Last week we reported the sad news that Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Justin Gray would be leaving Power Girl with issue #12. If you're anything like me, you probably spent the rest of the day in your childhood tree house with a bucket of fried chicken and a Carpenters album, sobbing so wildly that Mr. Jeffries called the police. The original team's take was so fresh that it didn't feel like the end of just another run for a 30 year-old character, but the end of a creator-owned series. A damn entertaining one at that. Even after only a dozen issues, PG felt pretty special.
But this isn't a funeral. Just a passing of the torch.
Today, DC announced the new team for issue #13 and beyond. Writer Judd Winick and artist Sami Basri.
Winick plans to reunite Power Girl with some of her fellow Justice League Europe teammates who'll also be appearing in his new series Justice League: Generation Lost. Looks like there'll be some crossover, at least initially. As he puts it:
“It is with GREAT fear and excitement that Sami and I leap into this gig. Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Amanda Conner have bought an amazing, fresh, and inventive rebirth to this character. Our greatest challenge will be to remain faithful to what they’ve created and also take Power Girl to a new place. As far as the course that the story will take, I’ll be uncharacteristically forthcoming : The story is tied to JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. Not CHAINED to it, but tied. Power Girl has a history with the JLI that will be explored. A lot.”
This is a departure from the initial Power Girl run which is entirely self-contained, altogether untied to other JSA or Kryptonian books. Plotting aside, hopefully the tongue will stay in its cheek. Keep it sassy, San Diego.
As for the visuals, it may be too soon to say, but judging by this cover image, Sami Basri's no slouch when it comes to pinups. Like Supergirl cover artist Joshua Middleton, he's got a nice Maxfield Parrish thing going. Now, whether the interiors can live up to the top notch cartooning and good humor of Amanda Conner, that remains to be seen. I'm rooting for him though.
Here's the cover to Power Girl #13:
That pin-up is pretty snazzy. I’m not sure if I’m onboard with the book because I don’t have much interest in her ties to JLI. We’ll see. It’s a game day decision.
Love Judd Winick’s work and that cover is pretty awesome. I’m sad, but I’ll stick with the book.
Aw man. The last man I would want for this title! Judd Winick on this is a comic I do not want to read. I guess I’ll just have the first twelve (or two trades) to keep me enjoyed. Art isn’t bad though, I don’t mind Basri’s style at all.
The art is completely different, but I’m a fan. Fingers crossed!
hot damn that is gorgeous. I’ve never heard of this artist…or have I? regardless..I’ll check it out and see where they go with it. The last team was kind of nailing it, as we all know..
Been a Winick fan since Barry Ween. The Shield covers have been gorgeous. I’ll stay for an arc, definitely.
Basri’s done some pretty snazzy covers. Check that link to his deviant art page. Some cool images of various JLA members in there. This is almost certainly going to be a totally different book in tone and structure, but I hope it’s still a good time.
I was planning on skipping Generation Lost and I’m on the fence on this. That’s a gorgeous cover, though. Hurm.
Winick? Hmm, I don’t know. I’ll give the first issue a shot though.
Very good. I’m hit or miss with Winnick, but I somehow feel like this is a good fit. The artist is great, too. Count me in.
Love the art but I don’t think I’ll stick around.
I’ve never really been a PG fan, it was the awesome Palmiotti/Conner team that hooked me so since I’m not a huge Winick fan I dunno if I’ll stick with it.
I don’t think I’ve read anything by Winick. I’ll pick his Power Girl trades up if the buzz is as good.
Glad to see Winick so busy lately, one of the few that dont hate on him constantly. Can’t say I’m all that interested in PG tho.
I have loved Power Girl with Palmiotti and Conner. Will give the first issue with Winnick a shot …
This is a strong new creative team. While the current book is not one of my favorites, I will admit to it slowly winning me over. The book is cute and I’m curious to see what Winnick, one of the genuine greats in my book, can do with it.
Hope the trades come out soon, and will definatley jump on with 13.
I also assume this is one of the reasons why Winick isn’t on Batman anymore.
@TheNextChampion: Why would you assume that? He left Batman a long time ago.
@conor: I dont know, what else has Winick been doing for the past…..couple of months?
I’m done with this book when the new switch occurs. Lots of other books to try out..
@TheNextChampion: Well, writing the next DC Animated film, for one. There a lot of things these guys work on that we never see, either.
@conor Oh that’s right, he’s writing the Red Hood film isn’t he? Okay then yeah he has been busy.
That original comment wasn’t negative by the way, I just thought it was the reason why Winick left Batman in the first place.
@TNC: Didn’t think it was negative.
I doubt anyone would leave Batman to write Power Girl. Creatively, I could see why, but I mean…it’s Batman. You want a good long run on a high profile book like that. I’m not sure why he left Batman, but the past few months have probably been dedicated to Justice League: Generation Lost.
Okay so Winick is doing this……JL: Generation Lost…..Under the Hood film….
Damn, he is getting a crap load of work from DC hasn’t he?
I’ll give it 1 issue, but I’m not expecting much from Winnick. Basri just became one to watch on my radar though (don’t get me wrong, I WANT to like everything, I just dont)
@TNC – He’s also doing a six issue mini called Red Hood: The Lost Days.
I’m still onboard for at least three issues with this new team but one of the things I this announcement isn’t exactly exciting for me. But that’s mostly because I’m not familiar with either of the creatives past work.
@Paul: Seriously? I am sure that is a mini conor is all over for. 🙂
I’m guessing this means I won’t be sticking with the book. Not into the JLA or DC continuity at all. Only reason I gave it a shot was due to Conor speaking so highly of it and how it was a stand-alone title not bogged down in a bunch of DC-JLA continuity I have no clue about. Maybe I’ll give the first issue a shot. But I dunno. I’m guessing it’s not going to be as fun and silly as the book has been, which was one of it’s best qualities.
Does anyone know what Amanda Connor is doing next?
power girl no more….
So happy to have a new Judd Winick book to mainline every month!
This… I was not expecting. I’m glad they waited a few days before announcing the new creative team. I’m not too familiar with Winick’s stuff, but I did like his latest arc on Batman. The only thing I’m wary of is the Generations Lost tie-in. Last thing I need is more tie-ins.
I don’t hate WInnick, but I’m not interested in his stories anymore. The art looks nice, but doing layouts and telling a story every month is a lot harder than doing one cool pose on a cover. Its certainly not impossible, but I don’t think I’m interested in this book without Amanda, Jimmy and Justin. I will probably drop it.
I dig Winick’s writing. I liked what he did with Green Arrow and I thought his short run on Batman during "Reborn" was really solid. He’s not a deal breaker for me, but as I mentioned earlier, I just don’t know if I’m down for the direction the series will take.
My personal taste for Winick waxes and wanes. Some stuff he just home runs for me and some stuff he whiffs. Him being on it is not bad or good, it’s wait and see.
I don’t know Basri, his covers are beautiful but cover art and internal art tend to have necessary stylistic changes due to the time restraints. I definitely prefer Conner, but who’s to say.
It being tied to other continuity that hurts me, I don’t have my fingers in those pies. Lotsa fingers in DC Green Lantern and Batman pies. PG was one of my few DC wildcards that I was willing to put extra money out for. I’ll give it a solid arc though, if it hasn’t grabbed me by issue 18, I’ll have to bail and I love that character so much it’ll suck.
I definitely will give it time to grow.
Got no problem with Winick and the art looks cool, but I’m gone after issue #12.
I’ll try 13, but I’ve never been overly impressed with Winnick. Not a bad writer, but not very good either.
If the humor is maintained I’ll be down with this. Winick’s ‘barry ween’ is hystericaly funny, and I’m usually a fan of his superhero work.
There is hope yet! I love Winnick and the new artist looks like fun. It IS a bummer to lose the OG team but honestly, I’m stoked we received 12 consecutive issues of such quality and there’s no doubt I will be recommending the trade (hopefully hardcover, or, good lord, an Absolute {a man can dream!!!!}) to everyone I know.
never been a fan of winick. i’ll pick it up the first issue though and hope for the best.
Its a good cover but that just isnt power girl for me anymore
Didn’t Judd retcon… no wait.. my bad that’s Chuck Austin. Ok I’ll bite. I’ll give the first issue a try.
Judd Winick on this awesome new Power Girl book is BAD news. I won’t be sticking around.
…right, well. I might have been preemptive in saying I might check out the next creative team. Dropped.
I never read any of the Power Girl stuff, which is bad, since I’m a Palmiotti fan. I’ll probably by the Hard cover of the Palmiotti/Conner run.
I’m new to PG. I’m picking up the first trade from dcbs this month, and I liked what I read from issues 7, and 8, so I’ll give this a try even if, it’s not the old creative team. I thought Winnick did a solid job on his recent run with Batman. The art looks great, but that cover doesn’t screem Power Girl to me, it looks like PG trying to be Super-Girl.
Q: Would you rather pick up a Power Girl issue by Winick/Basri or another title (you already aren’t picking up) by Palmiotti/Conner?
Q: If you could have Palmiotti/Conner take over another title, which would it be?
@Smasher – They’d do one hell of a Spider-Man book. As for DC titles though…Adventure Comic (w/ Superboy), Zatanna, Aquaman (based on his appearance in their Supergirl strip in Wednesday Comics), something with the Flash Rogues. Gotham Sirens?
I think the only thing of Widdick’s that I’ve read long term was his run on Exiles, which was good but went on a bit too long. Power Girl is one of my favorite books, so I’m nervous no matter who takes over, I liked having one book a month that was going to be fun and not bogged down in all the dark and dreary Marvel and DC seem to be in love with these days. With luck, PG will stick with fun. Until someone gets HIV of course.
Is it wrong that I chuckle when people say they’re going to trade-wait stuff from DC? Their trade program is terrible. I don’t understand how their own imprint (Vertigo) has it nailed while the head can’t quite figure it out.
@PaulMontgomery Word. A Palmiotti/Conner Spidey book would be terrific. Aquaman’s a natural choice too.
I wouldn’t say "no" to a Power Pack book by these two.
@SunnyvaleTrash: It’s not wrong,I chuckle too. It is wrong to think that DC can’t figure out how to release trades in a timely manner. They know how to. They just chose not to. It’s their stupid policy.
I can’t be the only person who thinks Power Girl is a lost cause. I don’t even know what her purpose is, to me(someone who has read a hell of a lot of JSA) she’s just boobs.
Regardless, I hope I change that opinion after this.
Have you read the series up to this point?
…
Touche.