Customer Reviews

Power Girl

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I started reading comics Power Girl was a member of Justice League Europe. I fell in love with the character immediately, not because of the way she looks, but because she was fallible. She was insecure, had problems with men, was unsure of the history of her life. I could identify with her more than with any other character.

(Spider-Man, the character most people associate as the character with real-life problems was Marvel's biggest character, guest starred in everybody's books, and was married to a red-headed supermodel by the time I started reading comics)

Power Girl's history is complicated. When the DC Universe consisted of a number of alternate Earths, Power Girl was an alternate version of Supergirl. For some reason, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC kept the character active, but in order to do so they gave her a new origin in which she was actually from ancient Atlantis sent forward into the future with her memory altered for her protection.

Over the last few years Power Girl has been appearing in JSA, written by Geoff Johns, who has been dropping hints that Power Girl isn't actually from Atlantis. Then in JSA Classified # 1-4 (part of this collection) he finally explains her origin. But first he messes with us. Not only is there the possible Kryptonian and Atlantean origins, but added to the mix is a possible connection to the Legion of Superheroes!

Being a Power Girl fan, I read the monthly issues as they came out, and I was taken on a roller-coaster ride of possibilities. The writing is good, but it definately helps to know Power Girl's background in order to follow the story. Amanda Conner's artwork is excellent, beautifully capturing character and action and drama. There are no generic drawings here (you know, how some artists draw the same pose over and over?). Every panel has a feeling of life to it, even when the characters are just sitting there talking.

Possibly because Power Girl's background is so complex, this volume also collects some of her past exploits and origin stories. Still, it helps if you know about DC's multiple Earth history, and if you've read Crisis on Infinite Earths. This story is also a good prelude to Infinite Crisis, a sort-of sequal to Crisis also written by Johns.

If you love Power Girl like I do, this is a must have. If you don't love her like I do, this is still a good read.

Over the years, Power Girl has had one heck of a convoluted history. Beginning with her pre-Crisis appearance in 1976, she was Kara Zor-L, the cousin of the Earth-2 Superman, who had also been sent to Earth, albeit in hibernation, and on a slightly longer path. Post-Crisis, her origin was altered to inexplicably connect to Arion of Atlantis. Since then, it's been anybody's guess as to where she really comes from. The POWER GIRL trade paperback collects several stories that are essential to explain who she is and where she really comes from. Honestly, this book does a good job towards setting the record straight, and while it didn't answer every question I had, it did enough. JSA fans should be very happy, as you can find what you need right here! Writers include Geoff Johns, Paul Levitz, and Paul Kupperberg, with artists Amanda Conner and Joe Staton, and several beautiful covers by Adam Hughes

The collection begins with SHOWCASE #97-99 (1976), which details Power Girl's pre-Crisis origin. This is a great Earth-2 adventure, written by Paul Levitz and with art by Joe Staton. It features Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, Brainwave, and other classic DC characters before the Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped their timeline out of existence. SECRET ORIGINS #11 (1987) provides her post-Crisis origin, in which writer Paul Kupperberg replaces her sensible Kryptonian origin with her being the granddaughter of the sorcerer Arion of Atlantis. Yes, it's just as inexplicable as it sounds - this is truly the nadir of Power Girl's story. It also highlights one of the major problems I have with the effects of the Crisis: the fact that many of the characters were afterwards keenly aware that their original timelines had been eliminated. In this case, the beginning of the story features Power Girl lamenting that Earth-2 is gone; therefore, she has no origin or background. What sense does this make? If all the parallel Earths have been merged, and you are aware that your timeline has been eliminated, well, then your origin is that you are still Kryptonian, just from ANOTHER Krypton that from this point onward, does not exist! No need to go seeking for a new origin! Luckily, writer Geoff Johns recognizes the problems that Kupperberg's Power Girl origin presents and alters it yet again to fit more comfortably with the original Earth-2 timeline (along with a few surprises) in JSA Classified #1 - 4. This final story is a wonderful multiple earth tour-de-force that hearkens back to Grant Morrison's reality-altering work on Animal Man... and yes, it even features the Psycho Pirate. It also brings to mind The Kingdom: Planet Krypton, which is another book that deals with the remnants of the multiple Earths in a very interesting way. I swear, Geoff Johns has single-handedly fixed so many continuity problems for DC, they should just give him the keys to the building.

So what is Power Girl, really? Read this collection, and get the final word (for now).

Features issues #1-4 of JSA Classified, featuring a storyline that centers on Powergirl(a.k.a Karen Starr), a strong and independent female superhero. The writing is okay, but the artwork by Amanda Conner is superb(her version of Power Girl just might be the best)!
This collection also features some of her older stories, like Showcase #97-99 & Secret Origins #11

This edition is a great collection of several key phases of Power Girl's storylines, beginning with her first in Showcase in the 1970's. She's unique among comicbook characters - she's essentially a knock-off of a company's own character (Supergirl), which in turn was a knock-off of yet another charcter owned by the same company (Superman)! And oddly enough, these 'knockoffs' quickly became their own charcters, though Power Girl did a better job earlier on than Supergirl did.

Power Girl's other unique feature is her roulette-wheel-style series of origins, which is what this collected edition demonstrates. In a nutshell, originally she was the Earth-2 Superman's cousin, like Supergirl is/was for Earth-1's Superman (brief comics history - DC had established a 'multiverse' to account for why they had characters from the 1930's & 1940's who were still young in the present day; the explanation was, essentially, every few years, we switched over to a parallel universe where the characters were just getting started). When DC revamped its continuity in 1985 (see 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' which was recently released in an 'Absolute Edition'), it was decided that the multiverse would become one universe, Supergirl was killed off, but Power Girl (due to fan popularity) would survive. However, since part of this reorganization involved having Superman be the sole survivor of Krypton again, the people at DC were left to try and figure out how to account for Power Girl's existence in the newly formed universe.

The other stories in this collection show the attempts, which were not entirely successful. Finally, it was decided to go back to the original origin (cousin of Earth-2's Superman) since DC decided to do a direct sequel to 1985's 'Crisis' series with 'Infinite Crisis' (available in a collected edition as well, though at this time not an Absolute Edition). That second 'Crisis' series was not, shall we say, as well-done as the original, and while there were a few nice touches, generally speaking it felt contrived and arbitrary. The reason this volume gets 4 stars instead of 5 from me, is because the final story was one of the key lead-ins to 'Infinite Crisis,' and helped add to the mess that's going to be with us for years to come.

The character is still a solid character however, and was a key part of the recently-cancelled 'JSA' series (presumably to be reborn as 'Justice Society of America,' though the character appears destined for the 'Justice League of America' title - in any event, all 87 issues of the 'JSA' run are collected in a series of trade paperbacks; I recommend them all since the series was that great). Power Girl is probably going to be around for a long time - the real question is, will DC figure out a consistent way of keeping her around.

Power Girl, for those of you who don't know, is Superman's blonde haired Kryptonian cousin who shares similar super powers. Now I know what you're thinking, "isn't that Supergirl?". Well, yes and no. Power Girl is the cousin of the man of steel, only from a different universe. See, in the mid-80's, DC had a mess on their hands. They had multiple Earth's in their universe, each containing different versions of various heroes and villains. Power Girl is the cousin of the Earth-2 Superman, and when DC did their Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series, which destroyed every different Earth except Earth-1, she still managed to survive, with no memory of her true origin. Over the years, her origins have been played with (Atlantean? Really?), but DC writer extraordinairre Geoff Johns (Flash, JSA, Green Lantern, Infinite Crisis) attempts to fix some of the past tinkerings with Power Girl. The bulk of this TPB contains the first four issues of JSA Classified, which finds our busty heroine questioning herself, and getting a taste of her true past when she comes face to face with the only person in the world who really does remember where she came from: the Psycho Pirate. Johns is at his near best here taking convoluted past material and making the most out of it (and even introduces more aspects including an appearance from the Legion of Super Heroes), while Amanda Conner provides decent enough pencils to provide for the most of cheese cake shots. There are some older stories thrown in at the beginning of the TPB as well so new readers can get a taste of just how much Power Girl has been tinkered with over the years, and the climax even sets the stage for the cataclysmic events of Infinite Crisis. All in all, if you're a fan of Power Girl, the Crisis books, or Johns himself, this TPB is worth picking up.

I just added a comment to another reviewer's post and said the following: "Most of the stories are reprints from an era when comics were drawn pretty simple and had few backgrounds. Many of these comics had been printed on old fashioned newsprint. This book is important as a historical reference to the Power Girl character. I believe your review judges it much too harshly. If you look back at the first ever issue of Action Comics featuring Superman, its even more simple and crude, yet it just sold for 1.5 million dollars. If nothing else, this proves you can't judge a book by its cover".

The fact is, the vintage reprints are not on newsprint and so they have that super-bright, solid color that occurs when vintage comics get reprinted on the semi-glossy paper used in comics today and in graphic novels. The art was typical of its day and Power Girl was an idea that hadn't quite been worked out yet. I thought it was interesting to see PG in all these different incarnations. I actually like her first costume and her "flipped back" hair style shown in the first few stories. Certainly, Amanda Conner is THE Power Girl artist as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps you wouldn't be getting this book for the art. Its still an important book for your library if you are really interested in the DCU history or just in Power Girl's. I enjoyed this book very much and so did my daughter.

Among DC's stable of also-ran superheroes, Power Girl stands head-and-cleavage above the rest. It's not because of her gradually-ballooning bust, or because of her ever-increasing angst. It's because she's a prime example of what can happen to a character when the editorial staff exercises little or no control over the direction of a character.

How many origins can one character have? Read and find out. In how many directions can we yank a character when we're not really sure how to solve continuity potholes? Again, read the book. And most importantly, how can a character who has been kicked all over the DCU emerge as a character actually worth reading? Ahhhh... Read and discover.

I gave this title four stars not because it's thoroughly wonderful reading. It isn't. The early stories range from merely nostalgic to positively atrocious. The Paul Kupperberg story made me want to yank out my own fingernails. Only the last stories are really worthwhile comics reading. I gave this title four stars because it should sit on the shelf of everyone who wants to write or edit a comic book, anyone who even thinks of "re-imagining" a character, and anyone who thinks the snarls and kinks of decades of sloppy editing can be undone by a "Crisis" crossover. This book should have a legend in fluorescent orange printed across it: "Beware: This could happen to you!"

If you're just a casual reader looking for good comics writing, this isn't the book you're looking for. On the other hand, if you're interested in comics as an art form, you should own a copy of this little gem. The wildly varying quality of the writing and art enable the reader to glimpse a cross-section of the medium in one inexpensive volume. That's worth the price, in my book.

I like Power Girl. I bought this book for that reason. Heck, I admire the tenacity of modern writers who've been able to salvage her as a viable and sympathetic character, given what she's been through. So yes, I recommend this book to collectors and comics fans. If nothing else, this is a reminder that you should always treat even your C-list heroes and villains as though they might one day be among your biggest sellers. Who knows when your fans will begin clamoring for Power Girl...or Wildcat...or Hourman...or Robin?

Besides, if you've never seen Amanda Conner's artwork, this book is worth the price for that experience alone.

There are three basic stories within this collection that help the reader to build their knowledge of one Ms. Power Girl. They start with a very early story, one in the 70's, and then one recently from Geoff Johns. The middle one is where they tried to give her an Atlantean background and it was quite silly and boring. Though the collection of stories aren't stellar the collection and presentation is amazing. They editors given an intro to each section and really try to help build a foundation for DC fans to become acquainted with and more knowledgeable of Power Girl. I would recommend this to anyone who would like to know more about this character because in this collection the sum is definitely worth more then the parts individually.

I think some of the unjustified and horrible reviews of this book are based on misunderstandings of what it is. I believe they expected a self-contained story, but what this actually is, is an anthology of comics from a variety of sources that shows the rather complex and often internally inconsistent and misguided history of Power Girl. As the comics here show, she started off as Superman's cousin, which is what she has returned to being today. But along the way it was suggested that she was actually of Terran orgin, a child of Atlantis. Some of the later comics have a lot of fun with all of this, emphasizing how messy and inconsistent her story had been. A lot of this has maintained the self-parody that seems inherent in Power Girl, from the complexity of her various origins stories to her audacious uniform. Regarding her outfit, I did very much like the bit where she tells Superman that the large and extremely revealing bare spot on her chest was that way because she did not feel justified in placing a symbol like that of Superman's. I don't quite buy it as an adequate explanation, but that didn't keep it from being a nice moment. Power Girl's ample bosom has remained an ongoing source of humor and the basis of much of her claim to fame as a post-feminist hero. She is on the one hand thoroughly self-assured, confident, assertive, and self-empowered, and on the other hand an almost aggressive piece of eye candy. Her physical form seems to say, "Ogle me," while her attitude says, "Ogle me and I'll kick your butt." This inherent tension in her character has also resulted in her being perhaps the most delightfully playful of all the DC superheroes. Most of the DC superheroes are dark and somewhat tragic. The current Power Girl series, however, is fun and funny. She is a delightful contrast and counterbalance to Batman and the Green Lantern.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in the current incarnations of Power Girl, but who doesn't understand everything in her previous comic incarnations (I am currently following her in the JSA comics, where she and Magog are leading the reorganized JSA in a more militaristic version, and in her own comic, which is one of my favorite currently running comics). But I want to be clear that while I think this is good background reading, the current Power Girl comic is far more interesting. Definitely go read it.

Poor Power Girl. She's the bastard child at the DCU Family reunion. The relative nobody wants to admit to. In her original incarnation she was Earth-2's Supergirl. Then she had her history revamped, again, and again, and again. But, she still remains Power Girl, and even though she's gone through several back story revamps, she still wears her white leotard and red cape.

In spite of her background tweaks she's still a staple of the Detective Comic's pantheon. In fact, in spite of all of her historical recreation, she's actually one of the more stable characters in terms of personality. She is in deed, form and essence, unflappable.

The final story in this collection pushes Power Girl to her psychological limits, but she remains pliable and defiant all at once, and comes out on top in the end like all good heroes. Power Girl has always been a sort of no nonsense kind of heroine, though not always as confident and cocky as in the final story, which to this reader finally gives her a real depth and humor about herself. This is in contrast to her Earth-1 counterpart who is modeled after the proverbial girl-next-door who's made good.

Power Girl, in this sense, is her own woman. She's not trying to live up to a pedigree name-brand like Supergirl of Earth-1. She hasn't taken her Kryptonian's cousin trade-mark and try to feminize it. No. Her costume is basic, but so is she. True, she is a bit more buxom than the rest of them, and her costume would appear to have been made to accentuate her physicality, but it's part of who she is. Her best improvement is that she's lost her Doris Day perm in favor of a new contemporary do that I think most red blooded males would nod in approval. I know I do.

In terms of the book itself, it's a tough recommendation. Her early appearances from the 70s and 80s with the former Earth-2 crew are a bit of a nostalgia blast. In fact I remember a couple of the All-Star covers provided in this book, and as a kid frowning on the notion of buying a "Power Girl" comic. My youthful logic was that this woman had no real costume. She was a vanilla flavored superhero. A female Superman knockoff with no trademark of her own. And after reading the first couple of stories some 20 to 30 years later, my boyhood concerns have been confirmed.

But the last story takes this plane Jane heroine out of the run-in-the-mill show-room, and into the real "Showcase" (so to speak) of personae dramaticus as she fights a foe who forces her to fight herself. Power Girl comes out on top with more than just her usual attitude and style. And that's what makes this book worth reading, if not buying. Give it a chance.

A busty blonde with lots of self confidence? What guy wouldn't go for a girl like Power Girl?