July 11, 2017
We need more badass women leads on our movie screens.
Photo via Tumblr/yabokeijiWhen “Wonder Woman” hit the big screens, women rejoiced at the fact that a symbol of female empowerment finally made it in Hollywood.
And what’s even better is that Gal Gadot, the actress who played Wonder Woman, is a female superhero herself. As a winner of the Miss Israel title in 2004 and a former soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces, Gadot proves that women really can do it all.
But with the disparate number of female superhero movies and TV shows to male superhero productions, society is still having a hard time grasping the concept of what a powerful female superhero is supposed to look like. Does Wonder Woman need to cover up to be a legitimate superhero?
Unfortunately, the popular answer is: yes.
Many people chose to focus on Wonder Woman’s “sexy” outfit more than her message. They believed a woman with a “pinup look” couldn’t possibly empower young women and girls. This, then, promotes the belief that women can either be sexy or smart, but never both.
This, however, is a result of the lack of representation in Hollywood – especially when it comes to female superheroes. And since ENTITY is about empowering women, here is a list of female DC and Marvel female superheroes (in no order) who deserve their time in the limelight.
Black Canary’s story was born when alter-ego Dinah Laurel Lance couldn’t join the Gotham City Police Department with her father. Inspired by his career, she found her own way to save her city. Her high power “Canary Cry” incapacitates enemies and shatter objects.
Black Canary’s character was represented in CW’s “Arrow,” but the character deserves to be represented on the big screen.
As a DC superhero favorite, Black Canary is a crime fighting, motorcycle riding, martial arts badass. She glides through the sky on her motorcycle and boxes harder than her male counterparts. Also, she founded the powerful girl gang, Birds of Prey.
As a ruler of the seas, Mera is one of the most powerful superheroes in the DC universe. Mera fell in love with the man she was meant to destroy. Now, she has to choose to either stand beside her husband or join her her family and people.
Mera is relatable to every woman who struggles with being split between a man and her family or her career. Still, Mera is a symbol of a woman who keeps her independence by following her heart instead of the opinions of others.
With superpowers like aqua-kinesis and inter-dimensional travel, Mera is an unapologetic underwater superhero.
Although many versions of the Huntress currently exist in the DC Universe, the most recent representation of her character is is Helena Bertinelli.
As an orphan of a murdered Sicilian mobster family, Huntress fights criminals to avenge her family’s death. Helena is the most deadly of all the other Huntress characters due to the fact she enjoys torturing and killing her victims. She is also skilled with a bow and arrow and is immune to all types of poison. She’s a member of the Justice League, Birds of Prey and Justice Society.
Big Barda is a New God from Apokolips, which means she is extremely powerful and perfect. She served Darkseid, Apokolips’ tyrannical ruler, until she met her husband, Mister Miracle, and ran away to Earth with him.
Big Barda and Mister Miracle’s relationship isn’t what you’d expect. While Mister Miracle is more peaceful and kind, Barda loves to fight. Barda ends up always protects Mister Miracle, which essentially shows that women can be more powerful and stronger than men.
Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran was forced into slavery at a young age. Eventually, she was able to flee to Earth, where she saw heroes protecting the oppressed. She then made the decision to become Starfire.
She was born with an alien physiology that allows her to absorb ultraviolet rays and convert it into energy to fly. At the same time, she can also use this energy for destructive blasts.
Starfire dedicates her life to helping people who are suffering as slaves. She proves women can be compassionate and gentle while also being badass crime-fighting heroes.
Black Widow is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and a member of the Avengers. Her real name is Natalia “Natasha” Alianovna Romanova. She’s a trained martial artist, spy and sniper.
Although she was rescued from an inferno as a child by a Soviet soldier, she’s never needed rescuing from a man ever since.
Scarlet Witch is alters reality and is the role model every young girl needs.
Her power? She causes cause molecular disturbances in places with spontaneous combustion. She also, by the way, can deflect flying objects and practice sorcery.
Tigra, also known as Greer Grant Nelson, was the product of an experiment aimed at enabling humans to attain full physical and mental capabilities. She fights crime with the Avengers, and she’s a hardworking lab assistant turned superhero.
See? Women who are smart can also be strong.
Elektra is a master of martial arts and went to Columbia. Her enemy, Daredevil, is her former love. We feel you, Elektra.
She doesn’t have any powers, but she’s an Olympic-level gymnast and athlete. At that point, you don’t even need superpowers.
Susan Storm is a founding member of the Fantastic Four and the first female superhero created by Marvel during the Silver Age of Comics.
Invisible Woman received her powers after being exposed to a cosmic storm. She can become invisible and project powerful fields of invisible psionic energy. Although she lived in her brother and husband’s shadow for a long time, she is now a major part of the Fantastic Four. But she should still have her own movie that delves into her backstory.
Storm is the woman of color superhero who deserves an entire movie franchise. She’s a descendent of African priestesses and her mother was an African princess. She’s also a mutant who possesses the ability to manipulate weather patterns.
With the lack of representation of women of color in female superhero universes, Storm would be the representation all women need.
There’s a large imbalance of female superhero movies to male superhero movies. The fact that a female superhero movie, such as “Wonder Woman,” can’t come out without receiving major backlash is complete injustice.
So, we say, give these female superheroes all the movies.
