Manhunter, Skyrocket, Witchfire, Striker Z and Josiah Power in front, Bork and Sapphire in back
Power Company was a short-lived DC Comics series created by Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett.
After an incident ended his career as a corporate attorney, Josiah Power decided to put his organizational skills to use by creating the Power Company, a company offering professional superheroes to private clientele. Of course, a company that treats superheroism as a commodity is bound to attract a certain kind of superhero, and thus Power often finds himself struggling to keep his employees in check.
This series contains examples of:
- Amoral Afrikaner: South African-born Manhunter isn't quite a villain, but with his criminal past, his penchant for lethal weaponry, and his frequent assholish behavior, he comes very close.
- Bald of Authority: Josiah Power has facial hair, but there's no hair on top of his head.
- The Bus Came Back: One-time Batman villain Bork is brought for this series and given a one-shot explaining his new appearance.
- But Not Too Gay: Josiah is a gay man with a partner who occasionally appears in the comic, but his homosexuality is downplayed.
- The Big Guy: Bork is a hulking monstrosity.
- Death by Origin Story: Skyrocket's parents were murdered by the terrorist organization Scorpio. Scorpio believed that the Forrestals wanted to sell the Argo Harness to the military when in truth they simply wanted to use it for non-military endeavors like fire-fighting and draining harmful radiation.
- Dumb Muscle: Black Mass used to be intelligent, but got shot in the head and suffered brain damage.
- Dying to Be Replaced: Kirk DePaul would end up being killed off shortly after Kate Spencer became the new Manhunter.
- Eldritch Abomination: In Issue #10, Witchfire summons a group of horrifying monsters to the office as part of her bid to take over the company in Josiah's absence.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Before joining the Power Company, Bork was a criminal who used the proceeds of his crimes to take care of his ailing mother. He turned himself in to the cops in exchange for his mother getting medical attention after a heart attack.
- The Face: The more idealistic and disciplined Celia Forrestal, who had been working as a hero in St. Louis after leaving the navy when her request to be transferred to a combat squadron was declined, was specifically recruited to help the team's public image.
- Immune to Bullets: Due to having accidentally bonded with the "Serpent's Egg" (an alien artifact of unknown origin) Candace Gennaro, who goes by Sapphire while on the team, has a second skin which acts as a nearly impenetrable armor.
- Jerkass: In any given situation, Manhunter can be relied upon to be an asshole.
- Military Superhero: Skyrocket was formerly the US Navy pilot Lieutenant Celia Forrestal.
- Mind over Matter: Sapphire has a very limited form of telekinesis independent of her bonded form. The meta-gene was likely triggered by bonding with the "Serpent's Egg" since normally it takes a traumatic event to trigger a latent meta-gene in the DCU and she hadn't noticed it previously.
- Monochromatic Eyes: Witchfire's eyes are solid yellow.
- Navel-Deep Neckline: Witchfire's costume has a plunging v-neck that reaches past her navel.
- No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: Terrorists attempted to destroy the Argo Harness, all notes on its production, and all scientists involved in it's creation during a test of the prototype. Celia survived due to being the pilot of the very effective prototype during the test and was able to bring the attacker to justice but the scientists and the plans were destroyed.
- Powered Armor: Skyrocket's Argo Harness is a prototype defense weapon that was being developed by her parent's company at the time of their murders which she helped develop. It allows her to fly and act as a superhero without any superpowers.
- Power-Upgrading Deformation: Over time the one-time Batman villain Bork's magically induced powers advanced, mutating him into a monstrous form.
- Punch-Clock Hero: The company hires out heroes to private clientele.
- Remember the New Guy?: Despite being created for the series, Skyrocker is treated in-universe as a heroine who's been active for years.
- Spy Catsuit: Witchfire's costume is a skintight black catsuit with a plunging neckline, fingerless glove tipped sleeves, and fire trim.
- Straight Gay: Josiah Power is gay, but does not have many stereotypically gay mannerisms.
- Super Mode: Josiah Power's rock-like form gives him increased strength, durability and the ability to project energy attacks.
- Super-Strength: Danny Tsang (Striker Z) is stronger than a normal human due to his body acting as a "bio-battery", though he can deplete his energy and lose his strength and endurance as a result.
- Support Party Member: Charlie Lau helps maintain Celia's Argo Harness and developed and built Danny's suit and helped him figure out how to use and charge his powers.
- Wreathed in Flames: Witchfire's costume is trimmed in flame which she can manipulate as a weapon using her magic.
