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Power Girl (2009)
Power Girl, Vol. 1: A New Beginning
The fan-favorite writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (JONAH HEX, TERRA) team with popular aritst Amanda Conner (JSA CLASSIFIED, TERRA) for the rip-roaring solo adventures of Power Girl. She bursts from the pages of the JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA to star in her own series. Power Girl wants to build herself a secret identity but a major villain from her past, the Ultra-Humanite, has other plans in store for her and to get his way, he's holding Manhattan hostage. Plus, a trio of sexy alien marauders hits Earth for the ultimate party. Unfortunately, by their standards, that means destroying it!
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2010
About the author
Jimmy Palmiotti
1,710 books177 followersJames "Jimmy" Palmiotti is an American writer and inker of comic books, who also does writing for games, television and film.
Photo by Luigi Novi.
Photo by Luigi Novi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
October 2, 2014
Bullet Review:
This was a LOT of fun to read. Power Girl is just such an upbeat superhero! Yes, there's the boob window mess, but I can ignore that when the character is not CONSTANTLY being objectified for her huge...tracts of land. (Though I thought the alternate cover art in the back of the book was rather ugly. And overly sexualized. So a double-whammy there.) I also loved how she interacted with females like Terra, and then while she did punch a lot of crap, she also was compassionate and looked out for people.
This is a comic I got at the library, but that I would not be ashamed to own.
This was a LOT of fun to read. Power Girl is just such an upbeat superhero! Yes, there's the boob window mess, but I can ignore that when the character is not CONSTANTLY being objectified for her huge...tracts of land. (Though I thought the alternate cover art in the back of the book was rather ugly. And overly sexualized. So a double-whammy there.) I also loved how she interacted with females like Terra, and then while she did punch a lot of crap, she also was compassionate and looked out for people.
This is a comic I got at the library, but that I would not be ashamed to own.
April 21, 2014
Fun, amusing and doesn't take itself so friggin seriously. Wait, did I say that about another Power Girl comic already? The writing is excellent, but this book wouldn't be half as much fun without Amanda Conner's deft flair for slight exaggeration. PG's facial expressions alone are worth reading this book.
I love the inside joke eye-rolling between characters, and G/P make for some fun interactions between characters. There's more than a slight hint of Atomic Robo here in the writing and the art, so if that's you're kind of comic (or of you just happen to enjoy that on the side), c'mon down to Gray/Palmiotti/Conner country.
Let's address this head-on: the team are embracing the boob window here, even to the point of an over-the-top prop comedy moment that would normally send me into a rage rant. Instead, I see the CU Next Tuesday t-shirt and I'm grateful for the irreverent Mike-biased sense of humour here.
Anne, if you haven't read this stuff yet I think I see a gifting opportunity...
I don't know what it is exactly about this kind of storytelling but it seems so effortless, casual - none of the trumped-up fists-on-their-hips-and-trumpeting-their-bravado garbage. I *try* to get into that shit, but I just feel so relaxed reading stories like this. Why aren't there more books like this, Robo and Hawkguy?
There's villains and space aliens and corporate science research and cat-bathing...all the usual silliness to enjoy, none of the frowny-faced brutality or brooding grit. Are G/P usually this good, or just when they're working with great artistic talent? Hell, even the colourist is brilliant - lovingly makes all the figures and scenery just pop.
I love the inside joke eye-rolling between characters, and G/P make for some fun interactions between characters. There's more than a slight hint of Atomic Robo here in the writing and the art, so if that's you're kind of comic (or of you just happen to enjoy that on the side), c'mon down to Gray/Palmiotti/Conner country.
Let's address this head-on: the team are embracing the boob window here, even to the point of an over-the-top prop comedy moment that would normally send me into a rage rant. Instead, I see the CU Next Tuesday t-shirt and I'm grateful for the irreverent Mike-biased sense of humour here.
Anne, if you haven't read this stuff yet I think I see a gifting opportunity...
I don't know what it is exactly about this kind of storytelling but it seems so effortless, casual - none of the trumped-up fists-on-their-hips-and-trumpeting-their-bravado garbage. I *try* to get into that shit, but I just feel so relaxed reading stories like this. Why aren't there more books like this, Robo and Hawkguy?
There's villains and space aliens and corporate science research and cat-bathing...all the usual silliness to enjoy, none of the frowny-faced brutality or brooding grit. Are G/P usually this good, or just when they're working with great artistic talent? Hell, even the colourist is brilliant - lovingly makes all the figures and scenery just pop.
July 7, 2020
As far as I'm concerned, Power Girl is the Goldilocks of comic book characters. This volume is a prime example. It's funny without being absurd, self-aware without being overly meta, action-packed without being too mindless, sexy without being too gratuitous, and compelling without being overly dramatic. Everything comes together just right.
I'm not saying A New Beginning is perfect. In fact, the book's finely balanced approach might be what keeps it from being great. Sometimes the porridge needs to be a piping-hot slaughterfest like Old Man Logan or a cold and thought-provoking Watchmen to make it special.
However if there is one element in this book that I would describe as perfection, it would be Amanda Conner's artwork. Honestly, they could've printed the whole issue without word bubbles and the story would've been clear from facial expressions alone.
I'm not saying A New Beginning is perfect. In fact, the book's finely balanced approach might be what keeps it from being great. Sometimes the porridge needs to be a piping-hot slaughterfest like Old Man Logan or a cold and thought-provoking Watchmen to make it special.
However if there is one element in this book that I would describe as perfection, it would be Amanda Conner's artwork. Honestly, they could've printed the whole issue without word bubbles and the story would've been clear from facial expressions alone.
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June 10, 2013
Fun! Action-packed! Remarkably non-objectifying!
Part of the point of Power Girl as a character is that she plays off the stereotype of the over-developed, scantily-clad superheroine who seems to exist for no other reason than the fulfillment of male fantasies. Power Girl IS absurdly buxom and curvaceous, but the writers acknowledge that, and that she's well past feeling sick of being ogled and just regards it all with a weary resignation. And really, if we're willing to buy that Superman is the perfect Western male ideal, then why wouldn't his cousin be a perfect Western female ideal? And, thanks to Amanda Connor's art, most of the women in the comic are unusually curvaceous and most of the men are somewhat feminine-looking, so it doesn't feel like Power Girl is there to be drooled over -- by Connor's standards, she's only slightly above average.
But there's more to Power Girl than her appearance. She's a confident, intelligent, witty, ambitious and highly-successful person with a company to run and a life of her own to lead. Superman chooses to be a mere reporter, but that's not enough for his cousin -- she chooses to be the C.E.O. of an international company focusing on scientific R&D, and she hopes to use the things they're developing to improve her adopted home-world. Her subordinates are all men (she has her own "Boy Friday" for instance), as is the first villain she faces, but there's no sense of misandry at play. What is more, she's just "graduated" from the J.S.A. and embarked upon her own individual career in superheroism (which is the impetus for this series); and whereas most female characters are still played as more finesse- or dexterity-oriented (because girls can't be violent or strong, dontcha know), Power Girl is alllll about smashing things to powder with her bare hands. She knows what she's good at and she's not afraid to do it. She's the kind of awesome superheroine you wish they'd make more of.
So there's a lot to recommend this first volume in the too-short series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next entry!
Part of the point of Power Girl as a character is that she plays off the stereotype of the over-developed, scantily-clad superheroine who seems to exist for no other reason than the fulfillment of male fantasies. Power Girl IS absurdly buxom and curvaceous, but the writers acknowledge that, and that she's well past feeling sick of being ogled and just regards it all with a weary resignation. And really, if we're willing to buy that Superman is the perfect Western male ideal, then why wouldn't his cousin be a perfect Western female ideal? And, thanks to Amanda Connor's art, most of the women in the comic are unusually curvaceous and most of the men are somewhat feminine-looking, so it doesn't feel like Power Girl is there to be drooled over -- by Connor's standards, she's only slightly above average.
But there's more to Power Girl than her appearance. She's a confident, intelligent, witty, ambitious and highly-successful person with a company to run and a life of her own to lead. Superman chooses to be a mere reporter, but that's not enough for his cousin -- she chooses to be the C.E.O. of an international company focusing on scientific R&D, and she hopes to use the things they're developing to improve her adopted home-world. Her subordinates are all men (she has her own "Boy Friday" for instance), as is the first villain she faces, but there's no sense of misandry at play. What is more, she's just "graduated" from the J.S.A. and embarked upon her own individual career in superheroism (which is the impetus for this series); and whereas most female characters are still played as more finesse- or dexterity-oriented (because girls can't be violent or strong, dontcha know), Power Girl is alllll about smashing things to powder with her bare hands. She knows what she's good at and she's not afraid to do it. She's the kind of awesome superheroine you wish they'd make more of.
So there's a lot to recommend this first volume in the too-short series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next entry!
January 30, 2026
Three and a half stars
July 19, 2013
Collecting issues #1-6 of Power Girl's solo series, Power Girl: A New Beginning finds Superman's buxom alternate-earth cousin Kara Zor-L, now unable to return to her own dimension, trying to start a new life in this earth, which includes starting up a bio-tech firm, finding an apartment and maintaining a secret identity (which I think would be kind of hard since she doesn't even wear a mask. Is that the purpose of the peek-a-boo cleavage cut out in her uniform, to distract observers from identifying her face?). But things aren't easy for a single career-minded woman, especially when her hobby is saving the world in her spare time.
Power Girl: A New Beginning is a lot of fun and while I enjoy comics that push the boundaries of the medium and advance the art, sometimes you just want to see a pretty super-heroine pound bad guys. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti set up a storyline that is serious enough to grant some weight to Power Girl's battles, but light and humorous enough to make it fun. And what can I say about Amanda Connors' art and Paul Mounts' colors that you wouldn't already know at first glance? It's awesome. Amanda Connors is my favorite artist for Power Girl. Connors' PG is strong, yet feminine, sexy but not sexist and she has a particular talent for drawing facial expressions that really pop. Paul Mounts' colors complement her work perfectly, adding wonderful dimension. This is the perfect creative team for Power Girl.
Also featuring is PG's new bestie/sidekick Terra, who is too cute for words. To put it simply, I love what they're doing with this series and, in my opinion, the creative team has really turned Power Girl into something more special, real and respectable than just a female Superman with big boobs. Gray's/Palmiotti's/Conners'/Mounts' Power Girl is a lot of fun and makes me remember why I love comics in the first place.
Power Girl: A New Beginning is a lot of fun and while I enjoy comics that push the boundaries of the medium and advance the art, sometimes you just want to see a pretty super-heroine pound bad guys. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti set up a storyline that is serious enough to grant some weight to Power Girl's battles, but light and humorous enough to make it fun. And what can I say about Amanda Connors' art and Paul Mounts' colors that you wouldn't already know at first glance? It's awesome. Amanda Connors is my favorite artist for Power Girl. Connors' PG is strong, yet feminine, sexy but not sexist and she has a particular talent for drawing facial expressions that really pop. Paul Mounts' colors complement her work perfectly, adding wonderful dimension. This is the perfect creative team for Power Girl.
Also featuring is PG's new bestie/sidekick Terra, who is too cute for words. To put it simply, I love what they're doing with this series and, in my opinion, the creative team has really turned Power Girl into something more special, real and respectable than just a female Superman with big boobs. Gray's/Palmiotti's/Conners'/Mounts' Power Girl is a lot of fun and makes me remember why I love comics in the first place.
November 16, 2012
When it comes to superheroes, I tend to prefer the lower end of the power spectrum (e.g., The Punisher and Batman vs. Superman and the Silver Surfer), but I checked this series out because I'd heard good things about Power Girl and the artwork appealed. I'm glad I did, because it's been a lot of fun so far.
Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have delivered an extremely likeable character who remains surprisingly human and fallible despite powers that put her on a par with her cousin Superman. Amanda Conner's artwork is also a highlight. She makes Power Girl look appropriately gorgeous without resorting to pandering "I see what you did there" cheesecake poses, and her facial expressions and body language communicate a lot more nuance than most comic artists I'm familiar with.
I tend to choose comics based on their starring characters rather than the production team, but Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner are all names I'll keep an eye out for.
Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have delivered an extremely likeable character who remains surprisingly human and fallible despite powers that put her on a par with her cousin Superman. Amanda Conner's artwork is also a highlight. She makes Power Girl look appropriately gorgeous without resorting to pandering "I see what you did there" cheesecake poses, and her facial expressions and body language communicate a lot more nuance than most comic artists I'm familiar with.
I tend to choose comics based on their starring characters rather than the production team, but Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner are all names I'll keep an eye out for.
July 15, 2011
Okay, so you have two young women who have just been through a shattering experience together which involved the older one saving the life of the younger one. Oh, and I should have mentioned that the younger one has a crush on the older one, shouldn't I? Well, anyway, they're in the process of regaining balance after the excitement, and they've done something faintly mind-altering and are now in a very deep and intimate conversation and the subject of the feelings for one another has come up. And it turns out that they like one another a whole lot. So what do you think happens next? If you, like me, expected, oh, a kiss, some embraces, maybe a discreet fade-out, then you'd be right everywhere except in the PG-friendly world of Power Girl. In this bright, cheerful, sanitised world, they each confide that the other is their best friend and - that's it, they lie there looking as if admitting to having a best friend is the best fun a girl can have.
Now, this isn't intended as a criticism of Power Girl and her happy tales as such, it's more a warning. If you're feeling in the mood for some old-fashioned escapism, where nobody was really bad, men were real men, and women were real women and all had enormous busts, then this is absolutely what you need. Similarly if you aren't feeling very strong right now, and are in need of a tale where nothing bad really happens to anyone, oh yes, and there's lots of bosom. But if you're looking to be challenged, invigorated or moved, go elsewhere - unless, of course, copious cleavage does that for you, in which case, good luck to you.
Now, you might have noticed a certain theme emerging in that last paragraph. Yes, it is undoubtedly the case that Power Girl has two defining characteristics, and they're both about a foot beneath her head. Now, there's three ways you can go when it comes to heroines with large boobs. Either you can do the standard bad SF thing and get somewhat fixated on them and do the literary equivalent of what Howard Hughes did for poor Jane Russell in The Outlaw. Or you can make the best of it and actually make the lady's endowment integral to the story. Or you can be Russ Meyer. Now, nobody except Russ Meyer could ever be Russ Meyer (which is a shame) and the 'OMG Boobies!!!' approach may work for teenaged boys, but doesn't really hack it for us literary types. So that means you have to do something to make your heroine's shape relevant. Otherwise the reader is constantly going to think: 'Why is the artist devoting so much effort to depicting her breasts? Shouldn't they be concentrating on what's actually happening here?' and then you'll start to wonder about alternative versions in which a flat chested Power Girl does her thing and trying to decide whether she would be more or less effective, and before you know it you'll be into meta-narrative and be in danger of turning into Roland Barthes. And who wants that to happen to them?
So, boobs - relevance of to narrative. The writers start okay, with a deliberate attempt to build the whole 'superhero built like a porn star' thing into the narrative by showing Power Girl's frustration at the way men keep on addressing their remarks to her chest, and there are some reasonable jokes along those lines. And then, after the first issue, they seem to have forgotten what precisely it is about her that rouses the libido so much and just gone for the 'she's gorgeous and everyone loves her' line. And so we're back to wondering why someone in her profession would wear a costume that must actually be quite inconvenient, with a tendency to snag, not to mention sudden containment breaches, and why, given she appears to have no over-riding attachment to her current shape, she hasn't opted for reduction surgery as the obvious way of dealing with her problem. In other words, what does Power Girl get out of going around dressed like a male fantasy figure? And answer came there none. Which is a shame, because these are, as I said, nice, harmless tales for those seeking gentleness, but they would have been nicer if there hadn't been the lurking suspicion that the heroine is being drawn like that because they think it'll pull in more readers.
And they may be right.
Now, this isn't intended as a criticism of Power Girl and her happy tales as such, it's more a warning. If you're feeling in the mood for some old-fashioned escapism, where nobody was really bad, men were real men, and women were real women and all had enormous busts, then this is absolutely what you need. Similarly if you aren't feeling very strong right now, and are in need of a tale where nothing bad really happens to anyone, oh yes, and there's lots of bosom. But if you're looking to be challenged, invigorated or moved, go elsewhere - unless, of course, copious cleavage does that for you, in which case, good luck to you.
Now, you might have noticed a certain theme emerging in that last paragraph. Yes, it is undoubtedly the case that Power Girl has two defining characteristics, and they're both about a foot beneath her head. Now, there's three ways you can go when it comes to heroines with large boobs. Either you can do the standard bad SF thing and get somewhat fixated on them and do the literary equivalent of what Howard Hughes did for poor Jane Russell in The Outlaw. Or you can make the best of it and actually make the lady's endowment integral to the story. Or you can be Russ Meyer. Now, nobody except Russ Meyer could ever be Russ Meyer (which is a shame) and the 'OMG Boobies!!!' approach may work for teenaged boys, but doesn't really hack it for us literary types. So that means you have to do something to make your heroine's shape relevant. Otherwise the reader is constantly going to think: 'Why is the artist devoting so much effort to depicting her breasts? Shouldn't they be concentrating on what's actually happening here?' and then you'll start to wonder about alternative versions in which a flat chested Power Girl does her thing and trying to decide whether she would be more or less effective, and before you know it you'll be into meta-narrative and be in danger of turning into Roland Barthes. And who wants that to happen to them?
So, boobs - relevance of to narrative. The writers start okay, with a deliberate attempt to build the whole 'superhero built like a porn star' thing into the narrative by showing Power Girl's frustration at the way men keep on addressing their remarks to her chest, and there are some reasonable jokes along those lines. And then, after the first issue, they seem to have forgotten what precisely it is about her that rouses the libido so much and just gone for the 'she's gorgeous and everyone loves her' line. And so we're back to wondering why someone in her profession would wear a costume that must actually be quite inconvenient, with a tendency to snag, not to mention sudden containment breaches, and why, given she appears to have no over-riding attachment to her current shape, she hasn't opted for reduction surgery as the obvious way of dealing with her problem. In other words, what does Power Girl get out of going around dressed like a male fantasy figure? And answer came there none. Which is a shame, because these are, as I said, nice, harmless tales for those seeking gentleness, but they would have been nicer if there hadn't been the lurking suspicion that the heroine is being drawn like that because they think it'll pull in more readers.
And they may be right.
December 14, 2024
I've read a 'Power Girl' comic before from my local library. While I really liked the superheroine herself, what I mostly got was a character who was brought back from the old and destroyed DC universe of Earth-2 after the whole 'Infinite Crisis' event, and who keeps being left to writers who have no idea what to do with her. Origin changes and sticking-ideas-to-walls-and-seeing-what-falls aplenty. I was frustrated, unimpressed.
But I saw potential in Power Girl, which was why I picked up 'A New Beginning', an appropriate and much-needed title for someone who's suffered as many retcons as her.
As promised, the comic is fun, fresh and simple. It's what a superhero comic like this one should be. The artwork compliments the storylines with its lovable and colourful cartoony style.
Power Girl - aka Karen Starr - is as I remember her: brash, headstrong, funny, sarcastic, genre-savvy, and smarter than she lets on; even though she prefers to use her fists in any crime-fighting situation. Possessing super strength, speed, flight, laser eyes, and ice breath, PG is a competent hero who takes crap from no one, yet is very much human despite being Kryptonian.
It's because of this that I can overlook her (in)famous chest-window; she shows how her personality and heart are much bigger than her cleavage. Power Girl has an identity separate from Superman, which is great, and is one of the reasons why I prefer her to Supergirl. PG does not exist as a sexy Supes to be ogled at; she isn't super skinny like so many superheroines either. Atta woman!
Her civilian identity, Karen Starr, is the CEO of an environmentally-friendly science and engineering company, StarrWare Labs, which she's working to get up off the ground. That's right - she's an independent head of a succeeding billion-dollar company. The female boss of a high power workplace! Power Girl definitely has soaring ambitions and wishes to save the world in all manner of ways; she's doing extraordinarily well for a fresh start in New York. She's in fact very common sense-driven and friendly - grateful to others, including civilians, when they help her.
While Power Girl still isn't a fan of the press, she appreciates that a lot of people like her, though a lot of it is due to her bust. She's gotten used to men staring at her chest, and jokes about how it offers a distraction to keep the bad guys underestimating her. So long as no one outright objectifies her and make sexist comments, or else she'll make clever responses that aren't all violent.
Her sidekick is Terra, aka Atlee, and they make a great girlfriend duo. They save New York City, and go see cheesy movies together. We don't really get much info on Terra in this volume, but that doesn't matter since Power Girl and her adventures are the focus. I like how the book is self-aware on the secret identity angle, and has Terra make fun of Karen only hiding her superhero identity by dressing in smart clothes and wearing her hair up. She doesn't even put on glasses like Clark Kent. PG owns a cat, too, and collects snow globes.
Best of all, there's no love interest! Ha!
Power Girl faces up against all sorts of craziness. Like Ultra-Humanite, a human brain in a gorilla body who captures the whole of Manhattan and wants to transfer his brain to Power Girl's Kryptonian body. She then fights the Elven Sorceress, and space party princesses. There is also a sexy man-slave android from outta space - the randomness is what makes for a fun comic book.
The ending to the volume is a little abrupt, and not everything is resolved - with Karen mentioning how complicated her new life is becoming. Not all content in 'A New Beginning' is light-hearted, silly and kid-friendly - it contains instances of suicide, murder, shootings, and a couple of references to 9/11, but nothing explicitly gory.
That's just about it. 'Power Girl, Vol. 1: A New Beginning' has no deep meaning, except for female empowerment. It is just what Power Girl needed, but it's not meant to be taken too seriously. The comic mainly aims for its reader to have a fun time; like at an amusement park (one is featured in this) with a superheroine who has a strong personality and ambitions of her own.
Final Score: 4/5
But I saw potential in Power Girl, which was why I picked up 'A New Beginning', an appropriate and much-needed title for someone who's suffered as many retcons as her.
As promised, the comic is fun, fresh and simple. It's what a superhero comic like this one should be. The artwork compliments the storylines with its lovable and colourful cartoony style.
Power Girl - aka Karen Starr - is as I remember her: brash, headstrong, funny, sarcastic, genre-savvy, and smarter than she lets on; even though she prefers to use her fists in any crime-fighting situation. Possessing super strength, speed, flight, laser eyes, and ice breath, PG is a competent hero who takes crap from no one, yet is very much human despite being Kryptonian.
It's because of this that I can overlook her (in)famous chest-window; she shows how her personality and heart are much bigger than her cleavage. Power Girl has an identity separate from Superman, which is great, and is one of the reasons why I prefer her to Supergirl. PG does not exist as a sexy Supes to be ogled at; she isn't super skinny like so many superheroines either. Atta woman!
Her civilian identity, Karen Starr, is the CEO of an environmentally-friendly science and engineering company, StarrWare Labs, which she's working to get up off the ground. That's right - she's an independent head of a succeeding billion-dollar company. The female boss of a high power workplace! Power Girl definitely has soaring ambitions and wishes to save the world in all manner of ways; she's doing extraordinarily well for a fresh start in New York. She's in fact very common sense-driven and friendly - grateful to others, including civilians, when they help her.
While Power Girl still isn't a fan of the press, she appreciates that a lot of people like her, though a lot of it is due to her bust. She's gotten used to men staring at her chest, and jokes about how it offers a distraction to keep the bad guys underestimating her. So long as no one outright objectifies her and make sexist comments, or else she'll make clever responses that aren't all violent.
Her sidekick is Terra, aka Atlee, and they make a great girlfriend duo. They save New York City, and go see cheesy movies together. We don't really get much info on Terra in this volume, but that doesn't matter since Power Girl and her adventures are the focus. I like how the book is self-aware on the secret identity angle, and has Terra make fun of Karen only hiding her superhero identity by dressing in smart clothes and wearing her hair up. She doesn't even put on glasses like Clark Kent. PG owns a cat, too, and collects snow globes.
Best of all, there's no love interest! Ha!
Power Girl faces up against all sorts of craziness. Like Ultra-Humanite, a human brain in a gorilla body who captures the whole of Manhattan and wants to transfer his brain to Power Girl's Kryptonian body. She then fights the Elven Sorceress, and space party princesses. There is also a sexy man-slave android from outta space - the randomness is what makes for a fun comic book.
The ending to the volume is a little abrupt, and not everything is resolved - with Karen mentioning how complicated her new life is becoming. Not all content in 'A New Beginning' is light-hearted, silly and kid-friendly - it contains instances of suicide, murder, shootings, and a couple of references to 9/11, but nothing explicitly gory.
That's just about it. 'Power Girl, Vol. 1: A New Beginning' has no deep meaning, except for female empowerment. It is just what Power Girl needed, but it's not meant to be taken too seriously. The comic mainly aims for its reader to have a fun time; like at an amusement park (one is featured in this) with a superheroine who has a strong personality and ambitions of her own.
Final Score: 4/5
June 14, 2012
I've heard a lot of praise for this run on Power Girl and after reading it myself, I'd say it was definitely warranted. Gray and Palmiotti really know how to show a comics fan a good time. Gone is the nitty, gritty, anti-heroism that is so prevalent in so many of today's superhero comics. In its place is just a ton of super powered fun. In this first volume we see Power Girl take on Ultra Humanite (an albino gorilla with an evil genius' brain transplanted into it), a big DND geek/radical environmentalist who got her hands on a spellbook that allowed her to bring her fantasy to life, and a bunch of party girls from outer space who are just looking for a good time but end up causing lots of trouble. While this rogues' gallery lacks the compelling nature and depth of say, someone like Batman's, I don't really find myself missing that at all. I like just reading Power Girl take nerd cracks at our would be Elven savior and dealing with the rampant chauvinism of Ultra Humanite. It's nice to read something light hearted and uplifting every once and awhile I suppose.
I think my favorite parts of the book are when Power Girl and her new pal Terra just hang out doing civilian things, like going to the movies. I'm not too familiar with the character of Terra at the moment, but this book made her interesting enough for me to want read the standalone graphic novel Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner wrote for her.
Speaking of Amanda Conner, her art once again fails to disappoint. I pretty much always enjoy anything she's partner to. I think my only criticism for her in this particular book is some character's facial features are remarkably similar, the most glaring example is when Power Girl is fighting the Elven Sorceress. Both are blonde, and at different points in the issue, make the same facial expression, which makes them look like the same character, just with different costumes.
Anyways, if superhero comics are your cup of tea, I'd definitely give this one a shot. It's the one time you'll be able to read a hero book with a busty heroine because PG's costume is more commonly accepted for some reason (I guess because they crack jokes about her chest size, boob window, and how ridiculous it all is in the comic).
I think my favorite parts of the book are when Power Girl and her new pal Terra just hang out doing civilian things, like going to the movies. I'm not too familiar with the character of Terra at the moment, but this book made her interesting enough for me to want read the standalone graphic novel Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner wrote for her.
Speaking of Amanda Conner, her art once again fails to disappoint. I pretty much always enjoy anything she's partner to. I think my only criticism for her in this particular book is some character's facial features are remarkably similar, the most glaring example is when Power Girl is fighting the Elven Sorceress. Both are blonde, and at different points in the issue, make the same facial expression, which makes them look like the same character, just with different costumes.
Anyways, if superhero comics are your cup of tea, I'd definitely give this one a shot. It's the one time you'll be able to read a hero book with a busty heroine because PG's costume is more commonly accepted for some reason (I guess because they crack jokes about her chest size, boob window, and how ridiculous it all is in the comic).
September 22, 2011
I'm gradually expanding into the worlds of more characters other than just Green Lantern. For some reason, or maybe two, I was drawn to Power Girl. She has the powers of superman, but is much more vulnerable. I also wanted a fun story, something that isn't as interested in complex emotional mythologies. Power Girl herself has a very complex background. It involves surviving Krypton's destruction, traveling to another dimension before reaching our Earth. Luckily, this new beginning glosses over all of that nonsense. All you need to know is that she's a powerful hero that struggles more with her alter-ego side. She has to find an apartment, interview people for her new corporation, and deal with guys staring at her breasts. It's a hard life. This collection contains some fantastic stories. For me at least. It has superheroes, talking apes, and giant monsters destroying a city. UltraHumanite is given a great back story. Something dark and exciting and even a little wrong. Power Girl is interesting because she prefers to hit than plan. Too often now the heroes are strategists, which is great, but not all the time. Power Girl doesn't have to waste time, she just has to hit stuff. She is also teamed up with another young hero, still trying to get used to Earth. Power Girl has some terrific writing, which mixes the action, characters and comedy. A comic that brings in the characters from The Big Bang Theory gets a plus from me. They also did well in bringing in a bizarre trio of aliens, that accidentally kill a man, and are just looking for a party. The artwork is colorful and fun and doesn't concern itself with being too realistic, much like the stories and characters themselves. If you're looking for something fun and exciting with a character you care about, check out Power Girl.
January 19, 2019
So finally finished this one. Not that I didn't like it but just hadn't gotten chance to come back to it after reading first two issues for about two weeks.
Now that you know about my personal life and don't care, let's move on to the review!
Power Girl is doing a best to keeping her city safe. As a big bust version of Supergirl with a charming personally she's about to take on a great evil mad scientist sexist gorilla. Then, after that, she tries to take down a visitor from space, a sexy group of half naked chicks, all while teaching the new Terra how to use her powers to safe people. Sounds stupid? Well...not really!
Good: The fights are pretty grand and epic and really fun. The art in general is really cartoony and just a joy to view. The dialogue can balance some really fun moments and some good heroic moments as well. I like the relationship of mentor A LOT here and want more of it. The daily lifestyle of Powergirl is upbeat and fun!
Bad: The storyline is goofy and so it feels like no stakes, and so it can be a breezy read but sometimes empty. Also, there is TOO much talking sometimes. Just endless amounts, I almost thought was reading a Spider-man comic for a moment. I also thought the villain was meh.
Overall, pretty fun. I didn't love it like some here but I did have fun reading it. I probably read volume 2 because of how carefree and charming the series is. A 3 out of 5.
Now that you know about my personal life and don't care, let's move on to the review!
Power Girl is doing a best to keeping her city safe. As a big bust version of Supergirl with a charming personally she's about to take on a great evil mad scientist sexist gorilla. Then, after that, she tries to take down a visitor from space, a sexy group of half naked chicks, all while teaching the new Terra how to use her powers to safe people. Sounds stupid? Well...not really!
Good: The fights are pretty grand and epic and really fun. The art in general is really cartoony and just a joy to view. The dialogue can balance some really fun moments and some good heroic moments as well. I like the relationship of mentor A LOT here and want more of it. The daily lifestyle of Powergirl is upbeat and fun!
Bad: The storyline is goofy and so it feels like no stakes, and so it can be a breezy read but sometimes empty. Also, there is TOO much talking sometimes. Just endless amounts, I almost thought was reading a Spider-man comic for a moment. I also thought the villain was meh.
Overall, pretty fun. I didn't love it like some here but I did have fun reading it. I probably read volume 2 because of how carefree and charming the series is. A 3 out of 5.
July 14, 2014
I generally don't read DC comics except for the occasional Batman (and even less occasionally, Superman) stories but after all the hype I've heard online about Power Girl and the current creative team I thought I would check it out.
The hype was pretty much spot on. A brief 5 panel backstory recap tells you everything you need to know and from that point on it's all refreshingly simple and self contained.
Power Girl is a funny and very likeable character and she has a nice supporting cast set up, all of whom make for an enjoyable read. The action is strong but it's really the personal aspects of the stories that really work. The scenes between PG and Terra (her younger, new to the game side-kick) are particularly entertaining and sweet and there's a lot of humanity for a superhero book. It doesn't take itself too seriously which is quite refreshing.
Amanda Conner's artwork is exceptional, her facial expressions in particular are brilliantly realised and PG is cute as hell. She also pulls off just the right amount of cheesecake (which is frequently referred to by the characters) without making it seem too seedy.
All in all this is a great collection reminding me that comics can just be fun.
The hype was pretty much spot on. A brief 5 panel backstory recap tells you everything you need to know and from that point on it's all refreshingly simple and self contained.
Power Girl is a funny and very likeable character and she has a nice supporting cast set up, all of whom make for an enjoyable read. The action is strong but it's really the personal aspects of the stories that really work. The scenes between PG and Terra (her younger, new to the game side-kick) are particularly entertaining and sweet and there's a lot of humanity for a superhero book. It doesn't take itself too seriously which is quite refreshing.
Amanda Conner's artwork is exceptional, her facial expressions in particular are brilliantly realised and PG is cute as hell. She also pulls off just the right amount of cheesecake (which is frequently referred to by the characters) without making it seem too seedy.
All in all this is a great collection reminding me that comics can just be fun.
July 31, 2015
Initially I had just written Power Girl off as a sexual comic book fantasy with gigantic boobs, obviously catering to a male-only audience. Okay, so there's some obvious fanservice at work here, but once I read this I couldn't help help but like her. She's actually pretty empowering, and she's got plenty of attitude and a great sense of humor. This is a really entertaining, funny volume in a sea of dark comics that take themselves rather seriously at times. It reminded me of Dan Slott's run on She-Hulk, which is also imaginative, refreshing, and refuses to take itself seriously.
I'd love to see her make another comeback in her own series.
I'd love to see her make another comeback in her own series.
May 11, 2014
I can't believe this got such good reviews, and was so strongly suggested to me. This was the most trite, simplistic and horribly sexist comic I've ever read. I'm not sure what people were thinking, but this is a classic example of DC's worst. I'm just glad I didn't buy this but borrowed it.
Awful.
Awful.
August 26, 2014
I found the writing of this book very uneven, especially in the first arc (issues #1-3) which has way too much fighting and a mysterious character named Terra showing up out of nowhere with no explanation. Things improve from there. There's some nice characterization, some nice laughing at itself and some great humor, but the action adventure never manages to shine.
May 2, 2010
I haven't completely worked out what I thought about this volume, but it's definitely an excellent comic. I had somehow gotten the impression that this series was on the fluffy side, but it's not that at all.
July 14, 2010
The first 1/3 of this TPB was excellent, but the remaining 2/3 was average. The entire creative team (which includes a married couple) at the start do an excellent job of inserting humor into the tale and character playing off of her hit first attitude, and obvious buxomisness.
October 10, 2010
Ridiculous, fun superhero storytelling that never takes itself too seriously.
May 23, 2012
It's so sad that a book that I was so looking forward to reading could be so bad.
Read
November 3, 2013Lighthearted superheroics in exactly the charming vein DC have since decided to mercilessly purge from their output. Features a grumpy cat and a sexist gorilla getting repeatedly punched.
April 17, 2020
Power Girl is never going to win any awards for incredible plot lines or character development, but that isn't the point of the series. It's really a comfort comic for me, something my Dad would refer to as "brain candy" because it's just goofy, campy fun to read. One of my favourite elements of this comic is that while the Power Girl is sexualized, she isn't objectified. Her interactions with other characters really gives the vibe that she puts on the costume because she feels and looks damn good in it, not because she's trying to impress anyone.
December 27, 2017
A very fun run of the powergirl comic that finds her as more of a CEO of her own company first and a hero also instead of the other way around. A fun book with great art which always important in a graphic novel. Highly recommended for fans of superman comics or for those who think there should be a super woman because power is the female equivalent of superman. Great read.
December 31, 2018
1 of a number of Powergirl books I own from this run! I'm a huge fan and look forward to reading through them again. They all had good fun light sense of humor.
March 13, 2022
I could read comics like this forever and not get tired of it. Light hearted without feeling silly. The characters are all really relatable and nice. And Conner's art is just the best
June 25, 2026
I really enjoyed the storyline and characters. Powergirl surely will become a new favorite of mine.
December 22, 2015
I've been a fan of Power Girl my whole life, but I've never read any of her solo books before. The character was created when I was around 2 years old so she was already a member of Justice Society of America by the time I started reading comics. The JSA has always been one of my favorite team books. In fact, it's second only to X-men. I've read tons of books through the years, but she was hardly ever the focal point. A lot has been said about the character through the years that has been really negative. A lot of people feel that she is a sexist character serving only as a sexual fantasy for young males. If I hadn't already been a fan by the time I was 5 years old, he portrayal might have drawn me to her at a later age. People refer to the hole in the center of the chest of her uniform as a "boob window". That and her legless bottom to her uniform have led many to say that she has served no purpose other than to be eye candy over the years.
Writer Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have played up the fact of her sexiness and made the character aware of it. There are many jokes in the book about her boobs. One is more visual. There is a guy sitting across the desk from power Girl's alter ego, Karen Starr, and he keeps playing with the snow globes on the desk. She tells him to get his hands off of her globes. When she says this, he's holding one in each hand and we view this from behind him so that the globes are right in front of her boobs. There are some other pretty funny moments in the book that don't have anything to do with her boobs. One of those moments is Karen and one of her employees giving Karen's cat a bath. Other funny moments are dialogue that is delivered by Power Girl's sidekick Terra. This book doesn't take itself seriously and is rather refreshing in superhero genre that has become popular for dark brooding characters like Batman. The writing for this series gets 4 stars.
Amanda Conner is the series artist. I want to love her work, but some panels just don't look that good. I don't think that Conner draws action very well. The poses in the fight scenes don't look anywhere nearly as good as the poses where people are just standing in around. The faces also don't look that good in these scenes. In certain places Power Girl/Karen Starr looks great, but in other scenes, the faces she makes are ridiculous looking and not attractive at all. The same came be said for the rest of the humans in the book. One panel is great. The next one or two are kinda goofy looking. One such example of this is Zoraida. The first time we see her sitting on top of the big Godzilla-like lizard creature she looks fabulous, but the rest of her panels she doesn't look that good at all. Each of the other characters like Terra, Axira, and Anez all have multiple panels where they look great, but in other they are just blah. Conner does her best work when the characters are just standing still and looking directly at the audience. Satanna is the one character that is consistently good looking.
The creatures in the series are a little over the top and cartoonish looking. The Godzilla like creature mentioned above is about as threatening as a creature in a Y7 Saturday morning kids cartoon. Most of the scenes with Ultra-Humanite in them are kinda goofy and cartoonish too, except the scenes right after he first becomes Ultra-Humanite. He actually looks vicious then. The cartoonish villains and the exaggerated expressions of the characters do fit the comedic tone of the story, but I would have liked to have seen more consistency in the art and the characters look good in each panel.
Conner also plays up the sexiness of the Power Girl character the way that the story does. Power Girl's boobs are drawn bigger and more exaggerated than I've ever seen before. Karen Starr is interviewing a guy for a position at her company. He's staring at her boobs and she puts her finger under his chin to force him to look her in the eyes. There are also scenes where the view is focused on a characters butt. Terra, Power Girl, Axira, and Anez all have scenes like this. The scenes are meant to make fun of the rest of the superhero comic books in the same way the dialogue does. The art could be better, but does fit well with the tone of the book. Art gets 3.5 stars
A 4 star writing score and a 3.5 star art score gives this book 3.75 stars overall. Of course, for this site, I had to round that up to 4 stars. Guillem March also has some alternate covers from the series added into this collection. All of his depictions of Power Girl and Terra are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I wish he was on the series as the full time artist, but as I said before, Conner's art does fit the silly tone to the book. Pick this one up if you're in the mood for a laugh or two and a story that is kind of light hearted.
Writer Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have played up the fact of her sexiness and made the character aware of it. There are many jokes in the book about her boobs. One is more visual. There is a guy sitting across the desk from power Girl's alter ego, Karen Starr, and he keeps playing with the snow globes on the desk. She tells him to get his hands off of her globes. When she says this, he's holding one in each hand and we view this from behind him so that the globes are right in front of her boobs. There are some other pretty funny moments in the book that don't have anything to do with her boobs. One of those moments is Karen and one of her employees giving Karen's cat a bath. Other funny moments are dialogue that is delivered by Power Girl's sidekick Terra. This book doesn't take itself seriously and is rather refreshing in superhero genre that has become popular for dark brooding characters like Batman. The writing for this series gets 4 stars.
Amanda Conner is the series artist. I want to love her work, but some panels just don't look that good. I don't think that Conner draws action very well. The poses in the fight scenes don't look anywhere nearly as good as the poses where people are just standing in around. The faces also don't look that good in these scenes. In certain places Power Girl/Karen Starr looks great, but in other scenes, the faces she makes are ridiculous looking and not attractive at all. The same came be said for the rest of the humans in the book. One panel is great. The next one or two are kinda goofy looking. One such example of this is Zoraida. The first time we see her sitting on top of the big Godzilla-like lizard creature she looks fabulous, but the rest of her panels she doesn't look that good at all. Each of the other characters like Terra, Axira, and Anez all have multiple panels where they look great, but in other they are just blah. Conner does her best work when the characters are just standing still and looking directly at the audience. Satanna is the one character that is consistently good looking.
The creatures in the series are a little over the top and cartoonish looking. The Godzilla like creature mentioned above is about as threatening as a creature in a Y7 Saturday morning kids cartoon. Most of the scenes with Ultra-Humanite in them are kinda goofy and cartoonish too, except the scenes right after he first becomes Ultra-Humanite. He actually looks vicious then. The cartoonish villains and the exaggerated expressions of the characters do fit the comedic tone of the story, but I would have liked to have seen more consistency in the art and the characters look good in each panel.
Conner also plays up the sexiness of the Power Girl character the way that the story does. Power Girl's boobs are drawn bigger and more exaggerated than I've ever seen before. Karen Starr is interviewing a guy for a position at her company. He's staring at her boobs and she puts her finger under his chin to force him to look her in the eyes. There are also scenes where the view is focused on a characters butt. Terra, Power Girl, Axira, and Anez all have scenes like this. The scenes are meant to make fun of the rest of the superhero comic books in the same way the dialogue does. The art could be better, but does fit well with the tone of the book. Art gets 3.5 stars
A 4 star writing score and a 3.5 star art score gives this book 3.75 stars overall. Of course, for this site, I had to round that up to 4 stars. Guillem March also has some alternate covers from the series added into this collection. All of his depictions of Power Girl and Terra are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I wish he was on the series as the full time artist, but as I said before, Conner's art does fit the silly tone to the book. Pick this one up if you're in the mood for a laugh or two and a story that is kind of light hearted.
June 15, 2013
You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/06/...
One of the reasons that I picked up this graphic novel to read as my first Power Girl experience was because all three creators on this, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti as writers and Amanda Conner as artist, are praised highly for their work here. Having read and really enjoyed Amanda Conner’s Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre last year, which she co-wrote with Darwyn Cooke and also drew, I was fairly excited about this one. After all, I’m a huge Supergirl fan, and it doesn’t really matter to me whether I’m reading a Supergirl Supergirl book, or her alternate identity from a different Earth.
I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The book has a very fresh-faced feel to it, absent any dark humour or the grim and gritty. A New Beginning is very much about new beginnings and keeping hope, concepts that Palmiotti and Gray absolutely nail from the very first pages of the first issue. They also are able to set Power Girl against a good variety of villains who test her to her limits, even though some of it comes across as cartoonish at times. Seeing Power Girl fight is very different to seeing Superman or even “Supergirl” fight, since she appears to be much more… destructive at times. Its a fine distinction that isn’t always apparent, so its nice to see the writers try and incorporate that in the book.
Of course, being a superhero isn’t all that Power Girl does. In her identity as Karen Starr, she also runs Starrware Labs, looking to help people with more than just her physical abilities. She hires as much top talent as she can and gets them to working on all sorts of science projects that can help make the world a better place. Seeing Karen (or Kara Zor-L to give her her full Kryptonian name) balance the two sides of her daily life was very entertaining and interesting. Its not easy being a notable superhero and the president of a research firm at the same time and the cracks do begin to show by the end.
In the main, apart from some almost unwholesome panels involving the boob window, I found Amanda Conner’s art to be really excellent. She has a really good eye for panels that pack a lot of details, and I don’t think I saw any spinebreaker poses either. Which is all a plus of course. Personally, my favourite panels are whenever Power Girl/Karen has a snarky, cheeky or seen-it-all expression on her face. Amanda does those really well. Combine all that with Paul Mounts colours, and this becomes an even better book in terms of the art. In keeping with the uplifting and light-hearted nature of the script, Mounts colours are soft and bright, communicating the themes visually without straying into the ridiculous territory.
In terms of criticisms of the book, I’d say that the more cartoonish aspects of the scripts were something I didn’t like all that much. I totally loved the whole light-hearted vibe of the book, but at times Gray and Palmiotti overdid it and the narrative became less compelling. And while Power Girl gets to fight a variety of villains, they aren’t necessarily “good” villains, and just propagate the Saturday morning cartoon villain vibe. A few bright flashes that go counter that, but not as much as I’d like.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend the book. Its not great, but its not bad either. I bought the second volume the other day, looking to read more, so in a way, Palmiotti, Gray and Conner definitely hooked me in for the long run.
Rating: 7.5/10
http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/06/...
One of the reasons that I picked up this graphic novel to read as my first Power Girl experience was because all three creators on this, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti as writers and Amanda Conner as artist, are praised highly for their work here. Having read and really enjoyed Amanda Conner’s Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre last year, which she co-wrote with Darwyn Cooke and also drew, I was fairly excited about this one. After all, I’m a huge Supergirl fan, and it doesn’t really matter to me whether I’m reading a Supergirl Supergirl book, or her alternate identity from a different Earth.
I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The book has a very fresh-faced feel to it, absent any dark humour or the grim and gritty. A New Beginning is very much about new beginnings and keeping hope, concepts that Palmiotti and Gray absolutely nail from the very first pages of the first issue. They also are able to set Power Girl against a good variety of villains who test her to her limits, even though some of it comes across as cartoonish at times. Seeing Power Girl fight is very different to seeing Superman or even “Supergirl” fight, since she appears to be much more… destructive at times. Its a fine distinction that isn’t always apparent, so its nice to see the writers try and incorporate that in the book.
Of course, being a superhero isn’t all that Power Girl does. In her identity as Karen Starr, she also runs Starrware Labs, looking to help people with more than just her physical abilities. She hires as much top talent as she can and gets them to working on all sorts of science projects that can help make the world a better place. Seeing Karen (or Kara Zor-L to give her her full Kryptonian name) balance the two sides of her daily life was very entertaining and interesting. Its not easy being a notable superhero and the president of a research firm at the same time and the cracks do begin to show by the end.
In the main, apart from some almost unwholesome panels involving the boob window, I found Amanda Conner’s art to be really excellent. She has a really good eye for panels that pack a lot of details, and I don’t think I saw any spinebreaker poses either. Which is all a plus of course. Personally, my favourite panels are whenever Power Girl/Karen has a snarky, cheeky or seen-it-all expression on her face. Amanda does those really well. Combine all that with Paul Mounts colours, and this becomes an even better book in terms of the art. In keeping with the uplifting and light-hearted nature of the script, Mounts colours are soft and bright, communicating the themes visually without straying into the ridiculous territory.
In terms of criticisms of the book, I’d say that the more cartoonish aspects of the scripts were something I didn’t like all that much. I totally loved the whole light-hearted vibe of the book, but at times Gray and Palmiotti overdid it and the narrative became less compelling. And while Power Girl gets to fight a variety of villains, they aren’t necessarily “good” villains, and just propagate the Saturday morning cartoon villain vibe. A few bright flashes that go counter that, but not as much as I’d like.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend the book. Its not great, but its not bad either. I bought the second volume the other day, looking to read more, so in a way, Palmiotti, Gray and Conner definitely hooked me in for the long run.
Rating: 7.5/10
May 26, 2010
This same review will appear for both Volumes 1 and 2. Both were written by the same duo and drawn by the same artist. They’re highly complimentary to each other, not telling many particularly deep long stories, but issues referenced each other and the approach to comics storytelling is solid across the entire run.
Power Girl is a delight. It’d have to be to get any non-pig to admit he loved reading a book about a bulletproof blonde with huge boobs. Even the cover art embarrasses you in front of family. But Amanda Connor’s art channels cheesecake and unflinchingly marries it to cartoonish cuteness, ridiculous fashion designs, humor, and an amazing array of expression. Between faces and bodies, Connor might be one of the most expressive artists in the U.S. It helps that her cast often isn’t bound by gravity, flying all over the place and slamming into spaceships or meteors, but even sitting in a movie theatre, her characters have real character.
Palmioti and Gray enable Connor on every page. This is a ridiculous premise: essentially a Superman character who is easier on the eyes, doubling as the CEO of a goody-goody company, with a sidekick from a secret underground city, defending a metropolis from evil gorillas and extraterrestrials. Palmioti and Gray’s first step was embracing that it’s preposterous. They either reintroduced or invented the right antagonists (like that evil gorilla, who is motivated to possess her body). They set up hilarious moments, like Power Girl changing into her costume in an alley and it earning a mistaken toast from a bum. By creating an atmosphere that’s not quite real but not quite superheroism either, they’re able to unload some brilliant twists, including a few solutions to classic SciFi doom scenarios that one imagines they’ve had in mind ever since they were kids. I struggle not to spoil those twists, and so will close saying that it’s just a damned charming read.
Power Girl is a delight. It’d have to be to get any non-pig to admit he loved reading a book about a bulletproof blonde with huge boobs. Even the cover art embarrasses you in front of family. But Amanda Connor’s art channels cheesecake and unflinchingly marries it to cartoonish cuteness, ridiculous fashion designs, humor, and an amazing array of expression. Between faces and bodies, Connor might be one of the most expressive artists in the U.S. It helps that her cast often isn’t bound by gravity, flying all over the place and slamming into spaceships or meteors, but even sitting in a movie theatre, her characters have real character.
Palmioti and Gray enable Connor on every page. This is a ridiculous premise: essentially a Superman character who is easier on the eyes, doubling as the CEO of a goody-goody company, with a sidekick from a secret underground city, defending a metropolis from evil gorillas and extraterrestrials. Palmioti and Gray’s first step was embracing that it’s preposterous. They either reintroduced or invented the right antagonists (like that evil gorilla, who is motivated to possess her body). They set up hilarious moments, like Power Girl changing into her costume in an alley and it earning a mistaken toast from a bum. By creating an atmosphere that’s not quite real but not quite superheroism either, they’re able to unload some brilliant twists, including a few solutions to classic SciFi doom scenarios that one imagines they’ve had in mind ever since they were kids. I struggle not to spoil those twists, and so will close saying that it’s just a damned charming read.
June 3, 2016
This is just fun!
I love this series, the tone, the art, the humor it's all just fun. I wish there were more books like this to balance out the grim dark ones.
World: The art is great, I love Conner/Palmiotti, the facial expressions, the framing the depth in the background with all the hidden things, their art is just fun. I also really enjoyed the world building here, it's a little slice of New York that is all Karen's. It's done well, very effortless and full of charm, the world itself is a character and sets the tone for the book perfectly. There are some bits and pieces of the DCU that interact with Karen and when they do it's fun. That's the focus of this entire series, fun.
Story: It's great, the tone is great, the pacing is great, the humor is great and the story is fun and exciting. It's not what you expect and that's what makes this so good. I like the stuff surrounding the action more because it's so focused on Karen as a character. My favorite parts were with her and Atlee, those 9 panel pages of them doing stuff made me smile. There are little consequences in this world and that's fine, this is a fun and light world which is exactly what I want from a Power Girl book.
Characters: The character development is great, it's informed in the art which allowed for way more development than I expected. Karen's personal voice and personality really shines through as does the rest of the cast. I love Atlee to bits and seeing her here away from the Titans makes me smile. The dialog is snappy and tongue and cheek which is great and I love how they deal with Karen's body it's not too serious but it's not completely ignored.
This book is just fun, it's the best type of junk food comic book that I love. It's really good to have these kind of books to balance out the grim dark (I love grim dark also but any type of book if there is too much it will get old).
Onward to the next book!
I love this series, the tone, the art, the humor it's all just fun. I wish there were more books like this to balance out the grim dark ones.
World: The art is great, I love Conner/Palmiotti, the facial expressions, the framing the depth in the background with all the hidden things, their art is just fun. I also really enjoyed the world building here, it's a little slice of New York that is all Karen's. It's done well, very effortless and full of charm, the world itself is a character and sets the tone for the book perfectly. There are some bits and pieces of the DCU that interact with Karen and when they do it's fun. That's the focus of this entire series, fun.
Story: It's great, the tone is great, the pacing is great, the humor is great and the story is fun and exciting. It's not what you expect and that's what makes this so good. I like the stuff surrounding the action more because it's so focused on Karen as a character. My favorite parts were with her and Atlee, those 9 panel pages of them doing stuff made me smile. There are little consequences in this world and that's fine, this is a fun and light world which is exactly what I want from a Power Girl book.
Characters: The character development is great, it's informed in the art which allowed for way more development than I expected. Karen's personal voice and personality really shines through as does the rest of the cast. I love Atlee to bits and seeing her here away from the Titans makes me smile. The dialog is snappy and tongue and cheek which is great and I love how they deal with Karen's body it's not too serious but it's not completely ignored.
This book is just fun, it's the best type of junk food comic book that I love. It's really good to have these kind of books to balance out the grim dark (I love grim dark also but any type of book if there is too much it will get old).
Onward to the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews