In 2011, acclaimed comic creator Brian Michael Bendis wrote a graphic novel called Takio about two school-age sisters who gain superpowers. A year later, he followed it up with a 4-issue miniseries and promised to release more Takio miniseries each year thereafter. Sadly, that never happened, and 12 years later, those two story arcs—collected here into a single volume—are still all we have of the Takio saga.

The story begins with adopted sisters – 13-year-old Taki and 7-year-old Olivia – and Taki’s best friend Kelly Sue. Their world is fairly normal. They talk, they bicker, they navigate the social minefield of whom to sit with at lunch… Everyday kid stuff.

Then, it turns out that Kelly Sue’s dad is a full-blown mad scientist. Reeling from being fired from his job while on the verge of a breakthrough, he takes it upon himself to make the breakthrough on his own, resulting in an accident that gives Taki and Olivia superpowers.

Their power is something Olivia calls Kung Fu Telekinesis. It’s a bit vaguely defined, but that just means they can use it in a variety of different ways, in a variety of different situations. They can use it to fight, move objects, and even fly.

Upon discovering what’s happened, Olivia is thrilled beyond belief. She and her sister are now the world’s only real superheroes! She immediately wants to make costumes and fight crime, and constantly talks about how famous and adored they’re going to be. Taki, on the other hand, isn’t so enamored of their situation. She’d much rather just forget about the whole superpower thing and live a normal life.

Of course, living a normal life is just about impossible now, especially with Kelly Sue’s dad and his former employers trying to capture and study them in the hopes of replicating the accident. And what about Kelly Sue? She was in the area of the accident, too. Will she side with her best friend, or with her dad?

Earlier I mentioned two story arcs, referring to the graphic novel and the subsequent miniseries. This volume doesn’t read like two story arcs, though. In fact, if you’re not looking for it, it’s easy to miss where the first part ends and the second begins. There are definite shifts and turning points, but the whole thing is basically one overarching story. And since the additional miniseries never materialized, parts of the story still feel unresolved.

Regardless, it’s a fun comic and a great adventure. What ultimately drives the story, though, isn’t the superpowers or the crimefighting, but the dynamic between the two sisters. They argue, they fight, but, ultimately, they care about each other and have each other’s backs—as sisters do. That’s the heart of the story and what makes it worth reading.

Creative Team: Brian Michael Bendis (created by, written by, illustrated by), Michael Avon Oeming (created by, written by, illustrated by, cover), Olivia Bendis (created by), Nick Filardi (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
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