Power Girl: history, powers and identity of DC Comics' other Kryptonian heroine

Origins: Kara Zor-L of Earth-2, the Kryptonian cousin of another Superman

To understand Power Girl, you have to understand the DC multiverse as it existed before 1985. In pre-Crisis continuity, DC maintained several parallel Earths:

• Earth-1 : the main universe, with the modern Superman (Kal-El), Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) and the contemporary heroes of the Justice League
• Earth-2 : a parallel universe where the heroes have aged since the 1940s. The Superman of Earth-2 is a middle-aged man, married to Lois Lane. The Justice Society of America (JSA) is the major heroic organization there

Kara Zor-L is the cousin of the Earth-2 Superman — just as Kara Zor-El is the cousin of the Earth-1 Superman. But her story is different:

• The launch from Krypton-2 : like Kal-El of Earth-1, the Earth-2 Superman was sent to Earth as a baby. But Kara Zor-L was sent as a teenager — she's supposed to arrive at the same time as her cousin. Because of a problem with her ship, she actually arrives decades later, a young woman in a world where her cousin has grown old
• Power Girl vs Supergirl : when she arrives on Earth-2, Kara Zor-L chooses not to be "Supergirl" — that name already belongs to Kara Zor-El of Earth-1. She chooses Power Girl, and with it an identity of her own, not defined by her connection to her cousin
• Karen Starr : her civilian alter ego is Karen Starr, businesswoman, head of a tech company. Unlike Clark Kent, who hides his strength behind clumsiness, Karen Starr is direct, confident, sometimes blunt in her social interactions

To understand the Earth-1 Supergirl Power Girl is often confused with, our complete article on Kara Zor-El retraces a parallel but very different history.

The identity crisis: Crisis on Infinite Earths and its consequences

In 1985-1986, DC Comics publishes Crisis on Infinite Earths — an event that erases the multiverse and merges all the Earths into a single continuity. This editorial decision creates one of the most complex continuity problems in Power Girl's history:

• The problem : if Earth-2 is erased, where does Power Girl come from? She exists in the merged continuity, but her origin — cousin of the Earth-2 Superman — no longer exists
• The replacement origins : for nearly twenty years, DC Comics tries several alternative origins for Power Girl. She is presented in turn as a descendant of the Atlantean mage Arion of Atlantis, as a genetically modified human, and in several intermediate versions. None is fully convincing
• The impact on the character : this unstable origin makes Power Girl hard for writers to use. She remains present in DC comics but has no solo series for a long time — her narrative identity is too blurry to sustain an independent publication
• The restoration : in 2005, after Infinite Crisis restores the multiverse, Power Girl finally gets her original origin back as Kara Zor-L of Earth-2. It's this restoration that paves the way for her 2009 solo series

To understand the event that created this continuity chaos, our article on Crisis on Infinite Earths retraces one of the most transformative events in DC Comics history.

Power Girl's powers: a complete version of the Kryptonian abilities

Power Girl has the full range of Kryptonian powers fueled by the yellow sun — identical in nature to Superman's, but with a few specifics:

• Super strength : Power Girl is generally considered one of the physically most powerful heroines in DC Comics. In some versions, she even surpasses Superman in raw strength — a point regularly debated in the comics and on forums
• Flight, invulnerability, heat vision : the standard Kryptonian package in its most complete version
• Exceptional stamina : a characteristic specific to Power Girl in several series — she can sustain physical effort longer than most Kryptonians without significant weakening
• Resistance to kryptonite : in some post-Crisis versions, standard green kryptonite (the Earth-1 kind) is less effective against Power Girl than against Superman, because she comes from Krypton-2, a different planet. This characteristic isn't universal but appears in several arcs
• Magic : like Superman, Power Girl remains vulnerable to magic — a weakness shared by all Kryptonians

In terms of raw power, Power Girl is in DC Comics' top trio alongside Superman and Supergirl. What sets her apart isn't the power level but the approach: she is more direct, less restrained in her use of force than her cousin Kal-El.

Check out our Superman apparel collection to wear the emblem of the Kryptonian super-family every day.

Power Girl vs Supergirl: the essential differences

The confusion between Power Girl and Supergirl is understandable on the surface — two Kryptonian blondes, cousins of Superman. But the differences are fundamental:

Personality

Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) is generally presented as more emotional, closer to her adoptive humanity, sometimes insecure about her heritage and her identity. She grew up in Superman's shadow and had to build her own path in constant reference to him.

Power Girl (Kara Zor-L) is direct, confident, sometimes gruff. She doesn't seek approval — not from her cousin, not from anyone. She developed her identity outside Superman's shadow (hers grew old; she became his equal, then independent). This self-assurance is the character's trademark.

Civilian identity

Karen Starr is a business leader — PGCorp, her tech company — a woman of power who asserts herself in the business world. It's very different from Kara Danvers/Linda Danvers, Supergirl's civilian version, closer to an ordinary student.

The relationship to the name

Power Girl chose her name — she explicitly rejected the title of "Supergirl" to assert an identity of her own. This choice is thematically central to the character: she isn't a derivative, not a secondary character, not somebody's "girl." She is Power Girl, period.

For the nuances between Supergirl and Superman, our article on the differences between Supergirl and Superman completes this picture of the Kryptonian heroines.

The Power Girl series (2009-2011): her finest hour

The Power Girl solo series launched in 2009 by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray and Amanda Conner is unanimously considered the character's narrative peak — and one of the best DC Comics series of its decade:

• The tone : the series strikes a rare balance between action, humor and emotion. Power Girl is powerful but also awkward in her human relationships, faced with absurd situations with joyful energy. The series dares to laugh with the character without ever ridiculing her
• Amanda Conner on art : the artist delivers expressive, dynamic work that perfectly captures Karen Starr's character — every face is readable, every action scene is clear and energetic. Conner would become the character's definitive artist
• Ultra-Humanite as the main antagonist : the superpowered brain transplanted into successive bodies, Ultra-Humanite transfers his mind into Power Girl's body in the first issues — a violation of identity that leads to intense narrative developments
• Terra : Power Girl befriends Terra (Atlee), a young geokinetic heroine. Their duo is one of the most endearing relationships in the series — two characters with radically different styles who complement each other perfectly
• The legacy : the series runs 27 issues; Palmiotti, Gray and Conner leave the title after #12 (Judd Winick takes over). It remains the absolute reference for anyone who wants to discover Power Girl

Check out our Superman figure collection to celebrate the whole Kryptonian super-family.

The New 52 and Rebirth: a new Earth-2

The 2011 New 52 reboot brings a new version of Power Girl — and a new complication of her history:

• Worlds' Finest (2012-2015) : in the New 52, Power Girl and Huntress (Helena Wayne, daughter of the Earth-2 Batman) are both stranded on Earth-1 after a dimensional accident. The Worlds' Finest series follows them in their attempt to get back home
• The identity of the Earth-2 Supergirl : in the New 52, Power Girl is presented as the "Supergirl of Earth-2" — a partial return to her pre-Crisis origins. This change isn't universally well received by fans of the 2009 series
• Rebirth and DC Infinite Frontier : DC Comics' successive reboots have made Power Girl's history even more complex. Post-Rebirth continuity tries to reconcile several coexisting versions — a permanent editorial challenge
• The recent versions : Power Girl appears in several modern series and DC events, including roles in Justice Society and regular miniseries. Her status as an "A-list" character is consolidated even if her continuity remains convoluted

To understand the New 52 and its impact on the Superman universe at large, our article on the New 52 retraces this period of major editorial overhaul.

Her role in the Justice Society of America

The Justice Society of America (JSA) is the heroic organization of Earth-2 — the oldest superhero team in DC Comics, founded in the 1940s. Power Girl plays a central role in it in its modern versions:

• The generational link : the JSA is made up of heroes who have aged since the 1940s and their heirs. Power Girl represents a unique hinge point — she is Kryptonian like her cousin Superman, but she grows up among human heroes who built their legends without cosmic powers
• The leader : in several JSA arcs, Power Girl takes on leadership roles. Her direct character and raw power make her a naturally commanding presence — not authoritarianism, but a self-confidence that asserts itself effortlessly
• Mr. Terrific : one of her most developed relationships is with Michael Holt (Mr. Terrific) — a human genius with no superpowers. Their relationship, friendly and sometimes romantic depending on the version, is one of the richest dynamics in the JSA

Power Girl in recent adaptations

Beyond the comics, Power Girl has made several notable appearances:

• Justice League Unlimited (animated) : Power Girl appears in the animated series, though in a secondary role. Her design and her power are faithfully represented
• Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) : Power Girl has an important role in this direct-to-video animated film — she's one of the rare heroines to directly face a cosmic-scale enemy alongside Superman and Batman
• Injustice 2 (video game) : Power Girl appears in Injustice 2 as a premium skin for Supergirl (same moveset)
• The adaptations in progress : with the revival of the Justice Society in recent DC projects (Black Adam, the JSA animated series), Power Girl is positioned to gain visibility in the coming years

To explore the other members of the Kryptonian super-family, our article on Kon-El/Superboy and our Superman comics guide complete this overview.

Check out our Superman costume collection to step into the shoes of the Kryptonian super-family's heroes.

Conclusion

Power Girl is one of the most unique characters in the DC universe — a Kryptonian heroine who refused to define herself by her relationship to Superman, who survived decades of continuity chaos, and who has a distinct narrative identity thanks to her best series. She isn't Supergirl 2.0. She isn't Superman's female cousin. She is Karen Starr: powerful, direct, imperfect, and definitely her own person. To deepen your knowledge of the Kryptonian super-family, our complete history of Superman and our figure collection are waiting for you.

Michael Holt, the other big name of the JSA, has his own feature: Mister Terrific.