Busting out all over: the portrayal of superheroines in American superhero comics from the 1940s to the 2000s

This study examined American comic book superheroines from the past and present, following trends in their portrayal throughout the past sixty years. Three randomly selected comic books introducing or featuring super-heroic women were subjected to a pictorial cover analysis. This cover analysis was intended to analyze comic book cover art to determine how superheroines have been presented to readers over the last six decades. The women who succeed in comic books are usually strong characters to start with, but the way they are portrayed often devalues or diminishes their strength. Depictions of superheroines in comic books often pander to adolescent male fantasies, but the introduction of new super-powered characters provides hope for the future