Power Man: Timeless #1 Review- A Powerful Week in Comics
From Marvel Comics
Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
Art by Bernard Chang
This week the comic book release schedule has created a spiritual mini-celebration of the criminally underrated and underrepresented street level hero, Luke Cage, aka Power-Man, with two incredibly different titles in Ultimates #9 by Deniz Camp & Chris Allen and Power Man: Timeless, which both demand the attention of modern comic book readers.
Luke Cage has been a prolific, relatable, exemplary hero in Marvel comics ever since his debut by Archie Goodwin and George Tuska back in 1972, and the titles released this week only honor and further that legacy. Luke Cage has long been a reliable and consistent character at Marvel Comics, representing the best characteristics of a grounded, realistic hero. However, more often than not in modern comics, he does so as a supporting or cameo character. With the understated, but no less essential, power of invulnerability- Cage is simply not as flashy or distinct as some of the big names in modern comics. However, it is his morality and immovable convictions as a hero that are truly his strong suit, which both Ultimates and Power Man: Timeless explore in earnest fashion this week.
Currently, after the events of Chip Zdarsky’s game changing event series Devils Reign, Luke Cage has been elected as New York City Mayor, replacing Wilson Fisk aka the Kingpin. Which should be a key plot point explored in numerous centralized Marvel titles, and yet we seem to only be cursorily exploring Luke Cage’s character defining new role in the All New Venom title of all things (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- leave it to Al Ewing…)
I mention this fact in order to once again illustrate just how remarkable it is that we have two Luke Cage centric stories taking center stage this week. However, what is even more remarkable is that Power Man: Timeless not only utilizes Luke Cage as it’s main character, but completely recontextualizes the character in the role of one of Marvel Comics most powerful characters ever conceived. So if you missed the Timeless One Shot from a few years ago, as I’m sure many comic book fans did- then you have some catching up to do (or you watch my review, just saying…)
Power Man: Timeless #1 is on its surface, every comic book lover’s dream scenario- “What If _______ had the Powers of ________?! Could they win in a fight against ________?” Yet on a deeper level, this title feels like a narrative opportunity that Marvel Comics has needed for quite some time, asking the more poignant question- “What does Power mean?” Having painstakingly acquired the godly powers of The Hulk, The Iron Fist, and the Sentry in an alternate future (it’s literally right on the cover, I’m not spoiling anything) how is this Luke Cage supposed to live and grow as an individual with all that power and with his entire universe taken from him?
These bold, harrowing questions are handedly addressed by two of the most prolific and equally powerful writers in the comic book industry today, Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing who are no strangers to an emotionally tinged cosmic landscape with previous titles such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Alien: Black, White, & Blood, and Batman: Beyond. If you are looking for a truly groundbreaking, frontier paving comic in the mainline superhero genre, or are just a die hard fan of Harlem’s Hero for Hire, Luke Cage, then you should absolutely support Power Man: Timeless and help make this series the ongoing title it deserves to be.
Let’s talk more specifically about Issue #1 of Power Man: Timeless, which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Our issue picks back up from the literal universe shattering punch of the Timeless One Shot from 2023, which inadvertently sent our alternate Power Man protagonist hurtling through the multiverse to the 616 universe, where he now floats through space above Earth. As he wrestles with his own internal monologue, the entity known as the Void which provides a portion of the powers for The Sentry, Power Man determines to find his old friend turned nemesis in this new reality, Danny Rand. However, after crossing time and space to escape his apocalyptic reality, this Luke Cage is rewarded with only more pain and regret as he stumbles upon the heroic funeral of Danny Rand (who was killed quite definitively last year in comics).
I realize that it is incredibly morbid to say this, but I love a superhero funeral. The extended structure of this page layout by Bernard Chang just makes for an iconic moment in comics history and speaks to the emotional magnitude of legacy characters like Danny Rand. Moreover, contextually, it is a rare sobering moment for our main cast of familiar Marvel heroes to reflect on the impact of and memories with their fallen comrade. Notably here, we see some members of the X-Men, Avengers both past and present, and New York’s finest heroes, which is a really touching display of history and comradery.
As Power Man reflects on this scene, and on this universes’ Luke Cage also in attendance, he realizes that he doesn’t belong in this world, perhaps in any world. We then see Power Man careen through the vaccuum of space, in an absolutely vivid and impactful splash page from Chang, as he next recalls the tragic lives of all of the men whose powers he has inherited, all of whom chose isolation as he is now. However, the Void’s critical, hopeless characterization of the displaced Power Man is suddenly interrupted by two simple words that reveal the character of Luke Cage more than anything else could, “Help Me.” Which sends Power Man racing to the rescue of an unknown innocent, proving through instinctual action that he is still a hero after all.
However, Power Man’s altruistic aims are quickly squashed as he is cratered into a moon of Jupiter by a cosmic hunter known as Aeon the Knife, who functions as a mirror of Power Man’s all-powerful ascendant nature. The two battle in a dizzying, colorful display as Power Man lets loose the power of the Iron Fist, and Aeon mystifyingly reveals that he is also known as “the genetic Messiah.” In a classic, samurai-esque head on dash, the two titans face each other in a final attack that leaves Power Man cut cleanly in half by Aeon’s blade, killing him… for now.
I was absolutely floored by this development when reading, given the clearly immense power scale that Power Man possesses, which speaks volumes of Colin Kelly and Jackson Lanzings scripting that delivers effective twists and turns. Moreover, the following splash page from Bernard Chang is a horrifying yet quintessential “comic book” art piece which features Power Man’s fractured body as his soul falls through the eldritch “Green Door,” introduced into canon in Al Ewing’s masterpiece, The Immortal Hulk, which has seen continual reference and development in recent Marvel comics.
Awakening, Power Man finds himself in the care of a human scion named Ever, the woman who called out to him for help, who reveals that they are sheltered within the confounding, cosmic matrix of a Celestial Heart. Power Man questions whether Ever is willingly aiding this godly being or if she is being forced to, which causes the intervention of the voice of the Heart into his mind. Power Man asks the Heart what it really desires, and it reveals that it wants Power Man to defend it from the “cosmic mistake” that recently killed him. However, after reflecting on his own tumultuous circumstances, Power Man insists that he doesn’t believe in killing for killing’s sake, not even for a godly being such as the Heart, because after all, he’s “met bigger Gods.”
The design of the Celestial heart is certainly a big highlight of the issue, as is the intriguing, bold text manner in which it communicates telepathically, making for a particularly alluring addition to the greater Marvel Comics cosmic canon. In fact, I would argue that it is some of the best, most innovative visual art in the unexplored reaches of the Marvel Comics Universe that true believers have received since Tradd Moore’s Silver Surfer: Black but I digress…
With Power Man’s refusal of aid, the Heart declares, “Then this system is already dead,” and as if on cue, the deadly knife of Aeon slices through the primordial organ with ease. Aeon even remarks on the futility of his efforts, saying that the Heart’s lack of defenses is “Disgusting.” Power Man is able to fly Ever to safety, even as she screams in horror and rebukes him for allowing such a universal travesty to occur. In the final pages of this monumental issue, Power Man turns to face his enemy once more, choosing to stand for something in this cruel universe, and summons the familiar power of the Hulk at last while Aeon pridefully boasts that Power Man will fall along with the entire system.
This issue is thematically and emotionally reminiscent of the original One Shot in it’s attempt at pushing boundaries for the character of Luke Cage as well as the entire pantheon of power in the Marvel Comics Universe, but it adds much more in the way of character depth and contextual specificity for what this series has the potential to be. This issue explores the emotional and physical complexity of harnessing and using power in a much more committed way than typical superhero comics in the genre. What’s more, it explores notions of cosmic destiny and fading hope in the universe, which are complex, stirring themes that the comic book medium needs right now, all while being packaged in a visually glorious, badass, action packed spectacle of a new series.
Experience the awe inspiring journey of a futuristic Luke Cage, master of living weapons, in the pages of Power Man: Timeless #1 on shelves at your local comic book store now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
