Last summer, James Gunn’s Superman was a smash hit, bringing fans of DC and non-fans alike to the theater. This summer, he’s following up that success with another Super-family movie: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
In contrast to Superman, Supergirl is based on one of the most well-known Supergirl comic runs of all time. And while it would be great for everyone to read all the comics that inspire superhero films, that’s not really possible. So, for now, let’s just pay attention to 8 of the best Female-Led comics to read before Supergirl Summer kicks off on June 26th.
8. Gail Simone’s 2003 Birds of Prey run
Beginning with issue #56 of Birds of Prey, Gail Simone’s run as a writer for the series is hailed as one of the most iconic moments for women in comic books. The Birds of Prey are a female-led team, revolving almost entirely around the girls who make up their team, and their relationships to each other. Barbara Gordon, former Batgirl now known as Oracle, co-leads the team with Dinah Laurel Lance, the Black Canary. Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress, and Zinda Blake, Lady Blackhawk, are also core members of the team.
Gail Simone is one of the most well-known writers in comic books, and one of the most talented. Her work is explosive and intimate, keeping established characters true to themself while modernizing them to the time period they’re in.
7. Kelley Puckett’s 2000 Batgirl run
In the years since this run on Cassandra Cain as Batgirl, it has become the defining template for how her character should be written. I don’t think it’ll ever be topped! Cassandra Cain has been raised by an assassin for a father, and, having escaped him, she’s placed in the care of Barbara Gordon and Batman’s team. Readers grow with her as she relearns everything she knows. Cass has never been taught how to speak English — her language is that of the body, learning how to read people before they say a word. As the run continues, we watch Cass start to transform as she finds a home for the first time.
6. G. Willow Wilson’s 2014 run on Ms. Marvel
This comic follows Kamala Khan, a teenager from Jersey, as she suddenly develops superpowers and learns how to become the hero she has always dreamed of: Ms. Marvel. Featuring the iconic quote: “Good is not a thing you are. It’s a thing you do”, this run went on to define Marvel in the 2010s, creating one of the biggest parts of Marvel in that era. Kamala is a relatable narrator, and her coming of age story is so impactful and fun to read. It feels like growing up with her. It’s deeply authentic to the time it takes place in, making it feel almost like a period piece. Kamala has a consistent and hilarious voice, and it’s a perfect run for young girls to read to start getting into comic books.
5. Greg Pak’s 2014 run on Storm
Storm has always been one of Marvel’s most well-known and iconic women. A member and former leader of the X-Men, she’s developed a reputation as a powerful, strong, and important character to Marvel history. Although she has hundreds of good stories strewn throughout the X-Men Universe, this is my personal favorite Storm solo series. Ororo is a goddess both on the page and in universe, but her strength never takes away from her moments of vulnerability and heart. She represents being entirely capable while not sacrificing your emotions, and she’s incredibly important to the history of women in comic books.
4. George Perez’s 1987 Wonder Woman: Volume 2
Would any list of women in comic books be complete without mentioning Wonder Woman? The first popular female superhero, the symbol of women in comic books, and the woman who has managed to maintain popularity throughout her decades of history. George Perez’s run helped solidify Wonder Woman’s place in the modern comic book space, developing her backstory and solidifying her history. It’s the backbone of character building for Diana of Themyscira. This story combines classic Greek mythology with DC universe rules and characters, creating a beautiful spin on the two. While Wonder Woman existed long before this run, it wasn’t until Perez took over her series that she transformed into the icon we know and love today.
3. Mariko Tamaki’s 2016 Supergirl: Being Super.
This is a great coming of age story and a different take on Supergirl. Although it falls outside the canon comic continuity, Supergirl: Being Super is a quick, relatable, and heartfelt story perfect for young teens getting into the comic space. In this take on Kara’s story, she didn’t know she was a kryptonian prior to crash-landing on Earth, and we follow her through the awakening of her powers as she struggles to save the people around her.
2. Brian Wood’s 2013 X-Men Vol. 4
In this run of one of the most famous superhero teams of all time, the primary cast is composed of mostly women. Ororo Munroe (Storm) leads a team composed of Psylocke, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Grey, and Jubilee. This run sold much better than it was expected to, giving all of the girls a great opportunity to develop, nurture relationships, and save the world as X-Men! All of them are well-known and powerful within the Marvel universe, and this run really gave them a chance to shine.
1. Tom King’s 2021 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Would this list be complete without it? There’s a reason this is the story James Gunn chose to adapt. It’s visually stunning, offers something completely different to most of the mainline DC universe, and is a huge moment of development for Kara’s character. There will be some changes made to the story in the upcoming film, most notably the addition of Lobo, but I’m hopeful that everything that made this story so beautiful will still be in the movie! If you’re going to read anything before the movie, read this. There’s nothing as fun as looking for shots in a movie that mirror panels in their original story!
