Powers

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View books by Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming.

'Powers' is one Powerful book. - Rated
Read this. That's all I really need to say but let me elaborate. Brian Michael Bendis is arguably the top comic book writer in the Industry. If we don't see some of his work make it to the silver screen, it will be a travesty. Bendis is a god, who writes dazzling dialogue.
Enough of me singing the writers praises. This book truly is a must have. We follow the fledgling partnership of Walker & Pilgrim (who work in the 'Powers' department of the police force) as they investigate the death of Retro Girl. Oemings art gives this book a unique look which contributes to readability completely.

Bendis casts his 'Powers' over me... - Rated
Being a follower of Brian Michael Bendis' work in the US comics scene since his run on 'Sam and Twitch', I decided to pick up his hard-boiled-crime-story comic co-creation (along with Michael Avon Oeming), 'Powers'. It features an interesting premise: police detectives who investigate super-hero/villain homicides. True, it has just about all of the cliches you've come to expect from the genre. There's the loud, overbearing captain who wants our heroes to get the job done, and no excuses. There's the smarmy jerk cop who's always trying to butt in on our heroes' case, and knows just the wrong things to say. Let's not forget the spunky-yet-tough babe partner of the story's focal character. And of course we've got the medical examiner/ forensic pathologist who gets a bit too technical with his explanations, and eats his meals in the morgue amongst the fresh corpses in a nonchalant manner. Finally, and most importantly, the main protagonist has had a 'fall from grace' as it were, as well as a deep, dark secret. If you're looking for originality in these areas, you'll definitely be in for a disappointment.

But it wasn't really the settings or stock police-story cliches that drew me in; it was the dialogue. Bendis has a gift for penning amazingly realistic back-and-forth conversations between characters, and the many moments of sniping, bonding, and just plain revelations in this collection flow with the right tempo and intensity (granted you can picture the conversations in your mind, that is). The quality of the artwork may be a bit off-putting to some- Pat Garrahy's quasi-cartoonish renderings are reminiscent of the animated 'Batman', 'Batman Beyond', and 'Superman' shows, although the language & situations are significantly more mature in nature. Personally, I found the art a refreshing change from the usual over-done super-hero-style doodlings. 'Powers' is one title that proves that the art isn't necessarily what makes a good comic book.

'Late

Buy this book!!! - Rated
Let me put this quite simply. Buy this book. If you're a fan of comics, or even if you're not, this is essential. Brain Michael Bendis is a true genius when it comes to dialogue, no hyperbole. This man can write lines that sparkle off the page and will have you laughing out loud. Following the cases of Walker and Pilgrim, homicide detectives who work special 'powers' jobs, this book flows from the first page to the last so easily that you will not stop reading until you have finished, and as soon as you have, you'll start all over again. With just the right balance between humour and social commentary, Bendis and Oeming are creating the book of their life. Let's just hope the new-found fame this book has helped them stumble into doesn't turn into a hurdle for Powers, because if there is a God, He'll want them to keep churning this stuff out for years to come. Buy this book.