Super-Females in Film: A Brief History

Everyone we know is currently preoccupied with superheroes. And with the onslaught of comic book based films currently being developed and released (Iron Man 2, Thor, The Green Hornet, The Avengers, Silver Surfer), we don’t blame them. While we agree that superhero films are fun, they tend to exalt the male as hero, while the female counterparts are typically campy sidekicks, love interests, or have no powers aside from their oh-so-charming feminine wiles.

However, with this weekend’s release of Kick-Ass, we think things will be changing because of underage badass Hit-Girl (played byChloe Moretz). Thanks to a red band trailer and Roger Ebert’s moral objection, the character is already the major draw to the film due to her intense potty mouth, seriously sassy attitude, and impressive gun slinging/knife throwing skills. But this diminutive super-heroine isn’t the first female to impress us with her film-stealing abilities.