If You Love DC, You Should Know Every One of These Underrated Female Heroes (and Villains)
Casual DC Comics fans will be familiar with Wonder Woman, Supergirl and various villainous ladies from Batman, but there are so many more powerful women from the DC universe.
If your knowledge of their female characters ends at Harley Quinn and Cat Woman, it's time to get out of the dark. Here are our favorite underrated ladies from the DC universe.
Angela Spica, aka Engineer
Angela lives a relatively quiet childhood in Queens, New York, where she grows up obsessing over her favorite superheroes. Inspired by their stories, she hones her intellect and starts building circuit boards in grade school. When the original Engineer—a brilliant scientist who used himself as a lab rat—dies, he leaves his wealth of knowledge on Angie's computers. Using this data, she takes on the name Engineer herself, replaces her blood with liquid machinery and becomes nearly indestructible with incredible abilities to turn her body into almost any kind of machine at will.
(via DC Entertainment)
Tanya Spears, aka Power Girl
Tanya Spears is a child prodigy, following in her scientist mother's footsteps to become a postdoctorate student at M.I.T. when she's just 15. After traveling through a portal, she's imbued with superhero strength and takes on the name Power Girl. Seeking to truly understand her powers, she moves to New York City hoping to someday join the Teen Titans.
(via DC Entertainment)
Zatanna Zatara
Zatanna Zatara is the daughter of a magician and a woman from a race of humans who can use magic. After her mother fakes her death to return to her own kind, Zatanna is raised by her father. When he disappears, Zatanna seeks him out and discovers her own magical abilities, and finally tracks him down with the help of Batman. Eventually, she even becomes a member of the Justice League.
(via DC Entertainment)
Emiko Queen, aka Red Arrow
As a baby, Emiko Queen is kidnapped and raised by Simon Lacroix, aka Komodo. Emiko grows up believing Komodo is her father and learning how to wield a bow and arrow, becoming quite skilled. Only in adulthood does she learn that her father is actually Robert Queen, the father of Oliver Queen—the Green Arrow—and that the two are actually half-siblings. When she learns the truth, she turns on her mentor and becomes partners with the Green Arrow.
(via DC Entertainment)
Cassandra Cain, aka Batgirl
Cassandra Cain's parents are both assassins, and from the time she's born she is trained to be unbeatable. As a baby, her parents don't even speak around her so that movement develops first in her brain. After her first assassination at the age of 8, she realizes what she's doing is wrong and runs away from her family. Nine years later, she moves to Gotham and saves Commissioner Gordon from her own father, leading Batman to make her the fourth Batgirl.
(via DC Entertainment)
Doris Zuel, aka Giganta
Dr. Doris Zuel gets desperate when she discovers she has a life-threatening blood disease. She attempts to save herself by moving her consciousness into Wonder Woman's comatose body. Her scheme is thwarted by Wonder Girl before Zuel's assistant steps in and puts her mind into the body of a gorilla named Giganta. Still in gorilla form, Zuel kidnap a strongwoman from a traveling circus and transfers her her body. The process gives her the ability to grow to massive proportions in her new body. She uses this ability as part of a villainous organization called The Society.
(via DC Entertainment)
Stormy Knight, aka Phantom Lady
The daughter of a U.S. senator, Stormy Knight chooses the life of a superhero over a cozy upper class existence. Using the technologically advanced Black Light Bands, which she inherited from the past Phantom Ladies, allowing her to become invisible, trick people with visual illusions and become impossible to catch.
(via DC Entertainment)
Caitlin Fairchild
Dr. Caitlin Fairchild is a brilliant scientist and one of the top researchers working on a Kryptopnian-Human hybrid clone for the mysterious N.O.W.H.E.R.E. organization. All the while, she hides her own mutation which makes her super strong and gives her the ability to change her size. When she's found out by N.O.W.H.E.R.E., they kidnap her for study. She manages to escape with the help of Superboy, whom she raised, but is forced to spend her life on the run for their evil clutches.
(via DC Entertainment)
Beatriz da Costa, aka Fire
In her youth, Beatriz da Costa is a model in Rio, Brazil. Eventually, her good looks and charm win her a job as a spy for the Brazilian government. During one secret mission, she is involved in an accident that grants her superpowers. She takes on the name Green Fury and Green Flame before settling on Fire joining Justice League International and becoming their longest-serving member before returning home to become Brazil's most beloved superhero.
(via DC Entertainment)
Helena Bertinelli, aka Huntress
After Helena Bertinelli's family are killed by the mob, she dedicates her life to stopping organized crime. After these tragic events, she's sent to Italy to live with her uncle, learning weapons skills and hand-to-hand combat by watching him and her cousins train. At 16, she returns to Gotham City, crossing paths time and time again with Batman. Though he often doesn't agree with her violent ways, she proves an invaluable ally.
(via DC Entertainment)
Artemis Crock, aka Tigress
Artemis Crock is the daughter of two baddies, the original Tigress and the Sportsmaster. Her parents train her to be a top-notch archer and athlete from the time she's little, and she follows in their footsteps to pursue a life of crime. Later in life, she's recruited to Injustice Unlimited, a group comprised mostly of the children of villains.
(via DC Entertainment)
Did you learn a lot? Click HERE to read about our favorite female comic book characters who prove your don't have to be "super" to be a hero.