Marvel Women Who Should Have Their Own Books

In September, Marvel announced part-time lawyer, part-time hero She-Hulk will once again put the comic world in a headlock in another solo book. Writer Charles Soule and artist Javier Pulido are uniting on the series which will hit comic shops in February. Jennifer Walters is no stranger to facing the Marvel Universe alone. Some fans would say it’s been too long simce she has and you can count me amongst them.

There was a point when none of the women of Marvel had solo titles, then Ms. Marvel flew back into action as Captain Marvel led by Kelly Sue DeConnick. If you haven’t been reading Captain Marvel, I highly recommend checking it out. Marvel also threw a twist into the Defenders by putting together a team of women, led by Misty Knight and Valkyrie, and branding them the Fearless Defenders.

It’s interesting to compare the “big two” and their treatment of the ladies. Both companies have a long list of beloved women, yet how they’re seen is vastly different. DC Comics has been known for its iconic group of superwomen, particularly Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl. Those and others have been in numerous solo titles, yet they often seem relegated to the background in the team books. And yes, I’m going to mention the lack of a Wonder Woman movie. Why? Because, why not? But that’s a topic for another time.

In contrast, Marvel's women haven't achieved the same iconic status and have not led many one-woman shows. But if you look at the team books, notably the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four, those same women have held considerable weight and have even led several teams. Why is that?

So with She-Hulk gracing the pages again in all her green glory, let’s take a look at some other Marvel women who should headline their own book. While some of these ladies have had their own series, on-goings and minis, they are deserving of more time.

Sif

Fresh off an incredible stint in Journey Into Mystery written by Kathryn Immonen and drawn by Valerio Schiti, Sif has proven she can roam the Marvel Universe in solitude. It doesn’t seem as if there are many women who purely enjoy the battle. That wasn’t the whole of her character but it was a trait separating her from the pack. Plus she has a slick design so she can kick butt and look good while doing it.

Spider-Girl

The last time we saw Anya Corazon in some solitary action, it was a brief although entertaining tale written by Paul Tobin and primarily drawn by Clayton Henry. For such a relatively new character, it’s remarkable how she’s had as many individual runs as she’s had. Clearly she has an established fan-base. She’s a young hero with a different style and personality from her peers. I’m pretty sure she’s sitting in comic book limbo after her time in Avengers Academy, so why not give her another shot?

Storm

Ahh…Ororo Munroe. Mutant. Queen. Leader. Fighter. Teacher. Not only is Storm one of my favorite characters and X-Men in general, I also place her in the top three most important X-Men of all-time with Cyclops and Wolverine. Storm has been pivotal in much of the X-Men’s success over the years. How can she not have her own book? Some would say she couldn’t maintain a series. With the right creative team, any character can have their run. Even Morbius (!) had a shot at an on-going.

Ongoing series for both Black Widow and Elektra were announced at NYCC. This was written before the convention but I did not post it. However, I figured I’d include their sections anyway because they’re cool characters and you can see where I was headed with this post.

Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff is a character who should be an easy choice for another solo series. She’s in a tough position being that she’s already on the Secret Avengers. But then again, that hasn’t stopped Wolverine or Spider-Man. Yes, we can argue star-power, but I’m not going to do that. Her past and skillset lend themselves well to adventures of the masked variety as well as tales of espionage. I recommend this run, the first issues of which were written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Daniel Acuna. She’s had a busy life, much of which is still shrouded in mystery.

And though I’m reluctant to do so, I must say the best evidence in making a case for a Black Widow solo series is her mainstream appeal. I say reluctant because I prefer the comics to influence other media, not the other way around. But no one can deny the reception she’s received after her roles in Iron Man 2, the Avengers and the Avengers Assemble animated series. Black Widow has pulled in tons of fans. Part of it was due to her being the only woman surrounded by several male characters. But she’s also a strong character more than capable of standing alone and kicking serious butt.

Writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Phil Noto will be the creative team for Black Widow.

Elektra

Elektra Natchios, similar to Black Widow, is in a unique position. She’s already a part of a team, the Thunderbolts, so it might be a hard sell. However, that doesn’t negate what she’d bring to the table if she strikes out on her own. Another similarity to Black Widow comes with her skillset and past. Both are deadly characters, yet Elektra is much less noble. This assassin on her own would make for a nice addition to the Marvel Universe.

Elektra will be written by Zeb Wells and drawn by Mike Del Mundo.

What do you think about these marvelous women? What characters would you like to see taking on the Marvel Universe by themselves?

Black Characters You'll Love

Black History Month is about to wrap up, and you know what that means? Nothing really because I celebrate Black history year-round. So even though I did not provide as much content this month as I stated I would, that will be remedied throughout the year. Celebrations consist of many things, and one of those, which I'm doing by posting this is just showing some love for the characters that look like me. Black characters get stereotyped a lot, and as a Black man and a fanboy, I encounter that often. Some of these characters have those within their character. But that's a discussion for later. For now though, let's see who we got.

Let's start off with Black Lightning. I love this pic. It's just so full of energy. His Year One mini was a good read and I was digging his time in the Justice League before that series got all boring and whatnot.

Black Panther. King of Wakanda. Husband to Storm. He's had several series, the recent ones I've followed included his current role as he took over for Daredevil. And that series is being cancelled too. I feel as if they just don't know what to do with T'Challa sometimes. He's rarely just in comic book limbo, but he's rarely doing what he really could be doing. More proof that they don't back Black leads as much as they should. Here's hoping he gets back on track and gets another ongoing. And you better believe that when he does, I'll be reading.

Luke Cage. Power Man. This character has grown much and I'm quite happy about that. He's played a huge role in the Avengers and has developed quite a following because of it. He's also been getting serious action in Thunderbolts. And he's far removed from his tiara wearing days. I'm esctatic about that. I cosplayed him at C2E2 last year and will be doing so again at this years show, with several improvements.

The lady Vixen. I want to read her mini, Return of the Lion, but I'm still missing a few issues. In their relaunch, DC placed Vixen within the pages of Justice League International. I chose to avoid this title, but I am curious as to what she's been up to.

Mister Terrific is an interesting character. Here's a guy I had little knowledge of but was excited to see get his own comic, which I didn't hesitate in reading. I have been enjoying it and am still unhappy about the news of its cancellation with issue 8.

I have little doubt people don't know who this is. Michonne stepped on the scene in Walking Dead, holding a katana (which I love) and two walkers in tow. That's quite an entrance, especially in this comic.

Yo Joe! Here's my guy Stalker. And I'll be honest, in my Joe-verse, he's top man. Hawk may or may not have a spot as General, but I place Stalker above Duke and Flint. He's had a healthy role in the Joe comics over the years and I hope that continues.

Now my man Roadblock. Another of my favorite Joes. As with Stalker, he's played a decent role in Joe happenings in their published years. Also along with Stalker, I hope IDW keeps that going.

GL John Stewart. My favorite Lantern. And that's not totally because he's Black. He's just better to read than the others. I was actually supposed to cosplay him at C2E2 this year, buuut that's not gonna happen.

The original Spawn, Al Simmons, sat at the throne of "Rat City." While he no longer wears the suit due to you know, killing himself about 30 issues ago, he's still special to me. I read him as a kid, and he was my favorite second to the X-Men. As with G.I. Joe, I'm still in the process of hunting down the rest of the issues and I still have a ways to go.

During the process of this I decided to save the best for last. So I present one of my absolute favorite characters in comics. This reaches beyond gender, race, role, or any other aspect. Storm, X-lady supreme holds a special place in my heart.

Don't take this list as being exhaustive or that these were just my favorites. I did not include Blade, Bishop, Cole Train, War Machine, Agent 355, Static Shock (who's getting cancelled too), Prodigy, and so many others. These are just some that I've read over the years. There are many more Black characters out there who will no doubt interest you. I recommend you check them out and get some diversity in your reading. This is Dragon, black and proud, signing off. Thanks for looking.