It’s a bird… It’s a plane… It’s a SUPERHEROINE! Did you know that only 26.7% of superheroes are female? We’re here to celebrate that small percentage by shining a light on some of the first female superheroes to appear in media. The first male superhero made his debut appearance in 1902 with the introduction of the Hugo Hercules comic strip, but it wasn’t until 1909 that the first superheroine was introduced to the world with L’Oiselle in La Mode du Petit Journal.
Much like their male counterparts, female superheroes have a wide range of abilities. They are incredibly diverse, spanning cosmic beings, mutants, and street-level vigilantes, and everything in between. Now, let’s take a deep dive into the early origins of the coolest female characters in media, the superheroines that have been saving the fictional world since the start of the twentieth century!
L’Oiselle (1909)
L’Oiselle, whose real name is Véga de Ortega, is known as the first fictional superheroine to appear in the media, having made her debut in the women’s weekly La Mode du Petit Journal in 1909. French for “The Bird,” L’Oiselle wears a winged costume that allows her to fly and uses her technology to fight a criminal organization. Her story, published under the title L’Oiselle ou Royale énigme, tells the tale of a young woman who flies, is trained by a secret organization, chases thieves, and even rescues a man (much to the dismay of the Catholic press). In addition to her flying suit, she uses night-vision glasses and benefits from 12 life tubes that enhance her senses, endurance, and even her metabolism.
L’Oiselle on the 1912 cover for the French novel Véga la magicienne; Illustration by artist Albert
Olga Mesmer (1937)
Olga Mesmer is a superheroine who first appeared in a comic strip that ran in the pulp magazine Spicy Mystery Stories between August 1937 and October 1938. Her first story was titled “The Astounding Adventures of Olga Mesmer, the Girl with the X-Ray Eyes.” Olga’s superpowered abilities include x-ray vision, supernatural strength, and immortality. Olga inherited her abilities from her Venusian mother, Queen Margot, after her father, Doctor Hugo Mesmer, performed experiments on her using soluble x-rays, which granted her x-ray vision. Olga was born with x-ray vision from her mother, as well as supernatural strength. Olga gained the power of immortality in a later story after drinking a secret potion from her mother’s underground kingdom. According to comics historian Will Murray, Olga is not only the first American superheroine but also “the superhero before Superman.”
Olga Mesmer on the cover of Spicy Mystery Stories; Unknown artist
The Magician from Mars (1939)
The Magician from Mars was a female superhero who first appeared in five issues of Amazing-Man Comics #7–#11 between November 1939 and April 1940. The Magician, whose real name was Jane 6ᴇᴍ35, was born on Mars to an Earth Mother and a Martian father. Jane’s superpowers were a result of exposure to cathode rays as an infant. Due to her hybrid heritage, this exposure enabled her to utilize 100% of her brain. Subsequently, it helped her develop a variety of abilities, including telekinesis, super-strength, gravity nullification, immortality, illusion casting, and matter transformation. Jane is also a pilot and is often seen flying an airplane or rocket ship in her appearances. After both of her parents died and her mean aunt assumed guardianship, Jane escaped to Earth to start her career as a superhero.
The Magician from Mars on a 1940 cover of Amazing-Man Comics; Illustration by John Giunta and Michael Mirando
Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle (1940)
Fantomah, known as the Mystery Woman of the Jungle, made her first heroic appearance in Jungle Comics #2 in February 1940 and continued through her final appearance in issue #51 in March 1944. Fantomah was a mysterious woman who used her superpowers to protect the jungle and its animals. Her superpowers were numerous and were often exhibited as needed for the story’s plot. Some of her powers included flying, levitating objects, and mutating humans and objects into other forms. When Fantomah would use her powers, her face would transform from the face of a normal woman to that of a terrifying blue skull.
Fantomah on the 1941 cover of Jungle Comics #15; Illustration by Fletcher Hanks
Invisible Scarlet O’Neil (1940)
Invisible Scarlet O’Neil was a plainclothes superhero who debuted in a comic strip published by the Chicago Daily Times in June 1940. The comic strip ran through 1956, with the name reduced to simply Scarlet O’Neil in 1949. As her name suggests, Scarlet had the power of invisibility. She gained the ability to become invisible, clothes and all, after touching a ray that her scientist father had been experimenting with, and suddenly disappearing. Scarlet discovered that if she pressed a certain nerve in her wrist, she could control her power and toggle between visible and invisible. Scarlet O’Neil used her power to help people in need and assist the police in catching criminals.
The 1950 cover of Scarlet O’Neil comics volume 1; Illustration by Russell Stamm
If this blog post has got you feeling the girl power, check out my post celebrating the 10 highest-grossing actresses of all time. If you’re feening for more superhero content, you’re in luck because PixlParade has a secret headquarters dedicated to everything superheroes (and supervillains).
See more:
- The New Superhero Shows Premiering in 2026
- A Complete Guide to Marvel Unlimited
- POLL: Which Marvel Cinematic Universe Film Is the Best?
Leave a Reply