The DC Universe is home to some truly strong female characters. Before 2017, there was not much significance to the female superheroes in the movies, and they were generally lumped together with male superheroes in team-up movies. However, hugely strong female characters have lived on in comic books for decades, and they’re getting their due popularity now.
With films like Wonder Woman And Captain Marvel Making female superheroes mainstream names, there’s no doubt the coming decades will see many more solo female-led films. DC has generally been ahead of Marvel in introducing strong female superheroes and villains, and that’s why it’s worth noting The strongest female characters in the DC Universe.
40
Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva)
Affiliations: Legion of Doom, The Injustice Society, The Secret Society of Super Villains, The Society of Super Villains
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Cheetah (Barbara Ann Minerva) |
Superhuman strength, characteristics and abilities of a cheetah, razor-sharp claws and teeth, enhanced senses (especially sight and smell), enhanced durability, speed, agility, healing |
Wonder Woman #6 (October 1943) |
William Moulton Marston and HG Peter |
The DCEU version of this comic book villain may not be loved by fans, but she is inspired by one of the most powerful women in DC comic books. Cheetah has a long history of opposing Wonder Woman, one of the most powerful heroes.
Cheetah has not only super strength and speed. She is also incredibly intelligent and in several comic book storylines, Has the ability to communicate with and control large cats like her namesake. She is able to take on some of the most powerful figures in comics and live to tell the tale.
39
Alice (Alice Liddle)
Affiliations: Wonderland Gang
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Alice (Alice Liddle) |
High Intelligence, Skilled Tactician, Manipulation, Hand-to-Hand Combat Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency (Especially with Knives), Psychological Manipulation, Mind Games Expertise |
Detective Comics #854 (August 2009) |
Greg Rucka and JH Williams III |
For a while in the comics, Alice was Batwoman’s primary villain. The same is true of CW’s live action Batwoman Series. Alice is a complicated woman who turns villainous in the comics because she is manipulated, but in the CW series, as a way to get revenge.
In both cases, Alice does not typically have superpowers. She is, however, incredibly skilled, thanks to her training to become a fighter. Alice picks up new skills quickly, and she has no trouble using a variety of weapons. Beyond that, however, Alice’s strength comes from her emotional torment during her formative years, but finding a way to deal with all the pain and trauma of her past to push forward. She can be incredibly manipulative herself, but she also eventually becomes a hero.
38
Vixen (Mari Jiwe McCabe)
Affiliations: Justice League, Birds of Prey
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Vixen (Mari Jiwe McCabe) |
Animal Mimicry, Animal Communication, Enhanced Strength, Speed, Agility, Senses, Durability, Flight, Animal Communication, Camouflage |
Action comics #521 (July 1981) |
Gary Conway and Bob Ochsner |
Vixen comes from a long line of women who are able to access the spirits of animals to help guide them. Multiple heroines have used the name, and the characters have appeared in live action and animation, most famously in The CW’s. Arrowverse.Mmari is a woman who has a strong moral compass, a desire to see justice served, and a firm connection to tradition. She stands up for her convictions and commits to helping anyone who may need her.
While this is true for most heroes in general, Mari also understands that not every hero in the Arrowverse Must be in the same place. If a city has a hero, it goes where it is needed and allows them their space. She understands that someone else living the vigilante life may have a better understanding of their own city. It takes a strong hero to step back from the fight as much as it does to enter the fight.
37
Catwoman (Selina Kyle)
Affiliations: Batman Family, Birds of Prey, Gotham City Sirens
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Catwoman (Selina Kyle) |
Expert thief, master acrobat, skilled martial artist, expert VIP handler |
Batman #1 (Spring 1940) |
Bob Kane and Bill Finger. |
There’s a reason Catwoman is one of the most frequently adopted women in Batman mythology. It’s not just her complicated relationship with Bruce Wayne, but her ability to keep up with super-powered heroes and villains even when she’s not written as a meta-human, and her own character.
Catwoman lives life on her own terms, but she still has a strong moral compass. Despite often being a villain scaling buildings and opening uncrackable safes, she has her own code. Sometimes, she is a Robin Hood figure, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. There are many lines she will not cross, which is why she will often team up with Batman instead of working against him – to save those she knows cannot save herself.
36
Batwoman (Kate Kane)
Affiliations: Batman Family, Gotham City Police Department, The Mystery Watchtower, Outsiders
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Batwoman (Katherine “Kate” Kane) |
Expert martial artist, expert markswoman, advanced training in military tactics |
52 #7 (August 2006)* |
Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Alex Ross |
Catherine ‘Kate’ Kane is the second person to adopt the Batwoman moniker. Although she is Bruce Wayne’s cousin, she was running her own operation in Gotham independent of the Bat-family. Batwoman may not have the infrastructure Bruce developed, but with her father by her side, she was able to become one of the most underrated heroes in Gotham.
Batwoman has faced some truly terrifying villains. Not only the usual enemies that Batman deals with, but enemies that are personal to her such as her sister, Elizabeth, aka Alice, and the religion of crime. Kate may not have powers, but she’s a real ass-kicker and has an indomitable spirit.
35
Superwoman (Lois Lane)
Affiliations: Crime Syndicate
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Superwoman (Lois Lane) |
Flight, superhuman strength, speed and healing, lasso of submission |
Justice League of America #29 (August 1964) |
Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowski |
Superwoman is the villainous counterpart to Wonder Woman From the parallel world of Earth-Three. Like Diana, Lois is an Amazon and possesses comparable powers, such as flight, superhuman strength, speed, and healing abilities. Additionally, Superwoman holds her own version of Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, known as the Lasso of Submission.
Although there have been cases where this malevolent doppelganger triumphs over Diana, Wonder Woman typically emerges victorious in the end. Superwoman also faced defeat at the hands of Black Canary, which therefore diminished her overall ranking compared to other villains and heroes.
34
Black Canary (Dina Laurel Lance)
Affiliations: Justice League, Birds of Prey, Justice Society of America
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Black Canary [Dinah Drake (Golden Age), Dinah Laurel Lance (Silver/Bronze Age and Modern Age)] |
Canary Cree, Expert Martial Artist, Expert Markswoman, Expert Hand-to-Hand Combat, Enhanced Reflexes |
Flash comics #86 (August 1947) |
Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino |
One of the longest-running female heroes in DC Comics is Black Canary. A mantle passed down from mother to daughter, the Black Canary sometimes uses a device to “scream– At her opponents. other times, The heroine is a meta-human who uses her natural canary cry to fight.
Each version of the Black Canary has led a difficult life. One version of the character grows up on the streets before training with a martial artist and learning to use her skills to help people. Another version of​​​​this character has to work through addiction to become the person she is meant to be. The Black Canary often becomes a team leader and rallies other heroes to do the right thing.
33
Lewis Lane
Affiliations: Daily Planet, Justice League, Superman Family
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Lewis Lane |
Investigative journalism skills, willpower, leadership skills |
Action comics #1 (June 1938) |
Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster |
Her characterization has always been about so much more than being tied to her romance with Superman. Lois has always been a fierce and independent DC character who will never let go. Her outspokenness and never-say-die attitude made Lois a force to be reckoned with.
Even when Lois is threatened by beings of otherworldly powers, she refuses to be intimidated. And stick to her guns by turning to her investigative skills. This is more bravery and strength than most since Lois doesn’t have the advantage of special powers.
32
Amanda Waller
Affiliations: Checkmate, Suicide Squad, ARGUS, Task Force X, AX
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Amanda Waller |
Expert strategist, political influence, intimidation tactics, expert in intelligence and espionage |
Legends #1 (November 1986) |
John Ostrander, Len Wein and John Byrne |
If there’s one person who could give any meta-human living nightmares, it would be Amanda Waller. Her DC storylines have always been of the highest quality, which she bolsters by bringing her powerful presence that can dissect any person before her.
Waller is one of the handful of people who was never intimidated by Batman’s threats and was the one to put him on the back foot. Her complete control in all her activities has made her the host of beings more powerful than herself On paper, however, Waller doesn’t show even a hint of fear.
31
Batgirl / Oracle (Barbara Gordon)
Affiliations: Batman Family, Birds of Prey, Justice League of America
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Batgirl / Oracle (Barbara Gordon) |
Expert Martial Artist, Master Acrobat, Genius-Level Intellect, Master Hacker, Photographic Memory |
Detective Comics #359 (January 1967) |
Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino |
Batgirl has always been on wish lists for anyone Batman media, mainly because her characterization allows her to fit into any role. She was a badass superhero in her own right, while remaining a threat from behind the scenes when a storyline gave her the Oracle role.
She has all of Batman’s abilities on the field and has shown to have carved her own efficiency in mind games and strategies. So much so that Batman is shown to rely on her skills to complete his detective duties.
30
Ravager (Rose Wilson)
Affiliation: Teen Titans, Justice Society International
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Rose Wilson |
Unique physiology, enhanced mental capacities, perfect recall, eidetic kinaesthesia |
Deathstroke the Terminator #15 (October, 1992) |
Marv Wolfman, Art Nichols, Will Blyberg |
Rose Wilson is one of those Many Children of Deathstroke. While her father chose the route of an evil mercenary, Rose chose a different path. Originally, she seemed to despise her father, but after being trained by Nightwing and seeing what a monster her father was, She turned to a life of bravery. Her biggest moment as a hero was when she helped defeat her rampaging father during Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths.
She even managed to join the Justice League International and the Teen Titans at one point. Named Ravager, Rose has quite a few abilities that lend themselves to superheroics. Not only is she an expert fighter, but she has the ability of precognitionLetting them see a glimpse into the future. She was also recently shown together with Jason Todd, which makes sense given their mutual dislike for their respective father figures.
29
Dreamer (Nia Nal)
Affiliations: Suicide Squad, Legion of Super-Heroes
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Dreamer (Nia Nal) |
Astral Projection, Energy Build Creation/Energy Projection, Oneiromancy/Precognition |
Supergirl Episode “American Alien” (2018) |
Robert Rovner and Jessica Quiller |
Dreamer may be a recent addition to continuity, but that doesn’t diminish her standing among the strongest females in the DC Universe. Nia’s abilities originate from the dream realm, giving her a range of powers, including precognition, astral projection, and the creation of energy constructs. These abilities are genetically inherited, passed down from mothers to daughters.
Dreamer made her debut in the Supergirl episode American foreigner (2018) before transitioning into comics with her first appearance in DC Pride 2022 #1.
28
Harley Quinn (Dr. Harlene Frances Quinzel)
Affiliations: Suicide Squad, Gotham City Sirens, Secret Six
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Harley Quinn (Dr. Harlene Frances Quinzel) |
Expert Acrobat, Skilled Combatant, Genius-Level Intelligence, Chemical Expertise, Immunity to Toxins (due to exposure to Joker’s Toxin) |
Batman: The Animated Series (September 11, 1992) |
Paul Dini and Bruce Timm |
While other DC media have shown a relatively sad presentation of Harley Quinn, the DCEU version has portrayed the character at her most powerful where her mental health is concerned. The Harley has retained all her quirky qualities and is able to channel her emotions for the betterment of others, even if it may be unintentional.
Birds of prey Showed how she was able to stand tall after she fell to her lowest point, bringing in a new level of leadership quality and the ability to think quickly on her feet. She has so far faced both mystical and underworld threats, coming out on top every time.
27
Talia al Ghul
Affiliations: League of Assassins, Secret Society of Super Villains, Injustice League
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Talia al Ghul |
Master Martial Artist, Master Assassin, Multilingualism, Genius-Level Intelligence, Immortality (Depending on Continuity) |
Detective Comics #411 (May 1971) |
Dennis O’Neill and Bob Brown |
Stories involving the Al-Ghul family have always been ahead of their time, Tally’s involvement being the most complicated for Batman. Her strength comes from her ability to manipulate anyone she wants To the point where Talia can string around multiple people to suit her own needs.
She is perhaps the only person for whom Batman has lowered his defenses, being a villain for whom he harbors genuine feelings. If Talia wanted to, she could bring peace to Earth considering how incredible her powers of persuasion are. Although she remains evil for the most part, she could bring the world to its knees if that was her plan.
26
Mercy Graves
Affiliations: Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a very controversial figure and there are many people in the DC Universe who would like to see Lex Luthor killed. That’s why he employs a bodyguard with Mercy Graves. Although Mercy is a brilliant individual, she isn’t exactly the most dangerous fighter, at least until recently. After the events of Lazarus Planet, Mercy becomes more than human, transforming into a living version of Lex Luthor’s warsuit. Mercy is now capable of turning her limbs into weapons, stretching and even creating energy blasters. She also has regeneration and the ability to control any computer system, making her a much more dangerous enemy.
25
Livewire
Affiliations: Daily Planet
Livewire was one of the many characters to make the jump from television to cartoons, with Livewire first appearing in Superman: The Animated Series. Livewire is a woman with powers beyond electricity which she wields to devastating effect. She managed to damage Superman and even drained all of Cyborg’s energy, causing him to shut down, which was seen in DC Power: A Celebration #1. Overall, Leslie is not someone to be taken lightly. Her powers make her a threat to some of the strongest DCs and she is remarkably hard to pin down, as she can transform her body into electricity and move through powerlines.. Thankfully, she seems to have turned over a new leaf and now runs a podcast for the Daily Planet.
24
Blackfire
Affiliations: Formerly Justice League Odyssey, typically self now
;
One of the most consistently powerful members of the Justice League has always been Starfire. Her power is incredible, but it is tempered with kindness. Unfortunately, her sister is not nearly as nice. Blackfire sold her sister in saves to take over the planet as the next Queen. She has all the destructive power of her sister, but none of the empathy for human life. Blackfire has absolutely no problem using her powers to wipe out anyone she comes across. Considering just how power hungry she usually is, this is a major problem. Before the New 52, ​​she also demonstrated the ability to absorb solar energy, meaning she is likely capable of draining Superman’s powers and shown to be capable of draining her sister’s powers.
23
Grandma goodness
Affiliations: Darkseid
One of the most sadistic women in the DC Universe. When someone is captured by Darkseid and he wants to break their will, he sends them to Granny Goodness. Granny Goodness is responsible for brainwashing and training all of Darkseid’s most elite soldiers and is the leader of the Female Furies. She has trained absolute powerhouses like Great Barda and is not someone to mess with. While she almost never joins a fight directly, she has all the powers of a new god and is not someone to be taken lightly. She is also a brilliant tactician and a master of both disguise and deception.
22
Grail
Affiliations: Self
When it comes to strong women, there are very few who can match Grail. The daughter of Darkseid and an Amazon woman, Grail was granted the benefits of both lines. She has incredible physical strength, speed, durability, and can even call upon the Omega Beams, much like her father. She is a master of occult magic and even used the anti-life equation to control her own father once. She regularly fights the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman and has managed to draw blood from both. Although she doesn’t show up often, she is a major threat to everyone around when she does.
21
Dove (Don Grainger)
Affiliations: hawk and dove, birds of prey
Character |
Powers/Abilities |
First appearance |
Creators |
---|---|---|---|
Dove (Don Grainger) |
Enhanced Strength, Durability, Agility, Reflexes, Senses, Flight, Healing Factor, Martial Arts Mastery |
Hawk and Dove #1 (October 1988) |
Carl Kessel and Barbara Kessel |
Don Granger took over the role of Dove after the previous one died during Crisis on Infinite Earths. Dawn’s powers come from Terataya, A powerful Lord of Order that gives Don enhanced strength and speed, as well as the ability to sense danger in all its forms. Dove is generally paired with the hero Hawk, whose fiery personality contrasts with her gentle demeanor.
Don’t mistake Dove’s pacifism for weakness, as she was crucial to DC’s heroes winning during Black night. Dove was revealed to channel the White Light of Creation, a power that made her the one person capable of putting down a powerful Black Lantern Anti-Monitor for good.