7 Badass Female Superheroes in Comics Right Now
1/97 Badass Female Superheroes in Comics Right Now
Comic writer/artist Kate Leth said it best: “Girl is not a genre.” No one would ever mistake Batman and Superman for being the same type of hero, just because they’re both dudes — so why do ‘girl heroes’ all get lumped together? (Oh, we know why.)
Truthfully, the world of female superheroes has never been more exciting and diverse. From royalty to college students, rock stars to bombshells, if you’re looking for a spandex-clad heroine to call your own, you’re in luck. Here are some of my favorite super-women in comics, available now at your local comic shop:
2/9Heroine: Ms. Marvel
Current Book(s): Ms. Marvel
Publisher: Marvel Comics
A Jersey-born fangirl from a Pakistani family, Kamala Khan’s super-origin story is super-unique. No one gets shot or bit or blown up by bad guys — she’s simply touched by a mysterious space mist. The mist awakens her latent superpowers (shapeshifting, if you’re curious) and sends her on a journey to be the best superhero she can be.
Kamala’s a favorite for a couple of reasons — she’s young, she’s Marvel’s first Muslim headliner, she’s not a tall, blonde, Barbie like her hero Captain Marvel — and she doesn’t have to be. Kamala is brave in ways traditional superheroes sometimes fail to be - from standing up for her bodily autonomy, to telling Wolverine all about the fanfiction she writes about him.
3/9Heroine: Batgirl
Current Book: Batgirl (of Burnside) (start with #35 for the most current story!)
Publisher: DC Comics
Since the 1960s, Barbara Gordon has been the best thing to come out of Gotham City, always managing to be a badass, brainy fighter who easily outclasses the flock of Robins that surround her. Her most recent incarnation in the pages of DC’s Batgirl not only embraces this, but updates it with steamy romance, social media shenanigans, and a color palette straight out of your favorite Sailor Moon episodes.
The Batgirl of Burnside (analogy time: Burnside is to Gotham as Brooklyn is to Manhattan) balances vigilante life away from the big black Bat with the stress of grad school. The best thing about Babs’ lab? Her fellow students are as diverse and fun a group as any you’ll meet in real life.
4/9Heroine: Spider-Gwen
Current Book: Spider-Gwen Vol. 0, The Radioactive Spider Gwen
Publisher: Marvel Comics
When Spider-man’s first love, Gwen Stacey, died in the 1960s, it set an ugly precedent for superhero girlfriends. Every hero dies and comes back to life on the regular, but their girlfriends always seemed to stay dead.
Spider-Gwen didn’t bring Gwen back from the dead, but it presented something even more interesting: a world where Gwen Stacey is bitten by the radioactive spider, and science whiz kid Peter Parker meets a tragic fate. Even better? She has the coolest costume design I’ve seen in years, and is the drummer in a punk band alongside other Spider-Girlfriend Mary Jane Watson. Face it ladies — we just hit the jackpot.
5/9Heroines: Batwoman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Amanda Waller, and more
Current Book: DC Bombshells
Publisher: DC Comics
Based on the [super cute line of vintage-themed art by Ant Lucia,] (http://a.tgcdn.net/images/products/zoom/1d37_dc_bombshells_posters.jpg) DC Bombshells is so much more than a cheeky nod to a bygone era. Bombshells is a full on action-packed, retro-perfect alternate history of World War II, where women pick up the jobs — superheroing and otherwise — left by men drafted into war. From Batwoman’s secret work for Suicide Squad badass Amanda Waller, to the Soviet propaganda machine that conceals Supergirl and Stargirl, Bombshells is a new origin and a perfect intro to the [real power of the DC Universe.] (http://comicsalliance.com/adam-hughes-real-power-dc-universe-poster/)
6/9Heroine: Thor, Goddess of Thunder
Current Book: Thor, Goddess of Thunder Vol. 1
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Here’s a fun test to see what kind of bitter crybaby dudes don’t actually read comics, but want you to think they do. See if they say: “They changed Thor into a girl,” like it’s a bad thing. First of all, that’s not a bad thing, and second of all? They clearly don’t even read the book.
Thor, Goddess of Thunder Vol. 1 is not the story Thor waking up a lady, one day. Instead, it’s the story of the Odinson (yeah, the hot, blonde one with the arms, like from the movies) finding himself unable to wield the Hammer of Thor. More troubling to him, a new challenger has appeared calling herself Thor, and she’s super worthy. She’s wielding the thing better than he ever has, and he aims to find out who she is.
The reveal is awesome. Volume 2 is on its way, and can’t come soon enough.
7/9Heroine: Black Canary
Current Book: Black Canary
Publisher: DC Comics
Spinning out from the world of Batgirl’s Burnside, Dinah Lance is the crazy-cool lead singer of Black Canary. She’s been around forever as the better half of DC’s Green Arrow, but has spent a good 10 years or so as a fan favorite due to [some particularly awesome] (http://www.amazon.com/Birds-Prey-Vol-Like-Minds/dp/140120192X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446518384&sr=8-1&keywords=birds+of+prey+gail+simone) [books about her.] (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Canary-Zatanna-Paul-Dini/dp/1401255493/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446518542&sr=8-1&keywords=bloodspell+dc+comics)
The book reads like a bit of a mystery: the attitude Dinah displays in Batgirl gets supplemented with a ton of rock-star cool, zine-style pages, not to mention chick's ‘international woman of mystery’ vibe. From the men she’s loved to the lies she’s told, Black Canary is a perfect rock’n’roll story with a superhero flair. Plus, she looks like she’d fit right in Taylor Swift’s "Bad Blood" video. After all, most band’s tour costumes aren’t that far off from superhero gear, right?
8/9Heroine: Captain Marvel
Current Book: Captain Marvel
Publisher: Marvel Comics
If you like your superheroes to come with a real-life posse, the ability to punch a T.Rex, and the sort of life advice that makes you cry over your cereal — then Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, is the woman for you.
A U.S. Air Force officer, Carol’s no stranger to flying around and being a hero. But when she receives powers from an alien source, her whole life changes. The original Ms. Marvel, Carol happily abandoned that title to give herself a promotion. From time travel, to Avenger-ing, to cruising around space, Captain Marvel is a book that moves from hilarious to moving in the blink of an eye. She’s so super-powered, that she even has a posse of devoted fans: the [Carol Corps.] (http://carolcorps.tumblr.com/) Plus, she’s a Star Wars geek. Her cat is named Chewie. C’mon. You love her already.
