Princess Projectra

This article is about the humanoid version of the character. For the post-Zero Hour/pre-Threeboot version, see Sensor (character).
Princess Projectra
Princess Projectra as depicted in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) #6 (2005). Art by Barry Kitson.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAs Princess Projectra:
Adventure Comics #346 (July 1966)
As Sensor Girl:
Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 3) #14 (September 1985)
Created byJim Shooter
In-story information
Full nameProjectra (pre-Zero Hour); Wilimena Morgana Daergina Annaxandra Projectra Velorya Vauxhall (Threeboot Legion)
SpeciesOrandan
Place of originOrando
Team affiliationsLegion of Super-Heroes
Notable aliasesQueen Projectra, Sensor Girl
Abilities
  • Illusion generation
  • Remote sensing

Princess Projectra (later Sensor Girl) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe. Typically portrayed as a haughty member of an alien royal family, she is from the 30th and 31st centuries and is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.[1][2]

Projectra was one of Jim Shooter's early creations on Legion of Super Heroes that helped cement his place in history as one of the seminal creators for the Legion.[3] Shooter sold the original script in which Projectra debuted to DC Comics editor Mort Weisinger when Shooter was only 14 years old.[4]

Publication history

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In 1965, when he was just 13 years old, Jim Shooter submitted an unsolicited script to DC Comics editor Mort Weisinger. Weisinger was so impressed, he asked Shooter to send in another script.[5] Shooter created a short origin story for Princess Projectra and several other characters and sent it in. Weisinger purchased all of these, and immediately started giving him writing assignments.[4]

Shooter's Projectra story first appeared in Adventure Comics #346 (July 1966) ("One of Us Is a Traitor"), when Shooter was 14 years old.[1][4] The character later resigned from the Legion of Superheroes, and left the title, though later Legionnaire writer Paul Levitz had always intended to bring her back to the series in some form.[6]

In 1985, in the Who Is Sensor Girl? storyline, a new character "Sensor Girl" was introduced. This character was fully masked, and when eventually unmasked, turned out to have been Projectra the whole time.

Sensor Girl's true identity was unknown to the other characters in the story and even to some of the creators on the title. Penciller Steve Lightle, who created Sensor Girl's costume, had no idea the character was supposed to be Princess Projectra, and believed her to be Supergirl. It is believed Levitz came up with the idea that Sensor Girl was Projectra significantly far into the development process of the story.[6]

After this story line, she returned to her "Projectra" identity, but the character's most enduring association is arguably with this brief interlude as a mystery character.[7]

Starting in the July 2019 series Legion of Super Heroes: Millennium, the character received a significant visual re-design.[8]

Fictional character biography

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Main article: Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)

Projectra (often called by her nickname "Jeckie", a shortened form of her name) is a member of the royal family of the planet Orando, and possesses the superhuman ability to generate illusions affecting all five senses.[1] Following the death of her father King Voxv, Projectra battles her cousin Pharoxx and grandmother Hagga, who seek to usurp the throne. Afterward, she becomes queen and a reserve Legion member. She later leaves the Legion after Nemesis Kid kills her lover Karate Kid, and renounces her position as queen.[1][7][9][10][11][12]

Princess Projectra as Sensor Girl, drawn by Greg LaRocque and Mike DeCarlo in Legion of Super-Heroes #37 (Aug 1987).

A temporal clone of Princess Projectra from "Batch SW6" appears in the "Five Year Gap". She serves as a member of the Legion before being killed by the Dominators' troops.

Princess Projectra is erased from existence following the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! continuity reboot and replaced with Sensor.[13]

Threeboot

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In the "Threeboot", Projectra is initially an ally and sponsor of the Legion. After Orando is destroyed, Projectra blames the Legion and seeks revenge against them. Furthermore, she gains the ability to manipulate the emotions of others.[14][15]

Post-Infinite Crisis

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In the pages of Justice Society of America #6, the pre-Crisis Sensor Girl returns. She is trapped in the past before Dawnstar rescues her and restores her memories using the code word "Lightning Lad". Following this, Sensor Girl returns to her time before traveling to the 21st century to save the future in Last Stand of New Krypton.[16]

In other media

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Princess Projectra appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Knight, Gladys L. (2010). Female Action Heroes: A Guide to Women in Comics, Video Games, Film, and Television. ABC-CLIO. p. 248. ISBN 9780313376122. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  2. ^ Misiroglu, Gina (2012). The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes. Visible Ink Press. p. 218. ISBN 9781578593972. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  3. ^ Collins, Elle (2016-09-27). "The Kid Who Took Over: The Extraordinary Career of Jim Shooter". comicsalliance.com. ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 2019-09-22. Some of [Shooter's] earliest Legion stories loom especially large in that team's history.
  4. ^ a b c Sacks, Jason; Hoffman, Eric; Grace, Dominick, eds. (2017). Jim Shooter: Conversations. Conversations with Comic Artists Series. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781496811806. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  5. ^ Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 109–110. ISBN 978-1605490557.
  6. ^ a b Cadigan, Glen (2003). The Legion Companion. TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 9781893905221. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  7. ^ a b "Hero History of Sensor Girl". majorspoilers.com. MajorSpoilers. 2007-06-17. Retrieved 2019-09-22. Originally, like [legionnaires] Blok and Dawnstar, [Projectra] used her real name as her alias, but paradoxically found her greatest fame under a mask.
  8. ^ Staley, Brandon (2019-08-14). "Legion of Super-Heroes Concept Art Names Two More Revamped Legionnaires". cbr.com. Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  9. ^ Paul Levitz; Keith Giffen (w), Keith Giffen; Steve Lightle (p), Larry Mahlstedt (i). "Lest Villainy Triumph" Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 2, no. 4 (Nov 1984). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen (w), Steve Lightle (p), Larry Mahlstedt (i). "An Eye for an Eye; a Villain for a Hero!" Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 2, no. 5 (Dec 1984). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Sims, Chris (2015-04-28). "The Bottle City Travel Guide: Pre-Crisis 30th Century Metropolis". comicsalliance.com. ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  12. ^ Paul Levitz (w). "Going Home" Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 3, no. 27 (October 1986).
  13. ^ Legionnaires #43 (December 1996)
  14. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) #47 (December 2008)
  15. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) #49 (February 2009)
  16. ^ Sterling Gates (w), Travis Moore (p), Júlio Ferreira (i). "Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Prologue Part One: The Future Is Prologue" Adventure Comics, vol. 2, no. 8 / 511 (Early May 2010).
  17. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
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