International Women's Day: iconic female figures in comics

[Zelena]

Hello,

Back in the eighties, when I read the most comics, female characters were rather rare. Sometimes, there's one in a team but usually the heroes were male, and their opponents were male too. The heroins were indeed courageous but each time, it was underlined how much they were courageous 'for a woman'…

And then came Jean Grey.




The interview with M. Claremont is here, he is interviewed by a woman that started reading X-men comics when she was six. (In French, sorry, people…)

Jean Grey started her career as 'the girl of the team', quite respectable with a lot qualities but still classic:

It was a delicious meal, Jean! Thank you for helping out on the cook's day off!
I was glad to do it, Professor! (Uncanny X-men #6)

That was before Claremont seized her and made of her the most powerful member of the team: strong and kind, she could be consider as a model for many girls.

Maybe, I was also influenced in my choice by this interesting article about Dark Phoenix Saga. Here is an extract:

"You came to me when I was vulnerable. You filled the emotional void within me. You made me trust you. Perhaps even love you. And all the while you were using me!" is a statement I know a great number of women in the past and present can relate strongly to; any woman who has been marginalized, abused and enslaved at one point in their lives can definitely attest to the freeing strength of this kind of righteous rage which Jean exhibited at this point. …

So, it is for all these reasons why I chose her for this International Women's Day.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Happy International Women's Day!

[Zelena]

Happy International Women's Day!

Wonderful! Thank you for the picture, 616MarvelYear is LeapYear !

[MechaJeanix]

Before I fell for Jean Grey and Storm of the X-men I was first in love with the Sorceress of Greyskull from MOTU and later Adora/She-Ra from She-Ra POP. I was around 5-6 when these cartoons came on and they prepped me for my love of badass strong female characters in fiction. As a kid I also loved Daphne Blake and Jem.

The best X-men are the women and I wish more creators would focus and on center them (basically can Storm and Jean get the Cyclops and Wolverine treatment, please).

Edit: Storm got the treatment under Claremont but not so much other writers. Storm deserves to be the star/center of a book (or team).

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

She-Ra Intro

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Jem intro

[LordAllMIghty]

Jem intro

Should have known I was gay...use to get up early in the morning to watch Jem...lol.

Still know most of their songs.

[darewithpeace]

Jean is my favorite too, she is amazing, but i like all of them. Women are amazing

[darewithpeace]

[Kitty&Piotr<3]

Hello,

Back in the eighties, when I read the most comics, female characters were rather rare. Sometimes, there's one in a team but usually the heroes were male, and their opponents were male too. The heroins were indeed courageous but each time, it was underlined how much they were courageous 'for a woman'…

And then came Jean Grey.



She started her career as 'the girl of the team', quite respectable with a lot qualities but still classic:


That was before Claremont seized her and made of her the most powerful member of the team: strong and kind, she could be consider as a model for many girls.

Maybe, I was also influenced in my choice by this interesting article about Dark Phoenix Saga. Here is an extract:



So, it is for all these reasons why I chose her for this International Women's Day.

Great post!

[Zelena]

Great post!

Thank you, Kitty&Piotr<3 !

[Sandmans_Raven]

There are two women in comics that really shaped my taste in comic books and what characters I like to read: Rogue and Storm.

tumblr_my17gs9O5K1qco1e2o1_1280.jpg

Rogue was the first (I think I was even a fan of her before I got into Gambit at all, even) because I loved how much of a powerhouse she was in the comics and animated series. Reading up on her story progression from villain to hero and her struggle with her powers solidified her as a favorite. As a boy, I thought I could only like boy characters, but Rogue really made me realize it didn't matter. Good characters are good characters and she's one of the best.

Part of why I like Storm is her relationship to Gambit, but I think that's an example of why she is so great. She's an all-powerful goddess with a very compassionate side. She'll destroy a fleet of sentinels and still have time to make sure the average person on the street is okay.

[Zelena]

There are two women in comics that really shaped my taste in comic books and what characters I like to read: Rogue and Storm.

tumblr_my17gs9O5K1qco1e2o1_1280.jpg

Rogue was the first (I think I was even a fan of her before I got into Gambit at all, even) because I loved how much of a powerhouse she was in the comics and animated series. Reading up on her story progression from villain to hero and her struggle with her powers solidified her as a favorite. As a boy, I thought I could only like boy characters, but Rogue really made me realize it didn't matter. Good characters are good characters and she's one of the best.

Part of why I like Storm is her relationship to Gambit, but I think that's an example of why she is so great. She's an all-powerful goddess with a very compassionate side. She'll destroy a fleet of sentinels and still have time to make sure the average person on the street is okay.

Yes, they are also very good choice…

I have been liking Storm since a long time because of her extreme sensitivity and empathy. As an independent and powerful woman, she is also a great character.

Rogue, I know her less… Still I came to appreciate her good nature and joyful, informal behaviour.

So many wonderful women portraits…

[Su_Whisterfield]

I’ve adored Ororo since I first read a copy of Uncanny in 1980.

9E249B9E-3A8B-41B9-8DA7-41039BEDDD9F.jpg

[Veitha]

Happy women's day!!!

Regardless of preferences and such I think we can all agree that the X-Women are all iconic in their own rights and I'm glad this is a franchise with powerful and interesting female characters.