Power Girl Appreciation 2023

[MajorHoy]

But that's not the current version of Power Girl, is it?

I thought the New52 version had gone back to (the replacement) "Earth 2" and was going by the name Supergirl or Superwoman now?

You have that backwards. She was Supergirl and Huntress was Robin before they came to Earth-0, they did eventually return to Earth-2 - but would still have kept their codenames. Though it was at this point that Karen allowed Tanya Spears to take over as Earth-0's Power Girl (Future State renamed her to Powerhouse, likely due to pre-Crisis PG's return, but Tanya's not appeared in main continuity since then so we don't know if that name change has happened in main continuity).

No, I did not "have that backwards". I didn't bother to mention their names prior to leaving Earth 2 (no dash between "Earth" and "2" with the New52 version, at least not for the title of the comic book), and whether they could keep their code names from their time on the "main" DC Earth doesn't matter. I had thought Power Girl had changed back to going by "Supergirl" or maybe "Superwoman" since she had a very prominent "S" crest in Earth 2: Society, but I never read that series. I did hear that Helena dropped her "Huntress" name and now wanted to be known as "BatMAN.

For some reason, they are very reluctant to show her as being smart, much less possessing an alien intellect with knowledge of science and tech far beyond human. They've done it a few times, then forget it for five to ten years before they mention it again. And they always have her being reluctant to show anyone that side of her. What?!?! That is so NOT her. She's not the type to hide her smarts...or any other aspect of her personality. Boy, DC really don't understand their own characters.

Geoff Johns (for one) is very bad at writing certain characters. Power Girl appears to be one of them.

[achilles]

No, I did not "have that backwards". I didn't bother to mention their names prior to leaving Earth 2 (no dash between "Earth" and "2" with the New52 version, at least not for the title of the comic book), and whether they could keep their code names from their time on the "main" DC Earth doesn't matter. I had thought Power Girl had changed back to going by "Supergirl" or maybe "Superwoman" since she had a very prominent "S" crest in Earth 2: Society, but I never read that series. I did hear that Helena dropped her "Huntress" name and now wanted to be known as "BatMAN.

You never read Earth 2: Society? Well, that proves you have good taste, common sense, and got lucky! Honestly, the nu52 did not do PG any favors. She had a few great moments, such as against Darkseid, which DC proceeded to render worthless by having Darkseid no sell her moves, and then ignore the damage she did. And then having him total her and the rest. She loudly tells Darkseid that SHE is her world's Superman, and then...all that happens and she proves that no, she's not.

[MajorHoy]

You never read Earth 2: Society? Well, that proves you have good taste, common sense, and got lucky! Honestly, the nu52 did not do PG any favors. She had a few great moments, such as against Darkseid, which DC proceeded to render worthless by having Darkseid no sell her moves, and then ignore the damage she did. And then having him total her and the rest. She loudly tells Darkseid that SHE is her world's Superman, and then...all that happens and she proves that no, she's not.

I dropped Earth 2 in the middle of Tom Taylor's run on the original series; didn't bother trying again with Convergence or the Earth 2: Society run.

[achilles]

I dropped Earth 2 in the middle of Tom Taylor's run on the original series; didn't bother trying again with Convergence or the Earth 2: Society run.

I sadly wasn't that smart, I actually got a few issues of Society, and Convergence. I guess I was stupidly hoping things would get better.

[marhawkman]

Didn't she give her company to Tanya Spears (as well as her Power Girl name) before she went back to Earth 2? If that's the case, shouldn't Tanya still own Starr? Whether or not she currently owns Starr would be an interesting question to have answered. Whether or not she changes her name, she still looks like Karen Starr, (former) owner of Starr Industries. Could she go claim her company back, could she initiate a hostile takeover? I would love to see that kind of storytelling brought into Power Girl. She's this amazing genius level intellect...she founded and ran a technologies company but we rarely get to see that kind of storytelling with Karen/Power Girl. Not just boob jokes and bad guy beatings....She should be a rival and peer of Lex Luthor, John Henry Irons, Michael Holt...

Didn't she hang out with Holt a LOT in one run?

[Robanker]

Didn't she hang out with Holt a LOT in one run?

Like four issues.

Honestly, they had no idea what to do with Karen during New 52 so they just kept making her someone's love interest. Bad time for one of the staunchest feminist voices in 70s comics.

I can also count on one finger how many of Taylor's works I've found to be more than just shallow appealing to Twitter/people who get their comics in panel form from repost accounts. His stuff is very middling and then he has one or two moments that are begging to be reposted so everyone can say he's the GOAT.

I should be all over a Titans series drawn by Nicola Scott, but Taylor's name on said book makes me unlikely to pick it up. And I like his Nightwing for the most part.

[MajorHoy]

Didn't she hang out with Holt a LOT in one run?

Like four issues.

Honestly, they had no idea what to do with Karen during New 52 so they just kept making her someone's love interest. Bad time for one of the staunchest feminist voices in 70s comics.

I thought they turned her possible love connection with Holt into a plan to get technology from him to help Power Girl and Huntress return to Earth 2?

[OBrianTallent]

New 52 Karen basically usurped her identity. Since New 52 is still canon, her company probably closed when she went back to Earth-2. When the pre-Crisis Power Girl came back, she found that her identity had been taken by an AU doppelganger, and I'm guessing was declared dead?

You have that backwards. She was Supergirl and Huntress was Robin before they came to Earth-0, they did eventually return to Earth-2 - but would still have kept their codenames. Though it was at this point that Karen allowed Tanya Spears to take over as Earth-0's Power Girl (Future State renamed her to Powerhouse, likely due to pre-Crisis PG's return, but Tanya's not appeared in main continuity since then so we don't know if that name change has happened in main continuity).

She appeared at the beginning of Titans Academy and I think was also called Powerhouse there as well (but I could be mis-remembering.)

[achilles]

I thought they turned her possible love connection with Holt into a plan to get technology from him to help Power Girl and Huntress return to Earth 2?

Yes, you recall correctly. That thing happened, and I'm still trying to pretend it didn't. Thank The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace for turning the feminist character into Holt's girl toy. No explanation as to why the alien from the hyper advanced race who did in fact get a Kryptonian education in that iteration of the character needed a mere human to invent anything. Or why she didn't just steal the tech without all the sleeping with Holt first, if that was her only goal.

It was a remarkably toxic take on a female character for that age.

[The Frog Bros]

Looks like PG… er, Paige, will be getting a series starting in September.

https://aiptcomics.com/2023/04/26/da...to-smallville/

486C3170-0118-4FDF-894C-7DD2D69C3B4C.jpg

[Prime]

Out of the loop…Hera is this Paige thing ?

[achilles]

Looks like PG… er, Paige, will be getting a series starting in September.

https://aiptcomics.com/2023/04/26/da...to-smallville/

486C3170-0118-4FDF-894C-7DD2D69C3B4C.jpg

And of course her special in May. I'm concerned about this, as well as happy that she's getting anything at all. But the "Paige" thing is a huge mistake IMO, and the mental powers seem to be persisting. Which means all the other character's powers likely are as well.

Let's face it, mind powers are probably about last on the list of new powers to give a predominately VERY physical character. Gravity manipulation powers, or something else that's big and flashy and physical----that's what you give a Power Girl. Just as Paige the cheerleader or mousy librarian isn't the name to give...er...the character who already had one.

So...I have a question---has Power Girl actually DONE anything yet with these mind powers that suggest they could be used offensively or defensively? Does she have telekinesis, pyrokinesis, or just the ability to blast people's minds or put them to sleep? Anything that would give her a role beyond the boring, inappropriate for the character, and recently overused "therapist to the heroes" thing?

Also, is the series a mini, or an ongoing? And we still can't definitively say which version of PG this is. But I'm happy none-the-less, and for Fire and Ice too. That said, this writer better come up with something new in terms of stories---these things seem a bit repetitive, and the Paige thing needs to go, quickly.

[The Frog Bros]

And of course her special in May. I'm concerned about this, as well as happy that she's getting anything at all. But the "Paige" thing is a huge mistake IMO, and the mental powers seem to be persisting. Which means all the other character's powers likely are as well.

Let's face it, mind powers are probably about last on the list of new powers to give a predominately VERY physical character. Gravity manipulation powers, or something else that's big and flashy and physical----that's what you give a Power Girl. Just as Paige the cheerleader or mousy librarian isn't the name to give...er...the character who already had one.

So...I have a question---has Power Girl actually DONE anything yet with these mind powers that suggest they could be used offensively or defensively? Does she have telekinesis, pyrokinesis, or just the ability to blast people's minds or put them to sleep? Anything that would give her a role beyond the boring, inappropriate for the character, and recently overused "therapist to the heroes" thing?

Also, is the series a mini, or an ongoing? And we still can't definitively say which version of PG this is. But I'm happy none-the-less, and for Fire and Ice too. That said, this writer better come up with something new in terms of stories---these things seem a bit repetitive, and the Paige thing needs to go, quickly.

On the one hand I am happy to see PG getting a book which I guess is a mini. But on the other hand, and while I do like the art, I find her current iteration and the backups in AC kinda boring.

[Will Evans]

And of course her special in May. I'm concerned about this, as well as happy that she's getting anything at all. But the "Paige" thing is a huge mistake IMO, and the mental powers seem to be persisting. Which means all the other character's powers likely are as well.

Let's face it, mind powers are probably about last on the list of new powers to give a predominately VERY physical character. Gravity manipulation powers, or something else that's big and flashy and physical----that's what you give a Power Girl. Just as Paige the cheerleader or mousy librarian isn't the name to give...er...the character who already had one.

So...I have a question---has Power Girl actually DONE anything yet with these mind powers that suggest they could be used offensively or defensively? Does she have telekinesis, pyrokinesis, or just the ability to blast people's minds or put them to sleep? Anything that would give her a role beyond the boring, inappropriate for the character, and recently overused "therapist to the heroes" thing?

Also, is the series a mini, or an ongoing? And we still can't definitively say which version of PG this is. But I'm happy none-the-less, and for Fire and Ice too. That said, this writer better come up with something new in terms of stories---these things seem a bit repetitive, and the Paige thing needs to go, quickly.

She’s saved Beast Boy’s life with her mind powers.

[achilles]

She’s saved Beast Boy’s life with her mind powers.

How did she do that?