Power Girl (comic book)

The second volume of the series was first announced at the New York Comic Con in 2008, although it took about a year for the comic to be released, with the first issue debuting in May 2009. The delay occurred because the series' artist, Amanda Conner, was still finishing up work on the Terra miniseries.^[1] Later on, DC announced that Judd Winick will take over as the writer and Sami Basri as the artist for the series, starting with issue #13, following the departure of the previous creative team.^[2]

In 2023, DC announced a third volume set to debut as part of the Dawn of DC relaunch in September 2023. The series written by Leah Williams and illustrated by Eduardo Pansica. Prior to the series launch, a special one-shot titled Power Girl Special #1, featuring Williams and artist Marguerite Sauvage was released on May 30, 2023 as an induction to the series.^[3]

Jimmy Palmiotti explained that the series focused on balancing Kara Zor-L's superhero life with her personal life, particularly her secret identity as Karen Starr. Their goal was to distinguish Power Girl from her Earth-1 counterpart, Supergirl, by making her story lighter, action-packed, and fun, avoiding the darker tones often seen in other DC stories.^[1] The series is set in and around New York City, introducing a new supporting cast and "old villains" like Ultra-Humanite, and exploring Kara's personal challenges and independence.^[1] Palmiotti and Gray wanted to blend superhero action with character-driven moments, aiming to make Power Girl more relatable through her personality and relationships.^[1] Artist Amanda Conner's "expressive" work was noted for playing a role in the series' success. It was credited with adding depth through detailed facial expressions and body language, in a style noted to be similar to the works of Bruce Timm and Darwyn Cooke.^[1]

After the previous creative team left following issue 12, Judd Winick became the main writer. He noted that he wanted to build on their work while bringing a fresh perspective. His run tied Power Girl to Justice League: Generation Lost, as he noted that the title character had a history with the Justice League International that he wanted to explore.^[2][4] Winick also wanted to establish the character as "a force of her own rather than rely on her past connections with Superman or the Justice Society", while also aiming to maintain what the previous creative team had established. As he said: "It's about trying to tell a solo book with Power Girl - adventures and stories that make her unique. And I think that Jimmy, Justin and Amanda before me laid the groundwork and told terrific stories and really got her up and running." He also wanted to keep the character "self-sustained", and the series is filled with action and humor, but not goofy-type humor.^[5]

The third series kicked off with a one-shot special, introducing the title character's new powers and mission following the events of Lazarus Planet and DC Comics' Dawn of DC.^[3] In Power Girl Special #1, Power Girl faces Johnny Sorrow, a villain obsessed with her who holds Earth hostage.^[6][7][8] Following the special, the ongoing series began with Power Girl #1. The series follows Kara as she deals with her new powers, identity, and emotional challenges, especially her relationship with the Superman family, and faces new enemies.^[9] During this run, Kara adopted a new alter ego, Dr. Paige Stetler, a scientist focused on sustainable technology.^[9]

Writer Leah Williams explained that she chose the name "Paige" because it suits the character, while "Stetler" reflects her idea of a "cowboy-sounding name", as Power Girl is more of a "lone ranger" compared to the rest of the Superman Family.^[10] Williams also gave the character a job as a tech columnist for the fictional newspaper Daily Planet under Editor-in-Chief Lois Lane, who helps Paige meet her deadlines and acts as her connection to Superman.^[10] Starting from issue 14, the series is tied into the DC All In initiative.^[11]

The second volume has a 7.7 rating on the comic book review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup.^[12] According to Doug Zawisza of CBR, the first issue provided Power Girl with "a clear purpose and potential for growth," marking it as a "fun, bombastic superhero title" with wide appeal. While Zawisza emphasized its strong lead character and meaningful challenges,^[13] IGN's Dan Phillips found the issue lacking in execution. He acknowledged the exciting premise—Power Girl battling an evil gorilla in Manhattan—but felt that the writing dampened the comic’s energetic potential, suggesting a more straightforward narrative could have improved the issue's pacing and tone.^[14]

The third volume has a 6.5 rating on the comic book review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup.^[15] According to ICv2, the debut issue, released in November, ranked as the 36th best-selling comic in September 2023.^[16] Charlie Ridgely from ComicBook.com noted that the first issue sets the stage with a balance of character development and action, making it enjoyable for new readers praises it as a "fun, fresh start," while GeekDad noting the intriguing dynamic between Paige and Omen, though he raises concerns about Superman's portrayal as more of a mentor than an equal.^[17][18] In the second issue, Ridgely continued to express enthusiasm, calling it an absolute blast with high stakes and fun storytelling. He appreciated that the narrative stands on its own, independent of Superman's adventures.^[19]