Reviewer: Mathan Erhardt
Story Title: Powers and Abilities part 3
Written by: Will Pfeifer
Penciled and Inked by: Kano
Colored by: Dave Stewart
Lettered by: Ken Lopez
Edited by: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC Comics
Poor Jerry Feldon, three issues in and he is still the biggest loser in the DCU. But at least he is getting better at the superhero gig, kind of. After Jerry drops off the kid (whose internal organs he ruptured last issue) at hospital, the police want to question his superhero identity. Good ol’ Jerry runs outside, dials his dial, and returns to normal, leaving a bewildered cop looking for a guy in tights. Quick thinking Jer. We also find out what a positive influence Jerry’s mom as been in his life.
By far the best moment is when Jerry, who has no confidence, dials his dial that grants him super powers, just to call up the girl that he wants to ask out on a date. Comedy. Of course the planned date is preempted by a robbery at work that Jerry, after dialing his dial, attempts to stop with dire consequences. This leads to Jerry’s decision to use the dial one last time.
Pfiefer has managed to make Jerry a complete loser, yet someone you care about, barely. In the previous issues I didn’t really take to Jerry. This issue is better, particularly with the calling of the girl scene. Doug, the suicide line operator, took a backseat this issue, and I kind of missed him. Personally I don’t’ feel that Jerry is sympathetic enough; I really don’t care what happens to him. Watching him mess up is fun, but not compelling. The dials previous owner is interesting, but she gets no screen time. She implies that the dial has its hooks in Jerry, but there is no implication that Jerry has grown dependent on the dial. I suppose this will all be cleared up in the final chapter.
Kano does a great job creating the super alter egos. The scene of the costumed hero on the couch on the phone is classic. Jerry’s last incarnation is very cool looking. Jerry’s apartment and job are both rendered as dismal places, setting the mood perfectly. The cover is by John Van Fleet, and looks fantastic. It is a real eye catcher.
The issue was cool, but it’s not getting the next issue to the top of my “must read†pile for next month. It will probably be somewhere in the middle. I am curious how the next guy gets the dial, so I guess technically, I want to know how Jerry loses it.
