Karen Starr Power Girl Appreciation 2021

[achilles]

That doesn't change that her solo series did not do particularly well. Look, I'm not saying she can't sell at all, but that she's not at the front of the line for characters who should get books right now. I also think you're discounting how much people loved that Hughes cover. :P

The JSA mini #2-4 sold about 60k which was good at the time, but her solo book? 32k by issue #2 which also had a Hughes variant (and variants were rare back then). When the new team took over it was at 20k and kept losing readers. This was not a good number even then and was running very close to cancellation.

Do I want her to get one? Yes, absolutely. I just don't think it's realistic to think she will, but you're hyper focused on that one period she did well. I loved that time in comics, but her solo series, New 52 WF which she co-lead and Earth-2 once she joined it at did not do great. It's been diminishing returns since then which tells DC the iron isn't hot enough to strike right now for PG.

Yeah, those last two books weren't good, but PG is a child commodity for them currently. Wait for a JSA book and then maybe she'll get some momentum up get a solo project. With the right team and pitch, I think PG can crush it and definitely climb up to Nightwing level sales and hopefully popularity, but she's not there yet.

Actually, considering I actually have those variants, (and the later ones by...who was it again?), plus the regular covers....yeah, I'm probably not the guy to make that argument. I like the one where she's knee deep in lava. Had absolutely nothing to do with the story inside, but it sure looked dramatic. But my favorite was the stock cover they used for #27. The foreshortening was a bit wonky, but apart from that, it was great. Then, now that I'm on about cover, the best PG cover was actually in the horrible nu52, the one where she's facing the huge Darkseid, back to the viewer and dwarfed by him. A nice peril cover.

The point about PG I'm trying to make is that she CAN be great, in the right hands with the right plan. DC should make that happen. When she's constantly published, she does tend to have quite a few fans IMO, enough to make it worth DC's effort to please, especially considering all the entirely new characters they're making big bets on.

[Robanker]

Actually, considering I actually have those variants, (and the later ones by...who was it again?), plus the regular covers....yeah, I'm probably not the guy to make that argument. I like the one where she's knee deep in lava. Had absolutely nothing to do with the story inside, but it sure looked dramatic. But my favorite was the stock cover they used for #27. The foreshortening was a bit wonky, but apart from that, it was great. Then, now that I'm on about cover, the best PG cover was actually in the horrible nu52, the one where she's facing the huge Darkseid, back to the viewer and dwarfed by him. A nice peril cover.

The point about PG I'm trying to make is that she CAN be great, in the right hands with the right plan. DC should make that happen. When she's constantly published, she does tend to have quite a few fans IMO, enough to make it worth DC's effort to please, especially considering all the entirely new characters they're making big bets on.

On that, we agree in full. She's one of their hidden gems and deserves a shot, but I also think it's weird to expect her to get a book compared to Aquaman, Green Arrow and Batgirl, for example. Right now the DC line is very strange. I'm hoping for a JSA announcement by July but I'm doubtful.

[Will Evans]

Yeah, fans should know we’re not going to get a Powergirl book before we get a JSA one.

[Ascended]

On that, we agree in full. She's one of their hidden gems and deserves a shot, but I also think it's weird to expect her to get a book compared to Aquaman, Green Arrow and Batgirl, for example. Right now the DC line is very strange. I'm hoping for a JSA announcement by July but I'm doubtful.

No, I don't see Karen getting a book right now. It's always possible, and even now DC is throwing out some D-list IP's for the niche and trade crowds, but it's damned unlikely she's going to be in any serious consideration unless a writer makes a pitch that happens to land on one of DC's "let's publish a weird mini" moments.

Really starting to be surprised at the lack of JSA news. Apparently Flash is going to be bouncing around time and will run into Jay during WWII (or something) so the JSA seem to be back in continuity, and Metal 2 is wrapped and the multiverse is fixed or whatever the hell happened (I'll maybe get the trade eventually) and I figured we'd have a announcement by now. The silence is confusing. I suppose they may be holding off for a "phase two" tentpole title, sort of like they did with Earth-2 in the New52, but other than that I can't imagine why DC wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the book by now if they intend to at all. And if they don't intend to I really gotta question why, the book was rarely a chart topper but it sold better than a lot of the IP's they're currently publishing.

[achilles]

On that, we agree in full. She's one of their hidden gems and deserves a shot, but I also think it's weird to expect her to get a book compared to Aquaman, Green Arrow and Batgirl, for example. Right now the DC line is very strange. I'm hoping for a JSA announcement by July but I'm doubtful.

I'm not. I'm going by all the new characters getting titles, DC's hanging on with other character long after they abandoned PG, such as Jaime Reyes or Cyborg. I don't begrudge them; I just want the same level of commitment extended to PG. I don't expect it, to be honest, but I want it.

[The Frog Bros]

No, I don't see Karen getting a book right now. It's always possible, and even now DC is throwing out some D-list IP's for the niche and trade crowds, but it's damned unlikely she's going to be in any serious consideration unless a writer makes a pitch that happens to land on one of DC's "let's publish a weird mini" moments.

Really starting to be surprised at the lack of JSA news. Apparently Flash is going to be bouncing around time and will run into Jay during WWII (or something) so the JSA seem to be back in continuity, and Metal 2 is wrapped and the multiverse is fixed or whatever the hell happened (I'll maybe get the trade eventually) and I figured we'd have a announcement by now. The silence is confusing. I suppose they may be holding off for a "phase two" tentpole title, sort of like they did with Earth-2 in the New52, but other than that I can't imagine why DC wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the book by now if they intend to at all. And if they don't intend to I really gotta question why, the book was rarely a chart topper but it sold better than a lot of the IP's they're currently publishing.

True. If I recall correctly, they had the JSA appear several times in recent main line stories, including Snyder's JL, Doomsday Clock, and Death Metal. Seems weird that they devoted so much to get them back out there, only to have nothing happen as far as a new book.

[Ascended]

True. If I recall correctly, they had the JSA appear several times in recent main line stories, including Snyder's JL, Doomsday Clock, and Death Metal. Seems weird that they devoted so much to get them back out there, only to have nothing happen as far as a new book.

Right? At a guess they don't want the title to disappear amid all the shiny new March books and creative teams, since the JSA aren't usually a huge sales pull in the first place, and they'll launch it later when it'll get more attention.

Like you say, DC has teased and used these characters lately, and you'd think DC is interested in another title by the way the JSA keep popping up. Maybe they've decided the JSA are better as guest stars than as title holders? And they're already sorta-kinda pushing the League towards that "elder statesman" status so maybe they feel like the League can do what the JSA does, only better?

But there's clearly still interest in the IP from both pro's and fans, and it's not like the book doesn't sell well. It doesn't set charts on fire but it usually does respectably. So I dunno what DC is trying to do here.

[achilles]

Right? At a guess they don't want the title to disappear amid all the shiny new March books and creative teams, since the JSA aren't usually a huge sales pull in the first place, and they'll launch it later when it'll get more attention.

Like you say, DC has teased and used these characters lately, and you'd think DC is interested in another title by the way the JSA keep popping up. Maybe they've decided the JSA are better as guest stars than as title holders? And they're already sorta-kinda pushing the League towards that "elder statesman" status so maybe they feel like the League can do what the JSA does, only better?

But there's clearly still interest in the IP from both pro's and fans, and it's not like the book doesn't sell well. It doesn't set charts on fire but it usually does respectably. So I dunno what DC is trying to do here.

I think they've felt like that for a long time. And I think they feel that way about PG with respect to SG, and that since the Didio era, they've always felt that way.

[Ascended]

I think it goes back further than Didio, honestly. DC has never really seemed to know what to do with Karen.

In Didio's defense, her solo *did* come under his watch and she was one of the IP's the company pushed pretty heavily.....for five minutes.

[achilles]

I think it goes back further than Didio, honestly. DC has never really seemed to know what to do with Karen.

In Didio's defense, her solo *did* come under his watch and she was one of the IP's the company pushed pretty heavily.....for five minutes.

All true. Just wish someone with power at DC, WB, or ATT would like her and want to give her a new push. If they don't think she can hold her own title, (which is odd considering she did at least as well as Jaime Reyes or Cyborg, and DC/WB loves them), why not pair her with Wonder Woman, her nearest peer in universe IMO, as a duo title. The WW fans wouldn't mind another title I'm sure, and PG could benefit from closer interaction with DC's most popular heroine.

[Lupin29]

Is New Earth PowerGirl the same as Post Crisis Powergirl?

[Midnighter]

If Barry joining the JLIncarnate leads to a book maybe that could be a good place for her.

[SuperX]

If Barry joining the JLIncarnate leads to a book maybe that could be a good place for her.

Good idea, seems like a good match for her

[Robanker]

If Barry joining the JLIncarnate leads to a book maybe that could be a good place for her.

You know, that's not a bad idea at all. Michael Holt was in the JSA while operating as White King of Checkmate, and I imagine he'd still work with The Terrifics when the JSA return. There's no reason Karen can't be in the JSA and join Justice Incarnate too.

[achilles]

If Barry joining the JLIncarnate leads to a book maybe that could be a good place for her.

I'd rather they left her out of that. My reasoning is two fold. This is a future state kind of thing, right? Sounds kind of grim. PG is used far too often IMO in grim things.

The other is the size and composition of that cast....almost every other character will get more emphasis and respect than PG. She gets that too often as well, IMO. I'd rather she just stayed on the shelf until they're ready to do something good with her.