Power Company
Encyclopedia
The Power Company was a team of professional superhero
es-for-hire in the DC Comics
universe. The team, created by Kurt Busiek
and Tom Grummett
, first appeared in JLA
61, (February 2002). They subsequently starred in an epoynmous series that ran for eighteen issues, from April 2002
to September 2003
, also written by Busiek.
by the activation of the Gene Bomb.
Following the untimely public activation of his metagene
in the courtroom
, attorney
Josiah Power
is dismissed from his law firm
. Power had little interest in becoming a traditional costumed hero, but it became readily apparent that he could not continue to practice law
without undue public attention. He capitalizes on his professional experience to organize a for-hire team of heroes much along the lines of a law firm. Their very first mission as a team is against the East Asian criminal organization known as the Black Dragon Society
. They successfully defuse a hostage situation initiated by the Society and returned to their base of operations.
The Power Company make a brief one panel appearance in a later Justice League of America story arc (Syndicate Rules JLA #107-114 (2004-2005). The Crime Syndicate of America
had attacked a S.T.A.R. Labs
facility in San Francisco and the Power Company is shown and described to have been defeated.
" #832-833 as one of the dozens of superpowered beings. She is part of a small grouping of escaped beings who save the rest and the world from the attentions of marauding aliens. A communications error beams the adventures of Skyrocket and her allies to every single TV on earth.
and brought to Titans Tower
with the other survivors, she leaves, preferring to stay loyal to the "forgotten, but not gone" Power Company.
and his new gang of villains. In a conversation at the JLA Watchtower, the Guardian
mentions that all of the Power Company members are currently hospitalized, and that Josiah would've died had Mon-El not forced open his rib cage in order to help treat his heart.
universe. The best known are the Conglomerate
, the Blood Pack, Hero Hotline
, S.T.A.R. Corps
and the Captains of Industry
.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es-for-hire in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. The team, created by Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
and Tom Grummett
Tom Grummett
Thomas "Tom" Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work as penciller on titles such as The New Titans, The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, Power Company, Robin, New Thunderbolts and Heroes.During his run on The Adventures of Superman, Grummett and...
, first appeared in JLA
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
61, (February 2002). They subsequently starred in an epoynmous series that ran for eighteen issues, from April 2002
2002 in comics
-March:* Adventures of Superman #600: super-sized anniversary issue by Joe Casey, Mike Wieringo, and Jose Marzan, Jr. -April:* Batman #600: "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive," part one, 64-page giant, written by Ed Brubaker.-January:...
to September 2003
2003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
, also written by Busiek.
History
Josiah Power was one of America’s best lawyers until his meta-gene was triggered during the alien InvasionInvasion! (DC Comics)
Invasion! was a three issue comic book limited series and crossover event published in late 1988-early 1989 by DC Comics. It was plotted by Keith Giffen, and ties up a great many plotlines from various Giffen-created DC series, including Omega Men, Justice League International, and Legion of...
by the activation of the Gene Bomb.
Following the untimely public activation of his metagene
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
in the courtroom
Courtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
, attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Josiah Power
Josiah Power
Josiah Power is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appears in JLA #61 , but his origin is told in Power Company: Josiah Power #1,...
is dismissed from his law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
. Power had little interest in becoming a traditional costumed hero, but it became readily apparent that he could not continue to practice law
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
without undue public attention. He capitalizes on his professional experience to organize a for-hire team of heroes much along the lines of a law firm. Their very first mission as a team is against the East Asian criminal organization known as the Black Dragon Society
Black Dragon Society (comics)
The Black Dragon Society are currently a group of fictional DC Comics ecoterrorists originally introduced in 1942's All Star Comics issue #12 as Japanese saboteurs...
. They successfully defuse a hostage situation initiated by the Society and returned to their base of operations.
The Power Company make a brief one panel appearance in a later Justice League of America story arc (Syndicate Rules JLA #107-114 (2004-2005). The Crime Syndicate of America
Crime Syndicate of America
For the concept of crime syndicates in general, see Organized crime.The Crime Syndicate are teams of fictional supervillains, from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, who are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The original team was specifically known as Crime Syndicate of...
had attacked a S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
facility in San Francisco and the Power Company is shown and described to have been defeated.
Action Comics
Skyrocket is seen much later, in "Action ComicsAction Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
" #832-833 as one of the dozens of superpowered beings. She is part of a small grouping of escaped beings who save the rest and the world from the attentions of marauding aliens. A communications error beams the adventures of Skyrocket and her allies to every single TV on earth.
Teen Titans
Sapphire was abducted and became a combatant in Dark Side Club. After being rescued by Miss MartianMiss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
and brought to Titans Tower
Titans Tower
Titans Tower is a fictional building in the DC Comics universe. Its various incarnations have been home to the superhero team called the Titans...
with the other survivors, she leaves, preferring to stay loyal to the "forgotten, but not gone" Power Company.
Justice League of America
Recently, the team appeared in the pages of James Robinson's Justice League of America title. They were hired to defend a S.T.A.R. Labs facility, only to be brutally defeated by Doctor ImpossibleDoctor Impossible
For the Doctor Impossible created by Austin Grossman, see Soon I Will Be Invincible.Doctor Impossible is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain that first appeared in Justice League of America, vol. 2 #1...
and his new gang of villains. In a conversation at the JLA Watchtower, the Guardian
Guardian (DC Comics)
Guardian is a comic book fictional character, a DC Comics superhero, created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. He first appeared in Star Spangled Comics #7...
mentions that all of the Power Company members are currently hospitalized, and that Josiah would've died had Mon-El not forced open his rib cage in order to help treat his heart.
Members
The Power Company had several superpowered partners and associates, as well a support staff dedicated to day to day corporate operations. These included:Partners
- Josiah PowerJosiah PowerJosiah Power is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appears in JLA #61 , but his origin is told in Power Company: Josiah Power #1,...
- Managing Partner. Josiah is most likely the most powerful member of Power Company, but rarely accompanies the team in the field. The exact nature of his abilities have never been fully explored. Superman said he is one of the most powerful metas he's ever met. Josiah lives with his partner Rupe outside of San Francisco. - Manhunter (Kirk DePaul) - Partner. A mercenary clone of Manhunter Paul Kirk. Now deceased, slain by Mark Shaw.
- SkyrocketSkyrocket (comics)Skyrocket is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. She first appeared in JLA #61 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett.-Fictional character biography:...
(Celia Forrestal) - Partner. Skyrocket, a former NavyNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
officer who inherited the energy manipulating Argo Harness from her murdered parents. Skyrocket used the Argo Harness to become a respected hero, and was later recruited to enhance the credibility to the Power Company. - Witchfire (Rebecca Carstairs) - Partner. A magic user, and popular entertainer star of film and pop music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s. Recently discovered that she was actually a plant based homunculi.
Associates
- BorkBork (comics)Bork is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Bob Haney and Neal Adams, the character first appeared in Brave and the Bold series 1 #81 and was later re-introduced in JLA #61/2 ....
(Carl Andrew Bork) - Associate. A reformed villain, he is the team's gentle giant. - Firestorm (Ronald Raymond) - Associate. The Nuclear Man briefly joined the power company, but left before the end of the series.
- SapphireSapphire (comics)Sapphire is a fictional superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in JLA #61, , but her origin is told in Power Company: Sapphire #1,...
(Candace Jean Gennaro) - Associate. Underaged runaway powered by a psycho-reactive alien gem called the Serpent's Egg which appears to tap her latent telekinetic abilities. - Striker ZStriker ZStriker Z is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in JLA #61, , but his origin is told in Power Company: Striker Z #1, . Striker Z was created by Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett....
(Daniel Tsang) - Associate. A former Hong Kong stuntman, turned human battery and superstrong martial artist.
Support crew
- Charlie Lau - Former employee of S.T.A.R. Labs Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Charlie now serves as the group's resident technical support specialist. - Raul - Pilot of the Company Car, the firm's multi-million dollar airship.
- Silver Shannon - Josiah's personal assistant, former lead singer of the ManiaksThe ManiaksThe Maniaks are a fictional rock band published by DC Comics. They first appeared in issue Showcase #68 , and were created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Mike Sekowsky.-History:...
. - Garrison Slate - Interim Administrator. CEO of S.T.A.R. LabsS.T.A.R. LabsS.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
San Francisco.
Other Corporate Teams
Other corporate superhero teams have been active in the DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. The best known are the Conglomerate
The Conglomerate (comics)
The Conglomerate is a fictional DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Justice League Quarterly #1 .-Fictional background:...
, the Blood Pack, Hero Hotline
Hero Hotline
Hero Hotline is a fictional DC Comics corporate superteam introduced in Action Comics Weekly #637, January . They were created by Bob Rozakis and Stephen DeStefano.-History:...
, S.T.A.R. Corps
S.T.A.R. Corps
S.T.A.R. Corps is a fictional organization, a team of comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. The S.T.A.R. Corps first appeared in S.T.A.R. Corps #1 , and was created by Dan Vado and Norman Felchle.-S.T.A.R. Labs, Metropolis:...
and the Captains of Industry
Captains of Industry (comics)
The Captains of Industry were a fictional DC Comics superteam introduced in 1988's Firestorm the Nuclear Man issue #88.-History:The Captains of Industry were originally formed as a small investigative task force for the IMHS funded by a consortium of corporate interests...
.