I just finished reading JSA classified#1-4 by Geoff Johns. I am really confused.

[Thor-Ul]

What do you mean by "Easy answer". Does that mean there's an answer where New Earth Superman did raise Powergirl? Or New Earth Superman didn't raise Powergirl but instead just took Powergirl in? Sorry for sounding stupid.

Easy answer as in short answer, simple answer or one word answer.

And that word is "no".

[achilles]

What this thread has done for me is to convince me that DC needs to finally do a definitive origin story for PG, from Krypton to Earth 2 or New Earth, whichever they want. But even I get a bit confused with the multiple versions of a rather poorly defined character, and I've been a fan for a while now. For me, one of Power Girl's big advantages as a character is that she's still got a lot to fill in, and that can enable a clever writer to set her up for success by giving her a detailed origin, more character details, and perhaps a mission. And it will clear up for everyone a lot of stuff that's a bit murky.

A nice mini would do it, I should think.

[Thor-Ul]

And what htis thread made realize is than Powergirl had more potential as character than Supergirl and DC knew it. DC knew it so much than in the New52 they interchanged of both heroines! (Sans the coming from other earth, naturally): In the new52 Supergirl adapted the origin of Powergirl as own, with her reaching earth already grown, hating Superman and being hiperagressive and in Worlds Finest, Powergirl was transformed into a bland Supergirl who was adopted and raised by Superman and Lois.

[achilles]

And what htis thread made realize is than Powergirl had more potential as character than Supergirl and DC knew it. DC knew it so much than in the New52 they interchanged of both heroines! (Sans the coming from other earth, naturally): In the new52 Supergirl adapted the origin of Powergirl as own, with her reaching earth already grown, hating Superman and being hiperagressive and in Worlds Finest, Powergirl was transformed into a bland Supergirl who was adopted and raised by Superman and Lois.

Of course she has potential, and IMO too more than SG. And it also irritated me when I saw them taking so much from PG's character and clumsily grafting it onto SG. But as I said, she's as close to a blank slate that a clever author could make his or her own huge imprint on, a character a good writer could make their name on. And a character a clever writer with support from DC could turn into a major character in DC's pantheon.

[MajorHoy]

What this thread has done for me is to convince me that DC needs to finally do a definitive origin story for PG, from Krypton to Earth 2 or New Earth, whichever they want .. .

Actually, they sort of need to do that for ALL their characters: they've had way too many revisions in the past for almost everyone, and people now seem to feel all those different versions may all be back in play now depending on the whims of the writers / editors.

[achilles]

Actually, they sort of need to do that for ALL their characters: they've had way too many revisions in the past for almost everyone, and people now seem to feel all those different versions may all be back in play now depending on the whims of the writers / editors.

Well, the only way I can think of to simplify is to simply reboot everything, but a hard reboot this time with clean breaks. None of this "everything's changed, except for this, this, and this". I don't actually like that idea, but I can't think of a better one to get rid of all the versions and complexity and make sure everyone's on the same page. But...the last time they tried that...the horror....was the nu52. It should have been simple, just reset everyone who has a classic origin back to that, and give the ones who don't their own version that doesn't contradict anything that's been written about them before. But...the nu52. So....I got nothing.

[Bruce Wayne]

Never going to work. You are always going to have new creators revising an established character's origins. That's just the nature of serialized fiction in a shared universe for both DC/Marvel. I'm sure there are examples in the MCU too. Though DC's problems where editors/creators aren't on the same page is more a management problem due to decades of terrible leadership.

[Lupin29]

Easy answer as in short answer, simple answer or one word answer.

And that word is "no".

Okay. To make it clear once and for all. (And put an end to this confusion)

New Earth Superman didn’t raise Powergirl (She was an adult) nor did he take her in. New Earth Superman put Powergirl under the care and observation of the JSA instead.
New Earth Superman and Power Girl are just cousins from different universes.

Is that right?

[John Venus]

^ Yep.

10char

[Lupin29]

To clarify, since there are two main versions of PG; classic, and nu52. Classic PG left Krypton 2 as a baby, and hit Earth 2 as a late teenager or so. Nu 52 left Krypton at something like 8 or 9, and hit Earth 2 at about the same age, where she was raised by her cousin and Lois...which was one of the few nice touches I thought that thing brought. The family dynamics of Clark, Lois, and 'Lil Kara were fun....but way too short. Seemed like a sweeter version of what the new TV show promises with Clark, Lois, and the two sons.

I just read the comic again.

Powergirl was about 18 when she first arrived on Earth.

So it’s definite even with that information New Earth Superman didn’t raise Powergirl like a daughter and New Earth Superman didn’t take Powergirl in.

New Earth Superman put Powergirl under the care and observation of the JSA instead.

In the end New Earth Superman and Power Girl are just cousins from different universes.


Just want to be absolutely clear. Is that all correct?

[Thor-Ul]

^ Yep.
Aaand... I'm out.

[Lupin29]

I would like to thank everyone who helped explained things to me. I'm sorry for the trouble. It was very confusing but you all helped made things much easier to understand. Thank you all so much.

[Lupin29]

^ Yep.
Aaand... I'm out.

I understand if you don’t want to answer. I really appreciate it if you do.

New Earth Superman and Post crisis are the same thing right?

[BatmanJones]

And that's pretty much why I stopped reading DC Comics. Nothing I read in the past matters. Frankly, I think Crisis of Infinite Earths was the first in a long line of mistakes that made DC stories less and less relevant. And if you read something today -- who is to say it won't be irrelevant next year?

I won't argue about Crisis because I largely agree. I really disagree with the relevant/not relevant thing though.

The Killing Joke, for one example, was "irrelevant" by this standard and that's just silly to me. It was obviously highly relevant. It was so much so that it was retroactively inserted into continuity. Was it irrelevant and then later relevant then? Of course not. Does Batman: Year One become irrelevant if Batman's origin story is later retold differently?

Was "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" irrelevant? Was The Dark Knight Returns? Kingdom Come? I could go on and on. Many (or even most) of the very best DC stories have happened outside of continuity and they have been so much more than relevant.

You'll never go wrong if you favor great stories over ones that strictly adhere to continuity.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

You'll never go wrong if you favor great stories over ones that strictly adhere to continuity.

This right here gets Bored's coveted "Favorite Comment of the Day" Award!

Congratulations, BatmanJones!