http://popcultureheroines.com Strong Female Characters in Popular Culture Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:08:48 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I really hate those origin stories that have the hero hating her powers because she doesn't want to be different, I mean I understand why and all but I often find the reluctant hero archetype a little frustrating.  I think I liked the movie Jumper because the main character just ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/07/liz-sherman-reluctant-hero/ Karen Healey over at Girl-Wonder.org is commenting about the return of Stephanie Brown (The Spoiler) to the Robin comic.  Stephanie was killed off in Batman comics with a story that echoes the "Women in Refrigerators" syndrome. http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/05/stephanie-brown-the-spoiler-is-returning/ Has anybody else noticed how it has suddenly become terribly unfashionable to have an imagination? It used to be a real point of pride among the terminally smug that they never enjoyed movies nearly as much as the books they were based on - "because the books allow you to use your ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/04/reclaiming-our-imagination/ In the original Donkey Kong game you play a character named Jumpman (who later became known as Mario) whose job it is to rescue ‘the Lady' (later known as Pauline). This is one of the early if not first example of the now classic damsel in distress scenarios, Pauline ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/04/no-damsel-in-distress/ Pretty much every time I see a new heroine emerge on a movie or TV series these days, I notice the same kind of buzzwords creeping in - she's feisty, she's independent, she does thing on her own terms... I read interviews with the actress, all of which confirm that her ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/02/feisty-independent-and-a-scardey-cat/ Nerd, Witch, Lesbian, Evil Incarnate - Willow Rosenberg certainly developed enough material for three characters. She is off centre, quirky and sweet - the go-to girl for all kinds of knowledge and the shoulder to lean on. Willow is all these things, but her most important role on Buffy is playing ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/02/nerd-witch-lesbian-evil-incarnate/ Faith Lehane is arguably one of the more powerful female characters in living television history. Created as an antagonist to Buffy Summers, Faith not only added an extra dimension to the Slayer lore but also changed and challenged the show’s fundamental principle – that the Slayer is inherently good. Faith does ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/01/the-bright-side-of-faith/ This article first appeared at No Smoking in the Skull Cave. If you have an article or review that you'd like to contribute please contact us. For those of you who don't know Lynda Carter was not originally cast as Wonder Woman, no that honor went to the more than dull ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/01/wonder-woman-review/ I thought whilst we wait on some more articles I would celebrate a particularly important date that is often overlooked: On this day in 1978 "NASA introduced its first female astronauts when it named the eighth class of astronaut candidates. This class of 35 included six women: Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid, ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2008/01/first-female-astronauts-selected-by-nasa/ Character Overview "You're worse than a traitor Nina. You don't even have a cause. You don't believe in anything. You would sell anyone and anything out to the highest bidder." Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) could have forged a successful career working for her government and her country within the Los Angeles Counter ... http://popcultureheroines.com/2007/12/the-professional-series-4-nina-myers-24/