Powers, Vol. 4: Supergroup (v. 4) [Paperback]

Brian Michael Bendis (Author), Michael Avon Oeming (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2006

Widely considered the best storyline of this Eisner Award-winning series. When one of the key members of a popular supergroup is found violently murdered, the events that follow unveil the federal government's multi-layered control of the super-hero elite and how far they will go to cover up. Walker and Pilgrim are forced to make choices that will forever change their lives and careers... and how the world at large will see their heroes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In what looks like yet another vision of the future in which the sun never shines, all the residents of a city that vaguely resembles New York are mystified by the seeming murder of one member of the popular superhero trio, the Supergroup FG-3. Apparently, the victim was detonated from the inside out, making a fine mess in his bathroom and giving artist Oeming a chance to really let loose with the pencils, depicting a two-page spread of gore that somehow maintains the clean and stunning lines of the rest of the book. Enter our protagonists, detectives Walker and Pilgrim. Pilgrim is a no-nonsense blonde and her partner, Walker, a retired superhero, sports the squarest jaw since Dick Tracy. As the two are having a look around the murder scene, a second member of the Supergroup, Boogie Girl, spontaneously combusts. Now the investigators have a real mystery to unravel-what is causing the members of the Supergroup to implode? Popular mythology has it that the group members were the best of friends, a trio who shared a childhood incident in which they drank a potion that gave them magic powers.The truth is revealed to be something far creepier, and Walker and Pilgrim are drawn in further and further, until personal tragedy is almost inevitable; sure enough, one of Walker's loved ones meets her destruction, further muddying the waters. Bendis has given us a very modern film noir, complete with tough talking detectives, confusing plot twists, and deep-seated corruption. Oeming leads us through this dark vision of the future with brilliant lines and blazes of light that provide a perfect counterpoint. Powers packs a stunning one-two punch.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582406715
• ISBN-13: 978-1582406718
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powers takes it up a notch, April 6, 2004

By 

D. Sippel "Rocker" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Powers Vol. 4: Supergroup (Paperback)

Bendis really takes a serious step up with this volume. I would put this one on equal footing with the first volume "Who Killed Retro Girl". The dialogue is outstanding (as always) and Oeming's cartoonish style of art, together with the dark moody colors give the work a serious undertone that really packs a punch.

After a mildly lackluster volume 2, and a rather rushed and padded volume 3, Supergroup takes our heros to higher peaks and deeper valleys than before. The usually familiar government conspiracy idea is given greater meaning and impact due to the truly tragic circumstances that befall the main players here. Bendis and Oeming work together perfectly to bring out the raw emotion that needs to be on display to effectively tell this kind of story. The entire Powers universe is ultimately in jeopardy here, and I am very intrigued to find out how this whole thing plays out.

Some comics and subsequent TPB series just continue on, maintaining a staus quo, often without really challenging the reader. Bendis and Oeming appear to be reaching for new heights with volume 4 of the Powers series. I am very much looking forward to voume 5. If you started out with Powers at volume 1, and were disappointed with vol. 2 or 3, I highly recommend that you jump back on the Powers train and get Supergroup.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powers gets back on track., March 13, 2006

By 

Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Powers Vol. 4: Supergroup (Paperback)

Brian Michael Bendis, Powers: Supergroup (Image, 2003)

After the pothole that was Little Deaths, Bendis gets Powers back on track with book four, Supergroup. We first heard about the breakup of powers supergroup FG-3 in passing in Little Deaths; now, it takes center stage when ex-FG-3 member Benmarley dies under the most mysterious of circumstances. With Wazz in seclusion and Boogie Girl a distraught mess who, when she gets mad, gives a whole new meaning to the term "flare up," Walker and Pilgrim have to figure out what happened to Benmarley, and whether whoever got to him is going to come after the surviving FG-3 members.

It's great to see the series back on track. Bendis is at his best when he's got a story arc to follow, and he's got a fine one here. Things play out on the grandest of scales, and the combination of intrigue, action, and a stunning ending is bound to leave the reader begging to find out what happens next. If you dropped Powers after Little Deaths, I strongly suggest giving it one more chance; this is the good stuff, right here. *** ½

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good But Not Great, August 29, 2003

By 

B. Bukowski (Montana USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Powers Vol. 4: Supergroup (Paperback)

Detectives Walker and Pilgrim follow a case of a mysterious series of homicides in a group of superheroes. When Walker learns the truth behind the killings, he risks everything to expose the true perpetrators and bring them to justice.

While the story--just like the rest of the series--isn't Bendis' best, his great dialogue writing and characterization in this book are. All of the "Powers" stories have been pretty straightfoward and the mysteries have been fairly lackluster; this book is no exception, but Bendis' 'anything goes for this title' style works well, keeping the reader in the story to see what will happen next.

A strong point in this book is Oeming's artwork which is cartoony, but combined with Fantazis' dark colors really makes for a grounded, crime noir feel.

While this book was good, it was not great. The stories haven't been the greatest, but Bendis' authentic sounding dialogue and Oeming's artwork have been standouts throughout the series.

NOTE: This book is suggested for mature readers due to strong language and violence/gore (a comic book equivalent to an R-rated movie).