“Looking at you is like looking at the surface of a thousand suns.”

Whether it’s the story of the Titans of Olympus or the sprawling lore of Marvel’s Thor, the stories of the gods and their worlds are a popular playground in comics. At DC, however, their forays into mythology have been the more traditional of the two major corporations, with their stories of Wonder Woman’s battle with the gods of Olympus and allusions to the creation of Galatea by Diana Prince herself, not to mention Shazam. With Greek mythology being their main ingredient, it made sense that the next step would be Norse mythology, so it was natural that Power Girl making out with an Asgardian who is supposedly not part of the CIA was the next step in fleshing out DC’s Asgard.

There is a lot to say about this month Power Girl Author Leah Williams continues her experimentation in the genre, this time with the former Nightwing Artist Travis Moore, who originally worked with writing duo Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan as one of the co-creators of this current version of Asgard in Wonder Woman. The jump back into this setting, while entertaining, is a bit unusual as we see the continued romance of Paige Stetler and Axel Gust, now with the knowledge that he is the nerdy cousin of Siegfried, the dragon slayer Fafnir.

Ultimately, the biggest problem with this episode is the same as last issue, which is the inconsistencies in Axel Gust’s character. We see him go from being a shy but charming character in the first few issues of Power Girl to a character shift that makes him seem like a different character than the one we first met, which isn’t helped by the sudden twist in the Asgardian plot. Williams put a lot of energy into his character trying to be an entertaining mystery, and the result didn’t feel as fulfilling as it should have.

Another complicated issue with his connection to Asgard is that it presents a somewhat simplistic depiction of the Kingdom of God, as it takes its cue from Marvel Comics’ more optimistic and joyful depiction, abandoning the Asgard we’ve come to know through the eyes of Vertigo’s Sandman. Axel’s connection to it, by the way, creates an uncomfortable rift in DC’s depiction of these myths, which has deteriorated in quality over time.

Despite these issues, Williams and Moore hit some home runs with the romance and art throughout the issue. Moore’s art style has always created a true-to-life atmosphere, and that was really taken advantage of here with the many down-to-earth scenes between our titular hero and Axel. The chemistry between these characters actually exists and is best showcased here, with Williams clearly taking inspiration from DC’s long history of romantic stories while still capturing the chaotic feel that is prevalent in her work.

DC Comics

Moore’s colorist Sebastian Cheng also helped create the warm and romantic atmosphere of the issue. Moore and Cheng give the story an almost fairytale feel with their high fantasy. Moore’s design work for the Asgardians is brilliant, as it emphasizes the classic sword and sorcery aesthetic for the many characters Paige and Axel encounter. This isn’t the first time Power Girl has encountered high fantasy in this series either, as her team-up with Supergirl in the psychedelic land of Ferimbia was only a few arcs ago.

Ultimately, Power Girl #12 is a fun foray into romantic fantasy, as Williams continues experimenting with the genre throughout the series. Despite some hiccups between this issue and the last, readers are always greeted with an entertaining story with some engaging and heartwarming moments, be it a couple’s first kiss or a traditional Nordic feast.

“Power Girl” No. 12 is a nice dose of romantic fantasy

Power Girl #12

Overall, Power Girl #12 is a nice foray into romantic fantasy with a little fun comedy and a nice atmosphere thanks to Moore’s art. The book has a few rough spots, but not enough to ruin the fun energy present within.

Leah Williams nails both the comedy and the romance in this edition.

The art and color scheme of Travis Moore and Sebastian Cheng contribute to a warm and romantic atmosphere.

Travis Moore’s designs for the people of Asgard are full of classic sword and sorcery and have a lot of charm.

The use of the name Asgard in the story is erroneous due to Asgard’s history in DC publications.

The characterization of Axel Gust remains unclear.