World's Finest #17

Issue Details

Synopsis

YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY With her powers on the fritz, Karen Starr hopes that she can use the opportunity to get a tattoo. Alas, her skin is impervious to the artist's needle, an she is forced to go without - mildly jealous of her friend Helena who has some ink of her own. Fed up with her plight, Karen decides it's time to do some up-close sunbathing.  This plan costs her ten million dollars, as she charters a shuttle to take her into space. Once outside the Earth's atmosphere, she surprises her co-pilot by disrobing, and exiting the shuttle. Having ensured his silence with lawyers waiting for him when he lands, Karen can turn her attention to her real reason for being there.   Helena, meanwhile, is seeking her fashion-themed arsonist. Poring over security footage of the train station where her suspect was last seen, she spots a distinctive dragon tattoo on the woman's back. Unfortunately, none of the tattoo artists she shows it to recognize it as their work. Sadly, this leaves few leads. There are no big Fashion Week events this evening, and so her suspect has no targets in the city - unless Helena has misread her pattern. She begins to suspect that a hip party on Delancy Street might be a prime target, and is disappointed when a sudden explosion of flames proves her right - and late. Fortunately, there are few avenues of escape for her quarry, and correctly deduces that she might try to flee via the Williamsburg Bridge.   Karen, meanwhile, enjoys the feeling of the sun's radiation, but soon realizes that it is over-charging her body, and she loses control, dropping like a stone toward the Earth, and rapidly heating as she speeds through the atmosphere. Desperately, she tries to send a signal to Helena to save her.   Though Helena is unsuccessful in stopping her prey, the NYPD soon chases the arsonist down. Angrily, the woman turns on them, damning them for defending a city that worships false beauty. Grabbing up the police with her shadow-arms, she easily has them at her mercy, and nearly kills one of the officers, if it were not for a well-timed arrow from Huntress' crossbow. Angrily, the woman challenges her, but both women are suddenly distracted by an increasingly blinding bolt of light approaching. Karen crashes into the bridge's supports, and splashes into the water below. Without hesitation, Helena dives in after her, leaving the Tattooed Lady to return to terrorizing the police. Unfortunately, it's too dangerous for Helena to help her friend. Karen's powers are out of control.