At my high school graduation party, a dear friend of mine gave me a copy of "Old Man Logan," a Wolverine masterpiece by Mark Millar, and demanded that I read it. I did, and two years later, I own more comics than is probably healthy. I’ve read comics out of order, upside down, and backwards, so I’m no authority on who’s who and what’s what in the dozens of comic universes out there. I'm not familiar with the big titles like Iron Man, Batman, or Wonder Woman. I am, however, in the slow process of amassing as many female-led comics as I can find. It’s not for any particular reason—sometimes they’re amazing feminist works, like Kelly Sue DeConnick’s Bitch Planet, sometimes there’s an incredible character study like Natasha Romanoff in The Name of the Rose, and sometimes it’s just really fun to read about Carol Danvers kicking butt in space. Without further ado, here are five comic book ladies I’ve come to love.
1. Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow
Natasha is a personal favorite of mine, and not just because I love Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of her in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In her most recent comic book years, she's become equally sympathetic and badass, which makes her a joy to read. Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto, in Natasha's current run, created a Black Widow who struggles with herself and the people around her, tries desperately to do what she believes is right, and refuses to accept that the stray cat in her neighborhood has become her own. In the aforementioned collection The Name of the Rose, written by the phenomenal Marjorie Liu, Natasha brawls with the best of them and endures incredible physical torture twice. At the same time, she also finds herself dealing with emotional trauma from her past.
2. Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel
She's sassy, she's hilarious, and she's powerful enough to drop kick you into space. Carol is not to be confused with Ms. Marvel, a title that, while originally hers, now belongs to Kamala Khan. The great thing about Carol is that she's far from perfect. She's reckless, pigheaded, and when told that she cannot use her powers because of the damage it's doing to her brain, she uses them anyway. She has a delightful feud with Rocket the Raccoon (yes, she goes to space) over whether or not her cat Chewie is an alien or not. She also fights giant robots in an alternate universe with a group of hardcore military ladies called the Banshee Squadron. She fosters a sisterly relationship with a little girl named Kit, who is Carol's biggest fan and greatest source of inspiration to continue doing what she does. If that's not reason enough to read the comics, I don't know what is. In 2018, she'll be Marvel's first female superhero to lead a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in Captain Marvel.
3. Alana, Saga
Less known in most circles, Alana is the leading character in the epic space opera Saga, produced by Image Comics. She's a wife and a mother, fighting with everything she has to keep her family together and safe, because did I mention that she and her husband are both from warring races? Alana is basically what would happen if Juliet didn't die, decided to kill anyone who stood in her way, and ran off with Romeo into the secret parts of space. She's also a step in the right direction towards racial representation. Despite being a literal alien, so therefore not a member of any Earth-bound race, Alana is drawn in the comics with dark skin. Also, she has wings. How cool is that?
4. Harleen Quinzel, Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad
The woman is batsh*t crazy. That being said, Harley Quinn is still fascinating, and her mental state does not in any way detract from that. Perhaps the best way to describe Harley is that she tries to do good deeds, but goes about them so badly that they completely backfire or turn her into a murderer. On one hand, she puts down her weapons and refuses to fight the Black Canary when the Black Canary informs her that she's pregnant. Harley commiserates with her and later visits her in the hospital, bringing good intentions but slightly horrifying baby gifts with her. On the other hand, in a terrifying scene in Kicked in the Teeth, Suicide Squad Volume One, Harley forces a teammate to wear the Joker's torn-away face and roleplay a conversation with her. Despite the disturbing nature of the scene, the underlying message is that Harley is fighting to deal with the consequences of her abusive relationship with the Joker. As one of the few true morally gray female characters in comics, Harley Quinn is a standout.
5. Forever Carlyle, Lazarus
Set in a dystopian world, Image Comics' series Lazarus follows the story of Forever, a woman who can't be killed and works as a bodyguard for a single family. Over the first three pages, the writers develop more depth to Forever than anyone I've ever seen before. She's attacked and 'killed' by three people who only want something to eat, but she follows her orders and does her duty by killing all of them. She feels guilt and weariness and plaintively asks the doctor attending her, "Does everyone feel like this? When they have to kill someone, I mean? I mean, this is normal, right? To feel like this?" Even in her first appearance, Forever is heartbreakingly human.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. Maybe someday, I'll sit down and list off every single female superhero and villain that exists in the world of comic books - I'm already thinking of more as I sit here and write - but these five are the big ones that I know. They're kickass, they're both multidimensional and flawed, and they're generally pretty fabulous. If you've got the time, I would recommend reading whatever comics with these ladies you can get your hands on.
