Remind Us That Black Womxn Matter Both on The Page, Screen and Beyond
With so much going on in the world, it’s so important to remember how important diverse representation can be. The mainstream media often fails to put Black womxn comic books in the limelight. From the unjust police brutality inflicted on Breonna Taylor to the unacceptable police violence against Chynal Lindsey and other Trans women, Black womxn need more visibility.
The people who shot Taylor and assaulted Lindsey are still walking free. However, Black womxn in comics remind us that justice needs to be served, as they are working to dismantle anti-blackness and violence against Black womxn in addition to taking on all the villains that come their way.
Even when it feels like the fight has been lost, this inspiring lineup of characters remind us of the power and resilience that Black womxn have. From their beautiful souls to their ferocity, these epic heroes have never stopped showing us that change is possible.
Settle in and grab some snacks, because it’s time to spill the tea on some phenomenal Black Womxn heroes.
1. Monica Rambeau
This phenomenal Marvel icon was introduced as the second Captain Marvel and is dedicated to protecting those in need. Before she became a superhero, she was a lieutenant for the New Orleans harbor patrol. Everything changed when she was exposed to extra-dimensional powers and gained the ability to convert her body into energy at will. She left the harbor patrol in search of adventure. Not only did she eventually become an Avenger, but she also became the leader of the famous team.
Audiences were introduced to a younger version of Rambeau in the MCU film Captain Marvel and will have the chance to see the adult version of Monica (portrayed by Teyonah Parris) star in upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision (2020).
2. Storm
This phenomenal hero is one of the legendary Marvel staples. Few know that Storm was actually going to be another white male character until artist Dave Cockrum decided that it was time to introduce a new Black female superhero.
Storm is the descendant of African witch-priestesses and one of the most powerful mutants in the Marvel Universe. Her original name is Ororo Munroe, as she is part African and African-American and various places. With her powers to control the weather and the atmosphere, she is not a woman to be trifled with. And, if her powers aren’t impressive enough already, her status is. She’s an African princess from Kenya and, since Disney owns Marvel, she’s also a Disney princess.
Storm is also a great representation of Black womxn who have experienced trauma. Storm’s parents were killed when she was a child, and she develops severe claustrophobia that she lives with for the rest of her life. There are endless amazing things about her—she overthrew Wakanda once for goodness sakes! Hopefully, now that Marvel has the X-Men rights, they’ll bring her back to the screen looking better than ever.
3. Ironheart (Riri Williams)
She may be a little newer to the superhero scene, but Riri packs a mean punch for anyone who tries to mess with her. This young genius is 15 years old and already an engineering student at MIT, not to mention able to easily customize Iron Man’s super powered suit using some supplies she nabbed from her school.
At such an early age, Riri has already surpassed Tony Stark in skill and gained his support to become a hero. Williams is in it to win it and makes an epic edition to the POC superhero team called the Champions. Not to mention, when a certain America’s sweetheart went into total Hydra mode, Williams helped lead the team to victory. Riri can also be seen in the action-packed cartoon Marvel Rising with a group of other diverse young superheroes.
4. Shuri
We’ve got yet another super smart cookie to highlight some spectacular Black Girl Magic. Shuri is not only also a genius, but she’s the smartest person in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s canon!
In the comics, she’s not only smart but also just as capable of becoming the next Black Panther as her brother T’Challa. So, don’t be surprised if we get some Black Panther Shuri in the next MCU movie.
Not only that, but she possesses incredible abilities. Comic book Shuri can turn herself into super durable rock material that makes her pretty much invincible. And she can transform herself and her closeby enemies into a flock of birds! It gets even crazier than that, though—she is eventually imbued with the powers of super speed and the ability to reanimate Wakandan corpses. I can’t wait to see what this wickedly impeccable Wakandan Black woman does next.
5. Solaris
Okay, you’ve got me on this one! Solaris is a superhero I came up with because there isn’t enough Trans Black womxn representation in the superhero world. Solaris is a Trans woman with some very big and bright powers. She draws her energy and power from the sun and then unleashes super charged beams of solar energy. She can also heal during the daytime as long as there is direct sunlight.
She grew up in Long Beach, California, and always struggled with being the awkward boy that dressed like a girl. She would spend most of her time up in the highest tree she could find, as close to the sunlight as she could.
Having no human friends of her own, she befriended a small fire sprite that was looking for a home. They both felt lost in the world, so they decided to combine. Although the power of the sprite almost killed her, Solaris’ strong soul burned bright. Her birth name is Skyler McAndrews. Stay tuned to see if she is ever in a comic book!
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