View source for Princess Projectra

{{short description|DC Comics character}}
{{about|the humanoid version of the character|the post-Zero Hour/pre-Threeboot version|Sensor (character)}}
{{Infobox comics character<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image = Projectra.jpg
| caption = Princess Projectra as depicted in ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'' (vol. 5) #6 (2005). Art by [[Barry Kitson]].
| character_name = Princess Projectra
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
| debut = '''As Princess Projectra''':<br>''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #346 (July 1966)<br>'''As Sensor Girl''':<br>''[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'' (vol. 3) #14 (September 1985)
| creators = [[Jim Shooter]]
| alter_ego = 
| full_name = Projectra (pre-Zero Hour); Wilimena Morgana Daergina Annaxandra Projectra Velorya Vauxhall (Threeboot Legion)
| species = [[List of alien races in DC Comics#Orandans|Orandan]]
| homeworld = [[Orando]]
| alliances = [[Legion of Super-Heroes]]
| aliases = Queen Projectra, Sensor Girl
| supports=<!--optional-->
| powers = *Illusion generation
*Remote sensing
}}

'''Princess Projectra''' (later '''Sensor Girl''') is a fictional character, a [[Superhero#Female superheroes|superhero]]ine in the [[DC Comics]] [[DC Universe|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]].<ref name="fah">{{cite book |last=Knight |first=Gladys L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0PKSFHwhTGYC |title=Female Action Heroes: A Guide to Women in Comics, Video Games, Film, and Television |date=2010 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=9780313376122 |pages=248 |language=en |access-date=September 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Misiroglu |first=Gina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RgVlCwAAQBAJ |title=The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes |date=2012 |publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]] |isbn=9781578593972 |pages=218 |language=en |access-date=September 22, 2019}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Collins |first=Elle |date=September 27, 2016 |title=The Kid Who Took Over: The Extraordinary Career of Jim Shooter |url=https://comicsalliance.com/tribute-jim-shooter/ |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=[[ComicsAlliance]] |quote=Some of [Shooter's] earliest Legion stories loom especially large in that team's history.}}</ref> Shooter sold the original script in which Projectra debuted to DC Comics editor [[Mort Weisinger]] when Shooter was only 14 years old.<ref name="shooter">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5VMmDwAAQBAJ |title=Jim Shooter: Conversations |date=2017 |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |isbn=9781496811806 |editor-last1=Sacks |editor-first1=Jason |series=Conversations with Comic Artists Series |language=en |access-date=September 22, 2019 |editor-last2=Hoffman |editor-first2=Eric |editor-last3=Grace |editor-first3=Dominick}}</ref>

==Publication history==
In 1965, at the age of 13, [[Jim Shooter]] submitted an unsolicited script to DC Comics editor [[Mort Weisinger]]. Weisinger was so impressed, he asked Shooter to send in another script.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wells |first1=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969 |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490557 |pages=109–110}}</ref> 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 Shooter writing assignments.<ref name="shooter"/>

Shooter's Projectra story first appeared in ''[[Adventure Comics]]'' #346 (July 1966) ("[[One of Us Is a Traitor]]"), when Shooter was 14 years old.<ref name="fah"/><ref name="shooter"/> The character later resigned from the Legion of Super-Heroes, and left the title, though later Legionnaire writer [[Paul Levitz]] had always intended to bring her back to the series in some form.<ref name="tm">{{cite book |last=Cadigan |first=Glen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEWHfXUwUAwC |title=The Legion Companion |date=2003 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] |isbn=9781893905221 |language=en |access-date=September 22, 2019}}</ref>

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 (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]]. It is believed Levitz came up with the idea that Sensor Girl was Projectra significantly far into the development process of the story.<ref name="tm"/>

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.<ref name="ms">{{cite web |date=June 17, 2007 |title=Hero History of Sensor Girl |url=http://majorspoilers.com/2007/06/17/hero-history-sensor-girl/ |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=Major Spoilers |quote=Originally, like [legionnaires] Blok and Dawnstar, [Projectra] used her real name as her alias, but paradoxically found her greatest fame under a mask.}}</ref>

Starting in the July 2019 series ''Legion of Super Heroes: Millennium'', the character received a significant visual re-design.<ref name="cbr">{{cite web |last=Staley |first=Brandon |date=August 14, 2019 |title=Legion of Super-Heroes Concept Art Names Two More Revamped Legionnaires |url=https://www.cbr.com/legion-of-super-heroes-shrinking-violet-princess-projectra-redesigns/ |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
{{main|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 [[Illusion|illusions]] affecting all five senses.<ref name="fah" /> During her membership in the LSH, she met, fell in love with, and married [[Karate Kid (character)|Karate Kid]]. After her father King Voxv died, she fought both her cousin Pharoxx and her grandmother and mentor, Hagga, who sought to usurp the throne. Afterward she became '''Queen Projectra''' of Orando, and she and Karate Kid became reserve members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. When the [[Legion of Super-Villains]] invaded Orando, [[Nemesis Kid]] defeated Karate Kid in personal combat. A dying Karate Kid used the last of his strength to destroy the Legion of Super-Villains machinery trying to move Orando to another dimension.<ref>{{cite comic |date=November 1984 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=Lest Villainy Triumph |issue=4 |volume=3 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Levitz, Paul]]; [[Giffen, Keith]] |artist= |penciller=[[Lightle, Steve]] |inker=Mahlstedt, Larry |colorist= |id=}}</ref> Projectra subsequently killed Nemesis Kid in revenge, claiming royal privilege to do so even though it violated the Legion's code against killing. She resigned from the Legion of Super-Heroes during Karate Kid's funeral and used the Legion of Super-Villains' warp devices to take Orando to another dimension to preserve them from 30th-century technology and dangers.<ref name="ms" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Sims |first=Chris |date=April 28, 2015 |title=The Bottle City Travel Guide: Pre-Crisis 30th Century Metropolis |url=https://comicsalliance.com/guide-pre-crisis-30th-century-metropolis/ |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=[[ComicsAlliance]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic |date=December 1984 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=An Eye for an Eye; a Villain for a Hero! |issue=5 |volume=2 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Levitz, Paul]]; [[Giffen, Keith]] |penciller=[[Lightle, Steve]] |inker=Mahlstedt, Larry}}</ref>[[File:Sensor Girl.jpg|thumb|left|Princess Projectra as Sensor Girl, drawn by [[Greg LaRocque]] and [[Mike DeCarlo]] in ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'' #37 (Aug 1987).]]Projectra was later ordered by her elders to pay penance for indirectly bringing the Legion of Super-Villains to Orando and returned to the Legion's dimension, using the pseudonym '''Sensor Girl'''.<ref name="fah" /> Her powers were enhanced giving her the ability to see beyond the illusions of life (such as the "illusions" of distance and physical obstacles). Rather than create obvious illusions, she used her illusion-projection effects to block her opponents' senses, project an illusion of darkness, or disorient victims by making it appear that their skin had vanished. Initially, she kept her identity hidden even from her fellow Legionnaires except for [[Saturn Girl]], who vouched for her. She also cloaked herself with an illusionary disguise that fully masked her face. Projectra was later unmasked by the [[Emerald Empress]] during a battle with the [[Fatal Five]].<ref name="ms" /> She came to renounce the throne of Orando.<ref>{{cite comics |date=October 1986 |title=Legion of Super-Heroes |story=Going Home |issue=27 |volume=3 |writer=[[Levitz, Paul]] |penciller=[[Greg LaRocque|LaRocque, Greg]] |inker=[[DeCarlo, Mike]]}}</ref>

Many years later, during the [[Legion of Super-Heroes#"Five Years Later"|"Five Year Gap"]] following the Magic Wars, Earth falls under the control of the [[Dominators (DC Comics)|Dominators]] and withdraws from the [[United Planets]]. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' classified "Batch SW6" - temporal clones of the Legionnaires - escape captivity.<ref>{{cite comic |date=December 1991 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=The Adventures of B.I.O.N.: Defender of Humankind |issue=24 |volume=4 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Giffen, Keith]]; [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum|Bierbaum, Tom]]; [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum|Bierbaum, Mary]] |artist= |penciller=[[Jason Pearson|Pearson, Jason]]; Abell, Dusty |inker=Christian, Mike; Vancata, Brad |colorist=McCraw, Tom |id=}}</ref> The SW6 incarnation of Projectra was killed in battle fighting Dominion troops.<ref>{{cite comic |date=August 1992 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=The First to Fall! |issue=32 |volume=4 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Giffen, Keith]]; [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum|Bierbaum, Tom]]; [[Tom and Mary Bierbaum|Bierbaum, Mary]] |artist= |penciller=Giffen, Keith; [[Jason Pearson|Pearson, Jason]] |inker=Story, Karl; [[Al Gordon|Gordon, Al]] |colorist=McCraw, Tom |id=}}</ref>

Princess Projectra is erased from existence following the ''[[Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!]]'' continuity reboot and replaced with [[Sensor (character)|Sensor]], a separate character with a similar backstory and powers.<ref>{{cite comic |date=December 1996 |title=Legionnaires |story=New Blood |issue=43 |volume=1 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Stern, Roger]]; McCraw, Tom |artist= |penciller=Moy, Jeffrey |inker=Carani, W.C.; Moy, Philip |colorist=McCraw, Tom |id=}}</ref>

===Threeboot===
Princess Projectra returns in the "[[Threeboot]]" continuity. She is initially depicted as a spoiled child of the Orando royals and a non-powered but financially well-endowed supporter of the new Legion. Her demeanor changes when Orando is destroyed, causing her to become increasingly cold and detached. Her trauma awakens her hereditary ability to generate illusions, based on a particular form of [[witchcraft]]. Nearing the end of the current run of the Legion, Princess Projectra's power increased exponentially, granting her power over the [[Id, ego and superego|id]] of individuals. In addition to creating illusions, her witchcraft can now briefly alter the behavior of individuals, forcing them to act out of their basest emotions, and even grant a tangible form to inhibitions and the darkest corner of someone's psyche.<ref name="losh472">{{cite comic |date=December 2008 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=Dream Wedding, Blind Love |issue=47 |volume=5 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Shooter, Jim]] |artist= |penciller=[[Leonardi, Rick]] |inker=[[Dan Green (artist)|Green, Dan]] |colorist=Smith, J.D. |letterer=Wands, Steve |id=}}</ref><ref name="lsh492">{{cite comic |date=February 2009 |title=[[Legion of Super-Heroes]] |story=Enemy Manifest (Part IV) – One Evil |issue=49 |volume=5 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=[[Shooter, Jim]] |artist= |penciller=[[Francis Manapul|Manapul, Francis]] |inker=Livesay, John |colorist=Smith, J.D. |letterer=Wands, Steve |id=}}</ref>

=== Post-Infinite Crisis ===
In the pages of ''[[Justice Society of America]]'' #6, the pre-''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Crisis]]'' Sensor Girl is reintroduced alongside [[Nura Nal|Dream Girl]], [[Thom Kallor|Star Boy]], [[Dawnstar]], [[Wildfire (Drake Burroughs)|Wildfire]], [[Timber Wolf (character)|Timber Wolf]], and Karate Kid. Writer [[Geoff Johns]] has indicated that this group is the original Legion, who have been "missing" from continuity since ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.

In ''[[The Lightning Saga]]'' storyline, Sensor Girl is trapped in the past before [[Dawnstar]] rescues her and restores her memories using the code word "[[Lightning Lad]]". Sensor Girl returns to her time before traveling to the 21st century to save the future in ''Last Stand of New Krypton''.<ref>{{cite comic |date=May 2010 |title=[[Adventure Comics]] |story=Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton Prologue Part One: The Future Is Prologue |issue=8 |volume=2 |writer=[[Sterling Gates|Gates, Sterling]] |penciller=Moore, Travis |inker=Ferreira, Júlio}}</ref>

== In other media ==
Princess Projectra appears as a character summon in ''[[Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=July 30, 2024 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070623033134/http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/1645.htm A Hero History Of Princess Projectra/Sensor Girl]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090207212147/http://www.studiosanning.shawbiz.ca/legion_of_super-heroes/membership/princess_projectra/index.htm The Silver Age Pre-Crisis Princess Projectra]

{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}
{{Superman characters}}
{{Zatanna}}

[[Category:Fictional characters from the 30th century]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 31st century]]
[[Category:Characters created by Jim Shooter]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1966]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1985]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial characters]]
[[Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics female superheroes]]
[[Category:Fictional princesses]]
[[Category:Legion of Super-Heroes members]]