Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
Kara Zor-L, AKA Power Girl, AKA Karen Starr, AKA Peej, AKA... Well, you get the idea. For decades, Power Girl has been searching for her own identity and she’s finally forging one in her new solo series! With her new alter ego as Dr. Paige Stetler and a new best friend slash roommate, Omen, Power Girl is forging a new path forward. (That’s a lot of new things in one sentence, but don’t worry, PG’s got this.)
The first story arc of Power Girl by Leah Williams and Eduardo Pansica is now complete and available on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, and it makes for an action-packed weekend escape into Paige’s new normal. Let’s catch up with the erstwhile Earth-2 heroine in her latest adventure.
The Premise:
Nestled in a sentient “Symbioship,” Kara Zor-L’s parents sent her from Krypton to Earth to look after her cousin, Kal-L. In time, she fought at his side as the superhero Power Girl, but a cataclysmic fate awaited their adopted home planet as well. Kara was the only survivor. She came to live on Earth-0, where she became the counterpart to that planet’s Supergirl—a lost hero looking for her own place in the world. Power Girl has at last started building a new life as Paige, a tech columnist for The Daily Planet and beloved member of the Superman family. But Paige’s past is trying hard to catch up to her…
Let’s Talk Talent:
Leah Williams, a comic book writer who has written beloved characters like Marvel’s Mary Jane Watson and The Addams Family, helmed Power Girl’s return in a Lazarus Planet spin-off book and in the pages of Action Comics. (The collected edition of that story is available now.) She’s teamed up with Eduardo Pansica to kick off this new ongoing series. Pansica, a veteran comic book artist—just look at that incredible list of credits!—has drawn just about every one of your favorite DC characters.
A Few Reasons to Read:
- Meet Paige... Power Girl’s nickname is PG, Peegee, which over time morphs into “Peej.” When Jon Kent points out that Peej sounds like “Paige,” Power Girl’s new alter ego was born! Dr. Paige Stetler is a staff columnist at The Daily Planet writing about the latest hot-button issues in the tech world. She makes her public debut as her alter ego at a black-tie fundraiser to announce a new initiative from Steelworks focusing on sustainability. Paige is a little nervous, but she’s not on her own.
- …And get reacquainted with Omen. Lilith Clay, a telepath and former Titan known as Omen, is there by her side—both at the fancy fundraiser and every day as her closest friend. The two have become inseparable since their team-up in the aftermath of Lazarus Planet. When the Lazarus rainstorm gave Paige psychic powers, Omen helped her navigate through using them. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see it), her psychic abilities have since disappeared, save for an “astral punch” that grants Paige the ability to teleport herself and others. But Omen still has Paige’s back as a crimefighter and confidant.
- Lois Lane is a boss. Literally. As Editor-in-Chief at the Planet, Lois manages just about everything, including Paige. She advises Paige on how to work with an intern and inquires about the mission Superman gave her to investigate some mysterious Krypton-related deaths. And, of course, she reminds Paige to get her column in on time—because she’s the chief. Lois has a lot of no-nonsense wisdom and experience to offer Power Girl, and their relationship in this series is one of my favorite things about it.
- Streaky gets his very own story! Did I forget to mention that one very important member of the Super-Family is along for the ride? Streaky is the third roommate who calls Paige and Lilith’s apartment home. Power Girl #5, “Streaky Does a Big Stretch,” masterfully tells a Streaky tale (tail?) without a lot of words, but with a ton of personality. The Kryptonian cat’s point of view is a delight. He’s sardonic but heroic, grumpy but very brave. If I had to pick the one Kryptonian I wouldn’t mess with, it would be Streaky.
Why It’s Worth Your Time:
Kara Zor-L has had a long and winding road through the DC universe, and she deserves every moment she gets in the spotlight. Williams and Pansica’s Power Girl series feels modern and fresh. It gives its titular character the agency to take the reins of her life, from picking her alter ego name to making the deliberate choice to be a part of the Super-Family. Power Girl also gets the rare opportunity to literally confront her fears of the past. It’s definitely not an easy fight, not even for the Kryptonian powerhouse, but it’s one she needs to face so she can move on and embrace her new life.
And best of all, Kara Zor-L doesn’t have to face it alone. Even though she’s lost two of the planets she called home, she now has Lois, Clark, Jon and the entire extended Superman family at her side. She also has Omen. Power Girl and Omen complement each other well, with a trusting relationship so wonderfully written that makes them feel like old friends even though they’ve only recently paired up. I can’t wait to see where else the adventures in the pages of Power Girl take them together.
Power Girl #1-5 by Leah Williams, Eduardo Pansica, David Baldeón, Júlio Ferreira and Romulo Fajardo Jr. are now available to read on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE for Ultra subscribers and can be read print as a graphic novel later this year.
Kelly Knox writes about all-ages comics and animation for DC.com and her writing can also be seen on IGN, Nerdist and more. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
