While many of us claim to support women’s rights *and* wrongs, how have the wrongs of women been represented in popular American media? Believe it or not, this can be explored through decades of superhero comics and films, demonstrating the ways in which societal standards, historical events, and fashion trends shape the portrayal of female supervillains in media.
The 1940s
The 1940s would see the birth of the first DC Comics female supervillain: “The Cat.” Debuting in the 1940 comic Batman #1, The Cat, aka socialite Selina Kyle, was characterized as a seductive professional cat-burglar obsessed with jewels and gems. The Cat would later become the iconic “Catwoman,” appearing in television series, movies, and countless comics since the 40s as both antagonist and protagonist, becoming a beloved character of the DC Universe.
The 1950s
Although originally debuting 1942 in the comic Sensation Comics #4, Baroness Paula von Gunther would become a popular recurring Wonder Woman antagonist in the 1950s. In early appearances, the Baroness was portrayed as a Nazi spy but would eventually become an ally to Wonder Woman despite her struggles and villainous lapses. Gunther is a product of her time, as she was created near the end of WW2 and demonstrates the portrayal of Nazis in American media.
The 1960s
While others would shortly follow, Amora the Enchantress is regarded as Marvel’s first female supervillain. Debuting in the comic Journey into the Mystery #103 in 1964 alongside the Executioner. The 1960s saw another prominent villain come out of DC Comics with the debut of Poison Ivy in Batman #181 as a botanist in Gotham. The 60s showed differing portrayals of female villains as Amora the Enchantress’ debut was alongside male counterparts with the purpose of evilly seducing a male hero, while Poison Ivy was an independent female villain, a character not commonly seen at the time.
The 1970s
First appearing in the DC Comics Detective Comics #411 in 1971 as the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul’s character and story revolve around the struggle between choosing her supervillain father and her love interest in Batman. Originally introduced as a damsel in distress, Talia would see many different depictions as an assassin and CEO, ranging from protagonist to antagonist. Talia al Ghul is a perfect example of the sort of complexity that many female villains lacked in the early days of comics.
The 1980s
The 80s would see the birth of a Marvel crowd pleaser with Dark Phoenix. Jean Grey would see herself manipulated into the mutant villain we know in the “Phoenix Saga” starting in Uncanny X-Men #101, officially debuting the Dark Phoenix character in Uncanny X-Men #129. Dark Phoenix was truly characteristic of the period and demonstrated the way fashion trends shaped villains throughout decades. Sporting big red hair and a neon suit, she would become an icon of the 80s and is a huge part of a comic era many fans reminisce in the modern day.
The 1990s
Arguably the most popular female villain in American media, Harley Quinn would first appear in the Batman animated series in 1992 in the episode “Joker’s Favor.” Her first *non-canon* comic appearance in The Batman Adventures #12 in 1993 appearing alongside Poison Ivy, but she would officially be integrated into the DC Universe in 1999 in Batman: Harley Quinn #1. The 90s would also see a new trend; female supervillain groups. In 1990 in Femme Fatales would debut as a group of mutants in the “Amazing Spider Man #340.” Similarly, first appearing as a team of female superheroes in Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey #1 in 1995, the Birds of Prey would see many adaptations that included female villains such as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and more.
The 2010s & 2020s
While the 2010s and 2020s did see the debut of some female villains, such as Grail and Invincible Woman, the adaptations and growth in popularity of female villains have skyrocketed in the last two decades. In 2017, Hela would become the first female villain to grace the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Thor: Ragnarok. Similarly, Catwoman would be featured as a main character in the 2022 film The Batman. Cassandra Nova would be featured as the main villain in Deadpool & Wolverine, and how could we forget the 2021 hit television series WandaVision featuring The Scarlet Witch.
While there has been a lack of popular female villains created in the last 20 years, how previous villains have changed and developed as characters and broken past boundaries to reach new realms of popularity is a stark difference from the beginning that female supervillains saw. This is the epitome of the growth of the representation of women, evil or not.
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