WORDS HELEN O’HARA
As Diana of Themyscira storms
the box office, five female
superheroes wait in the wings
CAPTAIN MARVEL __ A hotshot pilot
whose DNA was fused with that of the alien
Kree (think Ronan The Accuser), Carol Danvers
has superhuman strength, speed, flight, you
name it. She’s Superman with better hair. Of
course, she’s already heading to screens in 2019
with Brie Larson in the lead and Mississippi
Grind co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
set to direct — an emotionally intelligent combo
that should fit Danvers’ steely charm.
BATGIRL __ Batgirl/Barbara Gordon is
a stalwart of the Teen Titans and Birds Of Prey
super-groups, and proud owner of two hero
personae: she was kicking ass as Batgirl, before
spending years as wheelchair-bound, anti-crime
mastermind Oracle (...it’s a long story). Get her
right — cool, funny, fierce — and you clear a
path to a Birds Of Prey franchise with Catwoman
and Huntress. Joss Whedon, Justice League-
allowing, will be attempting to do just that.
He was announced as director, writer and
producer of a 2018 Batgirl film in March.
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS __ David Ayer
and Margot Robbie are set to reunite, post-
Diana, aka Wonder Woman
(Gal Gadot), is kicking
box-office ass.
Below: Cover stars Black
Widow, Harley Quinn and
Squirrel Girl.Bitsy comics arc, in which she had to battle
a would-be successor to her Black Widow role,
would be a good starting point. Racked with guilt,
and conflicted about her Avengers role, she’s firmly
on Marvel’s dance card for the next few years.SQUIRREL GIRL __ They made Ant-Man and
the one with the talking raccoon, so is it too much
to demand they adapt the girl with squirrel-like
powers? Powers such as scampering, tree-climbing
and talking to other squirrels. Don’t underestimate
her, though. In her time, she’s defeated Thanos
with a massed squirrel attack. Pleasingly, Milana
Vayntrub (Silicon Valley) will be bringing the witty
SG to life in next year’s TV series New Warriors,
described as “Marvel’s first live-action comedy.”Suicide Squad, on a formidable girl-gangster
team-up. Robbie’s Harley Quinn will be joined by
fellow anti-heroines Catwoman and Poison Ivy.
With Catwoman (mostly) working alongside
Batman while Quinn struggles with her attraction
to the Joker and Ivy tries to save the planet,
there’s meaty in-fighting galore, but strangely
touching mutual support too. They may have
started off as straight-up villains, but they’re
complicated, unapologetic women.BLACK WIDOW __ There’s one Avenger
there’s far, far too little of, and it’s Natasha
Romanoff. We still know next to nothing about
her, so give Scarlett Johansson her dues and let
her unleash Natasha on a solo mission. The Itsy