Everyone knows DC’s Wonder Woman, the infamous Amazonian warrior who always saves the day with a stellar mix of strength and compassion; but do you know Marvel’s version of Diana Prince, Power Princess? If you’re not a comic-buff, you probably haven’t heard of the equally stunning Zarda Shelton. If you are a comic enthusiast, then hop aboard the Power Princess train, because we’re going over the history of this Utopian superhero.
This titular heroine makes her debut in 1982’s Defenders #112. She has a similar silhouette to DC’s Wonder Woman – big, dark hair, buff biceps, long legs, and a towering height – and creators J.M. DeMatteis and Don Perlin even mention she’s crafted to serve as a lighthearted critique of DC’s Diana Prince. Instead of Diana’s patriotic array of costuming, Power Princess tends to wear purple, silver, and black. She does, however, often wear hints of gold as a wink to Wonder Woman’s design, and even sports a tiara and helmet in some of her many comic iterations. So, yes, she’s a deliberate invocation of Wonder Woman’s design, but there’s a lot more to Zarda than that.
The Origin of Power Princess in Marvel Comics
Power Princess started off as a member of the Squadron Supreme, a Marvel team intended to parody DC’s Justice League. But in more recent storylines, the Squadron Supreme is no laughing matter. They take on the jobs the Avengers can’t handle, and with Power Princess’ Utopian origins, they have the alternate-reality version of an Inhuman on their roster. The original joke is that these heroes mirror the DC trinity; Hyperion is Superman, Nighthawk is Batman, and Power Princess is Wonder Woman. Depending on which version of the many alternate-reality incarnations of this team you follow, Power Princess and her Squadron Supreme are either heroes, villains, or somewhere in between.
Power Princess’ Comic Superpowers Explained
Zarda Shelton hails from Utopian Isle, a land of advanced beings believed to have been crafted by alien Kree engineering. They champion peace, equality, and advanced philosophies, just like Wonder Woman’s Themyscira. Power Princess even rescues a lost sailor – Howard Shelton – from drowning during a WWII timeline. She boasts an array of super abilities including: super strength, super speed, super agility, super durable skin, flight, and has immortal genes. Zarda also has some protection against mind penetration, but isn’t fully immune to mind attacks. Instead of a lasso of truth or an invisible jet, Zarda’s weapon of choice is a transparent shield which she proudly brandishes in the style of Captain America. Not only is it easy to hide, but Zarda can bounce back hits with the shield’s Utopian tech.
The New Power Princess in Marvel’s Universe
Since Power Princess is a hero who usually emerges from alternate realities rather than the mainstream Earth-616, there have been many different versions, and the heroic Power Princess has even fought her evil counterpart, Warrior Woman. The Zarda of the Supreme Power universe was a potential despot who talked her Hyperion into installing himself as dictator, actually moving over to the Ultimate Universe in 2006’s Ultimate Power crossover in order to prevent that reality from becoming a threat to her own.
But the most recent incarnation of Power Princess came in 2018’s Avengers #18. Here we see yet another reimagined version of Zarda and her teammates, cloned and brainwashed to be under the control of Agent Coulson. This version is presented as a more trenchant critique of DC’s Wonder Woman, programmed with a jingoistic bent and love interests designed to help control her. With Coulson’s grudge against the Avengers motivating his steering of the new Squadron, it’s only a matter of time until Power Princess comes into conflict with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – and by all existing evidence, it’s a fight she should almost definitely win.
