm actually talking about it
-Did not see that coming
-Crazy monster design
Cons:
-Waiting for volume 3
October 24, 2025
As Gillen explores this world of his creation, it grows richer and more complex. Hints in the first volume are explored in greater depth here as it is revealed that the Queen mentioned in relation to the destructive incident of 1989 is not the Queen of England.
Gillen smartly builds each story arc, contained in these volumes, to a climax as well as a lure to the next arc. This one even out does the first in that regard.
Wijngaard's art is stunning and elegant.
Power Fantasy may have vaulted to one of my top ten favorite all time series.
Gillen smartly builds each story arc, contained in these volumes, to a climax as well as a lure to the next arc. This one even out does the first in that regard.
Wijngaard's art is stunning and elegant.
Power Fantasy may have vaulted to one of my top ten favorite all time series.
October 11, 2025
Muita gente já tentou escrever hqs com a premissa “se o Superman existisse de verdade”, com resultados que variam de “clássico” (watchman) até horrível (the boys). Power fantasy é uma espécie de “se os X-men existissem de verdade”, um conceito relativamente inexplorado (se
Você não contar heroes e a novela “os mutantes” da record). Até o momento, power fantasy é um triunfo. Talvez o melhor trabalho autoral do kieron (e eu gosto muito de die e wick div).
Você não contar heroes e a novela “os mutantes” da record). Até o momento, power fantasy é um triunfo. Talvez o melhor trabalho autoral do kieron (e eu gosto muito de die e wick div).
November 7, 2025
This book has been really amazing and I've barely seen people talk about it. Feels like Watchmen if all the main characters were as powerful as Dr Manhattan...and hippie, LSD consuming cultists (and also a quite obvious metaphor for the real life "Super Powers" with atomic warheads who are constantly butting heads in the political field).
Hoping this gets more traction so it lasts longer than 16 issues. Certainly more interesting that Ultimate or whatever Marvel is dumping nowdays.
Hoping this gets more traction so it lasts longer than 16 issues. Certainly more interesting that Ultimate or whatever Marvel is dumping nowdays.
September 14, 2025
Just got myself caught up on the latest Kieron Gillen gods books.
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I liked these a lot but I honestly can’t say I understand everything that’s happening. Loving the art, loving the concepts. Going to have to reread them a few times to really take it all in.
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I was really missing The Wicked + The Divine and this is a lovely new adventure.
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I liked these a lot but I honestly can’t say I understand everything that’s happening. Loving the art, loving the concepts. Going to have to reread them a few times to really take it all in.
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I was really missing The Wicked + The Divine and this is a lovely new adventure.
November 27, 2025
Your story has this rare balance of tension and elegance. It’s visual, heartfelt, and completely immersive.
I'm a commissioned artist and specialize in comics and webtoons, and your writing instantly sparked ideas for how it could unfold in illustrated form.
If you’re open to the idea, you can reach me on Instagram (@eve_verse_) or Discord (bennett_lol).
I'm a commissioned artist and specialize in comics and webtoons, and your writing instantly sparked ideas for how it could unfold in illustrated form.
If you’re open to the idea, you can reach me on Instagram (@eve_verse_) or Discord (bennett_lol).
September 24, 2025
The stakes ratchet up to crazy levels. But I never get enough time with these characters for the reveals to hit as hard as they should. The plot is definitely moving but I want to love the characters more.
September 26, 2025
Recent Reads: The Power Fantasy Volume 2 - Mutually Reassuring Destruction. The second arc of Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard's superhero deconstruction gives us more back story and a centre that cannot hold. The Superpowers are like billionaires, still pretending to be human. They are failing.
October 1, 2025
The best new series of the past year just keeps on going. Lots of backstory and characters to set up just right, but Gillen fits them together masterfully. It has the feel of a slow-burn plot, and then I realize just how many big things keep happening. I can't wait to see what happens next.
October 14, 2025
Power Fantasy Vol. 2 continues much of the themes from the first volume, but, to have the most impact, readers are better off reading volume 1 back-to-back so that the significance of the events depicted here do not fall flat.
August 20, 2025
I think this might be my favorite ongoing comic, just slightly ahead of Absolute Wonder Woman. The art is incredible and the story is so cool, original, and complex. Highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews