''Powerless'' is an
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
. The six-issue
limited series
In the field of comic books, and particularly in the United States, a limited series is a comics series with a predetermined number of issues. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is finite and determined ...
–written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson, and illustrated by
Michael Gaydos
Michael Gaydos is an American comics artist.
Career
At Marvel Comics he has worked with Brian Michael Bendis on '' Alias,'' the last storyline of its follow up, '' The Pulse'', and the current sequel comic, ''Jessica Jones''. He has also illustr ...
–began its monthly publication on August 1, 2004 and ended on January 1, 2005. It features characters from the
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Superhero teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardia ...
in a world where superpowers do not exist.
Plot summary
A psychologist named
William Watts William Watts may refer to:
* William Watts (East India Company official) (c. 1722–1764), British official involved in the overthrow of the last independent ruler of Bengal
* William Watts (fl. 1512–1518), mayor of Reading
* William Watts (pri ...
wakes up in a hospital after a three-day coma. Fresh in his mind is the world of
Earth-616
In the fictional Multiverse (Marvel Comics), Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity (fiction), continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.
Origins of the term
The designation "Earth-616" has its origins in ...
, which he experienced while asleep. As William returns to his mundane daily life, he encounters three familiar faces:
Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Silver Age of ...
, a high-school student who is pressured by
Oscorp
Oscorp (sometimes stylized as OsCorp), also known as Oscorp Industries, is a fictional multibillion-dollar multinational corporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, predominantly in stories about Spider-Man. The compa ...
CEO
Norman Osborn
Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first and best-known incarnation of th ...
to conduct industrial espionage on
Stark Industries
Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a fictional multi-national conglomerate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Frans Robe ...
;
Matt Murdock
Daredevil is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with some input from Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Daredevil'' #1 (April 1964).
...
, a blind lawyer who battles an uphill case against crime boss
Wilson Fisk
The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 196 ...
to absolve
Frank Castle
The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher mad ...
of murder; and
Logan
Logan may refer to:
Places
* Mount Logan (disambiguation)
Australia
* Logan (Queensland electoral district), an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
* Logan, Victoria, small locality near St. Arnaud
* Logan City, local gove ...
, an amnesiac soldier who is led to believe he murdered
Charles Xavier
Professor X (Prof. Charles Francis Xavier) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 ( ...
, one of William's patients.
Inspired by Matt's conviction, William leaves his bystander position and begins to act to help the three: he helps reveal Charles' murder was done by a third party, citing Logan to investigate
Eric Magnus; he convinces Castle to reveal vital information to Matt's case; and he acts by calling the cops to assist Peter in arresting Osborn, who attempts to murder Peter's girlfriend
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyne Maxine "Gwen" Stacy is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in those featuring Spider-Man (Peter Parker). A college student and the daughter of George Stacy, Georg ...
, but gets himself accidentally killed instead. After Castle's trial, Fisk murders Murdock. Castle assassinates Fisk in retaliation, which places him on the path to becoming the real-life Punisher. The series ends with William contemplating how the coma has shaken him from the stupor of life, as he reflects on his coma identity as Uatu.
Publication history
The
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
limited series
In the field of comic books, and particularly in the United States, a limited series is a comics series with a predetermined number of issues. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is finite and determined ...
''Powerless''–written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson, and illustrated by
Michael Gaydos
Michael Gaydos is an American comics artist.
Career
At Marvel Comics he has worked with Brian Michael Bendis on '' Alias,'' the last storyline of its follow up, '' The Pulse'', and the current sequel comic, ''Jessica Jones''. He has also illustr ...
–began monthly publication by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
with the release of its first issue on August 1, 2004,
and concluded with the launch of its sixth and final issue on January 1, 2005.
A
collected edition
The complete works of an artist, writer, musician, group, etc., is a collection of all of their cultural works. For example, ''Complete Works of Shakespeare'' is an edition containing all the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. A ''Complete W ...
of ''Powerless'' was released on January 5 of the same year.
Issues
Collected editions
References
External links
* at
Marvel.com
Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and Marvel Enterprises, Inc.) was an American entertainment company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, formed by the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group and Toy Biz. ...
{{Marvel Multiverse
2004 comics debuts
2005 comics endings
Comic book limited series
Marvel Comics dimensions
Marvel Comics titles
Slice of life comics