Think of a movie superhero, and the odds are you will imagine a muscular white man equipped with spandex and a suitable amount of chest hair. But if 2014 is anything to go by, that may be about to change.
Figures like Maleficent, Elsa from Frozen and Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games are starting to prove that complex female lead characters can be successful, both in terms of the audience numbers they attract and the messages they are able to convey. Their growing popularity reflects a trend towards a more diverse set of role models.
Although there are still many hurdles to overcome, the coming years look to be promising as more women are better represented across the media.
So, forget Superman and Captain America; a new cohort of female superheroes is about to explode onto the scene. Here, we present you with the top ten badass women worth watching out for in 2015 and beyond:
1) Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman. Image Source: http://bit.ly/16QFV7a
Psychologist William Moulton Marston created Wonder Woman in 1941. A press release at the time claimed that she was conceived to “set up a standard among children and young people of strong, free, courageous womanhood; to combat the idea that women are inferior to men, and to inspire girls to self-confidence and achievement in athletics, occupations and professions monopolised by men”.
In the 1970’s Warner Bros acquired Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Since then six Superman films and eight Batman films have made it to the silver screen, but Wonder Woman has yet to appear in a single movie of her own.
This year, much to the delight of fans, Warner Bros Films announced the 2017 release of the first installment of a Wonder Woman trilogy, starring Israeli model Gal Gadot. Here’s to hoping the movie will live up to Wonder Woman’s famed Amazonian strength.
2) Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1CJXEaw
Following on from Wonder Woman, Marvel Studios announced plans to release a Captain Marvel movie in 2018. President Kevin Feige said: “This Captain Marvel’s name is Carol Danvers. Her adventures are very earthbound, but her powers are based in the cosmic realm.”
So far, little has been revealed of Carol Danvers’ adventures, but one thing is for sure- the superheroine’s debut will set the stage for more Marvel women in the future.
3) Thor
Thor. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1CC9vdC
One big surprise for superhero fans this year was the transformation of comic character Thor, the hammer-wielding god of thunder, into a woman. The first comic issue featuring the new goddess came out in October.
Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief Alex Alonso said: “She wields the hammer because Thor can’t. This is different because for reasons we can’t disclose quite yet, Thor is unable to pick up the hammer. There are a number of women in Thor’s life, and we’re going to tease out for quite a while the identity of who this woman is. But one of the women in Thor’s life picks up the hammer. She is in fact worthy. And she becomes Thor.”
Whilst it may be a while before we see this mighty warrior on the screen, the comic series is proving to be a hit. Watch this space for more fierce female hammer action.
4) Storm
Storm. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1rhvX7O
Famously played by Halle Berry in the X-Men series, Storm is one of the most enduring female African superheroes in the comic world. Born of a Kenyan witch-priestess and an American photojournalist, Storm has a complex story to tell, spanning uptown Harlem in New York to the streets of Cairo.
This year saw the launch of her first solo comic series – perhaps a new Storm movie is on the horizon?
5) Vixen
Vixen. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1wFYlB9
A lesser known superhero who packs a punch is African Mari Jiwe McCabe, also known as Vixen. Created by DC Comics in 1981, we have yet to see her take on any role on the big screen.
Vixen, born in the fictional nation of Zambesi, has powers derived from the animal kingdom, which stem from the ancient African spirit Anansi. She is by far the strongest woman hero out there, with strengths that range from flying like a hawk to spitting venom like a cobra.
In 2017, Hollywood will see the world’s first black male superhero in a Black Panther film. If there’s a time for the introduction of a new strong black woman, it’s now.
6) Kamala Khan
Kamala Khan. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1xM98LI
Kamala Khan is an American-Pakistani born in New Jersey. Coming into the fore of March this year, Kamala represents a generation of young people bridging the gap between their parents’ traditional roots and a westernised world.
As the first Muslim superhero in Marvel, Kamala Khan is sure to make her mark in the comic world in years to come.
7) Burka Avenger
Burka Avenger. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1CCcP8D
Venturing away from the comic giants Marvel and DC, this year has seen the rise of a new superhero TV series that has caused a stir halfway around the world. Burka Avenger is the story of a Pakistani teacher at an all-girls’ school with a superhero alter-ego who uses books and pens as weapons.
The unique quality of this hero is that she is in tune with the problems facing her own country. The Burka Avenger joined the fight against polio in Pakistan this October in an episode that saw her fight an evil magician who kidnapped a polio healthworker and vaccines.
Winning multiple awards, including the International Gender Equity Award, this TV series and it’s strong female superhero are set up for a meteoric rise way into 2015.
8) Qahera
Qahera. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1xcccy0
Qahera is without a doubt the sassiest female superhero out there. Created by 19 year old Egyptian Deena Mohamed, the hijab-clad heroine is the lead character in Egypt’s first webcomic. Deena describes Qahera as “a female, visibly muslim, superhero who combats misogyny and islamophobia amongst other things”.
Tackling the issues of sexual harassment, Islamist attitudes and sexism, the webcomic has become a viral phenomenon, reflecting a growing demand for strong Muslim female superheroes.
9) Bloody Nasreen
Bloody Nasreen. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1HC9m89
Bloody Nasreen is the lead character in a new graphic novel based in Karachi, Pakistan. She wields a gun in her right hand and a sword in her left, fighting street crime in traditional salwar kameez and not-so-traditional sneakers. Significantly, she is the first female hero from Pakistan to walk the streets unveiled.
Creator Kahan Zaidi said: “I wanted my heroine to portray a regular girl-next-door from Karachi, someone every Pakistani girl could relate to.” Unlike other heros on this list, Bloody Nasreen has no superpowers, but instead picked up all her skills “along the way”.
Inspired by female action stories such as Kill Bill, Bloody Nasreen has attracted the attention of numerous Pakistani film-makers. Watch this space for a film announcement next year.
10) Priya’s Shakti
Priya’s Shakti. Image Source: http://bit.ly/1zyndNq
A recently launched multimedia project, Priya’s Shakti follows the partnership between a woman and Hindu goddess Parvati to fight sexual violence and assault in India and around the world.
Presented as an innovative comic that combines animation and illustration, Priya and her attempts to end violence against women is a true symbol of the power of the future comic and the need for female superheroes to push for social change across all societies and cultures.
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