Power Girl #1 Preview

[achilles]

No, that's Otto Schmidt.

Ah, thanks. I figured it wasn't Frank after I blew it up enough for me to see.

[The Frog Bros]

Yep, that's Gary Frank - pretty good 1:25 variant by Otto Schmidt for this issue as well:

re: bottom right. Tula Lotay used this design on her PG Special variant cover (which I bought because I love Lotay's art).

2199995_ful.jpg

Anyway, was this look used before or was it a Lotay creation? Just wondering because I hadn't seen it before (specifically the purple tone boots and gloves).

[Digifiend]

That's... annoying.

I mean, I get that Power Girl, by dint of her confusing history, is a prime target for the "complete makeover" approach every time a writer uses her, but she's not an empty vessel, fer pete's sake.

And frankly, this makeover is SO extreme that it really does feel like the writer took advantage of her free rein to jam one of her pet ideas into another character.

Well, the new astral punching power turns out to basically be the same as America Chavez's. Portals for teleportation. I've seen comments saying that maybe Williams wanted to write Ms America. But I can't see this story being a rejected Marvel pitch at all, America doesn't have any telepaths among her friends (the Young Avengers team). Plus, Williams has remembered that PG is a technology expert. MAC isn't.

Incidentally, there's actually another DC character with the same power - Sideways.

[Kuwagaton]

I'm all for something like a big new power, although it only makes me want to have Kara back in action for a nice contrast

[JLH]

I don't think there was a single thing I liked about Power Girl's recent Action back-ups and one-shot, but I really enjoyed this first issue. IMO it was a fun read, PG wasn't near as out of character as she was in her back-ups/one-shot, and it's great seeing Amalak back. But "Paige Stetler"? Just when I thought I couldn't like "Paige" any less, DC had to follow it with "Stetler." I don't see myself ever not cringing when I read that name.

And question: Did Power Girl ever go by Karen Starr in the current DCU? And if so, why did she change her name and how do people not know her as Karen? I can't recall how/if this has been addressed...

[The Frog Bros]

I don't think there was a single thing I liked about Power Girl's recent Action back-ups and one-shot, but I really enjoyed this first issue. IMO it was a fun read, PG wasn't near as out of character as she was in her back-ups/one-shot, and it's great seeing Amalak back. But "Paige Stetler"? Just when I thought I couldn't like "Paige" any less, DC had to follow it with "Stetler." I don't see myself ever not cringing when I read that name.

And question: Did Power Girl ever go by Karen Starr in the current DCU? And if so, why did she change her name and how do people not know her as Karen? I can't recall how/if this has been addressed...

I’m glad to hear this. Didn’t care for the new direction she’s taken but was holding out hope for the ongoing. And I have liked other stuff from Williams that I’ve read (X-Terminators in particular) but I just haven’t liked the new PG.

So hoping for the ongoing. New name notwithstanding of course. It def went from bad to worse.

[Zero Hunter]

From what I recall Leah Williams was basically given free-reign with the character. She asked PG's history and the editors responded "Whatever you want".

So what we're witnessing is a writer having way too much free reign over a character.

And that pretty much sums up why DC is in such a garbage state right now. You can't just let writers "do whatever they want" and ever hope to have any long term viability for the characters or teams. You know the next writer is going to come in and clean slate this whole thing. God DC just depresses me these days.

[Kuwagaton]

Well, that sounds quite extreme. I really don't know PG very well but I read this as a more put together version of Kara who is trying to stick the landing as best she can with a newfound role in representing the Super family. Is it really different from who she should be?

[Frontier]

Anyone who wants a crash course in Power Girl should read the Conner/Palmiotti series.

[achilles]

Well, that sounds quite extreme. I really don't know PG very well but I read this as a more put together version of Kara who is trying to stick the landing as best she can with a newfound role in representing the Super family. Is it really different from who she should be?

She's Power Girl in name only. And even that seems to be up for grabs. DC's answering like that to her suggests that they don't give a toss about PG, and would rather the character be changed from what evidently embarrasses them hugely for reasons that have never been properly defined, into something very much not Power Girl and very much whatever stupidity they like these days.

[Kuwagaton]

Is the character embarrassing? Generally speaking I was a little surprised to see her back instead of Kara as Superwoman. I guess the live action synergy has worn out.

Hey even better for PG because at one point they gave her name to a new character, in the New 52 Titans. That definitely seemed like giving up on her imo

Anyone who wants a crash course in Power Girl should read the Conner/Palmiotti series.

I wish I made room for it in my pull list back then. But I can imagine that the first issue was also reorienting the character by having her elect to find a new place in this new world while pit against a classic villain, but with more boob jokes.

[Primal Slayer]

Yep, that's Gary Frank - pretty good 1:25 variant by Otto Schmidt for this issue as well:

I love these pieces. I need him to do a WW one.

Surprisingly...there are actually A LOT of good suits here that I'd like to see again if drawn as properly as they are here or given to someone else.

[The Frog Bros]

Anyone who wants a crash course in Power Girl should read the Conner/Palmiotti series.

There’s trades for this I believe but has it ever been collected in a single volume?

I love these pieces. I need him to do a WW one.

Surprisingly...there are actually A LOT of good suits here that I'd like to see again if drawn as properly as they are here or given to someone else.

I dig the one with the really high blue boots (top row, third from right).

And yeah, would love to see this in WW form.

[Frontier]

There’s trades for this I believe but has it ever been collected in a single volume?

They released a collection with the first half of it just recently I believe.

[The Frog Bros]

They released a collection with the first half of it just recently I believe.

Ah, cool!