Power Girl Reading Order: Where to Start With Kara Zor-L
From All Star Comics to Dawn of DC, the best Power Girl stories in order.
By Web Admin
Power Girl is one of DC’s most likeable heroes and one of its most tangled. She is Kara Zor-L, the Kryptonian cousin of the Earth-Two Superman, which means her backstory is knotted up in decades of parallel-universe reboots that even longtime fans struggle to untangle. The character herself, though, is a joy: brash, funny, fiercely independent, and refreshingly her own person rather than a Supergirl copy. You do not need to understand every multiverse retcon to enjoy her.
This is the Power Girl reading order we actually recommend. It skips the continuity headaches and walks you through the stories that made her a fan favorite, from her 1976 debut to her modern Dawn of DC solo series. Read down this list and you will understand who Karen Starr is, why readers love her, and where her best material lives.
First, the good news: you can skip the multiverse homework
The most intimidating thing about Power Girl is her origin, which has been rewritten more times than almost any DC character. She started as the Supergirl of Earth-Two, then briefly had an “Atlantean” origin after Crisis on Infinite Earths muddied the multiverse, then had her Kryptonian roots restored in 2005. The good news: none of that matters for a new reader. The best Power Girl stories explain exactly what you need as you go.
If you want her in the wider context of DC’s other Kryptonians, our Supergirl reading order is a natural companion, and our best superhero comics list puts her best run in perspective. But you can start cold with the ongoing series below and be perfectly happy.
Stage 1: The debut — All Star Comics (1976)
Power Girl first appeared in All Star Comics #58 (1976), created by Gerry Conway, Ric Estrada, and Wally Wood, as part of the revived Justice Society of America. In these Bronze Age issues she is the confident, no-nonsense new powerhouse of the team, established from the start as the Earth-Two Superman’s cousin who wants nothing to do with living in his shadow.
You do not have to start here, but it is a fun snapshot of her original personality. These stories are collected in Justice Society of America and All Star Comics archive and Bronze Age collections. If the classic JSA team appeals to you, our Justice Society reading order covers where these issues fit in the team’s larger history.
Stage 2: The first solo spotlight — Showcase (1978)
Power Girl headlined Showcase #97-99 (1978), written by Paul Kupperberg with art by Joe Staton. This three-issue arc was her first real solo showcase, digging into her origin and establishing her as a hero who could carry a story without Superman anywhere nearby. It is a product of its era, but it is historically important as the moment DC treated her as a lead rather than a supporting player.
These issues turn up in Bronze Age Power Girl collections. Think of this stage as optional but rewarding context; skip ahead to the modern material if you want to get to the essentials faster.
Stage 3: The modern reintroduction — Geoff Johns’ JSA (1999)
Power Girl found her modern footing in the acclaimed JSA series (1999-2006) by Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer. As a core member of a revived Justice Society, she got sustained, character-driven writing that reestablished her as the team’s frustrated, powerful heart, a legacy hero searching for a stable origin. Johns clearly loved the character, and it shows.
The run is collected in a series of JSA trade paperbacks and the later JSA Omnibus volumes. It is a great read on its own and the essential setup for the next stage, where Johns finally fixed her origin for good.
Stage 4: Her origin fixed — Power Trip (2005)
In JSA Classified #1-4 (2005), Geoff Johns teamed with artist Amanda Conner for the “Power Trip” arc, which put Kara’s confused history front and center and, coming out of Infinite Crisis, restored her as a genuine Kryptonian from the Earth-Two universe. This is the story that finally gave her a stable, satisfying identity, and it is where the modern character truly begins.
It is collected as JSA Presents: Power Girl (also found as JSA Classified: Power Trip). Amanda Conner’s expressive art here is what led directly to her defining the character in the ongoing series that followed.
Stage 5: The fan-favorite ongoing — Power Girl (2009)
This is the run to read. The Power Girl ongoing series launched in 2009 with Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti writing and Amanda Conner on art, and it is the best sustained Power Girl story ever published. It balances big superhero action with genuine comedy and heart, following Kara as she juggles hero work with running her tech company as alter ego Karen Starr. It is warm, funny, gorgeously drawn, and completely welcoming to new readers.
Read the Gray, Palmiotti, and Conner issues, which are collected as:
- Power Girl, Vol. 1: A New Beginning — collects issues #1-6.
- Power Girl, Vol. 2: Aliens and Apes — collects issues #7-12.
The original creative team wrapped up with issue #12, and most fans agree those first two volumes are the essential, definitive Power Girl. If you only read one thing on this list, make it these.
Stage 6: Across the multiverse — Worlds’ Finest (2012)
DC’s 2011 New 52 relaunch relocated Power Girl to Worlds’ Finest (2012) by Paul Levitz, with art from George Perez and Kevin Maguire. Here, Karen Starr and Helena Wayne (the Huntress) are heroes from a parallel Earth 2 stranded on the main DC world, trying to find a way home while building new lives. It is a fun buddy book that pairs the two characters beautifully.
The series is collected across several trade paperbacks beginning with Worlds’ Finest, Vol. 1: The Lost Daughters of Earth 2. It reads well as a standalone team-up and is worth chasing if you enjoyed her ongoing.
Stage 7: The odd-couple team-up — Harley Quinn/Power Girl (2015)
For pure fun, seek out Harley Quinn/Power Girl (2015), a six-issue miniseries by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Amanda Conner that flings the two heroes across a bizarre corner of space together. It leans hard into comedy and is a delightful reunion of the creative team that defined her ongoing. It is collected in a single trade paperback.
This one is entirely optional and best read after the 2009 ongoing, since it plays off the same tone and creative chemistry.
Stage 8: Power Girl reborn — Dawn of DC (2023-2024)
The character returned to the spotlight in DC’s “Dawn of DC” era. A Power Girl Special (2023) led into a new ongoing Power Girl series (2024) written by Leah Williams with art by Marguerite Sauvage, giving Karen a fresh status quo, new psychic abilities, and closer ties to the Superman family. It is a bright, modern jumping-on point for readers who want current continuity.
Look for the collected editions of the 2024 series to catch up. If you enjoy this era’s tone, our picks for the best Wonder Woman comics and the Shazam reading order cover more of DC’s most charismatic solo heroes in the same spirit.
Reading order at a glance
| Step | Title | Collects / era | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Star Comics (JSA) | All Star Comics #58+ (1976) | Her Bronze Age debut |
| 2 | Showcase | Showcase #97-99 (1978) | First solo spotlight |
| 3 | JSA (Geoff Johns) | JSA (1999-2006) | The modern reintroduction |
| 4 | Power Trip | JSA Classified #1-4 (2005) | Her origin fixed for good |
| 5 | Power Girl ongoing | Power Girl #1-12 (2009-2010) | The definitive run |
| 6 | Worlds’ Finest | New 52 (2012-2015) | A parallel-Earth team-up |
| 7 | Harley Quinn/Power Girl | Miniseries (2015) | Pure comedic fun |
| 8 | Power Girl (Dawn of DC) | 2023-2024 relaunch | Current continuity |
If you want the short version: start at step 5 with the 2009 ongoing, then read outward in whichever direction grabs you.
Where to buy and how to collect
The essential 2009 run is collected in two affordable trade paperbacks that are easy to find new and secondhand, and they are frequently discounted. The older material lives in JSA collections and Bronze Age archives, while the newest series is available in current trades. Libraries often carry the ongoing volumes too, so you can sample before you commit.
AmazonCheck price on AmazonWhere to go next
Once you have Power Girl sorted, the natural next steps are the rest of DC’s Kryptonians and legacy heroes. Our Supergirl reading order is the obvious companion, our Justice Society reading order gives you the team that made her, and the DC hub collects everything in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Is Power Girl the same as Supergirl?
Not quite. Power Girl is Kara Zor-L, the Kryptonian cousin of the Earth-Two Superman, a parallel-universe counterpart to the main-continuity Supergirl (Kara Zor-El). They share Kryptonian heritage but are distinct characters with different histories and very different personalities.
Where should a beginner start with Power Girl?
Start with the 2009 Power Girl ongoing by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Amanda Conner, beginning with Vol. 1, “A New Beginning.” It is funny, accessible, and the definitive take on the character. For current continuity, the 2024 Dawn of DC series is a clean modern entry point.
Do I need to understand the multiverse to read Power Girl?
No. Her origin has been rewritten many times, but the best stories explain what you need as you go. You can enjoy the 2009 ongoing with zero prior knowledge; the “Power Trip” arc will fill in the rest if you get curious.
Which Power Girl run is considered the best?
The 2009-2010 ongoing by Gray, Palmiotti, and Conner, specifically issues #1-12, is widely regarded as the definitive Power Girl. It is collected in A New Beginning and Aliens and Apes.
Keep exploring with our best superhero comics list and the wider DC hub.
