Karen Starr: Power Girl Appreciation 2020

[Robanker]

Never thought of Steel, but that's not a bad idea. I'm up for it. I do love John Henry Irons.

[Ascended]

Never thought of Steel, but that's not a bad idea. I'm up for it. I do love John Henry Irons.

Right? The only real downsides that I can see (having given this very little consideration) is that it's keeping things inside the Super family, which limits reach (hard to get them to pop up in non-Super books this way) and it's two characters DC doesn't care to push very hard. We barely see either of them anymore, and tying them together is as likely to pull both back into limbo as it is keep both active somewhere.

At least with characters like Dick or Terrific, the odds of Karen remaining active *somewhere* increases, while with Steel those odds might actually drop.

[Robanker]

I do like that they operate on different sides of industry, too. She's usually a CEO and a team hero and he plays a little more solo and is deeply entrenched in his own work (from the planning level all the way to, well, CEO). He's also a family oriented dude whereas she seems content with where she is. It'd be interesting to see Karen interact with his daughter too.

Yeah, being another B/C list Super like her does limit the scope of what they offer each other a little when compared to people in other families, but considering I like her with a fellow JSA member I'd be a hypocrite if I said it was a deal breaker. Really you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned both are basically MIA and the only way to ensure more exposure is hitching her wagon to a bigger IP, but I dunno, I like Steel.

Good pull, dude.

[Ascended]

I was super bummed the New52 didn't end up doing more with him.

Sit back and think about it; in that continuity John put on the armor just before Clark first fought Brainiac, which happens some months before JL. John Henry was a hero before Diana (who had very recently arrived) and Vic and maybe even before Barry. He was public before anyone, except Clark.

This also makes him the world's first black superhero.

I feel like the guy should've been a bigger deal.

I don't think he brings enough to the table for Karen, as far as shipping goes, but gods I wish DC would put him to good use!

[Robanker]

I was super bummed the New52 didn't end up doing more with him.

Sit back and think about it; in that continuity John put on the armor just before Clark first fought Brainiac, which happens some months before JL. John Henry was a hero before Diana (who had very recently arrived) and Vic and maybe even before Barry. He was public before anyone, except Clark.

This also makes him the world's first black superhero.

I feel like the guy should've been a bigger deal.

I don't think he brings enough to the table for Karen, as far as shipping goes, but gods I wish DC would put him to good use!

Being a Kryptonian who usually runs a tech company, not a lot of people can offer her much from a shipping angle, so I dunno. Steel is as good as most. Is he my preferred ship? No, but I'm cool with it. The PowerSteel ship is welcome in Port Robanker.

I agree, though. When you contextualize him in that way, it's a crime nothing more was done with him.

[The_Lurk]

Never thought of Steel, but that's not a bad idea. I'm up for it. I do love John Henry Irons.

Hes together with Lana Lang. Its bad enough she lost her series because the (IMO) stupid Superman: Reborn mess; don't break her happy relationship

[Robanker]

Hes together with Lana Lang. Its bad enough she lost her series because the (IMO) stupid Superman: Reborn mess; don't break her happy relationship

Was that in Superwoman? Wasn't reading that so I had no idea.

[TheManhunterfromMars]

I´d be on board on PowerSteel (to surprise of no one here xD), BUT... he is/was in a relationship with Lana Lang, she showed up recently kinda changed and without steel, this it makes me think maybe they broken up. (like almost always happens with black male x white female couples in comics/series/movies)

He and Lana struggled a lot on her Superwoman series, and Lana still seemed too interested in Clark (she had a dream where she´s teen again and is with Clark)... if they´re not a couple anymore, on board of PowerSteel, I mean Irons is pretty underrated.

[lowfyr]

Yeah, I don't like the idea of Holt in a relationship. I like him as either the eternal widower or (if he must have a love interest) getting together with the Mrs. Holt from an alternate reality where she became Terrific after Michael died (check out The Terrifics, great book). Not everyone needs a love interest and I feel like Holt is one of them. So is Karen for that matter, but I still think she'd benefit a lot from Powerwing.

I mean, I dont really have anything against Holt and Karen so much as I don't want to see Holt with anybody at all, unless its his dead wife's doppelganger. Which, now that I write it out, seems pretty weird......

I think his relationship with Sasha Bordeaux worked. And if they brought her back because of it I would love it. Loved the characters and their relationship. But the only Chance of getting that back would be Rucka writing a series at DC again. And that is not very likely.

Regarding Powergirl. She would Need a book to reg. appearing in before anyone should get her in a relationship. And a good written book at that please.

[TheManhunterfromMars]

Finally someone who remembers/recognices his relationship with Sasha Bordeaux worked. I read it and was pretty cute and interesting. Making him again a widower was an step backward, but at least I´m glad he has his own team and his wife from another universe isn´t there anymore. Wally West acted pretty better, probably because his wife is still alive, but yet: on Flash Forward a version of Linda fall in love with him and wanted start something, but he said there´s only one woman in the multiverse, the one he knows.

We know and care about Wally and Linda (at least many Wally fans), Michael´s wife is his backstory, we don´t know her, not the real one. So I don´t see the problem with him getting some happiness.

[lowfyr]

They were great together. Funny too^^.

I am still sad that Checkmate ended. rucka did great in this as usual.

And I never understood the "his wife died, so now he can never find happines again" mindset.

[achilles]

I think his relationship with Sasha Bordeaux worked. And if they brought her back because of it I would love it. Loved the characters and their relationship. But the only Chance of getting that back would be Rucka writing a series at DC again. And that is not very likely.

Regarding Powergirl. She would Need a book to reg. appearing in before anyone should get her in a relationship. And a good written book at that please.

Exactly what I've been saying about PG. Give her a very good solo title and establish her first, then ship away....as long as it makes sense and is developed; another words, don't just introduce PG hopping out of bed with someone, grow it organically.

And yes, Sasha was a much better relationship for Holt.

[Ascended]

They were great together. Funny too^^.

I am still sad that Checkmate ended. rucka did great in this as usual.

And I never understood the "his wife died, so now he can never find happines again" mindset.

I completely forgot about Checkmate!

And it's not that I don't want Holt to be happy. I just think he can be happy without a love interest. Some characters seem to work better that way, I think Holt is one of them. That doesn't mean I want him unhappy or feeling like his life is lacking something.

With Steel and Lana....that's a relationship I'd happily drop. It wasn't a bad dynamic or anything, I really enjoyed them together, but I don't think it was good enough to keep forever and I dont think it benefited Steel very much, and didn't benefit Lana enough to really make a difference. But this is kind of a great example of what worries me about a Karen-Irons ship; DC doesn't care for either character, so if we tie them together they're both likely to just fall into limbo. That doesn't help anyone. Pairing Karen up with someone who carries a book runs the risk of her becoming "less" but it also provides a place for her to actually show up, and if handled properly her dating a more popular character could be used to develop her on her own, and not just as someone's love interest. That'd come down to the writing of course, it could easily overshadow Karen the way a lot of people thought Diana got overshadowed by Clark in the New52. But that's not a predetermined fate or anything, and if someone gave half a damn, Karen could actually build her popularity while in someone else's title. Maybe between that and a role in JSA (or wherever she may end up in 5G, if she shows up anywhere) she'd be able to get a solo again.

I figure, you gotta build Karen up, right, and if DC won't give her a solo again the next best option is giving her a good role in someone else's book. A team title is great and I want that to happen too, but a team book means very limited panel time since everyone has to get their subplots. As a love interest in another book she'd get more development and character work, and she'd only turn into arm candy if the writer is a complete waste of carbon.

[TheManhunterfromMars]

I´ve found this PowerSteel pic
87365881_10207424186439984_3949195250118950912_n.jpg

[The_Lurk]

Was that in Superwoman? Wasn't reading that so I had no idea.

Kind of. They where already together right of the start. I strongly got the impression it followed up on something that started during n52. As said they had a few up and downs but it was the typical up and down to keep readers on taps thing. At the end they rode together into the sunset in their happily ever after so to speak. IIRC they where still shown together in a panel or two far later when Natasha joined the Titans.

I liked it overall. I remember it as mostly a mature grounded relationship which is kind of rare in mainstream comics.

Exactly what I've been saying about PG. Give her a very good solo title and establish her first, then ship away....as long as it makes sense and is developed; another words, don't just introduce PG hopping out of bed with someone, grow it organically.

And yes, Sasha was a much better relationship for Holt.

Totally agree. A series just to make her someones (regardless of whom) bed bunny would be a lousy foundation. Let it grow.