Power Pack #18Issue(s): Power Pack #18 Review/plot: This issue begins with Kurse rampaging through Manhattan, and in the process he seriously injures Power Pack's mom, Margaret Power. Margaret was picking up supplies for Alex for a school project, and so Alex blames himself for her injury, since he was too busy going on adventures with Power Pack and talking to his not-quite-girlfriend Allison to get the supplies himself. The Beyonder created Kurse, so he's ultimately responsible for Margaret Power's injury, but he's currently playing in a superhero mode, so he brings Margaret to the hospital... ...and also picks up the Power kids to visit her. They have no idea that he's behind Kurse's creation, but Franklin Richards, impotently dreaming about all of this but unable to warn the others thanks to Jarvis, is aware. Alex's guilt and desire for revenge might feel a little forced coming from an adult, but it's perfect for a young teenaged boy, and it raises the question of how Power Pack should use their powers. Julie flat out says that they "can't use our powers for revenge! They were given to us to save the world! It wouldn't be right!". Katie, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly uncomfortable about being used essentially as a gun... ...and complains that "all I do is wreck things". It's Julie's love of fantasy books, earlier contrasted with Allison's interest in useful stuff like science, that helps Power Pack defeat Kurse, at least for now. She recognizes the Dark Elf's vulnerability to iron and that leads to the strategy of dropping a building's iron girder framework onto him. The action endangers construction workers, furthering the idea that Alex's drive for vengeance has made him reckless. Kurse, meanwhile, is completely delusional, mistaking Power Pack for Thor, Malekith, and other characters from his past. Kofi, at least, learns a lesson from this, which is that you may accomplish things by being single-minded, but you pay a terrible price. With that, he decides to take the spaceship Friday and travel back to mend fences with his father. The construction site where Power Pack battles Kurse must be one that Thor worked at in his Sigurd Jarlson persona, since Kurse says that it reeks of Thor's presence. Some nice action sequences thanks to Brent Anderson and Scott Williams (i'm not sure how their work is split in this book or next issue)... ...and some great drama and characterization for the Power Pack kids. The fact that it's tying into Secret Wars and Thor is just gravy for me. Of course, gravy is delicious. Quality Rating: B+ Chronological Placement Considerations: This starts the same night as Power Pack's encounter with the Beyonder in Secret Wars II #6. Franklin says that he couldn't tell his parents about his dream "even if they were here" without breaking his promise to not give away Power Pack's secret identities. I'm looking at that in the context of the FF returning from space in FF #286 from their Untold Tale (see FF annual #19's Considerations and Comments for more on that) which means there shouldn't be any FF appearances between this issue and FF #286. References:
Crossover: Secret Wars II Continuity Insert? N My Reprint: N/A Inbound References (4): showCharacters Appearing: Allison McCourt, Beyonder, Energizer, Franklin Richards, Friday, Gee, Jarvis, Jim Power, Kofi, Kurse, Lightspeed, Margaret Power, Mass Master Commentsfnord, you have the panel of Katie collapsing the framework posted twice. Posted by: Thanos6 | October 8, 2015 2:01 AM Thanks Thanos6. Posted by: fnord12 | October 8, 2015 7:26 AM This issue is only let down by the ridiculously contrived way of getting Power Pack away from their mom so they can go and fight Kurse. I mean, the nurse who left the injured woman with her husband comes back and finds that there are now children there. Could they be the couple's kids? No! Of course not! Even when the husband flat out tells her that they are their kids she refuses to believe him and kicks them out while he just sort of stands there in shock. What the hell? What does she think they are, gloaters? Posted by: Benway | April 3, 2016 7:49 PM Comments are now closed. |
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