Power Girl is a 1988 comic book series by DC Comics starring Power Girl, the Supergirl from Earth-Two. It was penned by Paul Kupperberg -who had previously written another incarnation of the character- and illustrated by Rick Hoberg. Kupperberg, who came up with Power Girl's new origin in Secret Origins Vol. 2 #11 (1987) -which incidentally tied Power Girl with his own creation Arion-, would use this mini-series as a vehicle for delving into Power Girl's new Atlantean connections and introducing a new status quo for the character.
After spending years believing she was Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-L has been told her memories from Krypton were a lie concocted by her alleged grandfather Arion to protect her. Feeling shaken and confused, Kara tries to keep her mind busy by focusing on her Karen Starr identity and her civilian job, but the threat of a hostile takeover, as well as a sudden surge of super-villains, will ensure that she cannot have a moment of respite.
Soon it becomes clear that Kara is being harassed by someone who knows her secret identity and is trying to destroy her life before killing her. After several battles, Kara learns her mysterious enemy is a chaos god called the Weaver who was banished by Arion to another dimension several millennia ago. Unable to exact revenge on the deceased Arion, the Weaver intends to punish Arion's alleged granddaughter for the wizard's "transgressions".
Kara knows the Weaver is trying to lure her into his dimension-prison, where he is omnipotent and can destroy her with his own hands instead of through minions and chaos-manipulation, but she has no option but to take the fight directly to him by going into his domain.
Power Girl (1988) provides examples of:
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Power Girl struggles to believe in magic, even though she has fought alongside spellcasters, and Arion was a wizard.
- Ass Shove: When Khater gloats about his sword, Power Girl has some suggestions as to what he can do with it.Power Girl: You really don't want me to tell you what you can do with that sword?
- Battle in the Center of the Mind: The Weaver attempts to overwhelm Kara's mind with maddening, nightmarish illusions, but she manages to overcome them thanks to her martial arts training.
- Big Bad: The Weaver. Believing Kara to be his old enemy Arion's granddaughter, he sends his magically-spawned minions after her, and manipulates events to ruin her personal life and her friends' in order to lure her into his realm and kill her personally.
- Boxing Lessons for Superman: Kara begins to karate lessons to regain some semblance of control as her life is spiraling downwards.
- Breaking the Bonds: The Weaver wraps his tentacles around Power Girl, and after gloating for a bit, asks if she is ready to fight him. Kara retorts she is more than ready, and snaps his tentacles broken.
- Cain and Abel: Subverted. Khater tries to convince Kara he is her long-lost brother, out for her blood; but she does not buy it for one second.
- Combat Tentacles: Arion wears a harness geared with long prehensile tentacles.
- Canon Discontinuity: The events of this mini made no sense whatsoever after Power Girl's Kryptonian origin was restored. Tellingly, Kara never brought up the Weaver or Arion again.
- Eldritch Location: Darkworld is a parallel pocket dimension where the laws of physics are irrelevant, and the environment is affected by thoughts, feelings and emotions.
- Evil Gloating: The Weaver could have easily destroyed Power Girl as soon as she stepped into her realm. Instead, he waits until she has come to him, and then he puts her through mind games because he wants to enjoy her suffering.The Weaver: "Ah, but my torment has been long, so I shan't hurry this, oh no— I wish to give as good as I received."
- Evil Is Hammy: The Weaver's minions are overly dramatic:The Force: You were doomed even before you set eyes on me, woman! Your bold words and pitiful struggle merely prolong the inevitable!
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Subverted. Khater claims to be Power Girl's brother, but she does not believe him for one minute. Shortly after, it is indeed revealed that Khater's not even humanoid, let alone Kara's relative.
- Making a Splash: The Weaver's minion Hydra is able to control water and, by extension, all sort of liquid substances like milk and gasoline.
- The Matchmaker: To Kara's horror, her friend Carrie arranges a blind date for her.
- Mistaken for Junkie: Kara stops a biker who has been mesmerized by the Weaver into driving recklessly. When the biker insists that he does not remember anything, and Kara mentions he acted strange when she picked him up, the cops guess he was drugged.
- Non-Action Big Bad: Even though he is supposed to be a god, the Weaver refuses to face Power Girl in physical combat.
- Orcus on His Throne: Despite his godlike power, the Weaver never fights Power Girl directly, not even when she steps into his realm.
- Playing with Fire: Pyro can generate streams of flames.
- Put on a Bus: Except for some rare appearances at The '90s, the secondary characters and the main villain were not seen again after this story.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Kara goes off on one member of the Starrware's board of directors who has been negotiating deals behind her back.Harlan Brooks: I'm only thinking of the good of the company, my dear.
Kara: No, you're thinking about short-term gains! if you can't divert us from producing business and scientific software with games, you'll try to sell us off for a few bucks! - Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Khater is a horned, green snake-man.
- Revenge Before Reason: Since the Weaver cannot take revenge on Arion, he will settle for destroying Arion's alleged grandchild, who was a baby when he was banished. When Power Girl points out that is insane, the Weaver retorts he does not care.
- Revenge by Proxy: The Weaver seeks revenge on his enemy Arion by attempting to murder his granddaughter.The Weaver: But there's something you fail to understand, child... You are blood of Arion's blood, flesh of his flesh, and if he no longer exists to feel my vengeance for his consigning me for all eternity to this Hell— then I shall make do with you, my sweet. Happily!
Power Girl: But... But that's insane! - Sidekick Creature Nuisance: Ghy is a little, black, cat-like magic creature who tags along with Power Girl during her foray into Darkworld. Ghy is well-meaning, but Kara finds his cryptic clues and smug snark irritating.
- Sssssnaketalk: As soon as Khater is revealed as a snake-man he starts to draw out every "s" sound.Khater: Do you find me hideousss, sssissster? But what matter my true form, assss long assss my blade yet remainsss in hand!"
- So Proud of You: After Power Girl is done with the Weaver, Ghy tells her grandfather Arion would be proud of her.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Power Girl delivers one after another:
- While battling the Force:The Force: Arrrrrhh! You will pay for this, woman! I will make you suffer!
Power Girl: (punching him again) Well, since I'm paying, have another one. On me! - Once Khater's true form is revealed...Khater: Do you find me hideousss, sssissster?! But what matter my true form, assss long assss my blade yet remainsss in hand!
Power Girl punches him
Power Girl: You really don't want me to tell you what you can do with that sword?
- While battling the Force:
- Sins of Our Fathers: The Weaver cannot exact revenge on Arion, but he will happily make his deceased enemy's alleged descendants suffer.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: While talking to the Phantom Stranger, Power Girl gets distracted by someone knocking on her door. As she is looking away, the Stranger fades away.
- Water Is Womanly: Power Girl faced off against three villains named Pyro, Hydra, and Hurricane who had each been granted control of an element by Weaver, God of Madness. Hydra had control over water and was the only one of the three who was a woman.
- Weaksauce Weakness: The Weaver's got to do the bidding of whoever touches him.
