Female Superheroes in The Mainstream

Female superheroes aren’t a new phenomenon, in fact Wonder Woman has been around since 1941, when she first appeared in All Star Comics. However, not until recently have female superheroes featured so heavily in DC and Marvel’s films, with Endgame proving to be the culmination of a legacy of change for the Marvel franchise, which came weeks after Captain Marvel was released, with Brie Larson playing the title role.

We take a look at some of the most influential heroines across fantasy and fiction that you may have forgotten about.

Emma Frost

The ice-queen of Marvel’s X-Men comic, the super-strength style icon was underused in the film franchise. This is amazing considering that she featured in the comic book’s storylines since 1980 in various guises. Emma’s no-holds-barred personality and no-nonsense attitude to gender and sexuality has made her, in the eyes of many fans, one of the strongest female characters ever devised. She was certainly many years ahead of her time.

Calling her a ‘superhero’ is a little difficult, as her intentions don’t always match those of the typical heroes. Sometimes, she is more antagonist than protagonist, like in ‘X-Men: First Class.’ However, with a fictional character, it is always important to acknowledge what an individual stands for. Emma is more concerned with personal gain and independent success than ‘saving the world.’ As an aspirational woman, she provides a blueprint for all of us. The fact that she is portrayed as betwixt and between the lines of good and evil – not a direct adversary, but certainly not an X-Man (with the ‘Man’ in that title having a lot to do with it) – shows us that she is actually a lone, misunderstood feminist ideal.

Lara Croft

While film and novel writers may have long neglected the female superhero in a lead role, the developers of video games and their characters have long championed independent female heroes. It has taken the success of these games to encourage filmmakers to give these leading ladies their turn in the spotlight. And no gaming goddess has captured the imagination like Lara Croft.

The prolific ‘Tomb Raider’ has since featured in her very own feature films, while starring in more than 15 different games. These were available across different consoles and devices and were well-received. In particular, the classic renditions of this franchise are popular for introducing such a heroine and making her a household name, although the modern film adaptation won praise for desexualising Lara and giving her greater wit and gravitas. She may not have superpowers, but she is certainly super.

Online and terrestrial gaming has given us everyone from Princess Zelda to Resident Evil’s Jill Valentine. Game developers have been more forward-thinking in promoting female leads and creating fun and relatable environments for female gamers. Whether you enjoy cashing in on the latest slots bonuses on the super popular Mega Moolah game or living the life of assassin Aveline de Grandpre in Assassin’s Creed III, games include themes that are accessible to women; something Hollywood should take heed of. We should get something back, should it be a free spin, a jackpot win or the satisfaction of slaying one of your enemies!

Raven

While Supergirl, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel are the best-known heroines for their immense power, DC Comics’ Raven is usually forgotten about. A sorceress born of a demon, Raven’s ‘Soul-Self’ gives her a huge advantage over adversaries in battle. Her range of psychic abilities, which include teleportation and telekinesis, are enough to make her a match for anyone.

We are inundated with powerful female superheroes with immense strength, but perhaps in the past, they haven’t had the personality of modern, better-developed female characters. An increase in female writers helps round these characters more and gives them relatable tropes that draw our empathy and respect. A superhero needs to inspire us, after all.

There are a plethora of female superheroes out there and most of them are waiting for you to discover them. Remember that they appear in games, TV series, graphic novels and books, rather than just comics and movies. All mediums have their popular characters but don’t be afraid to try something different. You may be pleasantly surprised.