When you hear the words ‘comic book’, it’s easy to immediately think Marvel… and Henry Cavil’s Superman.
Often pegged as one for the boys, the rise of comic book movies has made comics cool again, with millions of fans flocking to Comic-Con conventions around the world.
And following the recent success of our very first DC female superhero, Wonder Woman, we set about finding some more kickarse female superheroes and women in comics to inspire us.
LISTEN: This Glorious Mess explain why you can definitely take your daughter to see Wonder Woman (post continues after audio…)
And if we’re honest, we were surprised and delighted to find a whole universe of incredible comic books and graphic novels written by women, for women.
Featuring legit female superheroes complete with capes and general kickarsery, and equally amazing everyday women being heroes in their own lives, here are our top five picks for the best comic books for women.
Ms. Marvel
This 2014 comic written by G. Willow Wilson is somewhat of an oldie, but it's very much a goodie. Centred around the adventures of a Pakistani-American teenager Kamala Khan with a Muslim upbringing, Ms. Marvel follows the geeky girl as she discovers her shape-shifting abilities, taking on her new identity and starts kicking super villain butt.
Kamala juggles her villain-crushing world-saving with familial obligations and homework, trying to figure out her public and private identities and writing amazing fan fiction.
Bitch Planet
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro, Bitch Planet is Orange Is The New Black meets Handmaid's Tale meets sci-fi all rolled into one seriously good read.
The premise? If men rounded up all the "non-compliant" women and exiled them to an intergalactic prison. Basically imagine if every action hero and villain from the last 50 years were a woman, and were shoved together into outrageous situations. It's good.
Lumberjanes
Lumberjanes is one of the most popular and engaging comics out there.
Created by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Noelle Stevenson, the story follows a group of five friends who attend Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, where they face supernatural creatures and creepy puzzles.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
This hilariously nutty revival of one of Marvel's countless characters follows a half-human, half-squirrel Doreen Green as she heads to college.
Doreen wants to be just another 'normal girl'. Only problem is she's got a big fluffy tale and an instinct for heroism. In The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, read on as Doreen fights evil in the most relatable way possible.
Saga
If you're wondering what would be the harder battle between war and motherhood, Saga has the answer. The futuristic series written by Brian Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples follows the romance of Marko and Alana as they struggle to protect their family as they flee for their lives.
The comic covers realistic themes such as marriage and parenting in an other worldly way. Sometimes, even the baby is the narrator.
Mamamia's favourite female superheroes
Have we missed one? What's your favourite female-friendly comic book?