My Fair Ladies (Of The Printed Page)

For years Wonder Woman was the default favorite superheroine of most boys and girls.  This was probably primarily due to the fact that she was on so many cartoons throughout the 70's and 80's and on her own television show starring Lynda Carter in the title role.  Wonder Woman stuck with me because of the many Saturday mornings that I watched her and the rest of the Superfriends take on all sorts of villains. 

While the character has changed a bit (especially in recent years), she'll always be the lasso throwing, bracelet crossing, invisible plane flying female representative of the comics world for me.
 

I've always been a sucker for southern girls, and Anna (who carries multiple last names), better known as the X-Men's Rogue, definitely caught my eye.  She's the power-absorbing mutant who stole Gambit's heart and has been a favorite of mine since well before he came onto the scene.  I love the fact that she can take on the powers and mindset of other mutants and use them either to defend herself or protect others.  Like all of the mutants, she has a hard time fitting into a normal, everyday life.  However, I personally feel that she struggles with this more than most of the other mutants do.

Sure, she's been a villain a few times, but Rogue always comes back to being a heroine.  I hope her character continues to develop, as she is one of the more complex heroines to come around.  Also, you gotta love that hair!

Few people can stand up to Batman without getting a batarang upside their head.  This short list includes Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman, a heroine who seems to be unable to decide if she's good or bad.  She has been around since the 1940's and much like Wonder Woman, she's managed to remain popular throughout her existence. 

Like Batman, Catwoman lacks true super powers (although there have been a few origin stories, particularly in the film Batman Returns and the terrible Halle Berry flick Catwoman that hint at supernatural powers) and must rely on her wits and an array of weapons to help her get by in the world as a hero and a criminal.

I've always seen Catwoman as a character that uses male chauvinistic beliefs of women to her advantage.  Even the Batman has succumbed to her seductive ways.

Bobbi Morse always seems to find her way on a team.  She's been an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., is one of the founding members of the West Coast Avengers, has been associated with other groups as well, AND managed to make an honest man out of Hawkeye when they married.   Somehow, though, the lady they call Mockingbird can stand on her own.

Like her husband, Mockingbird has no super powers.  Don't let that fool you, though, as she can easily handle herself in a fight.  She is a brutal fighter, and has bested a number of super villains over the years.

She has also worn quite a few costumes over the years, but my favorite is included in the photo below.

Another of my favorite comic superheroines actually made her debut on television and not on the printed page.  As a young boy, I always thought that Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was one of the best cartoons on Saturday mornings.  While Spidey was the show's star, it was his two co-stars that stole the show.  The mutant Iceman kept things cool on the program while the fiery redhead codenamed Firestar heated things up. 

Her real name is Angelica Jones, and although she has only appeared sporadically over the years in comic books, I've always been fond of her character thanks to the old television show.  For whatever reasons, Firestar has never managed to find a foothold in the comics world.  She has been on numerous teams, but always seems to lose steam and eventually disappear for awhile.

 Her powers include flight and the ability to manipulate microwaves in order to create flames.

Hopefully she will find a regular audience, and remain in print for a long, long time.

 

Greer Nelson started her crimefighting career as Marvel's The Cat, but took on the form of the legendary feline warrior woman called Tigra in order to save her life.  This character's biography is quite complex and much too extensive to cover here, so just know that through a combination of magic and science, Greer Nelson became Tigra.

Her powers range from enhanced senses and physical abilities to having extremely sharp claws.  She's been a member of a number of teams over the years, but much like Hawkeye and Mockingbird, I first discovered her as a West Coast Avenger.

Of all the characters on this list, I rank Tigra as a favorite for the most shallow of reasons:  she's hot.  Granted, she's covered in striped fur and could rip my eyeballs out with her claws, but Tigra is a very seductive character.  C'mon!  Her "costume" is a bikini!  She's basically a sexier, deadlier version of Catwoman with superpowers, and I love her for it!

Proof that good things come in small packages, The Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) is an intelligent, forward thinking woman, and a founding member of The Avengers.  She has the ability to decrease or increase her physical size, can fly, and can fire energy bolts from her hands.

As far as Avengers go, she and her husband, Hank Pym, have been two of the group's most loyal members.

What I love about her so much is her determination.  I know of very few comics characters who started off as somewhat weak and unsure of themselves, only to turn into a great hero such as The Wasp.  She can be catty and manipulative at times, but at her core, she is a good person.

She's definitely one of the more colorful characters in the Avengers stable, and it is especially fun to see her take on big villains and annoy the heck out of them.

Mr. Fantastic might be the leader of the Fantastic Four, but at its heart, it is Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, who keeps the group together.  It's tough enough to have to fight supervillains, but Sue has to keep her husband, brother, and best friend from killing each other as well.

I consider the Fantastic Four to be the "first family" of comics.  They act like any traditional family would, and Invisible Woman is definitely the matriarch of the bunch.

I love how her character has gotten stronger, both as a person and as a hero, over the years.  Of all of the female characters in comic books these days, Invisible Woman is definitely one of the most positive role models in the bunch.  While her beauty might allow her enemies to underestimate her, her brains and heart soon prove that she is no pushover.

She-Hulk came about when she received a life-saving blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner (the Hulk).  She took on many of his abilities and that wonderful green skin tone as well. 

Unlike the Hulk, She-Hulk can change her form at will and actually prefers her stronger, more confident green-skinned persona as opposed to that of Jennifer Walters, her everyday, human form.

She can also retain her mental capacity and knows and remembers what she does whenever she "hulks out." 

I think what really sets She-Hulk apart, and also what makes her a favorite of mine, is that she is highly intelligent, a great lawyer who defends those in need, and never shies from a fight if she believes in it.

Like Invisible Woman, She-Hulk ranks as a positive role model for young girls.  She shows people that it is okay to be comfortable in your own skin (even if it is green) and to always stand up for yourself.