Superheroes have it hard in the world of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming's world of Powers.

Murder, betrayal and sex scandals have rocked the superhero world in the first five volumes of the series, so there's no reason not to expect more of the same in Sellouts. But this time, it comes with a one-two punch.

It begins when a frightfully incriminating sex tape is leaked to the media, incriminating the Red Hawk -- a Batman-like figure in many ways -- with unspeakable perversions. Before police can even question him, however, he is brutally killed -- and the unidentified slayer displays the characteristics consistent with someone on a Superman level of power. Just how are workaday police officers supposed to find someone like that? And, if they do -- what are they supposed to do about it?

Unity, a superhero group akin to the Justice League and to which the Red Hawk was a member, is the obvious starting point for the investigation, but detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim keep running into dead-ends -- from Red Hawk's former sidekick to Unity's disgruntled ex-member. Then, a nuclear explosion levels much of Utah, where one of their suspects resided, and soon mysterious devastation is cropping up all over the world.

Can one person -- one awesomely powerful person -- really be guilty of all this?

You'll find out.

Powers rocks its world with this one, and nothing will be the same in its wake. I have to wonder if Bendis and Oeming will be able to top themselves this time.

Note: With the publication of volume six, Powers switched publishers from Image, a subsidiary of DC Comics, to Icon, an imprint of Marvel.

by Tom Knapp
Rambles.NET
19 May 2007