As Women’s History month comes to an end, I wanted to highlight a few notable characters that I feel really embody the spirit of female empowerment. If you haven’t already guessed it, I am a huge fan of comic books (specifically those published by Marvel and DC). I just think that it is the greatest thing ever to be able to crack open a comic book about larger than life heroes and see someone that shares something with you- whether its nationality, gender, or even a disability. Having someone to look up to makes a huge impact on a person’s life.
1. Wonder Woman
This (literal) goddess has paved the way for other comics’ portrayal of female characters. This daughter of Zeus is stronger than Hercules, is as swift as Hermes, as wise as Athena, and as beautiful as Aphrodite. And let us not forget about all those cool gadgets.
2. Storm
Total control over the weather? Sign me up! Before she joined up with the X-Men, Storm would travel all over Africa and help poor villages by making it rain. She was also married to T’Challa (Black Panther) for a brief time.
3. Black Canary
Nothing says badass like a girl who has mastered most, if not all, forms of hand-to-hand combat. She can also emit a high-pierced sound that can shatter metal known as the “canary cry.”
4. Black Widow
This lady has no traditional superpowers but she makes up for it with her gymnastic prowess and her array of lethal weapons. She becomes a spy and later a member of the Avengers. The B in badass stands for Black Widow. I’m sure of it.
5. The Amazons
This is one of those moments where mythology gets adapted into a comic book but I don’t think anyone is all that broken up about it. The Amazons are a race of superhuman warrior women created by Olympian goddesses from the spirits of women who had died at the hands of men. They live on an island completely isolated from humanity and the best part? No men, ever. I’m sure we’ve all contemplated a similar existence at one point or another. Their Queen Hippolyta is the mother of our very own Wonder Woman, who grew up on Themyscira before she made her way into the world of Man. After her mother died, Diana returned and took up the mantle of Queen of the Amazons.
6. Jean Grey
Poor Jean Grey has had some rough sailing throughout the years. She is one of the original members of the X-Men and possesses extremely powerful telepathic abilities. She’s also quite the charmer, as she’s had several members of the X-Men fall in love with her.
7. Vixen
A magical totem that allows you to channel the abilities of any animal? Seriously, how do the writers even come up with this stuff? Very, very cool.
8. The Wasp
Ant-man and the Wasp were relationship goals- before he started going crazy and she divorced him. They became a crime-fighting team and founding members of the Avengers. She can grow as tall as a building or shrink to insect size. When she shrinks, she sprouts tiny wings and antennae and can fly at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. She can also fire energy blasts from her hands.
9. Catwoman
Here we have another woman with no superpowers but incredible fighting abilities, an expertise in acrobatics, and an arsenal of gadgets to help carry out her escapades. She has been a villain just as much as she’s been a hero but my favorite thing about her is how often she manages to outwit Batman.
10. Scarlet Witch
Using powerful chaos magic, Wanda warps reality itself to her will. She and her brother (Quicksilver) started off working for Magneto and against the X-Men. After a change of heart, they abandoned Magneto and later joined the Avengers. Wanda then goes on to marry Vision, a fellow Avenger.
11. Hawkgirl
While this character has seen many incarnations, the one constant is a pair of wings bonded to her body allowing her to fly, and an unwavering desire to use her powers for the greater good.
12. The Invisible Woman
Invisibility and the ability to project force fields are two of the coolest powers ever, in my opinion. Formerly known as the Invisible Girl, Sue Storm Richards received her powers from cosmic radiation received during a trip to space. She is a member of the Fantastic Four, the first superhero family.
13. Supergirl
Superman’s cousin was older than our Man of Steel when they both left Krypton in separate pods. When she landed on Earth, however, baby Kal was suddenly twice her age. Even more confusing were the new powers she seemed to possess, identical to her cousin’s, which were a product of her cells being charged by yellow solar radiation. After a few years of adjustment, however, Kara Zor-El followed in her cousin’s footsteps and used her powers to help people.
14. Gamora
She has a nearly indestructible skeleton and was trained to be the deadliest assassin in the galaxy by the Titan Thanos who raises her after her entire alien race is wiped out. Once she learns about his evil nature, however, Gamora turns against him and foils his plans.
Who is your favorite comic book femme fatale? Let me know on social media!