When it came to comic books, 2025 was one of the best years for me. I discovered a lot of new titles and gained a new appreciation for the creators. Among the comics I continued to adore and spoke highly about was Image Comics’ The Power Fantasy, which started in August of 2024.
On the first page of the debut issue, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be your typical comic book. It begins with Etienne Lux (one of the main characters) saying, “Of course, the ethical thing to do is take over the world.” A bold statement, until you realize that he’s so powerful a telepath that he’d probably defeat Charles Xavier. Plus, Eitenne is saying this with confidence to an angel (Santa Valentina) who could crush him.
As the series went on, writer Kieron Gillen (We Called Them Giants) and artist Caspar Wijngaard (Home Sick Pilots) continuosly keptreaders guessing more than a new episode of Game of Thrones. However, no one would have guessed what happened in issue No. 16. It was so good that it's making a case for being the best series of 2026, and we're only two months into the year.
The evolution of Santa Valentina
As I started to write this article, I realized that the problem with creating a review for this issue is that there could be spoilers. Then it dawned on me that there are so many good things to talk about that it can be done discreetly. For example, how much Santa Valentina changed from the first few pages of the premiere issue to No. 16.
When people think of evolution, sometimes the thought is bigger and stronger, but that’s not always the case. The point of evolving is to survive. Valentina went from a higher being who wanted to save humanity with peace and love to realizing that this wasn’t going to work. Sadly, this is a lesson she learned through unnecessary violence against her and innocent people (read issue No. 3 of The Power Fantasy for that story). In issue No. 16, she comes to terms with who and what people are and changes her thought process.
How Valentina’s mind changed was so brilliantly done that I won’t spoil it. It’s the crux of the issue and crucial to Val’s character development. It also leaves readers with a heck of a cliffhanger. One that will leave readers anticipating what’s next. And, according to Kieron Gillen, the series will, in fact, continue.
At the end of this issue of The Power Fantasy, Kieron Gillen confirmed that the series will return. Sadly, there isn’t a confirmed date for its release. However, in the segment of the comic (called History Repeating), Gillen gave a timetable saying that issue No. 17 could come out in late 2026 or early 2027. The funny thing about this not being the end is that it almost was.
Once again, in History Repeating, Kieron Gillen said he was uncertain about sending out the "bible" for the second half of The Power Fantasy to Caspar Wijngaard and editor Katie West because he wasn't sure if this was something he wanted to spend a few more years writing. As you can see, Gillen is willing to dedicate more time to this project.
As a fan of The Power Fantasy, I’m grateful that he, Caspar, and Katie will keep the party going, and I can't wait to see where they take readers next.
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