PG Tips

Of all the new Dc titles, I'm enjoying Batwoman and the Shade but most of the rest of the line leaves me cold. Making arbitrary changes to characters (primarily making costumes clunkier, presumably to synergise with any future movie version) doesn't improve or create greater popularity for the characters. After the initial sales spike, figures are dropping down, a bunch of titles have been cancelled already and lack of any stability from the creative teams hurts the line further.

Still, I was hoping Earth 2, James Robinson's JSA-featuring series, would have some soothing flash of familiarity. Then I saw the covers above and all hopes were dashed. Somebody feels that Wonder Woman may be Donna Troy but that's not any Donna I'd like to see. Similarly, the new Power Girl outfit is pretty...yuck.

I was aware of PG from DC ads that ran in comics I had before I could read (similar nostalgic memories of Captain Marvel and Jay Garrick) but the first time I read anything with her was the first JLA/JSA crossover I ever read. (This was also my first real exposure to Dr Fate, another favourite). I liked PG but it would be a few years before I realised she was essentially the Earth 2 Supergirl. I was glad to see her post-Crisis but Bart Sears' mega-boobed version (and her snarky attitude) in Justice League Europe didn't sit with my vision of her character. After a few (not terrible but unnecessary) costume changes, PG eventually returned to her classic costume.

I love the original, not for the chest hole people always comment on (in the earliest stories I remember, i seem to recall the hole was gone) but because I like the purity of the white and the simplicity of the design. Whenever characters get a new look, they inevitably become more complicated but I generally believe simplicity is the best design factor is superhero costuming.

So, as with her sorta cousin, I was disappointed to see PG now lumbered with clunky boots and gloves and a rubbish emblem to replace the hole. I can deal with the covered legs (DC said they want to create less sexy/sexist costumes for their heroines) but the emblem's just executed poorly.

I recently drew a Power Girl pic that I've not got round to uploading yet but when I saw the new version, I made two simple tweaks that I think reduces the gratuitous elements but keeps her recognisably PG. I simply removed the chest hole and added a skirt, removing knicker flash but also echoing Supergirl's classic design more.

Job done, I feel but what do I know?