Sensor Girl

[kybearfuzz]

[begin comic geekery]

In 1984, DC Comics decided to launch their direct sales, Baxter-paper editions of the "Legion of Super-Heroes" and "The New Teen Titans." I really enjoyed the Legion stories from this time frame. It was during this time that Karate Kid was killed off (becoming the fourth Legionnaire to die in action) and Projectra, his wife, left the Legion and the dimension.

In issue #14, the Legion opened up tryouts for new members, the first time in years of stories that they did this. The cover showed many of the applicants, including a flying blonde and masked hero that only appears in the final panel of the story. The masked hero was called Sensor Girl. Masks were an oddity for the Legion as they had no secret identities, but other than her name, nothing was revealed.

Over the next year, we readers were given many clues to her real identity. I remember greatly anticipating monthly issues to see what they would reveal. She could fly, appeared to be physically powerful, had superhuman senses, and could create odd effects, like red illumination in the dark. All signs pointed to Supergirl, which was just really too obvious as she'd been killed in the recent Crisis at that time. It was something like a soap opera for comic geeks and I loved it. The team was becoming divided over her mysterious identity.

After 12 issues, during a battle with the Emerald Empress and the Fatal Five, in the last splash page of issue #25, her identity was revealed. I remember turning that last page slowly, to reveal that Sensor Girl was a returned Projectra. I admit that I was snowed. She became one of my favorite Legionnaires, which was strange as I never really cared much for her as Projectra. The new, grittier and much better costumed character was easy to like. I was happy to see her in this guise again during the Final Crisis and look forward to her reappearing with the LSH.

[/end comic geek moment]

Comments

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I thought the costume was awesome at the time, but I do see the fad in it now. And I think Sensor Girl could whup'em both!

[dendren.livejournal.com]

I remember really loving most the 80s costume re-designs for the Legion. Some of Mike Grell's 70s ones were pretty cool but some... like Saturn Girl's itty bitty teeny weenie pink bikini were just embarrassingly awful. When they started redoing the costumes for the 80s it was a nice sigh of relief to see poor Saturn Girl get her body covered up a bit LOL

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I am a huge Mike Grell fan, but I admit that some of those costumes were hideous. He draws the female form well though.

The costume I sort of love/hate was Cosmic Boy's. It was a bit odd for the time, like a bustier. I like that it shows so much skin, but it looks like something a girl would wear.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

And the link I just commented? Take a look at the next image in the list...