To me, the female of the species have always been far more interesting in books.
From a very young age reading 'Matilda', 'The Faraway Tree', and 'Charlotte's Web', to getting older reading 'Sophie's World' and 'Double Act', I've always especially enjoyed reading about female characters. Something I hadn't realised until I met the author of 'Double Act'.
Our school was hosting the Smarties Book Prize and had nominated Jacqueline Wilson's book to win. She was doing a Q & A, and this was one of a few books I'd read by her. Being the inquisitive young man I was, I raised my tiny arm up and queried the one pattern I'd noticed about her writing, "Why don't you write stories about boys?". A small, short giggle rippled across the crowd of children, like I'd asked her something stupid and naive. I was confused. Was it obvious? If so, not to me. Jacqueline smiled, held her hands out to simmer everyone down and said, "Because I'm not a boy. I have no idea what you think about. How can I write about the point of view of a boy if I've never been one?"
Now, I'm not saying what Jacqueline Wilson said was correct. In fact I sat there pretty bemused by what she'd said. Roald Dahl wasn't a girl and had wrote 'Matilda' and many other female characters. I'd tried to read 'Black Beauty' that year and that wasn't written by a fucking horse, what utter tosh! However, whether she meant to or not, it did make me realise in that moment: "Boys are pretty boring and predictable, to me, in comparison to girls, because I am a boy. I'll never truly understand what it's like to be a girl". This revelation was infuriating for someone who was as curious and intrigued about how everything in the world worked as I was, but over time I continued to postulate and began realising that female authors and characters in books offer a window into a world I will never truly grasp by myself.
Our school was hosting the Smarties Book Prize and had nominated Jacqueline Wilson's book to win. She was doing a Q & A, and this was one of a few books I'd read by her. Being the inquisitive young man I was, I raised my tiny arm up and queried the one pattern I'd noticed about her writing, "Why don't you write stories about boys?". A small, short giggle rippled across the crowd of children, like I'd asked her something stupid and naive. I was confused. Was it obvious? If so, not to me. Jacqueline smiled, held her hands out to simmer everyone down and said, "Because I'm not a boy. I have no idea what you think about. How can I write about the point of view of a boy if I've never been one?"
Now, I'm not saying what Jacqueline Wilson said was correct. In fact I sat there pretty bemused by what she'd said. Roald Dahl wasn't a girl and had wrote 'Matilda' and many other female characters. I'd tried to read 'Black Beauty' that year and that wasn't written by a fucking horse, what utter tosh! However, whether she meant to or not, it did make me realise in that moment: "Boys are pretty boring and predictable, to me, in comparison to girls, because I am a boy. I'll never truly understand what it's like to be a girl". This revelation was infuriating for someone who was as curious and intrigued about how everything in the world worked as I was, but over time I continued to postulate and began realising that female authors and characters in books offer a window into a world I will never truly grasp by myself.
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So years later is it remotely shocking that most of my favourite characters in comics are women? Or some of my favourite artists and writers have penned them and others? At one point I'm certain that my pull list was 100% female led comics. With all that in mind, I thought it was about time I paid tribute to the women who make every week exciting, dangerous and enthralling. Here's a list of my top 10 favourite female comic characters, and neatly interwoven into it, some top women working in comics. Enjoy!
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LUCIFER - The Wicked & the Divine
"Damnation is delightful. Everyone should try it."
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Lucifer, or Luci for short, is the Christian Fallen-Archangel also known as the Devil and is one of the gods of the Recurrence, symbolised by an inverted pentagram, and she kicks ass.
Although her time is short in the epic that is 'The Wicked & The Divine' she doesn't half make an impact. She is, by all accounts, the Devil herself, but she comes across as the most sane person within the comics pages. Even many issues after her exit, she impacts the story, and the main narrator, Laura Wilson, seems as completely unable to forget about her as we are. |
I don't know if it's her cool as fuck style, her ability to control a room as soon as she walks into it, or the sheer aura of rebelliousness that she exudes out of every panel. All I know is Luci has always stuck with me and, considering she is meant to be the champion of Hell and all beneath, she seems head and shoulders ABOVE anyone in this comic. Oh, and did I mention her Earth born name was Eleanor Rigby. Bonus Beatles points!
VALLA - (Dark Fang)
"I hear you waiting sun. Why have you not come for me?"
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Here we have a character that by looks alone in the comic book world would maybe get written off as an oversexualised, charicature of the female form. And whilst I cannot deny how she is drawn, the character embraces that and owns it, whilst also being SO much more. Valla is a vampire who avoided the world of man by living underwater for centuries until we began to pollute it. Valla begins the pages of issue #1 as an online sex worker but as you see with every step she takes into the world of men, she manipulates it and with clearly is the boss. Over the short run you see her become an anti-religious, anti-capitalist, eco-warrior who wants to smash up society as we know it, all whilst using her vampiric charms online to take advantage of would be perverts.
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Think of every cheesey horror movie/comic out there. The one's that don't depict women in the most complicated light. Now picture that completely thrown on its head. Miles Gunter writes a woman who wants to take down the patriarchy and fix the world by playing it at its own game. By letting every character she meets use their own pre-conceived notions to be their undoing. It was such a shame this didn't get further than 5 issues. Some online conspiracy theorists say it hit TOO close to home to too many higher ups and was forced to be shut down, a bad influence on the well behaving public everywhere. Whatever the reason, Chris (Chris's Comics) and I wait ernestly for an issue 6 to be announced one day.
CINDY MOON, AKA SILK
"Superhero by night. Actually fight crime by day too."
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Cindy has had a pretty horrifying life. Both her and Peter were bitten by the same spider at the same time, yet whilst Peter went and lived his 'amazing' life, Cindy ended up locked away and studied for years. Her powers differ from Peter's so no link is ever made to the web head, and it isn't until 10 years later Peter finds out about her and comes to free her. Silk's story is just an especially sad one that cements that everything that "wrongly" happens to Peter Parker is actually his fault and that there are people out there with the same gifts unable to control the pieces happening around them.
Whenever I picked up one of her comics I was always ready to have my heartstrings played. The anxiety and trauma that she has gone through and her wish to know and see her family again are far more intriguing than the fantastic powers she has. Silk is one of many arguments that Peter Parker is the most boring Spider-Man. |
I cannot stress how much I looked forward to any comic from that run. She was genuinely filled with a burden of responsibility, and no red head calling her 'Tiger' was going to deter her. Unfortunately the good writing didn't last. During the 'ALL-NEW ALL DIFFERENT' run Marvel were trying, her character lost a lot of personality. Coping with past ordeals and the loss of others was all wrapped up before SECRET WARS, and she was sent to just have a feud with 'Black Cat'. She has barely surfaced since, but hope springs eternal. Cindy Moon was in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Will that mean she will spring onto the silver screen in the near future?
SARA PICHELLI
I thought now was as good a time to bring up Sara. She helped to create one of the most exciting characters to spring out of the Spider-Verse alongside Silk. Miles Morales. Her penmenship throughout the Ultimate Spider-Man books and ultimately on some of the main 'Miles...' run is completely distinguishable from everyone else's. No one really draws like her, and she's in such demand that actually getting her to sit for an entire comic run isn't easy nowadays. Always keep your eyes peeled for Sara's name on a comic, as it means it's at least worth buying to look at.
ALANA - (Saga)
"That's the thing, this is a love story."
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Where on earth do I start with Alana? In a gigantic, sprawling space opera like SAGA, it takes one hell of a personality to stand out amongst everyone, and yet somehow she does it. It could be that she is definitely the alpha of any group she's in. Alana will both be the most loving person in any panel on a page and the most fearsome. I never feel like her character is threatened, and not because she's got an arsenal of superpowers behind her like Clark Kent. Because she's intelligent, resourceful and perfectly diplomatic. In a confusing galaxy full of prejudism, politics, and at times, perversion, the story of Alana maintaining her forbidden relationship and raising her child through war torn scenarios is a story that everyone should be able to get behind.
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This vast comic with its huge universe is full of a host of colourful characters that have a litter of faults, each unto themselves. Alana doesn't seem to have that failing. If it wasn't for her partner Marko flying his flag of peace and love a little higher, I would say her biggest weakness is her will to love...but that doesn't seem to fit the personality of someone with a bodycount as high as hers.
FIONA STAPLES
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This seems an appropriate moment to bring in Fiona Staples. Not only does she do ALL the ridiculous artwork for the Saga series but her work is pretty recogniseable in other books as well. I think what I like most about her is how imaginative she is. Her and Brian work closely together on the SAGA books. No doubt her input into the project and her ability to translate Brian's ideas too, make her an amazing and talented artist in the the industry. Ask anyone reading that book, the idea of someone else drawing it is incomprehensible. I love her work so much that some characters of hers will soon be inked into my skin.
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MARIONETTE AKA ERIKA MANSON - Watchmen
"You don't kill him without killing me!"
Some people may feel this is a bit premature as this character has only been in the one story (Doomsday Clock), but hear me out. She's a better Harley Quinn than Harley Quinn. She's got the moxie, the style, the ability to kick ass with gymnastic moves and the 'clown' chic going on, except...she's not got the unhealthy relationship. She loves 'Mime' and he obviously loves her back. The love these two bestow on each other, the way they look at each other is actually couples goals. Fuck Harley and Joker, I'm all about Marionette and Mime, baby! She's also on equal grounds, if not 'in charge', of their criminal partnership. She punches her way onto each panel and is clearly the alpha in every room she cartwheels into. Did I mention no intimidates her? Not Rorschach or Joker, no-one.
I would point out, in comparison to other female characters with traumatic back stories, her troubled past is something that both sexes can understand and possible relate to. The trauma she goes through makes the person we see now so much more interesting and I can only hope DC find a reason to give her more stories in the future.
I would point out, in comparison to other female characters with traumatic back stories, her troubled past is something that both sexes can understand and possible relate to. The trauma she goes through makes the person we see now so much more interesting and I can only hope DC find a reason to give her more stories in the future.
MS MARVEL (Kamala Khan)
"Look, this isn't New York. We don't do cosmic battles every 5 minutes, ok? We have standards."
To the untrained eye, Kamala could be immediately seen as a character that's hard to relate to unless your Muslim, or a girl, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Kamala is a super-hero obsessed nerd. The things she says, and the way she reacts to meeting other heroes and characters, is so endearing that it's hard to not imagine you wouldn't do that yourself. Her constant battle between managing homelife, school life and hero-life is not too far akin from OG Peter Parker stories, which was really what made that character a big hit. A superhero with actual day to day problems and issues is really entertaining and brings them onto the same level playing field as you, and makes you wonder what you would do in that situation.
On top of that, the stories skim around the topics of inequality, racism, prejudice and terrorism very cleverly. I never feel like the writers are punching me in the face with these topics, more that these topics have always been there in the Marvel world and we've just never looked at them as closely as we do in these tales. Kamala is such a strong Ms Marvel, she genuinely makes me forget that Captain Marvel carried that mantle for YEARS before Kamala chose to take the name. That is a massive accolade to the strength and integrity of Kamala Khan, and I cannot wait for her TV debut in the coming years.
On top of that, the stories skim around the topics of inequality, racism, prejudice and terrorism very cleverly. I never feel like the writers are punching me in the face with these topics, more that these topics have always been there in the Marvel world and we've just never looked at them as closely as we do in these tales. Kamala is such a strong Ms Marvel, she genuinely makes me forget that Captain Marvel carried that mantle for YEARS before Kamala chose to take the name. That is a massive accolade to the strength and integrity of Kamala Khan, and I cannot wait for her TV debut in the coming years.
G. WILLOW WILSON
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Wilson admittedly hasn't got the largest plethora of work behind her, but what she does have is consistency. Her continual work in creating, forming and writing the adventures of the aforementioned Ms Marvel have earned her a place in this blog. I have 10 more issues before I see Kamala change hands and I'm nervous as Wilson's writing and take on this character seems perfect to me. Quality seems to be her style as her work on A-Force, albeit a short run, is one of my favourite comic runs. I continue to look forward to whatever she takes on next.
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BATGIRL (Barbara Gordon)
"Be your own damn hero."
Barbara Gordon has been put through the wringer in her time, but always comes out standing in the end (literally). Not just a second fiddle Robin, Batgirl doesn't really take her orders from anyone. You'll often see her face to face with Bruce, her Dad Gordon or Nightwing, and often holding her own. Considering the family she has, both the Gordon's and Wayne's, she is far from the brooding, dark and depressive type. Often Barbs finds ways to do the same quality detective work and ass-kicking as any member of the Bat family but with a massive smile on her face. Quite a surprising personality trait considering the massive amounts of shit she's been put through. As of 2011 BATGIRL has remained in the top 30 of the 300 best selling comics in North America. She also has the coolest superhero outfit out of anyone in this list. Fact.
THE MIGHTY THOR/LADY THOR (Jane Foster)
"Who knew dying could be this much fun?"
When the brief mystery of this hero's identity was revealed, it was one of those comic moments that made the most sense. It didn't feel unoriginal or tacked on. And that's down to giving her a fantastic motivation. Jane Foster is the true definition of a hero. She must choose to be bedridden with terminal cancer or take the mantle of Thor, seems an obvious choice to make. But for every second she's Thor, the damage the cancer causes her speeds up, meaning the longer she's Thor the shorter time she has on this earth. A fascinating woman who won't take handouts, puts everyone before herself and believes that everyone deserves better. Even if that means sacrificing her own life to prove it. A truly strong character who, to me, is MY Thor. I've picked up other Thor books and just don't find anything close to entertaining as the dual complexities of Jane Foster cancer patient and Jane Foster Thor. If you've ever felt weak or beaten, this is the Thor for you.
BATWOMAN (Katherine Kane)
"Fear is a sacrament."
Miss Kane completely shocked me when I first read her books. There is so much to unpack in a character that, by all accounts, could easily be the least original out there. They easily could have gone with a Bruce Wayne wannabe, or just make a serious Batgirl. Instead we have a Jewish ex-army, gay soldier who is capable of elluding Batman himself, and is trying to protect Gotham from a side of the military she was trained by. Her charisma, wit and determination drip off the pages, as does the fantastic art that accompanies her stories. I still have to really give the TV version of her a shot, but you cannot disagree that you would want her in your corner in a fight. Whilst the rest of the Bat family have their own tone and way of doing things, I do think that Batwoman is the only one who can exude the same terror and fear into criminals as the actual Batman.
WONDER WOMAN (Diana Prince)
Saving the best for last. It was a genuine crime it took so long for DC to give Diana her own movie. Wonder Woman has been around since 1941 and has constantly kicked ass with her message of love since day 1. All the best writers and artists have done stories with her. She's one of the most formidable heroes in the DC universe and normally an important chess piece in any major story involving the Justice League, elseworld stories or any large sprawling DC event. She is fearless, loving and extremely intelligent, and can make any bad guy utter "uh-oh" as she enters a room. Her constant correspondences with humanity don't so much play like a fish out of water, but more like, well, a God walking on earth, which she more or less is. In a recent story it was revealed that Diana's wristbands are actually containing her from using her full strength! She's a full on OP hero but unlike Superman, people remember her words more than her actions. Her interactions and dialogue are full of wisdom, humour and empowerment. She's just a joy to read, and I can't think of a better way to end this than with one of her many quotes that could easily be a mantra for everyone everywhere.