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The Power Fantasy #12-16
The Power Fantasy Vol. 3
Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2026
About the author
Kieron Gillen
1,481 books1,930 followersKieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 23, 2026
Okay, the world needs to last until the next Power Fantasy trade is released in 2027. Holy shit!
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March 20, 2026This third volume of The Power Fantasy is the strongest yet. After laying the groundwork and building tension across the first two volumes, writer Kieron Gillen and artist Caspar Wijngaard deliver on that setup with a series of well-executed, impressive twists. While the old cliché about the journey and destination holds true, the creative team’s ability to pull off a satisfying conclusion (of sorts) makes the series up to this point worthwhile. The creative team clearly had a plan from the series’ start and executed it in style.
Taking a step back, Gillen ends up with an interesting commentary on the relationship between liberalism and realpolitik. Readers are left asking whether Valentina, the series’ embodiment of liberalism, was right to pursue a “hands off” approach to keeping the peace. Should she have done more to reign in Etienne, who she watched manipulate the other superpowered characters to maintain the status quo? Or should she have worked more closely with him? Judging by the cliffhanger, the creative team plans on exploring these questions in greater depth. But I appreciate that beyond the characters’ interpersonal conflicts, this series has a deeper political point that carries a fair amount of ambiguity.
Even as cerebral and at times expository as the scripts get, the art by Wijngaard visually grounds the narrative. The fact that Wijngaard delivered sixteen consistent issues of art (penciling and coloring on his own) for a nearly monthly indie book is a major achievement. He brings variety and creativity to every page, making the visuals as vibrant and unpredictable as the script. It’s difficult to even imagine what this series would look like under a different artist.
All of this is to say, the Power Fantasy is a terrific series, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Taking a step back, Gillen ends up with an interesting commentary on the relationship between liberalism and realpolitik. Readers are left asking whether Valentina, the series’ embodiment of liberalism, was right to pursue a “hands off” approach to keeping the peace. Should she have done more to reign in Etienne, who she watched manipulate the other superpowered characters to maintain the status quo? Or should she have worked more closely with him? Judging by the cliffhanger, the creative team plans on exploring these questions in greater depth. But I appreciate that beyond the characters’ interpersonal conflicts, this series has a deeper political point that carries a fair amount of ambiguity.
Even as cerebral and at times expository as the scripts get, the art by Wijngaard visually grounds the narrative. The fact that Wijngaard delivered sixteen consistent issues of art (penciling and coloring on his own) for a nearly monthly indie book is a major achievement. He brings variety and creativity to every page, making the visuals as vibrant and unpredictable as the script. It’s difficult to even imagine what this series would look like under a different artist.
All of this is to say, the Power Fantasy is a terrific series, and I can’t recommend it enough.
May 19, 2026
That's a brilliant series and I need more.
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February 27, 2026And so The Power Fantasy concludes – unless it doesn't. This was always a comic all about how top-level superheroes coming to blows would, if treated remotely realistically, lead to the end of the world. So it was truly ingenious how the team took the basket case that is the modern comics marketplace and bolstered what was happening inside the series with the practicalities around it, such that, going into issue 16, I genuinely didn't know whether I was reading the grand finale. I have absolutely no intention of robbing anybody else of that same uncertainty, but I would advise reading it sooner rather than later if you want to find out for yourself. Still, throughout its run this has normally been the first comic I read after picking up my order, because I got spoilered once (Europe!) and had no intention of letting that happen again. Which sometimes comes with its own drawbacks; frequently I'm picking my comics up because I'm in town anyway, which often means I'm going out, which then means I'm reading TPF tipsy on public transport, hardly the best way to appreciate the sheer amount of craft and thought that's gone into every aspect of it, even the bloody indicia. But perhaps a suitably receptive state to be appropriately blown away by its sheer profligacy, the way it'll upend what we thought we knew and reveal a detail out of which many comics would juice a whole arc, if not a spin-off (Etienne's living arrangements!), and then toss it over its shoulder, on to the next thing, because for these creators ideas are easy but time is short, an enviable bind to be in. If I have a criticism it's that, like so many ostensibly terrifying SF and fantasy scenarios, it was a series secretly predicated on a weird optimism; the series' six Superpowers were all capable of terrible acts, but at base all of them were trying to act for the best, at least to start with. Whereas if you look at the six most powerful people in the real world, that's true of... none of them? Still, it would have been an unrewarding slog for the readers, let alone the people working on the book, to spend all that time with cyphers as flat and unpleasant (not to mention the sausage party of it all) as the rulers of our own doomed Earth. So with the proviso that for all the apocalyptic brinkmanship it's actually utopian, I'm calling it a masterpiece (at least as regards the run to date, which might be the whole thing, or might not).
April 25, 2026
I don’t want to spoil. I refuse to. Damn. This is comic book storytelling from someone who knows the medium like few others. This is not only a story but a summoning. At its closing, I somehow wanted this to be it for the comic but also for it to keep on another 100 issues. Closure and infinite, you can’t beat that for comics storytelling.
April 26, 2026
This arc's ending is a total rip-off from the famous X-Men Days of Futurepast, but the lead-up was SO good, and unlike Futurepast where the state of things in the future was just hand-waved, here the super-powered individuals had agency and _they_ created the mess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2026
This series just keeps throwing those curveballs. With each volume the intensity increases
May 20, 2026
I can’t decide if I’d rather this book ended. Here or not.
I’m kidding. I’m glad we are getting more. Gillen’s best work? And that’s a very high bar.
I’m kidding. I’m glad we are getting more. Gillen’s best work? And that’s a very high bar.
March 10, 2026
I couldn’t wait for the physical copy so I found the individual issues and raced through it. Wild ending, but didn’t feel like a whiff. Really delivered on the flaws and the logical directions for several characters, though it left me thinking that both Eliza and Dev were pretty underdeveloped compared to some of the other characters. I love that this ultimately subverted conventions and the lays groundwork for a possibly future series that should itself be doing something distinct from the original run. I just keep thinking how this certainly won’t end up in the pantheon of comics next to Watchmen, but arguably it’s one of the strongest to be informed by Moore’s piece that I’ve read to date.
May 7, 2026
"You're my oldest friend. I love you. I say this with all the rage my chained heart can muster. Your morals are going to kill us all."
How do you manage arguments with your best friends when you all have the power to take out the Earth, & zero patience?
"My utilitarianism presupposes that the world is worth saving. It would be a mistake to make me question that assumption."
That cliffhanger!!
"I think we're all going to die." "Oh good. Shared beliefs are crucial in a relationship."
A few of our characters have seen the future & they'll do anything to prevent it. One has seen their own future & will end their life at the risk of all humanity. & the rest don't care about the future, they just want to be able to carelessly continue doing what they have been doing, at the risk of everyone else...
"He was protecting the world in the way he knew best. Conversely, he always thought he knew best."
Again, I love the art & the story. I think there was only one (well-labeled) flashback this time.
"We live in an eggshell world & the giants are moving."
Representation: BIPOC MCs & sapphic MC relationship
"The only ethical thing to ever do with the nuclear button is not press it." (vague spoiler for The Locked Tomb series:)
How do you manage arguments with your best friends when you all have the power to take out the Earth, & zero patience?
"My utilitarianism presupposes that the world is worth saving. It would be a mistake to make me question that assumption."
That cliffhanger!!
"I think we're all going to die." "Oh good. Shared beliefs are crucial in a relationship."
A few of our characters have seen the future & they'll do anything to prevent it. One has seen their own future & will end their life at the risk of all humanity. & the rest don't care about the future, they just want to be able to carelessly continue doing what they have been doing, at the risk of everyone else...
"He was protecting the world in the way he knew best. Conversely, he always thought he knew best."
Again, I love the art & the story. I think there was only one (well-labeled) flashback this time.
"We live in an eggshell world & the giants are moving."
Representation: BIPOC MCs & sapphic MC relationship
"The only ethical thing to ever do with the nuclear button is not press it." (vague spoiler for The Locked Tomb series:)
May 8, 2026
The series reaches its inevitable conclusion ... the only way, it could ... if there was any doubt, the assassination of Etienne at the end of volume 2 confirmed it.
The characterisation, as to be expected from the series, is impeccable, with moments which will linger in the mind. Many oddities and mysteries of the series are explained satisfactorily.
I do have some minor nitpicks, which should dissuade nobody from purchasing it:
I'm vague on the theology, particularly Valentina's role, as every time she goes against an opponent on her own she seems useless. Masumi destroying the world at the end was God's plan, then?
The series returns to its opening scene for a retake, which is a trope I personally dislike, but also in this case it wouldn't solve the problems at hand:
a) the 'balancing act' was working satisfactorily until the Queen's dysfunction, which resulted in Eliza's selling her soul and the death of Jacky Magus, but while that could be prevented with advance knowledge, it wouldn't be by Valentina and Etienne running the planet.
b) Masumi's actions at the end possibly could be prevented with advance knowledge ... but it wouldn't be by Valentina and Etienne running the planet.
This remains one of my favorite comic series though and everyone interested in superheroics should read it.
The characterisation, as to be expected from the series, is impeccable, with moments which will linger in the mind. Many oddities and mysteries of the series are explained satisfactorily.
I do have some minor nitpicks, which should dissuade nobody from purchasing it:
I'm vague on the theology, particularly Valentina's role, as every time she goes against an opponent on her own she seems useless. Masumi destroying the world at the end was God's plan, then?
The series returns to its opening scene for a retake, which is a trope I personally dislike, but also in this case it wouldn't solve the problems at hand:
a) the 'balancing act' was working satisfactorily until the Queen's dysfunction, which resulted in Eliza's selling her soul and the death of Jacky Magus, but while that could be prevented with advance knowledge, it wouldn't be by Valentina and Etienne running the planet.
b) Masumi's actions at the end possibly could be prevented with advance knowledge ... but it wouldn't be by Valentina and Etienne running the planet.
This remains one of my favorite comic series though and everyone interested in superheroics should read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
oof. just finished Issue 16 and it really stuck the landing which is something I was wondering how on earth would be possible as I read the last 3 issues. not only did it stick the landing, but it put everything from the first scene in Issue 1 onwards into a new context - enough that I needed to start rereading from the start. I thought Etienne was the heart of the series though it could be he just convinced me he's the best and the brightest... now, I don't know, maybe Valentina is the true center. Or maybe it will be the voice of the collective Magus. Everything has come full circle and while it's an interesting take on superheroes with world-ending capabilities... it's also about people trying to do the right thing for their circle; however inclusive that circle is, and the resulting consequences for the rest of humanity.
May 1, 2026
Oh.....so that's what we're doing!?
This book has been a challenge for me, month to month. It's easily the most interesting indie book on the stands for some time, and leave it to Gillen for making a book about not fighting that compelling. Thing is, when you do reach your end state....can you go on from there!?
Remarkable how the worst case is this exciting to see, especially with the implications of "what comes next". I'm happy this story can still exist in some form going forward, and like any great story with layers, the moment I finish it, I wanna double back to re read the whole thing to see what I missed in the margins. This is the button put on the end that makes me really connect with the book, from where we started, to where we could go. I'll be revisiting the saga again many times in the future.
This book has been a challenge for me, month to month. It's easily the most interesting indie book on the stands for some time, and leave it to Gillen for making a book about not fighting that compelling. Thing is, when you do reach your end state....can you go on from there!?
Remarkable how the worst case is this exciting to see, especially with the implications of "what comes next". I'm happy this story can still exist in some form going forward, and like any great story with layers, the moment I finish it, I wanna double back to re read the whole thing to see what I missed in the margins. This is the button put on the end that makes me really connect with the book, from where we started, to where we could go. I'll be revisiting the saga again many times in the future.
May 8, 2026
Второй и третий том Power Fantasy, который мне довольно-таки понравился, продолжает динамику первого: мощный build-up, классные политические и этические дебаты, искры летят от потенциально апокалиптического противостояния, союзы возникают и рушатся, расстановка сил перетекает в какую-то иную форму, твисты твистят, потом финал бахает традиционным гилленовским фейерверком... но как-то не удовлетворяет полностью (как было в первом томе Wic+Div). Во втором чуть лучше, в третьем чуть хуже. По логике событий я ожидал, что на этом произведение завершится, но, похоже, авторы ушли на каникулы — четвёртый том обещают в 2027-м. В целом — практически супер.
May 13, 2026
“This book was an engaging and enjoyable read from beginning to end. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters and creating a story that keeps the reader interested throughout. The writing style is clear, descriptive, and easy to follow, making it hard to put the book down. One of the strongest aspects of the book is its ability to balance entertainment with meaningful themes and emotions. Whether you enjoy this genre regularly or are trying something new, this book is definitely worth reading. Overall, it is a well-written and memorable book that I would highly recommend.”
May 3, 2026
When Gillen is at his best, I’m realizing that few other writers that can match him for big bold comic storytelling. This is packed with heady high-concept superhero stuff and broad philosophical questions around power that are easy to understand but difficult to grapple with, plus Gillen’s plotting keeps it all racing along with gutsy (but earned) consequences in every issue. There’s plenty of heart and wit too, somehow, and Wijngaard translates all those high-concept ideas onto the page gorgeously.
The wait for vol4 is going to be rough.
The wait for vol4 is going to be rough.
Review of advance copy
...Yeah. Just....yeah.
Sometimes reading this book makes me want to throw it across the room. Other times it makes me laugh at how clever and contrived something is. Mostly it makes me despair, but in a kind of hopeful way? Like, the world of this comic is so much worse than ours is. At least for now.
And now we're going...full circle? Starting again? Who knows. Well, I hope Kieron Gillen does, at least.
Sometimes reading this book makes me want to throw it across the room. Other times it makes me laugh at how clever and contrived something is. Mostly it makes me despair, but in a kind of hopeful way? Like, the world of this comic is so much worse than ours is. At least for now.
And now we're going...full circle? Starting again? Who knows. Well, I hope Kieron Gillen does, at least.
April 24, 2026
If this series actually does continue after this point (I understand that it's on hiatus at the moment) I wonder how they can maintain the tension. We've seen what happens if superpowers in the world cut loose now: global extinction. It's already been shown. so how do you maintain that narrative tension? Because I don't think the threat of it happening again is going to be as impactful, paticularly if it can be undone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2026
It’s refreshing to read a superhero comic from a creative team that clearly agrees that the fight scenes are the least interesting part. That does introduce an element of risk for this inevitable and-then-they-fight arc, but I’m happy to report The Power Fantasy continues to pull it off. I’m on the edge of my seat for what comes next.
April 24, 2026
Recent Reads: The Power Fantasy - The End Of History. Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard's first arc ends.
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned."
Yeats has it all.
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned."
Yeats has it all.
May 7, 2026
Everything comes to a head in this volume as plans are set in motion and counter plans ensue. Glad that the story gets better and moves forward. I hope this story ends here or they have a really good idea to continue, because this ended is good enough. I'd hate to see this one go on too long and face a slow decline in quality.
May 15, 2026
Love this series, but the final arc felt (and looked!) a bit rushed - would have liked it to be a bit longer to let it breathe more. Still, excited for the next arc.
(Also, after re-reading the entire series, it's pretty obvious in retrospect that Eliza is The Queen, lol)
(Also, after re-reading the entire series, it's pretty obvious in retrospect that Eliza is The Queen, lol)
May 17, 2026
I think I enjoyed the build-up more than the climax. It was still a very good climax, though, and it felt like a fair (if unexpected) way to tie up the story. But really, this is just the end of the first half. So really, it's the build-up to something more!
Review of advance copy
comix b krazy !! (130)
Review of advance copy
Read as single issues.
March 28, 2026
READ AS SINGLE ISSUES
April 2, 2026
Great end to a compelling story arc! All of the issues are available on hoopla and I would highly recommend for a quick addictive read.
Review of advance copy
4.5. This volume was just out of this world the tension between the characters, the unraveling of the truth an ending that i can only call insane. I loved it
Review of advance copy
Read as single issues, because I just could not wait after finishing volume 2. And that energy followed all the way to issue 16. This was so exciting and the art concepts are just so cool.
Review of advance copy
Your reminder that The Power Fantasy is today...
The best comic series
The smartest superhero comic
The sexiest comic
The best X-Men comic
The best comic series
The smartest superhero comic
The sexiest comic
The best X-Men comic
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews