It looks like DC Universe proper. As part of the publisher's announcements during its Superman at New York Comic Con, details on the hero's return in Action Comics were revealed to the world.
Originally born Kara Zor-L, and later taking on the name Karen Starr, Power Girl is the Earth-2 equivalent of Superman's cousin, Supergirl. After being stranded in DC's main continuity, Karen took on the identity of Power Girl to differentiate herself from her multiversal doppelgänger. Over the years and changes to DC's multiverse, Power Girl's origin has changed quite a few times, sometimes even eliminating her connection to the Superman Family altogether. However, as a fan-favorite character and longtime legacy hero, Power Girl has eked out a place in the DCU in spite of her complicated origin story.
And while it's been some time since Karen has truly held the spotlight, DC has revealed plans to give Power Girl the attention she deserves amid its shakeup of the Superman line. At New York Comic Con, DC provided fans with details on what’s to come for the Man of Steel’s corner. Action Comics, Superman’s corresponding title, is gaining a new format with Action Comics #1051 that will give readers with three Superman-related tales. Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Rafa Sandoval will provide a Superman story, while Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks' story features a young Jon Kent adjusting to his powers. But the biggest surprise from DC's announcements is the return of Power Girl in a three-part story from Leah Williams and Marguerite Sauvage that spins out of the Lazarus Planet event. To mark her return, DC has a variant for Action Comics #1051 featuring the hero.
What Power Girl's Return Means to the DC Universe
To be fair, Power Girl returned to DC Comics earlier this year in One-Star Squadron, working as part of the freelance superhero service HEROZ4U. However, since her return, fans haven’t seen much of the character, and she hasn’t had much interaction with the Superman Family. However, Action Comics writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson has made note that everyone in the Man of Steel’s orbit is getting a role to play in this new era. Johnson says of Action Comics:
“My one-word mission statement for Action Comics in 2023 is ‘Super-Family,’ and I draw inspiration from the 100-page Giant ‘Superman Family issues. We’re giving everyone in the House of El their own role and personal journey while still keeping Superman at the forefront, and tying all the Super-titles together in a way that’s reminiscent of the Triangle Era."
This is certainly good news for fans of Karen Starr. Though Power Girl is indeed a genuine Kryptonian, she’s often been one of the more neglected of the Superman Family. Maybe it’s because of her complicated origins or her lack of blood relation to Clark, but no matter what universe she comes from, Power Girl is an El, and this new direction for Action Comics seeks to reaffirm that for the character. What adventures await Power Girl in this bold, new era for the Superman line remains to be seen, but DC fans can find out for themselves when Action Comics #1051 releases January 24, 2023.
