In commemoration of Women’s Day, we honor these fictional bad-assed women who have been the subject of adoration and comic book geekery for generations– although full, Hollywood glory still seems to elude them. At least on their own terms, that is!
The Scarlet Witch
As one of the founding members of The Avengers, and the daughter of Magneto, you can see why she boasts one of the strongest mythologies in the Marvel universe. Let’s not forget about those hex powers… and the fact that she’s an actual witch, too. Talk about a double threat! Mix in the fact that her twin brother is Quicksilver, and she’s caught in a pretty complicated love triangle with The Vision and Wonder Man; you have a pretty strong recipe for an X-Men spinoff. Or, maybe more like an Avengers/Captain America spinoff; since she was all but ignored in Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Days of Futures Past. Only to be relegated to a teenage villainess-turned-heroine in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Oh well, here’s hoping that they stir up some of her comic book greatness in the Captain America sequel coming out May 6th.
The Phoenix
As one of my personal favorites on this list, I have to admit that Jean Grey was the reason why I became such a big comic book freak to begin with. Consider this: a self-doubting mutant with telekinetic powers who was so afraid of her own abilities that she opted to stifle them. Until, she took in that pesky dose of radiation and resurfaced as the Phoenix. Imagine my horror, then, when X-Men: The Last Stand, botched Jean’s resurrection story into a mass-murder incident of apocalyptic proportions. Basically destroying a piece of my childhood in the process. Thankfully, Bryan Singer has erased that whole, annoying incident from the X-Men past… errr… future? Let’s just cross our fingers that he gives The Phoenix another go, preferably in her own spin off this time.
Catwoman
Now, I know what you’re all going to say: “didn’t she get her shot on the silver screen?” Yes and no. You see, dear readers, when Tim Burton resurrected the character (no pun intended) for his ill-reviewed sequel, Batman Returns, it was always his intention to give this sassy lady a fair shake on her own. Preferably with Michelle Pfeiffer donning the pleather body suit. Sadly, what fans received 12 years later was a Halle Berry-helmed mess. Sure, Selina got the Nolan treatment in Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and Anne Hathaway did well enough. However, gone was this comic book sex symbol’s back story of re-awkanening. And, let’s not forget that she chose to become a cat burglar, engaging Batman in an entertaining game of chess for years to come. She has always treaded that line between good and evil; never quite fulfilling either role– all while keeping the Caped Crusader on his toes. I mean, has she really gotten a fair shake? I think not…
Well, there they are in no particular order. Do you see any super-heroine that I should have added to this list? Who would be in your top 3?