All The World is Waiting for You

Last time, I was blogging about the women of the DC Universe and came to a number of conclusions: Wonder Woman is silly and kitschy (except-possibly- in the Dr. Cyber/Tim Trench stories); I like student advisor Supergirl more than Little Orphan Linda; and stage magician Zatanna is one of the few DC heroines who can support her own comic.
The Amazon Princess's role as one third of the Trinity at the centre of the DC Universe seems less certain when you pit her star-spangled swimsuit and "loving obedience" shtick against the career of Metropolis' star reporter, the feisty and fearless Lois Lane. Maybe Superman's significant other should be up there with the World's Finest team as an inspiration to readers? Here's the heroine in hot pants with co-feature star the Thorn, a schizoid crime-buster . Like GL's Star Sapphire, the Thorn was a reworked Golden Age villainess; it was this murderous incarnation that made an impact on me in the late Seventies:

This Thorn was the mother of the Golden Age Green Lantern's twins, Jade and Obsidian

Another character associated with the Earth-2 GL appeared in this Bronze Age issue, in a reprint feature:

 Alan Scott's "loving enemy" debuted in 1947; she was, to my knowledge, the only villainess to wear glasses; and later betrayed the Injustice Society. In her amorous pursuit of Green Lantern, Molly bore some resemblance to Lois. A male counterpart ( a son, perhaps?) was created- but never used- for Infinity Inc. in the 80s. He was supposed to be an aspiring stand-up comedian:

Comics' first Gay character. Allegedly.

Bob Rozakis' Joker's Daughter also used the soubriquet in the 70s Titans; and Roy Thomas introduced a far more malevolent version in later issues of Infinity:

No relation

Another significant Golden Age-r was also a split personality, like the Thorn. Priscilla Rich, the Cheetah, was a member of the Legion of Doom on Super Friends but this was the first appearance I ever saw, on the spinner rack:

 " Arr-rr-gh!"

Debbie Domaine, an early instance of the eco-warrior, was created by Gerry Conway in the early 80s:

However, it's the Barbara Minerva Cheetah, from Perez's relaunched WW in the 80s, who was perhaps the most striking and savage:

But these lethal ladies are neither role models nor identification figures. Are there any Good Girls in DC comics who aren't simply spin-offs or sidekicks? Telepathic Teen Titan Lilith was basically a Gothic Romance heroine; while free spirit and pagan hippy Beautiful Dreamer was implied to be a major player in the Fourth World but appeared largely passive:

"Passive" didn't apply to this New God(dess) however:

Big Barda married Amazonian strength with Kirby Kozmic. She also married Scott Free, Mr. Miracle, in the last Kirby issue of his mag.A member of the JLA in the comics and in animation, Barda, the leader of the Female Furies, was pitched as a solo series, leading her team of gals from their Beauty Rock hq against the horrible Head and Apollo. But the warrior woman from Apokolips is perhaps too cheesecake to have mass appeal.
Barda has a lot in common with this next 70s star, Karen Starr,  not least in terms of physical attributes:

PG was created by Gerry Conway, Joe Orlando and Wally Wood as a teenage Earth-2 Supergirl in the All-Star Comics revival of the mid-70s. A feisty character, she is reminiscent of her Conway Counterpart, Ms. Marvel. For over thirty years, she's had fan appeal that Supergirl never had, despite some terrible costumes, probably for two, er, reasons:

The World's Greatest Heroes. And Dr. Light II. And Crimson Fox...

Power Girl has also held down her own book for nearly two years. She was popular enough to survive the Crisis, various power changes, a tie-in with Arion of Atlantis and an idiotic plotline about a cat. Which is more than we can say for another E-2 heroine:

Levitz and Staton's tragic and sultry Huntress took her name from the tiger-striped Wildcat villainess of the late 40s; she overshadowed Batgirl through the late 70s and early 80s, since she was the daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. Unfortunately, the "Deadliest Crimefighter Ever Imagined" was made redundant by that damned Crisis. The Mafia Princess version who debuted in the latter part of the 80s lacked the iconic resonance of her predecessor and her female-Punisher shtick somehow made her hard and unlikeable, compared to Helena Wayne. Below is a fantastic Aparo cover to one of my favourite Xmas stories:

The Crisis did create a couple of new heroines; firstly, a female version of Wildcat. This character had been in the works for a while, at one stage for the New Titans; then as a Cat-cycle- riding chica called La Garro: "The Claw". The Ted Grant Wildcat had been very popular in the late 60s and 70s, appearing with the Spectre, the Creeper and several times with Batman; and of course, he still appears today in the JSA and the Brave and Bold cartoon. The Hispanic female version might have capitalised on the original's fan-favourite status but was killed off in the Eclipso series of the 90s. Ugh.

Another Infinity heroine killed off in the same storyline was the second Dr. Midnight. As a Person of Colour, who inherited the alias and M.O. of a male hero, she might have been considered derivative but I think the Masked Medic deserved better.

I don't actually consider these to be "ugly-ass" costumes. I'm from the 70s.

The second Doctor Light was also created as part of DC's male-to-female fad. With her strident, abrasive personality and dull energy powers, not even a costume make-over could help Kimio when her predecessor was revealed to be a rapist.

I'm so sorry.

Several other DC women debuted in the 80s, as members of super-teams: Halo, Katana and Looker in  Batman and the Outsiders; and Raven, Starfire and Troia in the Titans.

None of these ladies, interesting and innovative (Looker, I'm lookin' at you) though some of them were, could match the iconic impact of the Super Friends however.Not even this Brazilian with the flaming nostrils:

Nor could these two Furies, Roy Thomas creations designed to replace Wonder Woman:

The framed covers were the best thing about YAS

Finally, then, there are three characters in the modern-day DC Universe who might give Lois, Kara and Diana a run for their money as a legitimate member of the Trinity. The first is yet another Golden Age great who could act as a gateway character for younger readers:

Predating Supergirl by over a decade, Mary had her own book in the Forties. Although I was initially resistant to her super-child incarnation in 2007, I really think it works and is a charming contrast to Kara.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is "lipstick lesbian" Batwoman. As DC's highest profile LGBT character- and a fashionably vampiric visual- I'm very surprised she's not a full-time JLAer.

But the one character  that I think should be in any line-up of the League is a former member; who debuted in the 80s but was originally intended to be launched in her own series; and represents diversity.

Vixen is an African heroine, who has never quite broken through the Super-Glass Ceiling. A victim of the late 70s DC Implosion, the Lady Fox first appeared as a Superman guest-star. Granted, she's a Gerry Conway Marvel transplant, as evidenced by her "female Wolverine" makeover in the Detroit League. But I think her connections with wildlife, fashion, African myth and her fleeting animated appearances are all qualities that could make Vixen a DC superstar. Think Halle Berry and let equality prevail!

Next: The Women of Marvel

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