10 Female Superheroes You Need To Know

A man's world? Not anymore. Here are ten comic book superheroes who are showing us that girls are, and have always meant to be, heroes.

#10 Mera: Originally from Xebel, Mera has proven to be more than just Aquaman’s wife. She is a fierce warrior with the power to manipulate water. She can create hard water objects, extract water from her enemies’ bodies and control enormous amounts of water, such as tidal waves or even oceans. Her amazing powers and relentless passion for justice had proven her worthy of her own mini-series Mera: Queen of Atlantis.

#9 Ms. Marvel: Kamala Khan is a sixteen-year-old Pakistani-American girl from Jersey City, created by Sana Amanat, G. Willow Wilson, and Adrian Alphona. Even though she is a new character (she first appeared in Captain Marvel #17, 2013), she has already earned a place in the history of comics. Kamala fulfilled a need for representation of Pakistani characters in a natural, organic and respectful way. She is a teenage girl trying to balance her school life with heroic activities (She was a member of the Avengers, and now she is the heart and soul of the Champions) and her family. She has a religious brother that she loves and understand, while at the same time she questions her family’s traditions and religion, like any other teenager. That is what makes her so relatable, Ms. Marvel is a girl trying to figure out who she is, what her place in the world is, and how to make the world a better place.

#8 Spider-Gwen: From Marvel’s earth 65, Gwen Stacy is a student at Midtown High School, drummer at the girls-only rock band The Mary Janes and your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman. Besides having all the same powers as Spider-Man, Gwen has a wristwatch that allows her to travel to the multiverse. If you are looking for a different kind of hero, someone fresh, relevant and witty, you’re going to love Spider-Gwen. With spectacular art by Robbi Rodriguez, Spider-Gwen comics are modern, beautifully crafted and fun, as every good book should be.

#7 Wonder Woman: Well, this one is not a surprise. With the enormous success of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman movie and a sequel already in the making, it is undeniable the character’s impact on women’s representation in comics and film. As for her comics, her Rebirth books are a great way to jump into her world. Another must-read is the Earth One graphic novel written by all-star writer Grant Morrison with art from Yanick Paquette. You can also find her in the pages of The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman, Dark Nights: Metal, No Justice, and Justice League.

#6 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: This book is particularly remarkable because it features the smartest person in the Marvel Universe. You read correctly, 11-year-old Lunella Lafayette is the most intelligent Marvel character. With her unique intellect, she can create all kind of gadgets, like a rocket to the moon or a Kree detector. Lunella is a young African-American girl who uses her intellect to make a better world, and that will never allow anyone to tell her she can’t achieve her goals. This comic is pure gold. Also, did I mention her best friend is a giant red dinosaur?

#5 Green Lantern Jessica Cruz: “I didn’t know a girl could be a Green Lantern! That means I can be a Green Lantern too!” This line from Green Lanterns #10 summarizes the importance of female representation in comics. If you are a girl in the DC Universe, you’ve probably heard of Hal Jordan, John Stewart or any of the other Lanterns of Earth. Now, when Jessica Cruz rescues this same girl, the child not only discovers that women can be powerful heroes, she learns she can be a hero too. And that is the beauty of representation, having young girls reading about great female characters will give them the strength to pursue her dreams. And, why not, be a Green Lantern, after all, all it takes is the ability to overcome great fears. No evil shall escape our sight, ladies!

#4 Batgirl: With a long history of resilience, Barbara Gordon does not let anything stands in the way of justice. When her father wouldn’t allow her to enter the Police Academy, she started fighting crime as Batgirl. When the Joker shot her at point-blank, Barbara kept fighting crime as Oracle. Now, in her ongoing series, Batgirl keeps proving why she is one of the most beloved characters of the DC Universe and a precious member of the Bat-Family. For more of her adventures, check out Batgirl and the Birds of Prey (2016).

#3 Kitty Pride: Current leader of the X-Men, Kitty Pride, whose adventures you can read in X-Men: Gold, is a mutant who has had to face hatred from a very early age. She joined the X-Men at age thirteen, and since then she has fought to defend mutants and to achieve Charles Xavier’s dream of peace between humans and mutants. She has gone from being a shy, insecure teenager to a reliable, unquestionable leader and role model for her students.

#2 Harley Quinn: This villain-turned-hero is more significative to comics than what meets the eye. Devoted initially to The Joker, Harley has endured a life of abuse and manipulation. But, in her funny, awesome craziness, there is something we can learn: Our past does not define us, and we are stronger than we think. She was able to let go of her unhealthy relationship and moved on with her life; made new friends, found love, got her own comic book series and never let anyone take away her smile. You go, girl!

#1 Supergirl: We finish this list of female heroes with The Girl of Steel herself. First appeared in Action Comics #252 (1959), Kara Zor-El has earned her place in the hearts of fans across the globe. She saved Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths, fought alongside the Legion of Superheroes, joined the Red Lanterns, and so on. Her love for humankind is as strong as her love for the life she left behind when Krypton died. She is an alien trying to protect the world she adopted as her own. Supergirl has shown us there is nothing girls can’t do, powers or not.

Now, what are you waiting for? Run to your local comic book store and treat yourself with a story of empowerment and let your inner hero rise!