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Survey Report : What Women Want From Comics
 
Please describe the ideal character you would have liked to have seen in a comic as a child (to the best of your ability to do so.)
12/14/2010202820I would have like to see someone like Valkyrie, without her neuroses and memory loss, who was a confident, strong woman.
12/14/2010203060Outgoing schoolgirl with cool superpowers. I read Sailor Moon as a kid, which gave me complete satisfaction on that front- and a superhero to play on the playground.
12/14/2010203043I would have liked to see younger female characters (perhaps in their teens) who were smart and strong, and capable of extricating themselves from tough situations.
12/14/2010203489Anne of Green Gables and/or Ramona Quimby.

I liked day dreamer characters in novels, so if I read comics when I was a kid (I really only read newspaper strips), I guess I'd like the same kind of quirky dreamers who didn't quite fit in (i.e., exactly like me as a kid).
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12/14/2010203760Someone heroic who also has doubts. Someone who acts even though they're afraid & facing trying circumstances.
12/14/2010204226Since I bought comics specifically due to my obsession with Wolverine, that was my "ideal character" at the time. But later I probably could have gotten in to Ghost World and characters like that if I had known they existed before the movie came out.
12/14/2010204315A girl I related to who overcame her place in the world instead of waiting for someone to save them. Someone who was beaten down in life and beat life back.
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12/14/2010204460
12/14/2010204462A strong assertive female who very rarely relied on a man if at all
12/14/2010204466
12/14/2010204467I was 16 when I started so I was interested in hot guys with daddy issues (Dick Grayson of 'Robin' fame got me into comics, what can I say :B) but who were nice and strong and had skin tight suits and loyal friends.
12/14/2010204471someone who fought against the odds. Hence why I was drawn to the X-Men
12/14/2010204473
12/14/2010204474My ideal character was in the comic books.
12/14/2010204476no pink and sparkles! Engaged in plots with subtleties, not just "oh the bad guys are bullies and they hurt people!" BTAS did an amazing job at this
12/14/2010204478Fun, smart, creative, and doesn't let others get her down.
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12/14/2010204482
12/14/2010204483
12/14/2010204486N/A
12/14/2010204489
12/14/2010204490Probably one who was really strong physically, very straight-forward, and fought for the good of mankind. They had to kick lots of ass too.
12/14/2010204492Batwoman. She has all the qualities I like.
12/14/2010204493I actually didn't really get into comics until recently (in my 20s). I knew my dad had some old Spiderman comics from when he was little, but even being into comics now I actually still to this day haven't even seen them. I just wasn't really exposed to it much when I was younger.
12/14/2010204494A strong female character, someone I could look up to.
12/14/2010204499A strong woman, capable of fighting her own battles and an asset in the war against evil. Smart, outgoing, strong not just phisically, but mentally and emotionally, outspoken, who says what's on her mind and does was right instead of what's easy.
12/14/2010204500
12/14/2010204502I was always drawn to strong-willed female characters, the girls and women who had purposes outside being love interests, even if they did happen to have relationships.
12/14/2010204505A well-rounded character driven by emotions and the desire to do good in the world.
12/14/2010204468I would have liked to see a "Stephanie Brown" type character. A character who, while pretty average, still fights for what she thinks is right. No super powers, but still fighting for good.
12/14/2010204469A female African American character.
12/14/2010204470Strong female not just an attachment to a male!
12/14/2010204472Wonder Woman was my ideal
12/14/2010204511I was utterly wedded to the concept of a devastatingly loyal junior sidekick to someone who didn't have her (generally her-dressed-as-him) best interests at heart. I do not recall reading this character anywhere, but I pretended her into EVERYTHING.

For the record, I didn't have access to comics as a child, so I only started reading them when I grew up and moved to a place with a decent library system.
12/14/2010204512
12/14/2010204477A female, cosmic-powered superhero with deep personal flaws and a sense of humor fighting for the greater good.
12/14/2010204516
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12/14/2010204518
12/14/2010204520When I was younger, I just wanted someone to kick butt. I didn't pay attention to personalities or actual story lines... now I realize how annoying some of my old favorite characters are.
12/14/2010204521I would have to loved to see more strong female characters.
12/14/2010204523A strong female character I could look up to.
12/14/2010204485I would have enjoyed any wisecracking, heroic female character, preferably superheroic; all the hand-me-down comics I read as a child either featured male superheroes or were of the Archie, Casper or Richie Rich varieties.
12/14/2010204524A normal girl in an abnormal situation there seems to be a lot of that for boys, like people who just got powers and have to adapt to that. While with women it seems like it's some innate quality they just have always had and haven't had to adapt to it because it's normal for them. I think it would have been great to see the opposite of that.
12/14/2010204525A woman who is wicked smart, strong, independent, but not isolated. Someone who knows that who she is isn't complete and that's OK. Someone who's not afraid to vulnerable, willing to stand up for what's right, and be a confident leader.
12/14/2010204526Someone who was around my age. With a secret identity because i always liked stories where an identity was at stake, and they had to do something crazy to protect it
12/14/2010204527
12/14/2010204501A minority would have been a a breath of fresh air
12/14/2010204530There was the very lovable samurai that was very loyal and a bit of a comic relief I was drawn to him because of how he could deal with any problems in a serious manner but still sit back and enjoy life.
12/14/2010204510Someone who fought to protect others and was fiercely loyal to their "family" (could be in a literal sense but also constructed families). Was intelligent, but fun and easy going. Injected humor into tense situations. Not willing to give up.
12/14/2010204513
12/14/2010204534I didn't have any particular character that I wanted to see, exactly. The ones I liked seemed pretty cool. I think I would have liked a girl I could relate to more.
12/14/2010204537Uh...Batman.
12/14/2010204538All female superhero group.
12/14/2010204543
12/14/2010204545abitious, strong, inner strength, courage, funny, attitude, sex appeal
12/14/2010204549Strong female justice-seeker real non-voluptuous intelligent flawed unique everyday heroine
12/14/2010204551As a child I probably would have liked to see characters like me, painfully awkward nerdy girls, who could also kick ass and take names. Belle was always my favorite Disney princess because she liked to read books and she could also tell off Gaston and the Beast, so I probably would have liked female characters like her, if I had read comics when I was a child.
12/14/2010204552Probably a super-hero female main character. I had an adoration for girls I could relate to, a loner/social outcast, who secretly had magical powers/super-hero skills.
12/14/2010204556A female character who had no romantic interests by choice. Someone without body issues without having a perfect body. A character who likes herself, but who doesn't like everyone. A character who is bisexual or who doesn't know or who doesn't care. A strong woman who actualy leads a team and gets respect. One who doesn't spend time fretting or doubting or flirting.
12/14/2010204535
12/14/2010204557an out, proud lesbian or a strong woman who didn't need to be rescued
12/14/2010204536
12/14/2010204541When I was a child, I would have loved a comic about an ordinary (ordinary!) girl like me, who happens to do extraordinary things. Not necessarily through means of special powers or super-amazing martial arts skills taught to her by the secret society of ninjas who raised her (though I would have found that pretty great, I admit), but by using wit and humor to solve problems/mysteries/catch bad guys/etc. The trick would be NOT to dumb-down the character's stories. I liked superhero comics about saving the world, and if someone's idea of an ideal character for a young girl was to have her solving the mystery of who stole the milk money at school, I'd probably have thrown the book across the room. Big, smart stories, with a smart, witty, funny young protagonist. If she happened to have freckles, that would've been exciting, too. ;)
12/14/2010204571
12/14/2010204572I didn't read comics as a kid.
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12/14/2010204582I would have liked to see a female character and/or character of color who wasn't some kind of sidekick. When you grow up as a fan from a marginalized group, you learn to read yourself into the iconic white male characters out of necessity. I wish that weren't so.
12/14/2010204562
12/14/2010204565As a child, my ideal character would be a superhero without an overly-sexualized costume and a strong sense of self-confidence. Someone smart, self-assured, and always ready with a clever quip.
12/14/2010204589Sort of the typical anti-hero: down on their luck, combats the odds to come out victorious...more realistic
12/14/2010204591
12/14/2010204574A woman that could fight just as well as the men (if not better), but she had a heart.
12/14/2010204595
12/14/2010204596
12/14/2010204577
12/14/2010204599A hero similar to Wonder woman with morals but think of sailor moon for a sense of humor, quirkiness and relatable flaws.
12/14/2010204600Girl who is a loner with no special powers but totally kicks ass, probably asian as well. works on reason not on emotion and is seeking revenge (sounds kind of contradictory, i know, but it makes sense)
12/14/2010204602Witty, ability to banter, some romantic tendencies (most of my favorites were "ladies men"). Strong but still human (flawed, maybe a little screwed up).
12/14/2010204586Beautiful, popular, friendly, average intelligence. Relate-able.
12/14/2010204587...
12/14/2010204605Female, on a space ship (very important), with high 'strong leader' quotient, able to fly.
12/14/2010204606Sailor Moon was the ideal and I think still remains my ideal for a comic book hero today. She fights for justice, her boyfriend never wins her fights for her, she has a lot of other female friends that she talks to (it passes that "does it have two women who talk to each other about something besides a guy" test and then some) and she kicks ass through kindness, like Doctor Who.
12/14/2010204610Reflected what was going on in the era, including many aspect of culture, like music film, etc. A no-bull attitude and couldn't care less about appearances. Very much who they wanted to be as opposed to what they 'ought' to be.
12/14/2010204613
12/14/2010204614Just someone that was fun to read. Women role models who didn't all dress like sluts and have huge breasts like they're drawn today.
12/14/2010204616My favorite characters were always the ones I could immediately identify with when I was a kid, or wanted to be; the leader character that everyone loved and idealized.
12/14/2010204617
12/14/2010204618Someone with an interesting backstory who does really awesome things. With explosions. A strong female like this. I often liked it when characters where like me, Brown hair and brown eyes and a little bit different.
12/14/2010204619A preteen tomboy bookworm little girl who solves mysteries, fights crime and isn't afraid of anything, and is generally bouncy and determined and loves stories.
12/14/2010204601A younger girl (12 or so) that assisted a crime fighter in some way, preferably as a useful side-kick. She would be smart, mature, and capable of handling herself without falling to the damsel in distress role every issue.
12/14/2010204628This is a hard one. Probably someone who didn't have anything inherently special about them over coming tremendous odds. The problem with this for me though is that I never like it when one person does some amazing (i.e. save the world/country/alot of people etc etc.) I'm a much bigger fan of teamwork. Actual teamwork. Not a couple of people help a sole person to accomplish something, but a group of people, all giving it there all to get something done.
12/14/2010204630Any kind of strong female character.
12/14/2010204631As a child I really liked girl characters with spunk so I would have liked to have seen more of those!
12/14/2010204609Bad-ass warrior woman who kicks butt, makes wise cracks, and, through tenacity, wits, and strength, always manages to come out on top.
12/14/2010204632A heroic character fighting to do good. One with flaws that they strive to overcome on and off the battlefield.
12/14/2010204636
12/14/2010204639
12/14/2010204642It's hard to differentiate between nostalgia and actual ideals! As a kid, my favorite characters were Wonder Woman, Huntress, Johnny Storm, and Green Lantern, and I liked them all for different reasons -- Wonder Woman for the fantasy, Green Lantern for the science fiction, Huntress for the mystery, and Johnny for more science fiction plus he could light himself on fire and fly. (This was all in the eighties.)
12/14/2010204643When I was little, pretty much all I read was Sailor Moon and other popular shoujo titles, so that was my ideal character. Sailor Moon was pretty, as all shoujo heroines are, but I liked how grounded she was and how devoted she was to her friends. She was average at school, a bit clumsy, but enthusiastic about everything. She was my ideal in that she made friends easily, stuck with them, and never seemed to give up no matter how tough things got.
12/14/2010204645A magical type of character who was wise, and yet caring--but actually young, and thus approachable. Good at fighting hand-to-hand, too. Strong and, while allowed to make mistakes, a guide to the group. A good sense of humor.
12/14/2010204647Female, Strong, Tomboy, Insecure but Brave.
12/14/2010204633Someone who did whatever made them happy.
Not necessarily fitting into stereotypes.
12/14/2010204650A realistically portrayed female character, that held her own, and was not overshadowed by her male counterparts. Someone that I could look up to and model myself after.
12/14/2010204654Would have liked to see more wonder woman as she is now, and characters like her - feminine and strong - and displaying that those two things are not opposites.
12/14/2010204658Someone who was girly, but still able to fight.
12/14/2010204661
12/14/2010204662A main character that is an intelligent girl.
12/14/2010204644...
12/14/2010204669Someone I could identify with. Someone I could see myself in but also gave me something to look up to and strive to be more like.
12/14/2010204670
12/14/2010204657Someone who always did the right thing, had a strong sense of justice, but was laid-back and was, to some extent, a form of comic relief.
12/14/2010204684
12/14/2010204687
12/14/2010204692As a child I always wanted to see the more powerful characters. The ones with the powers or abilities that gave them an edge, made them special.
12/14/2010204693Batgirl as she is now, back then. I am more of a cass / stephanie batgirl fan than Babs - but love her as the orical. But as a stad alone character, not in the bat vers.
12/14/2010204697Betty Cooper - Nice, fair, smart, funny, cute
12/14/2010204698As a child I loved characters that had lots of really strong powers but emotional weaknesses.
12/14/2010204707
12/14/2010204708I'd have liked to see more female characters who didn't need to be rescued by men.
12/14/2010204711Hot guys in glasses
12/14/2010204712A guy not as snobby as Bruce Wayne with Peter Parker's personality and Wolverine's powers.
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12/14/2010204696
12/14/2010204715Antihero.
12/14/2010204717Good role model but not overly idealised, accessible and relatable, one who raises questions and finds answers
12/14/2010204719Didn't have to look the best, sort of nerdy but was heroic. Nice, and smiled a lot!
12/14/2010204720
12/14/2010204703
12/14/2010204709I would of loved to see another leading bat lady who would save the world and still be human.
12/14/2010204722Someone like the George Perez Wonder Woman, since that's what I was so crazy about.
12/14/2010204739Ideally they would have been someone who was friendly, outgoing, fair, strong, capable, had a sense of humour, and who had something to fight for-goals, or obstacles to overcome.
12/14/2010204746
12/14/2010204751Female characters that have realistic reactions to things, fight things, and are not just used as the person keeping the characters from having fun. Female characters as lead/important characters.
12/14/2010204745
12/14/2010204770
12/14/2010204757Dark loner who blurs the lines between good and evil.
12/14/2010204761Oracle/Batgirl
12/14/2010204774Batman
12/14/2010204778I would have liked to have seen a person who fought and never gave up. Despite the personal struggles and overwhelming odds. My only wish was that they would never give up. Yes, they would be flawed, but in spite of those struggles, they would always protect innocent people first and foremost.
12/14/2010204791Batman :) Because he's Batman. But maybe nicer to the people around him. He's a bit of a dick.
12/14/2010204792Someone heroic and happy and funny but who can still be serious. Someone who always does the right thing. Could be a man or a woman.
12/14/2010204798
12/14/2010204788I think it would have been someone that I would've want to be like. And super powers are cool, but not everything has to be solved with them. Someone who actually does want to do the right thing because it's right. And don't try to make every little thing so plausible, comics are supposed to be a little out there.

Also, as a side note. Innocent and pure characters are ideal. Morals are more the not stealing or lying.
12/14/2010204813A badass character who didn't take any shit
12/14/2010204816Regal bearing but friendly and open. Had her flaws and weaknesses, but managed to work past them. A big sister quality. Grounded but optimistic.
12/14/2010204821A female fighter that was the leader of a group, and had a strong friendship/comradeship with at least one other female.
12/14/2010204822A superchick who managed to save the day on her own.
12/14/2010204824Someone quirky and hilarious and not too complicated.
12/14/2010204826Nancy drew type character, good, always does what's right, models good relationships with family, friends, boyfriend etc. Solves crimes, uses intellect more then muscle, but is phyisically capable and able to defend herself against attack. Very smart and fearless.
12/14/2010204828
12/14/2010204836Kickass lady, preferably bisexual (for me to identify with), possibly with magic powers. Cracks wise. On the side of good.
12/14/2010204839This is hard to explain...an ideal character to read is a fully realized one. That is, an ideal character is a flawed one. One that can experience some growth within the story.
12/14/2010204840
12/14/2010204833I liked things that made me feel more feminine and were more powerful than I was. I liked that I thought I could someday grow up and be that powerful and that feminine.
12/14/2010204850
12/14/2010204847
12/14/2010204877A hero who did what they wanted, but had frequent family interaction that avoided any sort of problems.
12/14/2010204863My ideal character as a child would have been a straight-up Mary Sue; basically an idealized character who could do no wrong and was beloved by all and who always triumphed and got all the best, special-est goodies and powers.
12/14/2010204885
12/14/2010204889Huge dick
12/14/2010204890Someone that was smart and clever when they fought or did their thing. NOT damsel in distress characters.
12/14/2010204883
12/14/2010204901An adult superheroine who was similar to Batman but not as morally ambiguous as Catwoman.
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12/14/2010204906
12/14/2010204922That's really hard to say because I'm not a child and how I interpret comics now is more nuanced because I know myself much better than I did as a child.

I do know that Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) was my first big "appeal" to me. That was back when Barbara was a Congresswoman.

I shy away from words like "ideal," especially when I'm trying to connect the then of me and the who of I am.

Characters that I hope resonate with children of today: Oracle, Renee Montoya, Huntress, and always... always Wonder Woman.
12/14/2010204931The aloof hero - not quite sure if you can trust him, but you do anyway :)
12/14/2010204933A girl who stood up for herself.
12/14/2010204934Strong, beautiful, smart, and funny.
12/14/2010204942A girl who is strong and has adventures
12/14/2010204957Hmm. Probably a strong woman with special powers, someone tough and ready to take on a fight, but also dealing with her own internal struggles. Probably with a good cast of friends/supporting characters (but not necessarily a love interest) with whom she had meaningful interactions.
12/14/2010204974empowered and GLBT(etc) positive, outsider with enough confidence to be happy.
12/14/2010204978A strong character male or female that embodied the best attributes of human intelligence, emotion, and spirit. Someone to believe in and trust as a role model.
12/14/2010204983Brave, funny
12/14/2010204992ambition driven
12/14/2010204993
12/14/2010204988A quiet, nerdy girl thrilled to end up with the ability and opportunity to help people.
12/14/2010205001Funny, easy-to-relate to, had good intentions
12/14/2010205020
12/14/2010205028As a child I liked female characters who captured the admiratiion of male characters with thir beauty, bravery, or skills.
12/14/2010205012A female superhero who wasn't overly stereotyped by typical comic tropes (ie, big breasts, overly revealing costume, "heroic" but still needing to be rescued by the male superheroes, etc). Someone strong and sassy, and witty, because I was anything but as a child.
12/14/2010205053Princesses.
12/14/2010205073One that would have made me realize it's OK to be different.
12/14/2010205079I think a female character who was from a normal family and became a hero because of desire to help people, without the tragic past, the victimization and the loss of agency that customarily accompanies a woman's hero's journey. Why can Clark Kent become Superman from a drive to use his abilities to do the most good while all female heroes are lesser-abled Batman-patisches: victims who turn their victimization into the fuel that drives their transgressive heroism. So basically, Supergirl but without the dead family and the also-ran status. But I'd have settled for a Batgirl who didn't wear heels and carry a purse.
12/14/2010205085Sailor Moon
12/14/2010205103- young with a hardship she had to overcome (personal barriers)
- physically strong female
- smart
- human sidewell illustrated
- a role model
12/14/2010205112I think I was satisfied as a kid.
12/14/2010205119Someone who was different but in a special way (for example, I liked the X-Men because they were outcasts but they had cool powers) and are able to over come that oppression through hard work.
12/14/2010205130to be truthful as a kid i wasn't really into comics. i didn't get into them until recently.
12/14/2010205199strong, confident
12/14/2010205207Underdog kind of characters. Characters who have few special powers relative to their world but are able to contribute by being stubborn, clever or lucky.
12/14/2010205194
12/14/2010205206
12/14/2010205243A strong powerful witch.
12/14/2010205264When I was a child I wasn't looking for a specific character or a specific attribute. But as an adult there are characters or attributes that I can see would have been nice to see in comics as a child. Mainly, a powerful lesbian main character.
12/14/2010205298A beautiful black woman thick who is trying to save het neighborhood from poverty
12/14/2010205342I would like to have seen a character in a comic that has all the good values of a hero, someone I can idolize and someone I can look up to.
12/14/2010205330
12/14/2010205374Nightcrawler was pretty perfect to me when I was eleven. He was unconventionally-gorgeous, funny, daring, and protective of his teammates. He had a dark side, too, which was interesting, but it didn't get the best of him.
In addition to him (not as an improvement), I would have really liked a similar female character. None of the X-men ladies were really very funny, or unusual-looking, or just balls-out daredevils. Their angst tended to define them, too, more than the guy characters, I think.
Maybe there's more X-men ladies like that nowadays, but I'm not up-to-date on that comic.
12/14/2010205396I always liked characters who were a bit hard-edged and cynical. The more introverted, the better. That way when they revealed their more human side it would hold greater meaning. I wanted an intelligent hero who was calculated even when they were being rash and who people would be concerned about trading sides. I never really liked the shiny wholesome characters as they were less fathomable.
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12/15/2010205476
12/15/2010205468Funny and wise-cracking, like Wally West. Yet very smart and able to solve most problems with intelligence rather than brute strength.
12/15/2010205498Well... Batman :)
12/15/2010205736
12/15/2010205804
12/15/2010205848Someone funny, travels around the world, (maaaybe has a special power of some sort) A unique person. Male or female.
12/15/2010205861A teenage girl with super powers who has to deal with normal life as well.
12/15/2010205884Strong woman wearing more clothing/ Crime fighter/Has own personal problems- conflicts
12/15/2010205893
12/15/2010205915Anything that wasn't goddamn Ghost Who Walks. (All I had as a kid.)
12/15/2010205966
12/15/2010206001I would've liked to seen more girls like me, artists, geeky and generally not va-va-voom. Yes even as a kid I noticed how women in comics seemed to be overly heavy in the top area.
12/15/2010206015Someone with their own warped sence of humour, be strong in who they are but also enjoys the fun in life. I found this mostly in male characters, it would have been nice to see some females with such qualities.
12/15/2010206065
12/15/2010206101
12/15/2010206136Oracle. Overcoming tragedy, finding strength in her ablities beyond that.
12/15/2010206200I would have liked to have seen more strong, well developed female characters.
12/15/2010206211A girl character who is not supposed to be outstandingly pretty or 'good,' who has exciting adventures and a hot temper.
12/15/2010206222I would have wanted to see more stronger female characters that are now showing up in droves. There were some amazing female characters when I was younger, but nothing compared to the quantity and quality of the ones today.
12/15/2010206230A character that has all the agency and power of desition as one of the males and one that get's some level of consistency in who they are. Dear god, I don't want to see Queen Hippolyta being an idiot in Amazons Attack again.
12/15/2010206253competent female superhero team leader.
12/15/2010206362Sparkly ponies and hot men...who turned into ponies.
12/15/2010206366A well respected female leader who didn't have to take a backseat to the males on her team or have to continuously prove herself an equal to the men. Just a well-rounded, compassionate (but stern), female role-model.
12/15/2010206374I loved funny characters, witty characters, those with a brain and not afraid to use it, but still with a strong emotional compass. Not unneccessarily violent, decidedly unagressive, in fact, but if the situation called for it, they would kick ass. The ideal character for me as a child would probably have been all that mixed into one.
12/15/2010206481Orphaned, alienated princess (who doesn't know she's a princess) with magic powers - ability to shoot lasers, teleport, fly, etc. She would learn of her heritage, team up with a superhero, and go seek revenge. She would totally have an awesome space suit with a cape and a pet unicorn. I think I have a drawing of her somewhere, still, from when I was a kid :)
12/15/2010206520spider-woman now, back then. Tho i didnt read comics when i was a kid, this is a recent thing for me
12/15/2010206556More women who weren't damsels in distress or obsessed with their looks/appearance.
12/15/2010206612A woman who used logic and intelligence to fight evil. (A female Batman, practically :p)
12/15/2010206620Someone who is able to take it to all the guys, who does what they do and perhaps better, that purposely and obviously goes against the stereotype of 'girls can't fight/think/defeat the baddies', with the reason of showing that girls can indeed do that without being a stereotype. The character would need to be normal-- not annoying, not way out there, with weaknesses and flaws but strengths as well. Also one without need of a male character in the story to save her life would be WONDERFUL. All that does is lead to more stereotypes.
12/15/2010206602An intelligent, strong, emotionally complex character, either male or female, with interesting flaws and great one-liners.
12/15/2010206634My favorite characters were Sailor Moon, Sakura Kinomoto, and Sasami from Tenchi Muyo!, and I still think they're fairly good characters (especially Sakura), and fun characters for children.
12/15/2010206710A female warrior (in spirit), hunted by her own mistakes, maybe even fallen from grace because of what she did in her past, but able to recover from that.
12/15/2010206729
12/15/2010206695
12/15/2010206706Someone who was not afraid of being who they are i.e. proud of being different.
12/15/2010206816As a Kid, I liked strong female heroes with a sense of humor and some romance in their story.
12/15/2010206852A teenage girl, or preteen girl, with superpowers that don't cause her angst. Not happy and chipper and sweet all the time - capable of being aggressive and assholish. Queer. Physically strong. Devoted to her friends.
12/15/2010206859When I was younger (I didn't start getting into comics until the 8th grade) I really wanted to see a few issues starring what was colloquially termed "The Common People (TCP)". I want to see a green-thumb mutant who used their gift to be a bad-ass landscape architect. I wanted to see people using their mutant/special gifts in a day-to-day job that had nothing to do with superheroing. And I wanted these people to be not "hated & feared" because as much as I'm sure teens can relate to the whole mutant/superhero "no one will ever understand me so I stand alone in the night and cry a lot" vibe, sometimes we want to know that everything is going to turn out okay and, like Superman, we'll end up with a decent job and bad-ass spouse like Lois Lane who likes us for who we are.
12/15/2010206837A strong female character.
12/15/2010206838A plucky, courageous and headstrong girl detective solving crimes and mysteries a la Sherlock Holmes, with her adventures having a combination of action and "calmer" moments, and a likeable supporting cast. She'd travel a lot, going to places I always wanted to go, and meet impessive people.
12/15/2010206862I would have liked to see more realistic female characters. Though buxom female superheroes were a definite attraction for me, other types of strong, intelligent women (who might not necessarily be stereotypically "beautiful" to reflect reality for those of us who are not) would have been nice as well.
12/15/2010206900When I was a kid, Betty from Betty & Veronica and Archie comics was my absolute favorite. I suppose it helped that she kind of looked like me (a white girl with light hair, bangs, and a pony tail) but I just liked that she was competent. She was an athlete who could fix cars. While Veronica worried about clothes or her figure or boys, Betty chowed down on burgers and french fries and played volleyball on the beach. She was smart and nice and well-liked. The only downside to Betty was her crush on that fickle freckled idiot. I never understood why she put up with his shit or let him come between her and her best friend.

Basically, Betty was my ideal character. Betty with superpowers or Betty in space or Betty fights dinosaurs would have been acceptable as well.
12/15/2010206932
12/15/2010206952
12/15/2010207007
12/15/2010207070I liked everyone I saw as a child. I wouldn't change anything.
12/15/2010207120Kitty Pryde of the X-men was my ideal, she was a realistic female character I could relate to.
12/15/2010207171
12/15/2010207174Female, with lots of magical abilities. Someone who feels like an outsider but tries her best to do what's right. A misfit with a good heart.
12/15/2010207190A girl who was able to fight with guys and got a long with all of them, who also had a love interest
12/15/2010207227A woman who is intelligent, strong, savvy, and has a strong set of morals and ideals. She may fall in love, but the story isn't about that love, it's about something else.
12/15/2010207317
12/15/2010207322I enjoyed characters who were believable, regardless of their powers or the fantastical situations they were in. I really enjoyed the "soap" elements of comics, so a strong supporting cast was a must. Basically, I was looking for Buffy, long before she existed. I was a child of limited financial means, so I didn't read a wide variety of comics. I probably would have loved comics with more humor, like the late 1980s JLI.
12/15/2010207366Someone who was outwardly kickass, so tough it's scary, confident to the point of being egotistical but with a soft, creamy centre completely at odds with their outward presentation (ie. loves kittens, has romantic angst, alter-ego is a nerd)
12/15/2010207403Stormer from Jem and the Holograms was my favourite character as a child. She was one of the bad guys, but was still caring, sensitive and brave enough to stand up for what she believed in. She was real enough to be seduced by/bullied into darker things, but always questioning her actions and refusing to cross the line when she saw it.
12/15/2010207447I would have liked to see more geeky girl characters. I was like that as a kid and there aren't many girl characters like that. Also girls that aren't extremely blonde, pink, interested in shopping, or princesses. I'm okay with feminine characters, but that's all there is to chose from and I'd like someone more of my style.

I would also have like to see the girls in charge in fantasy, sci-fi, and other genre fiction. They are only in the forefront of romance, which I don't dislike, but isn't my favorite.
12/15/2010207485An every-day hero (as opposed to magical or superpowered). Or at least someone driven by a less overpowering plot - no saving the world or protecting the universe.
12/15/2010207513I wasn't too picky as a kid. All I wanted was to see a girl superhero kicking ass. I didn't really consider the implications of their cookie cutter attitudes and appearances. I shied away from any overtly sexual female characters because they made me uncomfortable. Especially the villains who as far as I could tell were all basically just sluts. I leaned more towards characters like Barbara Gordon, Robin, and the X-men crew.
12/15/2010207610I wanted someone who could fight, crack jokes, and looked great. Superpowers were optional. I liked it when Wonder Woman had no powers!
12/15/2010207776Honestly? Just a female character (good OR evil! I'm giving you options here!) who was strong, smart, capable, and didn't flash the reader every five panels. It is surprisingly difficult to find.
12/15/2010207855I would have loved to have seen a girl character like The Warlord or something, who killed lots of people with swords and always figured out an answer.
12/15/2010207915I would have liked a female superhero with flight, superspeed and superstrength, who was cheerful and friendly.
12/15/2010207968
12/15/2010207972Powerful women beating up the bad guys just as well as the guys or better.
12/15/2010207985I wish when I was younger the female characters were strong, better role models for girls.
12/15/2010207999animal's
12/15/2010208032Honestly, I think that the characters I grew up with were amazing enough. I adore Wonder Woman. I love Jason Todd. I think Connor Kent is awesome. There are more, but I would be here all day to describe them all.
12/15/2010208057A female character that was intellectually the mix of Batman, snarkiness of Stephanie Brown and have some superpowers and Peter David-eque way of dealing with them psychologically.
12/15/2010208066An ittelectual mix of Batman, snarkiness of Stephanie Brown. Peter David-esque way of dealing with her powers in a society that wonders who she is.... A la my story "Violet Vigilante"... (it has grammer errors I know. Enjoy it either way. see the next topic for the link.)
12/15/2010208149
12/15/2010208221A strong, competent female character that could do things on her own without having to have a male do it for her.
12/15/2010208232
12/15/2010208257
12/15/2010208268A woman who was strong enough physically, emotional, and mentally to surpass the men around her in whatever the important thing of the moment was. I was really big on girl power. Also, I would have wanted her in practical clothes and shoes without those stupid, stupid heels!
12/15/2010208299
12/15/2010208370There's no need for me to create an ideal character because, as a child, Rogue was it. She won me over with her Southern charm (being a child growing up in the South like I was.) She was strong. She could fly. She kicked bad guy butt. She was pretty but not overly feminine. She was also real. She struggled with the separation her power forced on her. There were times when she didn't believe she could be of use to anyone, didn't think she could get close to anyone. As a kid who always felt a bit out of place, I could relate.
12/15/2010208371As a child I would of loved to see a strong woman in comics, since I mainly read Sonic and Archie, so all the women were love sick or just side characters. I wanted women with depth, personality and who could stand on their own.
12/15/2010208396
12/15/2010208392More Green Lanterns!
12/15/2010208417Lois Lane, as she's now portrayed. Back then, I liked her but she wasn't allowed to be as three-dimensional as she is now.
12/15/2010208438
12/15/2010208477I would have liked to see a lesbian superhero, very similar to Batwoman today. I love the Birds of Prey, the character from Devi, Renee Montoya from Gotham City Central (and the Question). I don't particularly like women who are Gods (aka Wonder Woman) rather women who are tough, smart, good detectives, may have super powers, are persistent, and committed to social justice. I like when they are somewhat flawed. They are incredibly strong, but also struggling with their own issues. I especially like female characters that have a bit of a dark side (such as the Huntress or the Black Widow) I also like female characters who are capable of solving problems through both punches and their brains. I craved strong female characters as a child.
12/15/2010208492strong, tomyboyish woman who is innately powerful.
12/15/2010208511funny
brave
smart
12/15/2010208513A female character, who wasn't whiny or annoying.
12/15/2010208542
12/15/2010208602
12/15/2010208646as great as superman and wonderwoman and sailor moon and all those other guys were i cant help but think seriously who leads this kind of life and this is kind of stretching it a bit much i mean even batman what rich guy goes galavanting around as a crusader who wants to help a bunch of people so i suppose someone that was different but still had some qualities people could realate too becuase i dont think anyone out there is some bad ass amazon or vigilante of the night and im pretty positive no one got there powers from there super cool and beautiful parents who sent them to earth for some reason
12/15/2010208636 a woman who is strong independent, fights for justice, honest loyal a good fighter, funny sarcastic strong in personality. Also compassionate, protective and ambitious as far as a career or calling in life
12/15/2010208669As a kid, an ideal comic book character would be a strong female hero who was kind of tomboyish, had magical abilities, and had a animal familiar.
12/15/2010208676A young character, powerful, but not necessarily willing to use their power. A child who is capable of stepping out of the role of child, but not actually willing to unless provoked.
12/15/2010208690
12/15/2010208723
12/15/2010208742
12/15/2010208772
12/15/2010208845I would have to say that I had them. I wanted strong women who were still beautiful and powerful.
12/15/2010208925
12/15/2010209085Batman was my favorite and first comic. I created a superhero named The Stray. She concocted bombs and other inventions out of chemicals in her base, an abandoned warehouse. I couldn't draw, unfortunately, so I only have stick figures and basic story outlines.
12/15/2010209228a character that depended on his or her friends, had close bonds with the people they cared about, and fought for and with them. loved team characters and found families, especially the one who didn't feel like they ~deserved~ their friends deep down. a character with power, but not the most powerful or the smartest or strongest, who had to really work for what might come easily to some other people.
12/15/2010209319I loved the X-Men so much I'm not sure they could have been better, to me!
12/16/2010209521Someone with magical powers, and a deeply ingrained set of morals. Someone I could look up to. Someone who wanted to distinguish themselves from others.
12/16/2010209743
12/16/2010210027I would have liked to see more female characters who kicked ass and took names, while managing to look beautiful but not slutty (and for that matter, impractical--high heels to fight crime? REALLY?). A female character who has emotions and expresses them without abandoning reason.
12/16/2010211192Better female characters, definitely. Superhero comics are full of ridiculous-bodied, poorly characterized idiots who fall apart at the least provocation. That really bothered me as a young reader, and I eventually stopped reading comics for that reason.
12/16/2010211401A female team of superheroes, from a diverse cultural background, all representing different qualities and powers, fighting crime.
12/16/2010211672Someone who is different, but loved because they are different
12/16/2010211817Female protagonists who aren't defined by sexiness. Female friendships that are given depth the way that male "comrades" are.
12/16/2010211753Female superhero just as good as the men, not willowy thin in spandex, not wearing heels....
12/16/2010211842I was totally in love with Sailor Moon ;-)
12/16/2010212040
12/16/2010211995Buffy! A strong woman, not with unbelievable boobs, who is nonetheless mostly human who fights for justice and cares for others
12/16/2010212192Team of beautiful female superheroes with magic powers.
12/16/2010212242A strong, intelligent, female superhero who is not a copy of a male hero.
12/16/2010212195Strong woman whose weakness is not a guy.
12/16/2010212265Would have been nice to see a girl version of Calvin and Hobbes, perhaps.
12/16/2010212387
12/16/2010212526Bookish girl/young woman, who is clever (possibly magical) and saves the day by working with others/friends/team mates to save the world from villains/aliens/things not meant for this world.
12/16/2010212569funny, wise-ass, pretty
12/16/2010213239I started out in manga, seeking out attractive guys who were hopefully shagging other attractive guys - I was never a super anti-women yaoi fan, but I was pretty bad. :|
12/16/2010215741
12/16/2010217596I think I would have given my left arm for a non standard ditessing damsel. I would have loved to have action girls.
12/16/2010219076As a child I would like to see someone who was strong and smart and brave. I wanted to see people try to help and do good deeds. I wanted to see them with family and friends.
12/16/2010219317Y'see, here's the problem I had with answering this question. My preferred type has always been the guile hero or the trickster: Odysseus/Ulysses, Coyote, characters who survived and thrived not so much on their physical strength (although they probably have a degree of it) but rather on the strength of their intelligence and wit. However...
12/16/2010219499A young woman who was of my ethnicity. I'm from Brazil and when I was young I always wanted to find a superhero that I looked like or could relate to based off that. She had to be an equal to all other superheroes and she had to be funny, because young me loved humor.
12/16/2010219915
12/16/2010219972i liked Tintin anyway, didn't care about his gender, just wanted to be him when I grew up. (I was six.)
12/16/2010219924The character I references above is Tintin, i cant think of a better comics character for kids, sorry
12/16/2010220680Strong interesting layered female characters appealed to me most as a child, and I was motivated partially by beauty...though I am less motivated by that as an adult and have a wider definition of such. I liked girls and women that were obvious equals to the men around them.
12/16/2010220693Mina Murray from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - strong, self-willed, determined, defying convention but still having integrity, sensual
12/16/2010220752
12/16/2010220761
12/16/2010220982Kind of like Asterix, except female; witty, slight in build but innovative, able to solve problems both physically and logically. That comic had several strong-minded women but they were all somebody's wives or daughters (in which case they were pretty and airheaded).
12/16/2010221288strong, motherly, kind, so powerful that she saves others and less inclined to have to fight personal battles. regal
12/16/2010221424Would've loved more characters like Huntress from Birds of Prey
12/16/2010221692
12/16/2010221957A tomboy.
12/16/2010224549I would have liked to see someone that was as bookish as I was, but still strong and could stand up for herself. As a nerdy kid that was bullied, seeing someone like me stand up for herself would have given me hope.
12/16/2010225290
12/16/2010225486Someone my age rather than a superheroic, idealized adult. Preferably a girl, with some fantastic ability or curse or story to go with her, and a smart mouth.
12/16/2010226091
12/16/2010226369This is an answer from a child (7 years) ... so ...
12/16/2010226747I think a combination of the Birds of Prey and Sandman characters would have been my ideal comic as a child.
12/16/2010226825n/a
12/16/2010227327Agent 355, from Y: The Last Man (stoic, sarcastic, troubled past, utterly kick-ass). I would have appreciated her as a kid, but back then I was only familiar with the manga chicks my friends read (the ones who were perpetually in danger of being sexually harassed by the male characters we were ostensibly supposed to root for). The superhero mythos was interesting to me, but I was too intimidated by all that backstory, and didn't have a way to get my hands on many books.
12/16/2010227354Kate Kane! If I had had Batwoman as a child I'd have been a lot more comfortable coming out.
12/16/2010227466A confident and inquisitive character, friendly at the same time.
12/16/2010227623
12/16/2010227661The new Batwoman actually is pretty darn close. There was also a lot about Elektra I really identified with. And as a teen I loved Death from Sandman.
12/16/2010227702
12/16/2010227759
12/16/2010227805
12/16/2010227816
12/16/2010227826I would have liked to have seen explicitly queer characters, and women who were fighters.
12/16/2010228076
12/16/2010228064smart, cute, adventurous, friendly, a believer in working for good
12/16/2010228189Strong and kind, perfect and beautiful
12/17/2010228645A bookworm who becomes a superhero.
12/17/2010228835
12/17/2010229576A character with a strong, unique voice and exciting narrative, fighting against the odds.
12/17/2010230169Well, my ideal character already exists in comics. The character Rogue from the X-men.
12/17/2010231426Someone who could make me feel strong. Someone I could look up to.
12/17/2010233319
12/17/2010233660Wonder Woman
12/17/2010234323strong female role model, smart, complicated, strong, funny, friendly
12/17/2010234476Funny, active, mischevious
12/17/2010237177I've already seen my ideal characters in Dick Grayson (Robin, Nightwing, Batman) and Barbara Gordon (Batgirl, Oracle, Wonder Woman
12/17/2010237289Probably a hero/ine that helps people because he/she wants to...In other ways, her/his help wouldn't be needed; but he/she feels like it; she/he needs to save innocents, in a way...And having for the most a semi-normal life.
12/17/2010238021A female character with lots of agency
12/17/2010238294A girl version of Gambit
12/17/2010238467strong woman, not just physical strength
12/17/2010239129
12/17/2010240188Someone confused by the world around them, yet doing all they could to better understand it.
12/17/2010240166A character overcoming great difficulties with their wit, bravery and hard work, but with moments of weakness and self-doubt.
12/17/2010240439someone around the same age as me, with some sort of superpower, fighting bad guys, who is clever and uses their brains as well as punching people, someone who was in a team and who was just like the others in the team - i.e. not a token girl, black kid etc. Someone cheerful and cool looking.
12/18/2010242187I'm not really sure how to answer this. I grew up in the seventies and eighties, when female characters weren't as . . . egregious as they are now. And even as a child, if I didn't like how a character was being handled, I just didn't read about that character.
12/18/2010242538
12/18/2010245164Famale, black, fighter or scientist (or both), strong, funny, brave, independent, lots of friends
12/18/2010246826Someone who had weaknesses and flaws that they couldn't get around, but they still tried their best and had loyal friends.
12/18/2010248424
12/18/2010248607As a child, my favorite character was Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. She was close to my age, a princess , was infinitely powerful, and wore purple. She also had a flying unicorn.

12/18/2010248679I wish hit girl had been around when I was a child. I really only has Wonder Woman and Supergirl (what a wimp she was then!)
12/18/2010249401
12/18/2010250687An independent woman, who can take care of herself.
12/18/2010250912
12/18/2010251495I loved Jughead from the Archie comic universe, because he was so unflappable and laid-back, especially compared to all those other drama queens in Riverdale. I would have liked to have seen a female version of that, maybe: not interested in guys or clothes or grades, but in being true to herself, even if that wasn't the norm.
12/18/2010251771A super detective.
12/19/2010252365
12/19/2010254004I took what was there. There wasn't a large selection. Especially not in Germany.
12/19/2010256885I liked Batman. But I would have also liked to see a kid like me, but with superpowers.
12/19/2010257406Fun, taking trips to space or to secret places on earth. I liked characters that were involved in social justice, though I didn't call it that at the time. Helps the ordinary people. Works at night frequently. Has animal powers or special relationships with animals.
12/19/2010258005Someone with a power like flight, with extravagant clothes and hair, who is a bit quirky
12/19/2010258845Strong women who could fight but still had romance
12/19/2010259742Strong, heroic, able to overcome great odds, do cool things.
12/19/2010259930
12/19/2010260312
12/19/2010260511I was quite happy with the superheroes I read as a child in the 80s and early 90s.
12/20/2010262878A girl just like me, neighborly look
12/20/2010266188A female who did not need a man to be a driving force behind what she did, or who needed to be saved by one.
12/20/2010267581
12/20/2010267655Smart, loyal, inventive, admirable
12/20/2010268885strong minded female character. Intelligent. with a bit of magic maybe
12/21/2010271843
12/21/2010272189
12/21/2010272689Batman may have always been my favourite but I could have done with more strong female characters - I didn't discover them until I was a bit older with the likes of Mina Harker in LXG, the Birds of Prey etc. I would have liked to see more women leading teams (I loved the women of the Teen Titans but they never seemed to be in charge...)
12/21/2010273377
12/21/2010273678
12/21/2010273746As a child, I would have liked to have seen someone like Mary Jane as a superhero. That confidence, sparkling wit, snappy comebacks combined in a crimefighting form--like Catwoman if she wasn't a vigilante. I think it is telling that the only woman in the Fantastic Four has the power to be invisible. What kind of power is that? I wish I had discovered the X Men as a child or found someone that made me feel like I felt about Spiderman but about a woman.
12/21/2010274094
12/22/2010276934Fun female with animal related powers. usually morphing.
12/24/2010283382A female character not bound by feminine stereotypes, drawn in a way that doesn't over-emphasize her body but does allow her to be sensual, "gray" and self-serving (not necessarily good or bad) but strong convictions, individualistic and on par with male super heroes yet realistic with human emotions (basically, doesn't need to be another "Wonder Woman")
12/25/2010284036
12/26/2010285668
12/27/2010287223Psylocke mixed with Shadowcat. A ninja nerd.
12/27/2010287556More characters like Spider-Man. Young, relateable, fun..
12/27/2010287743Someone strong who I could look up to and relate to.
12/31/2010294453I would like to have seen more women of color as heroes.
01/02/2011295930Anyone interesting, to be honest. I like weird little quirks and catchphrases. I like sidekick characters, and characters that are a little detached from reality.
01/02/2011295933someone sarcastic and nerdy, while still being able to cause a lot of damage if they needed to.
01/02/2011296078A strong, reasonable, hispanic, female character. I don't get the chance to look up to many minorities in media.
01/02/2011296802I would've liked to have encountered someone like Wonder Woman as a child, because I grew up with manga and Archie comics. Wonder Woman's a great role model, and I would've liked it if I read stories about strong, beautiful, intelligent and independent women.
01/03/2011297745
01/03/2011299375
01/04/2011301897Smart, in control and well put together, knows the risks going in, preferably a girl but a guy is fine, practical, doesn't wear a speedo (Batman wore it well but I had a hard time looking at Superman when I was a kid because I felt embarrassed for him). Definitely not a perfect person - they should have their flaws (even if it's as mundane as not liking their siblings- but not having the family story be a sobfest). Their backstory should not be a total sobfest, it's fine if there's tragedy or things they regret but please no more "My parents are deeeeeaadd!" They don't have to be a jack of all trades but I'd like them at least be good at something and not a waste of space outside of being a superhero. If they have a secret identity at least make it believable.
01/05/2011304347Oh, god. Okay. I would have loved to see any kind of Western comic featuring a strong, non-sexualized woman without idealized comic anatomy fighting evil/saving the world. She wouldn't necessarily have to be a superhero, but being a superhero wouldn't make her lose points either.
01/05/2011308591
01/07/2011316663A woman with her own mind and values that kicked ass, doesn't care what anyone thinks and is looked up to.
01/10/2011326974
01/10/2011328320Someone cool, confident, pretty, and a great fighter with witty remarks.
01/11/2011331987
01/23/2011508849Realistic not sexualised in a skimpy outfit and left in the background as a dumb female afraid of breaking her nails while her man goes off to be a thug.
Well rounded and reasonable but not rich.
04/13/20111428182
06/21/20112231707
08/12/20112928555
11/03/20114251952catwoman
01/29/20125877668I would love to have awesome ladies to look up to!
 
Please describe the ideal character that you would like to see in a comic now.
12/14/2010202820A confident, strong women in a realistic setting, superpowers or not. Treated like an equal, acting as an equal, part of a team.
12/14/2010203060An adult yuri character with a job she enjoys who is competent and intelligent without being too perfect or Mary Sue-ish, starring in a story in which her sexuality isn't the point but isn't ignored either. I would like to see her in a story with a strong, tightly-written plot set in the "real world" that has sci-fi or fantasy elements incorporated into it. (Not some high fantasy setting or a completely alternate dimension. And no mecha, unless it can be incorporated in an unusual way like Simoun.) She should be funny, but not just a gag character.
12/14/2010203043Intelligence and common sense are the most important traits for me; the ability to kick ass is also appealing.
12/14/2010203489I guess I still like reading about characters like me. I enjoyed a webcomic starring a cantankerous hard-drinking 20-something with a sharp tongue, for example.

However, my favorite characters in manga and anime are always characters with great ideals who do the right thing... or Golgo 13.
12/14/2010203745Someone who used his/her brain more than brawn. Had a friendly personality & a good sense of humor. Lots of common sense.
12/14/2010203755
12/14/2010203760Smart and independent
12/14/2010204226I'm always on the lookout for strong female characters that are fighters, usually with some kind of tortured past. It all depends on what I'm in the mood for and of course the plot of the story as well.
12/14/2010204315Someone who beats life with a hammer with style and grace. Overcame her suffering and got revenge with a smile.
12/14/2010204340
12/14/2010204355
12/14/2010204458
12/14/2010204459
12/14/2010204460
12/14/2010204462More strong assertive females
12/14/2010204466
12/14/2010204467An Arabic woman who wasn't a terrorist, was a brave leader, fighter, strong, independent, maybe someone who does lots of flips and really good with guns and explosives and had cool hair.
12/14/2010204471Somewhat flawed, but tries to do the right thing.
12/14/2010204473
12/14/2010204474Shes still around.
12/14/2010204476Pretty much the same, except now I wish for more minority representation and less characters stuck in limbo - eg. cassandra cain.
12/14/2010204478Strong, smart, takes charge of things, and has a life goal or purpose that is really important to them.
12/14/2010204480
12/14/2010204482
12/14/2010204483
12/14/2010204486A character who cannot be easily fit into a general character type e.g. boy genius, overly sexed teenager, psychopathic villain
and characters with diversity- racial, ethnic, cultural differences, lgbt characters who are not stereotyped.

oh sorry, that wasn't one character.
12/14/2010204489
12/14/2010204490Someone who is complex and has many internal struggles. Perhaps ulterior motives fuel their actions and aren't always what people expect to them to be. Their strength should lie not in the physical manner but their abilities. It would be nice to see a female character that wasn't driven by the good of the team or something that isn't about others. Perhaps she can be motivated for selfish reasons since in my experience more male characters tend to have that.
12/14/2010204492Batwoman.
12/14/2010204493I would love to see a female version of a Batman/Green Arrow type chatacter (aside from Batwoman, someone a little more original that could be a real title character). But a socialite-type who has the resources to fight crime and kicks ass despite the fact that they have no super-human powers.
12/14/2010204494A strong LGBT character whose sexuality isn't the centerpoint of their characterization.
12/14/2010204499A strong woman, capable of fighting her own battles and an asset in the war against evil. Smart, outgoing, strong not just phisically, but mentally and emotionally, outspoken, who says what's on her mind and does was right instead of what's easy. In two words: LOIS LANE
12/14/2010204500
12/14/2010204502A strong, active, capable but flawed human woman. Need not be superpowered, but can exist in a world with superhero elements.
12/14/2010204505A well-rounded character that fights for social justice and humanity. Not the "perfect" kind of character, but rather a nuanced, flawed character with whom I could identify.
12/14/2010204468A woman who doesn't need a man to feel complete. A woman who fights for what she thinks is right, and can overcome adversity.
12/14/2010204469A female African American character.
12/14/2010204470
12/14/2010204472Wonder Woman
12/14/2010204511I don't even know how to answer this now. I guess I have to say that John Constantine, who I described above, hits all the right buttons for me. And I love The Goon and Hellboy, which feature similar character types.
12/14/2010204512
12/14/2010204477Same as the above.
12/14/2010204516
12/14/2010204517
12/14/2010204518
12/14/2010204520Someone that can be relatable and yet have some sort of magic or mystery to them. I wouldn't say one with an alter ego/split personality.
12/14/2010204521I'd still like to see more strong female characters in comics who can achieve iconic statuses like those of Batman and Spider-man. But in general, more kick-ass characters.
12/14/2010204523A strong female character I can identify with, who inspires me.
12/14/2010204485Well, pretty much Lois Lane, though I enjoy any wisecracking kickass female hero. I also have a soft spot for the Stephanie Brown type, the slightly-clumsy--heroine-that-doesn't-give-up-despite-her-mistakes.
12/14/2010204524I would like to see a woman who isn't a typical character. All the female characters seem to either be super bad ass hardcore scary intimidating ladies (who I do love). Or nice sweet friendly girls who get along with others while still of course kicking ass and sort of throwing people off with how strong they are because they're so sweet (I love them as well). But I'd like to see an average girl one who wasn't one or the other one who wasn't the typical spunky girl, or bad ass or sweetheart. But something different all together.
12/14/2010204525All of the above, but I'd also like her to be not thin, to be respected, and to defy the typical chasm that says women can't be logical and emotional. Pragmatic, but heroic. Flawed, but good. And I'd like her to be a person of color and/or gay/bi. Something other than white, straight, emotional (or ice queenish), and beautiful.
12/14/2010204526I'm open to most types of characters. But i strongly dislike racial or gender stereotypes, or over sexualization.
12/14/2010204527
12/14/2010204501Someone who doesn't really posses super strength nor money, but still tries their best to save/help humanity. Even the everyday woman could help battle crime w/o money or powers.
12/14/2010204530I'd love to see a young multi cultural woman with humor and talent. Preferably one that isn't constantly undermined by writers.
12/14/2010204510Essentially the same, with less of a focus on humor and more of focus on intelligence and figuring out the best course of action using input from others and reason. Only impulsive when the ones they love are in danger.
12/14/2010204513
12/14/2010204534Again, this is hard to imagine an ideal character as a list of traits. I like Batwoman a lot because I love the Batverse and she's a female character who is independent but respects Batman and he respects her. I would love to see her with a sidekick who was a young woman a lot like her. Serious and committed-which is not to say she can't have a sense of humor.
12/14/2010204537Same.
12/14/2010204538I enjoy strong female characters.
12/14/2010204543
12/14/2010204545Idealist and represents a minority.
12/14/2010204549Strong female justice-seeker real non-voluptuous intelligent flawed unique everyday heroine
12/14/2010204551My ideal character now is much the same, someone who is smart (although not to genius Mary Sue levels), someone who can kick ass in their own way (not necessarily physical), someone with a sense of humor about life and themselves, someone who is flawed in some way.
12/14/2010204552I wouldn't so much mind if this character was either male or female. I would like to see a character gifted with a magical/super-hero ability (as I still do enjoy my fantasy now), who doesn't want this power because he/she has everything she could ever want in the world, but unfortunately he/she has a destiny to protect man-kind (even though he/she does not want to be a super-hero). Even better if this character is a snotty brat taken out of his/her usual surroundings.
12/14/2010204556The same.
12/14/2010204535
12/14/2010204557an out, proud lesbian or a strong woman who didn't need to be rescued
12/14/2010204536
12/14/2010204541Today I don't believe I have an ideal character. My favorite comic characters are probably Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, Superman/Clark Kent, and Death from The Sandman. Characters that have some aspect I can relate to (or that I can aspire to relate to) are fantastic. Characters that figure things out or do things a way I wouldn't necessarily have thought of are also interesting to me, as I'm always open to learning about different ways of looking at things... even as a grown-up.
12/14/2010204571
12/14/2010204572A kickass woman who doesn't take shit from nobody without falling into the 'oh I must show my chest and show femininity to not be a threat to others' Screw that. I'm tired of seeing women with unreasonable gravity defying boobs and outfits and shoes that would be impossible to fight in without it all falling off. Give me a stubborn sarcastic woman, a woman I can relate to who also kicks ass and doesn't have to answer to no man or was taught by one. A woman who got to where she is today by her own efforts and ambitions. Give me a realistic looking woman battling her own demons and skeleton closets and you will have my heart and readership.
12/14/2010204575
12/14/2010204580
12/14/2010204561
12/14/2010204582I would love to see a woman of color superhero and/or a queer person of color superhero. I would love to see those elements brought in in a way that rings true and is not tokenizing and for that character not to be sidelined and for that character to be given enough care and consideration to tell really great stories.
12/14/2010204562
12/14/2010204565Jack-of-all-trades, smart, insightful, a little romantic, and capable of heroism in the face of adversity. Not overly-sexualized and very self-confident.
12/14/2010204589Same as above honestly, with perhaps a less glorious ending.
12/14/2010204591
12/14/2010204574The same as the previous answer.
12/14/2010204595
12/14/2010204596
12/14/2010204577
12/14/2010204599Think Polaris from xmen for flaws. She's also really human and relatable. I also think someone like X23 and Rogue. Being outcasts and therefore they have Inner emotional turmoil while still remaining cool and collective on the surface.
12/14/2010204600it hasn't really changed from when i was little.
12/14/2010204602I need to see some flaws. I get bored with characters that come across as "too perfect". I want to see the heroes stumble at least a little before they win. Again, some romantic subplot goings on are good. Now I look for characters that are relatable.
12/14/2010204586Realistic. Driven by both emotion and reason. Petty. Someone whose looks and personality can't be described with just one word.
12/14/2010204587,,,
12/14/2010204605
12/14/2010204606I don't know what to say besides "well-written." I'm kind of over women with giant tits and an inability to do anything by themselves, though.
12/14/2010204610Same qualities listed above, though I'm not sure the reflection in musical culture would be very good today.
12/14/2010204613
12/14/2010204614I am more likely to seek out female characters now. I would like to see strong, ideally lesbian characters such as Kate Kane and Renee Montoya.
12/14/2010204616Now, I love to see characters that are more realistically flawed and usually less lauded by the other characters or even the fans. I especially like to see characters who represent people who are underrepresented in the media, like queer folks, trans folks, people of color, etc, and who aren't reduced to caricatures of their particular group.
12/14/2010204617
12/14/2010204618Someone who is a strong person who is outgoing and willing to stand up for what they believe in. I often like it when they are different. Kick ass people are also awesome but not just for the sake of being kick ass. There should be a reason for it.
If the character is interesting and has layers then I don't really mind what they are like. I just have to find them interesting.
12/14/2010204619A powerful,self sufficient, competent young woman who makes her opinions known, doesn't put up with people trying to hold her back or put her down, routinely fights back against sexism/racism/classism/homphobia, is constantly questioning authority and the system she's part of with a funny and fun personality-is flawed, neurotic, makes mistakes, but always succeeds in the end despite losses along the way and is never put down so a guy can "save" her, she can be subservient to him or he look better than her. She is afforded just as much respect as male heroes in everyway. She should also have a practical costume with sensible shoes, sensible problems and attitudes and generally fight evil and kick ass- would be great if she could be POC. She never gets victimized/fridged just to make a shock/give the males some angst. She is never shamed for being strong.
12/14/2010204601An intelligent woman who's allowed to wear clothes. Probably a villain, but a hero with a gray sense of morality works just as well. Strike a balance between criminal mastermind and accomplished martial artist without making some kind of female Lex Luthor abomination and I'd call it good.
12/14/2010204628I find that I wish there were more down to earth characters in comics. Sometimes its hard to relate to some of the characters I read because they just seem so far away I guess. Alot of what I said before concerning what I wanted in characters as a child still also applies to this.
12/14/2010204630Any kind of strong female character.
12/14/2010204631Someone who is very much a person before they are particularly masculine or feminine, someone who struggles internally with trying to be a good human being, someone who takes action at the right times, someone with heart and soul.
12/14/2010204609Bad-ass warrior woman who kicks butt, makes wise cracks, and, through tenacity, wits, and strength, always manages to come out on top.
12/14/2010204632Flawed heroes, doing their best to overcome those flaws while being good people and fighting the good fight.
12/14/2010204636
12/14/2010204639
12/14/2010204642...You know, I don't think my tastes have changed much, although I'm better able to articulate why certain things in the comics I love drive me out of the story and I'd call Wonder Woman more urban science fiction than fantasy these days. Plus, oddly, now that I'm an adult I like stories with teen heroes more than I did when I was a kid myself.
12/14/2010204643Pretty much above. I like my characters realistic. I want flaws and talents, I want less grimdark grittiness and more heartwarming picnics or bake sales. I want normal people drama. I want a character who can take the high road without being self-righteous or preachy about it.
12/14/2010204645Strong (physically (or equivalent) and emotionally) but not emotionally distant. Cheerful and somewhat idealistic, but not silly or naive. They know about the world, but can still have faith in it. I'm tired of unnecessarily dark characters. Intelligent enough, but not necessarily a huge brain. I'd like them to be a part of a team. Too many publishers have been breaking up teams, and I miss the family dynamic I used to see in comics. In that team, I'd like them to be a person who can bring and keep people together. I don't want the stereotypically touchy-feely type, but a person who is just naturally charismatic, and their optimism is catching.
12/14/2010204647strong but flawed, Poliete, friendly but can still kick butt. Insecrue at times.
12/14/2010204633A snarky, sarcastic, conniving lesbian.
12/14/2010204650As above.
12/14/2010204654Doesn't really apply, I'm interested in all sorts of characters.
12/14/2010204658A character who doesn't become all angst. Someone who is fun to read. They are family focus and loving to people. They are so funny.
12/14/2010204661
12/14/2010204662A strong intelligent woman with a realistic body type and personality, possibly a member of the lgbt community.
12/14/2010204644....
12/14/2010204669Similar to what I wanted as a kid, I want someone I can see parts of myself in, I'm just more complicated now than I was then.
12/14/2010204670
12/14/2010204657Someone strong, independent, follows their head. Although I still tend to read comics centered around male leads, my ideal character would be a strong-willed woman who is totally independent from males.
12/14/2010204684
12/14/2010204687
12/14/2010204692Nowadays, I've always liked the more under-dog type characters. The ones with the sort of suckier powers who no one really liked. I mean, who can relate to Superman when there are characters out there who get picked on for being green or somesuch? I want to see someone who reflects an average person save the day.
12/14/2010204693Tough evil women.
12/14/2010204697Veronica Mars - independent, smart, sassy, attractive, tough, tenacious, funny
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412253/
12/14/2010204698Someone who is not perfect but always strives to help others and be strong.
12/14/2010204707
12/14/2010204708I mostly would just like for every character to be non-discriminatory and any opposition just be good vs. evil.
12/14/2010204711Hot guys in glasses
12/14/2010204712The same thing.
12/14/2010204714
12/14/2010204696More kickass women.
12/14/2010204715Antihero.
12/14/2010204717Human, not there just to serve shallow purpose (ex., to be in a relationship with another "more important" character, to be a scapegoat, to be a victim, etc); has flaws, strengths, motivations, senses, passions. Not stereotypical, but not a statement.
12/14/2010204719Same deal. Similar to Kick-Ass.
12/14/2010204720
12/14/2010204703
12/14/2010204709I'd love to see more of a diverse character who is different from others and a strong female role model for both men and women.
12/14/2010204722Someone like the Greg Rucka Wonder Woman! ;)
12/14/2010204739Now they tend to be loners who are sarcastic, witty, brooding, have a definite sense of self, are pushed by a fear of failure or letting others down. They still have a sense of humor, but it's darker.
12/14/2010204746
12/14/2010204751Same. :/!
12/14/2010204745Give us back Jubilee, without the slutty vampire attitude!
12/14/2010204770
12/14/2010204757More heroes like Apollo and the Midnighter.
12/14/2010204761I'd like a strong, smart woman with out breasts the size of watermelons. One who looks semi-normal and is not only intelligent but lovely as well.
12/14/2010204774Batman
12/14/2010204778A woman from a marginalized community that has to deal with the everyday struggles of being apart of a marginalized community while trying to save the world. And the conflicts she would come across if she had to deal with people who wouldn't want to be saved from a person like her. It would be compelling.
12/14/2010204791I'm still a huge Batman fan, but there's a real lack of strong, realistic female characters in the bat-universe. Whenever they have one, like Cassandra Cain, she usually isn't long for the title. In fact, Cassandra was replaced by a character who is OK, and who is improving as far as being a strong character goes, but still has about 17 years of history of being a flighty, bubble-gum popping "girlfriend" sort of character to overcome. What I want is a strong female character who is just a strong character, independent of being female. Where her femaleness is part of her, and neither helps nor hurts her when doing her job (like Cassandra Cain). A character taken seriously by other heroes, and also by bad guys. A bad guy's default comeback shouldn't be "I won't be taken down by a GIRL" every time one encounters the female character.
12/14/2010204792Same as then, really.
12/14/2010204798
12/14/2010204788They shouldn't be have every hair in place perfect. Someone that I would want to be like, but maybe has some of the same problems. And super powers are cool and can be made extremly interesting, but not everything has to be solved with them. Someone who actually does want to do the right thing because it's right. I'd the plots to be on the more meaningful side rather than "end of all live as we know it" kind. And don't try to make every little thing so plausible, comics are supposed to be a little out there. The more detail in a personality the better. Also, supporting cast needs to be soild. Friends, family, co-workers. Keep the names and faces strait, it adds depth.

Also, as a side note. Innocent and pure characters are ideal. (Simply put, if the character is supposed to be so great I don't think he/she should be in different beds all the time. Waiting till marriage is perfered.) Morals are more the not stealing or lying!
12/14/2010204813A badass FEMALE character who doesn't take any shit
12/14/2010204816Someone who has a zest for life. Flawed but not defined by those flaws. A person first, with a fun personality, and not just a character defined by fitting into categories. Someone who has their setbacks but works to overcome them. And has a strong support group, both to show more of the character and to be there to provide insights and help and conflict.
12/14/2010204821A stern female loner devoted to protecting others that still manages to be charismatic enough to have people care about her.
12/14/2010204822All personality types can be interesting if given a decent writer, the current problem is the depiction of the body. While both men and women are idealized in comics, it'd be nice to see women who aren't super-petite and photoshop style thin. To do the hero thing, they'd need to be pretty tank. Put some muscle and clothes on them, for the love Stan Lee. Refer to Nguyen's art for a good example of idealized and yet realistic.
12/14/2010204824Someone who is a strong individual, who doesn't need to team up with anybody or be involved romantically; a character that can carry a plot by themselves.
12/14/2010204826Lois Lane investigating, fighting for justice and human rights, and outwitting the bad guys like Nancy drew, Sherlock, Batman, Erin brockovich etc. (similar to what I wanted when I was a kid, but more depth, similar character qualities though)
12/14/2010204828
12/14/2010204836Kickass lady, preferably bisexual (for me to identify with), possibly with magic powers. Cracks wise, no rape-as-backstory. Doesn't trust cops/military/authority, but still a hero.
12/14/2010204839See above. These have always been the characters I would want to see.
12/14/2010204840
12/14/2010204833As an adult, I like characters that I relate to, characters that are real and have faults. I like characters that understand how real people work and how many different people there are. I like to see an intelligent and strong character that isn't as showy as what I needed as a child.
12/14/2010204850
12/14/2010204847
12/14/2010204877Someone who is either at rock bottom or their happiest. One who's at their lowest should have to face many problems and come out on top or drown. One who's happiest should stay at that point for a long time (though, that's not really happening in any comic right now). Which ever they are, they should be independent and courageous.
12/14/2010204863I don't know that I have an ideal. I will fall in love with any character with a fleshed-out personality that feels human and natural. I do prefer confident, snarky, badass women, though, or anyone who can get the job done, no matter how she acts leading up to that.
12/14/2010204885
12/14/2010204889Mr.Huge Dick
12/14/2010204890Someone that is intellectual and clever as opposed to just physically strong. Someone that isn't overly romantic or had the sole goal of marriage (especially for female characters). I don't care if there's a love interest, in fact I love romance, but I don't want that to be the end goal of a character's life. Also characters of color or LGBTQIA characters.
12/14/2010204883
12/14/2010204901Female superhero who can embrace her feminity (why can't a girl just where a dress with flowers), while still being strong in a distinctly feminine way. In other words, a character who asserts that not all power has to be masculine power.
12/14/2010204897
12/14/2010204906
12/14/2010204922See... for me it isn't about the ideal. I love my characters flawed and hurting. (And I'm not talking about the boys. They get way too much time.)

I love that Renee Montoya shoulders the burden of not being able to avenge her partner's death, nearly cracks and comes back from it.

I love that Sasha Bordeaux is nearly turned into a machine, decides that if she has to die in order to save the world from her ex-boyfriend's (hello Bruce!) paranoia, then so be it.

I could go on and on about it, but then I'd sound like a Blake Shelton song.
12/14/2010204931See above
12/14/2010204933A complex character who doesn't have that self-aware, boring "coolness" that Batman has where everything he does is awesome simply because he's Batman.
12/14/2010204934A witty, humorous superhero with real emotions and problems. More diversity.
12/14/2010204942A girl who is strong and has adventures
12/14/2010204957All of the above are good, but these days I notice and prefer characters that are not obviously sexually objectified. Also, as a lesbian, I'm particularly excited by well-fleshed-out lesbian characters, and there still aren't enough. I think that these days I prefer my characters to be a little more down to earth, less "special/chosen one/Prince/ess" and more "strong but relatively regular woman with a job to do." But definitely strong, and definitely with the strong social connections.
12/14/2010204974empowered and GLBT(etc) positive, outsider with enough confidence to be happy.
12/14/2010204978A strong character female that embodies the best attributes of human emotion, strength to improve and help themselves and true spirit. Someone to believe in and trust as a role model.
12/14/2010204983Brave, funny, three-dimensional, intelligent, flawed
12/14/2010204992life doesn't break them no matter what they keep going. and ambition driven
12/14/2010204993
12/14/2010204988A quiet, nerdy woman who wants to change the world. Who isn't denigrated or fetishised. Who wears a practical costume. Who gets to be explored and developed. Who isn't arbitrarily killed or forgotten.
12/14/2010205001Powerful women that don't need to be scantily clad to show off their sex appeal. We can do that with our minds now.
12/14/2010205020
12/14/2010205028Male or female, I like heroic characters with a strong moral core and avdefinite sense of agency. No moping or waiting around, please.
12/14/2010205012Probably something similar, only now I'm old enough to realize why I want something different.
12/14/2010205053A happy attractive lesbian
12/14/2010205073One that makes girls everywhere realize it's OK to be different and "imperfect".
12/14/2010205079I really like the idea of Sara Pezzini from Witchblade - the comic itself just can't let give up the T&A and become the hardcore demons & detectives book it could be but I like the concept of Pezzini - a cop (who happens to be a woman) who becomes the wielder of an ancient weapon. The character comes with the requisite tough-girl tropes but when the book begins, she's a cop and a good one. That idea of female achievement and excellence and heroism grounded in hard-won skills as opposed to winning a genetic lottery or other chance happenings is compelling and it's why I've kept an eye (although rarely bought an issue because, really, the cover cheesecake has got to go) on Witchblade over the years. I'd like to see more like Pezzini and Oracle and Black Widow (although without the victimization and femme fatale tropes, respectively) - female heroes whose heroism and abilities are grounded in reality (cops, hackers and spies) and the result of their own hard work. Female excellence is neither aberrant nor exceptional nor transgressive but as normal as male achievement and should be treated the same way.
12/14/2010205085Wonder Woman
12/14/2010205103- rolemodel female character
- older and involved in more mature relationships
- confident, but also realistic
- smart and strong
12/14/2010205112I read less fantasy/action now, but I'd like to see more stronger women characters in those. Sure, they may dress more appropriately but I feel more irked how we can be reminded how weak they are. (And not in a cool way)
12/14/2010205119To be honest the characters I like now are more irredeemable; horrible people with nothing good about them but are still interesting and true to them selves and not just "huge bitches".
12/14/2010205130someone who's badass but still likeable. sorta like bruce willis in the movie red.
12/14/2010205199confident, self assured, comfortable with self
12/14/2010205207Similar. Less drama and angst, less romance. More intelligence as a weapon. More interesting places.
12/14/2010205194
12/14/2010205206
12/14/2010205243Someone who is just like us but is a hero. Like we are.
12/14/2010205264I don't really have an ideal character that I would like to see right now. I mostly read comics for the writing now so I would like almost any character if it was written well enough.
12/14/2010205298Same as I stated above
12/14/2010205342I would like to see a character that is able to show me how to deal with different problems in life, as again someone I could look up to.
12/14/2010205330
12/14/2010205374I would still really like to see a female character with the same eccentricity and flair of Hellboy, Nightcrawler, the Joker, or Doc Ock. I can't recall any lady character I've seen whose physical appearance was stretched like this (not just tattoos or claw-fingernails or weird hair), or whose personality was anything like those men.
Those brands of crazy just aren't applied to female characters, nor the sense of humour, nor many storylines that aren't in some way related to their *lady emotions.*
Maybe I'm just reading the wrong comics xD
(P.S. I would also really enjoy some lady-lady bantering that passes the Bedchel test.)
12/14/2010205396I am still interested in darker hero's, although lately I've enjoyed when they're prone to being sarcastic or quirky. If there's some sort of joke hidden in the subtext on a regular basis I enjoy it that much more. I've especially become interested in heroines, though it helps if they have a male companion/friend to verbally abuse. Strong and level headed but still very human and capable of making mistakes. Having powers isn't necessary for every character, but it does heighten the drama.
12/15/2010205458
12/15/2010205475
12/15/2010205476
12/15/2010205468Someone who has a deep melancholy or sadness that they overcome on a daily basis; someone who pulls themselves up by their bootstraps and keeps on trucking; someone like Stephanie Brown.
12/15/2010205498Blue Beetle. I chililed out.
12/15/2010205736
12/15/2010205804
12/15/2010205848Now I usually fall for "The chosen one" kind of character. Usually male. Someone with a special ability or responsibility, someone that the regular people in the comic would say "Oh my God, you're [name here]!" to. :P The super powerful, pacifist, savior type of guy!
12/15/2010205861Honestly, Witchblade!
12/15/2010205884Story of evil prevailing/ Something different / Evil point of view - no preference to gender
12/15/2010205893
12/15/2010205915Strong characters, well written. Not subjected to gimmicky shock marketing ploys. I have a penchant for Archers.
12/15/2010205966
12/15/2010206001Now a days I'd like to see more of a balance of women hero's against male hero's. I want to JUST AS MANY if not more women. Personally character wise I'd love to see a woman who doesn't have to adhere to either the "hardboiled bitch" or "chaste innocent girl" roles that come up so heavily in comics. Not all women click into either role, so seeing a character who is honestly herself would be nice. A character that is just a character, not a token woman to balance the book's overdose of men.
12/15/2010206015Someone a little bit messed-up and unsure about what their meaning is in life, but goes with the flow and takes control when they need to. Someone with great history and strong friendships. Someone who will make mistakes but always try to be the best they can be in whatever situation they face. Passionate.
12/15/2010206065
12/15/2010206101
12/15/2010206136Kate Kane and Renee Montoya. Strong, independent, some elements of an anti-hero, but a desire for justice.
12/15/2010206200Same as above.
12/15/2010206211Someone driven with a definite mission in life, and possibly an extreme or eccentric personality. I usually love characters for their flaws, so dysfunctional types can be appealing.
12/15/2010206222I think there are several ideal characters as is. However, I would like to see more comic WRITERS stepping up to the plate. Some writers will start writing for an already amazing character and within a few issues make the character seem weaker than before, with a weak mindset, or just plain air-headed. We need more ideal character writers, not characters themselves.
12/15/2010206230Lois lane, people. She is smart, and righteous, and lovely and also, she is so awesome that she can make Superman seem normal.
12/15/2010206253too much variation. Would like more strong, witty, respectfully presented heroines, though.
12/15/2010206362Male anthropomorphic stud horses.
12/15/2010206366Mostly the same, but I realize that drama has it's points of interest, so the occasional ass-kicking for dominance is ok.
12/15/2010206374I still love brainy, witty and intelligent characters, but today, I would want them to be more infused with bad-assery. If that makes sense. More sarcasm, more dark humour. I want them to be layered, and have issues that are not readily apparent or explained, or resolved. I would like him or her to be troubled and hard-headed, with a soft spot hardly anyone knows. He or she would not be very much concerned with "good" or "bad", because those concepts become irrelevant when you know the right from wrong. Yeah. That's pretty much that.
12/15/2010206481"Jane Doe" average woman with the ability to soak damage and dole out healing. A kind but no-nonsense demeanor, willing to dress down a more powerful character when they behave badly.
12/15/2010206520a lady strong, determined, resourceful, but still a woman.
12/15/2010206556I see them now in Lois Lane, Mia Dearden and former and current Batgirls Barbara Gordon, Cass Cain and Stephanie Brown.
12/15/2010206612The same.
12/15/2010206620A main female character similar to the new Batwoman would be wonderful. Someone who is strong and has her own reasons for fighting, is able to think and be intelligent as well as strong. it would be nice to get rid of the token 'male advisor' though.
12/15/2010206602Characters well-realized as actual people with complete personalities and complex, dynamic emotional lives. There's not much difference between well-written, compelling characters in prose fiction and well-written, compelling characters in comics.
12/15/2010206634A strong woman, not ridiculously dressed/endowed, with a mind of her own, but not so feminist as to be a caricature of feminism. Someone who relies on people when she needs it, but knows how to take care of herself and deal with her own problems.
12/15/2010206710A strong female character, able to take a lot of beating (not necessarily the physical type) and able to get back up, recover, learn from her mistake and triumph. A mystical background is a great plus.
12/15/2010206729
12/15/2010206695
12/15/2010206706Smart, driven. Self-reliant.
12/15/2010206816I still like strong women in Comics but they have to be realistic. I don't wanna read about Pam Anderson, I want a character I can identify with. Some flaws and weaknesses I can relate to, a bit of healthy romance and a strong sense of humor is a must, too!
12/15/2010206852Strong, both figuratively and mentally - unless she isn't, in which case I want it shown that she doesn't have to be. Physically big - not necessarily muscular, just LARGE. Laid-back. Abrasive personality. Driven by the desire to do good, not by rape or some other trauma. Ideally, I want her to be queer, to struggle with mental illness or another disability, to represent the intersectionality of marginalized social identities without those identities being her only defining qualities. I want her to feel human: to struggle, to be kind of an asshole, but to have a lot of love in her heart and be driven by the belief that the world can and should be better.
12/15/2010206859I'd like actually like to see more women like Emma Frost, Catwoman, & Batwoman--strong and self-assured. I like cool outfits, but I'd prefer something with more fabric than Emma's outfit I think. I'd like artists to stop making all the cool female characters pure T&A (re: Catwoman in Batman Inc #1) I'd like to see them have a healthy relationship!!!!! I'd like to see them actively mentor a younger hero especially--like, how to balance REAL life with superheroing, relationships, & paying your own damn bills (see: Kitty Pryde--and Pete Wisdom who helped her live in the real world a bit).
12/15/2010206837A strong woman character who was never a "damsel in distress" and never needed rescuing, she could be kind, but never unable to fend for herself. Street smart, possibly living on the streets. Rorschach like, in that she'd fight crime for justice opposed to glory.
12/15/2010206838I'd like to describe two characters. One is a strong-willed, fearless and intelligent superheroine fighting crime without having to rely on any male characters to help her out of a pinch. Like Batwoman but with a developed supporting cast (Batwoman doesn't have one yet because it's still early in her story).

The other character I've wanted to read for many years but have never found one that suited me, is a female villain in a superhero comic. A villain that's as frightening, clever, dangerous and persevering as many top villains and "big guns" of the male sex (like Joker, Lex Luthor, etc), instead of being sexy and attractive first and scary second (if at ALL). I'd like a female villain who may or may not be physically attractive just to please the male readers. A woman I can take seriously because she isn't drawn to titilate and is *actually* dangerous (instead of just being "sexy danger", guys and people in general aren't scared of that).

Someone who doesn't take orders from other (male) villains or is is merely their sidekick. Someone that would make the bad guys run away in fear and not ogle at her and/or make remarks about her looks or the fact she's a woman.

Basically, the villain would be written and presented visually like the males (as in, not focusing on her figure or having her in pointless seductive poses that make no sense), expect with the gender switched.
12/15/2010206862I would still like to see strong female characters more geared toward female readers. Because of this I've definitely moved toward more "serious" graphic novels with strong female characters. Also, more awesome gay ladies!
12/15/2010206900Now? I'm into superhero comics but I still prefer female characters. Smart, strong, fun. Consistent and multifaceted. Ideally, drawn to resemble an actual human being and wearing a costume that actually makes sense. An increase in women characters in general would be nice, as would a huge increase of superheroines of color, queer superheroines - God, anything but a white, straight, able-bodied "all-American) male would be an absolute delight.
12/15/2010206932
12/15/2010206952
12/15/2010207007
12/15/2010207070I'd like to see a female character with no remorse who obliterates humanity.
12/15/2010207120Hard to say I feel I'm very open to all kinds of characters as long as the story is good.
12/15/2010207171
12/15/2010207174Female, strong and independent, with a good sense of justice.
12/15/2010207190A strong female hero, who fights alongside the guys, and has respect for herself and her relationships, and that others respect as well.
12/15/2010207227Pretty much the same, but I'm okay with a character who fails in one area, but excels in another (So a really street-smart woman who can fast talk you into anything, but who can't fight worth a damn, or a woman who has absolutely no morals, but is smarter than anyone in the room).
12/15/2010207317
12/15/2010207322They need to be well written with strong, consistent characterization, but other than that, I'm not sure I have an "ideal" character type. I may be slightly more discerning now, but my taste in comics hasn't changed that much since I was young. I just want good stories that are true to the characters.
12/15/2010207366Pretty much the same but I'd like fore female characters fitting that description.
12/15/2010207403Nowadays, I would still hope to see someone similar, but I have to admit that Stormer lacked strength and was a little naive. Dani Moonstar would be one of my favourite current comic characters. She's a somewhat developed version of that ideal, I think.
12/15/2010207447I'd like to see an all woman team like Sailor Moon. I would want them to have a lot of different opinions about life and have more interests than their boyfriends.

I'd also like to see a woman as the chosen-one type character or a woman who takes on a heroic mantle. This type of character is usually a man or boy and there are a lot of the father passes on the mantle to the son type plots. It's boring to me to read a lot of these type of plots because I've read so many.

I'd also like to see more female characters with a diversity of ethnicity, religion, body-type, sexuality, gender-identity, and life experiences.
12/15/2010207485Something/someone historical or literary-based (or some other cultural reference like Dr. Who XD). It's the ultimate geek-factor.
12/15/2010207513I think my preferences haven't changed all that much. Honestly heroines with more realistic bodies would be refreshing; when I read my dad's old comics as a kid that's the way they were drawn anyway (both men and women actually). I might like to see more female characters that are as flawed and damaged as their male counterparts. Now I want good backstories. If I were to design the ideal character I would make a female villain who wasn't so extreme in her ideas/appearance as to become a parody.
12/15/2010207610Someone who can fight, solve problems, make me laugh or cry. If superpowered, she or he would not have perfect control of the powers.
12/15/2010207776The same as above, really. My current favorite cartoon ladies are Toph Bei-Fong and Azula from Avatar: the Last Airbender. They kick ass! And they're not sexualized all the time--although that might have something to do with all of the characters being 16 and younger.
12/15/2010207855See above. I'd like to see more UF series turned into comics; more realistic female heroes. Men in comics are allowed to be conflicted and have weaknesses and complexities but so many women still...aren't, really.
12/15/2010207915A female hero who's the lead of a pulp space adventure setting. Raygun required.
12/15/2010207968
12/15/2010207972Anyone in the batfamily. Ordinary humans in all intensive purposes doing what needs to be done to rid their town of crime, but never crossing the line into killing.
12/15/2010207985
12/15/2010207999the president & government
12/15/2010208032I would like to see more of a sort of handicap for the heroes. Not going so far as blinding them, per se, but maybe something emotionally or physically tying them back. Sort of how Kon El is the clone of Superman and compared himself to him for a long time. Or Jason Todd blaming Batman for letting the Joker live.
12/15/2010208057Someone who has issues/powers and tries to deal with her surroundings some drama, action, and snarkiness within....... I.E. someone who has a realistic outlook on life and is drawn realistically
12/15/2010208066See this: http://ealperin.blogspot.com/2010/09/untitled-story-violet-vigilantewait.html
12/15/2010208149
12/15/2010208221Same as above.
12/15/2010208232
12/15/2010208257
12/15/2010208268I'd still like more heroines that are empowered and wear practical clothes. I'd like to see women that don't care about being sexy, even to the point of being mistaken for men. (I'd love to see some trans characters too. Gender is just to important in comics in general.) I'd like her to be smart, witty, a bit of a loner, and more into using her mind to win fights and such than just punching really hard. I'd like her to not particularly care about getting dates of any kind and care more about friendship. Also, it'd be nice if she could work in her own niche rather than immediately joining up with the JLA or whatever variation thereof happens to be closest. She'd have her own continuity well established before bigger names started with their cameos.
12/15/2010208299More powerful and independent female characters such as Powergirl and Wonder Woman
12/15/2010208370Again, my modern ideal already exists. Kate Kane is exactly the type of character I want in comics. She's smart, she's strong, she believes in herself and knows who she is. She's also flawed. Her family and personal histories are messy and she still struggles with both. But those flaws drive her to be the best she can be, to do what she can for herself and for others. On a more personal note, it's also nice that Kate is a lesbian but her story isn't about that. It's just one facet of who she is. It is no more or less important than her military background, the death of her mother, or her desire to serve.
12/15/2010208371I would like to a character who has to balance both the role of superhero with normal life but in a realistic way. Whose friends and family know their secret identity and are more then willing to help when things get tough. A character who kicks butt and takes names but also knows when not to fight or who uses there intellect to get them out of a jam.
12/15/2010208396
12/15/2010208392
I'm actually pretty happy with my comics. I just wish that they would Stop Killing Off All of my Favorite Characters!
12/15/2010208417
12/15/2010208438
12/15/2010208477Same as above.
12/15/2010208492 a strong woman who is sure of herself but has weaknesses (isn't idealized).
12/15/2010208511realistic
headstrong
friendly/loner
driven
12/15/2010208513A female character, who isn't whiny, or annoying, or male obsessed, or dim witted.
12/15/2010208542
12/15/2010208602
12/15/2010208646three words, realistic and creative
12/15/2010208636a woman who is strong independent, fights for justice, honest loyal a good fighter, funny sarcastic strong in personality. Also compassionate, protective and ambitious as far as a career or calling in life. Exactly the same kind of person
12/15/2010208669Now, my ideal character could be a man or woman, with a cynical sense of humor and tends to bend the rules for justice.
12/15/2010208676Heavily flawed, but self-aware and seeking to become something better. A character you are always a little worried about, because you know they might not reach their goals and when they do, it always comes at a price.
12/15/2010208690
12/15/2010208723
12/15/2010208742a woman superhero WITH CLOTHES ON. really, is that so hard?
12/15/2010208772
12/15/2010208845Same as above
12/15/2010208925
12/15/2010209085A female scientist by day who uses her intelligence and logic to fight crime by night. She wears a long detective's coat like Sherlock Holmes and keeps her cool under pressure. Also she is never used as a sex icon.
12/15/2010209228i still like characters who have strong bonds with a team or found family. now, though, i would choose that character to be more confident in their abilities, cheerful, determined and strong. not the strongest, but maybe the best at making use of what they have.
12/15/2010209319Women who don't think you need to show off loads of flesh to fight crime. Some more LGBT characters would be nice, too.
12/16/2010209521Someone whose morals are at odds with their surroundings. Someone who has to work to achieve what they want. A normal joe thrust into a supernatural situation.
12/16/2010209743
12/16/2010210027Mostly the same as described above (though I read several comics now with some damn strong ladies in them, which is great).
12/16/2010211192A strong woman whose sexuality isn't demonized and who isn't stupid. I'd also prefer somewhat more realistic nods to costumes and hair design - no stiletto heels, no DD-sized breasts, erect nipples and flowing tresses.
12/16/2010211401Female characters who wear clothes! Seriously, I'm sick of the cleavage on display. I'd like women characters who are complex and variable, and with life challenges that move beyond Being A Woman - female detectives, warriors and wizards.
12/16/2010211672A woman who defies society's ideas of how a woman should look/act
12/16/2010211817As above.
12/16/2010211753Neil Gaiman's Death comes close to it. Something like that, but where she was the star/focus in her own right, rather than a spin-off character.
12/16/2010211842I much prefer characters (typically male but not always) that are a bit more timid (but not always) and realistic, and fighting for some just cause. This fighting isn't necessarily mean war, battles of the wits are much more interesting ;-).

If it's a guys he's not big and muscular, I like them skinnier.

Maybe I've gone from wanting to be a princess to my ideal man, who knows ;-)
12/16/2010212040
12/16/2010211995Same!
12/16/2010212192Witches (all genders) with ethical grey areas.
12/16/2010212242A strong, intelligent, female superhero who is not a copy of a male hero.
12/16/2010212195Same as above, strong woman whose weakness is not a guy
12/16/2010212265Tank Girl is pretty rad. So is Achewood.
12/16/2010212387
12/16/2010212526Bookish girl/young woman, who is clever (possibly magical) and saves the day by working with others/friends/team mates to save the world from villains/aliens/things not meant for this world.
12/16/2010212569funny (again), involving a good story, clumsy
12/16/2010213239A cheerfully out bisexual (preferably with a steady, likable girlfriend who doesn't die) woman who is not tremendously skinny, with power and interesting stories and leadership and imperfections, and preferably some cheerful sarcasm. Siiiigh.
12/16/2010215741
12/16/2010217596Snarky, more on the loner side, open to interpretation, interesting backstory(but shouldn't get trampled into the ground) and the ability to move beyond their roots. Character development, a few deep friendships. Saves the day. Non-standard antagonists who can be convinced to stand by the hero in their own terrible fashion sometimes.
12/16/2010219076To a large degree, I want to see the same sort of characters as I did when I was a child. I want my protagonist to be smart and brave. I want them to try to do the right thing. The thing is, as an adult, I can understand them failing, being tempted but I want to see people who try to do better and be better than they where before. I've never had much use for grim, gritty or nihilistic characters. I want more diversity in the types of characters that I see but basically want to read stories about people I can either admire or identify with, preferably both
12/16/2010219317...my tastes haven't changed. Given this you'd think I'd be all over Oracle, as an example: the woman operates as a superhero and uses her mind. But no. I honestly can't stand her. (I think she's a great concept and started out incredibly strong, but on the way lost her way to become something I find riddled with Unfortunate Implications, especially given Proxy.) In terms of Batman characters I prefer Helena or Cassandra or Kate, all of whom are rather kickass but aren't exactly the classic guile hero.

Legion of Super-Heroes. I like smart characters. You'd think I'd go for Brainac, but while I generally do like him when he's well written, my favorite throughout the various versions is actually Lightning Lad, who's good natured but typically not the brightest crayon in the box. Fantastic Four? Johnny or Sue Storm, not Reed Richards.

So it's hard for me to describe an ideal when my preferred character type has been so heavily subverted in action, although to be fair there's plenty who fit the mold perfectly. Basically, all I want to see are well written characters. More specifically, well written characters who aren't written in such a fashion that you get the sense that they're a [insert token group here] who happens to be awesome, but rather written in a fashion that they're an awesome character who happens to be [insert group here]: Kate Kane in 52, versus Kate Kane in Batwoman: Elegy. In one, her sexual orientation was a selling point in ads and websites, a sort of, "Hey! Look over here! We've got lesbians!" In other her sexual orientation was a significant plot point making her who she was, but it wasn't all that she was by a longshot.

Do I think representation is important? Fuck yes. I'm mixed race (Asian and Caucasian), and I'd be lying if I said Cass' background wasn't a +1 in my book once it was revealed, but but I was drawn to her for her other qualities, not that she fulfilled some personal representation quota. It always bothers me when I have someone approach me with (hopefully) the best of intentions and they go, "Hey! You'd love this! The main character is ASIAN, just like you!" I think it's because...is the fact that she's Asian cool? Possibly yes, assuming that it's treated well. But I get bothered when there's this assumption that I should appreciate something just because they're supposedly just like me, because they're supposedly representing me in the world of fiction.
12/16/2010219499A woman who stands up for herself, is strong (but not perfect), someone we could all relate to. Her reasons behind superhero-ing would be good ones and she would be an equal to all others (as stated previously). She would be smart and independent and her costume would show that, no silly spandex for the sake of fanservice. Also, badass. Extremely badass.
12/16/2010219915
12/16/2010219972Hard-edged yet vulnerable, morally driven female kicker-of-asses.
12/16/2010219924I like many comics for different reasons, rarely for any one character, so its hard to put my finger on, sorry.
12/16/2010220680Strong interesting layered female characters that I can relate to and feel for. That I can look up to as trying to do the right thing, but that are believably portrayed (i.e. they may not always DO the right thing, though they try). Certainly female characters that are obvious equals to the men around them is a pre-requisite as well...I like to think we're beyond that issue, but we're clearly not.
12/16/2010220693ditto
12/16/2010220752
12/16/2010220761
12/16/2010220982A female character who is a Private Investigator who doesn't use her feminine guiles (i.e., sleeping with suspects) to solve cases. And who doesn't dress in mini skirts and low-cut shirts.
12/16/2010221288somewhat the same. i also like younger, strong females like stephenie in Batgirl, Patsy Walker from Hellcat and the female characters from new mutants
12/16/2010221424Huntress from birds of prey or Scandal from secret six
12/16/2010221692
12/16/2010221957A tomboy/outcast/idk
12/16/2010224549A strong, smart woman (or girl) for girls like I was to look up to. We have Wonder Woman and Lois Lane and Sue Richards, but we need more strong females in comics.
12/16/2010225290
12/16/2010225486Actually, most of the above still applies, though I don't need some magic ability as much as I'd have liked then. Subtle, nuanced, layered, with as many mundane concerns as significant, plot-related ones. Not obsessed with a man.
12/16/2010226091
12/16/2010226369She would like to see more characters that are old -- Colorful,magical, funny, brave
12/16/2010226747I like a lot of the characters that are out now. I would like to see some more historic characters (different time periods).
12/16/2010226825n/a
12/16/2010227327Pretty much the above--I just didn't know they were out there!
12/16/2010227354I'll be happy if Batwoman and Wonder Woman get the attention they deserve
12/16/2010227466A puzzling, intelligent and dark sense of humor character who would have a good moral.
12/16/2010227623
12/16/2010227661It's less about individual characters with me now and more about great story.
12/16/2010227702
12/16/2010227759
12/16/2010227805
12/16/2010227816
12/16/2010227826Basically the same. Queers and women who fight instead of heave cleavage.
12/16/2010228076
12/16/2010228064smart, resourceful, clever, funny, sarcastic, independent, logical, fairly average in respect to looks and social life, loyal
12/16/2010228189Caring, strong-minded, able to overcome whetever comes his/her way
12/17/2010228645Neil Gaiman already did it: Death and Dream.
12/17/2010228835
12/17/2010229576A strong female character who was present for some reason other than eye candy or to provide motivation for male characters.
12/17/2010230169A strong woman who is not afraid to do what she needs to do, and someone who doesn't shy away from their sexuality, but isn't blatant about it (or if they are it should be in character). I personally don't have a problem with busty, beautiful women in comics, because comics aren't reality they require a suspension of belief, which I am happy to give them.
12/17/2010231426Someone who has the courage to be who she wants to be regardless of the obstacles without compromising her feminity and purity of her mind and heart. Someone who still has the compassion of a female to love the world and its people, see the goodness of people's heart and soul.
12/17/2010233319
12/17/2010233660Wonder Woman
12/17/2010234323strong female role model, smart, complicated, strong, funny, friendly
12/17/2010234476Realistic, edgy, anti-hero, dark humoured
12/17/2010237177I still read my ideal characters' comics, plus I've found even more character's that fit their model as well.
12/17/2010237289A hero or heroine that fights for justice to have fun; most of all; or, you know, she/he also has a life out of fighting crime.
12/17/2010238021A female character with lots of agency
12/17/2010238294A girl version of Gambit
12/17/2010238467same as above. love birds of prey strong but vulnerable because of the world we live in, it's inescapable
12/17/2010239129
12/17/2010240188Cold, calculated, unforgiving.
12/17/2010240166A strong but flawed character who's occupation, personality and qualities wouldn't be derivative or dependent on gender.
12/17/2010240439A woman with superpowers, more than the sum of her body parts, clever, with a good supporting cast, doing everyday things and also fighting bad guys, someone who isn't straight, who isn't sexualised, who is drawn with character and attitude, a bit butch, friendly and poweful.
12/18/2010242187For women, I'd like to see more variation in body types. For men, honestly, there aren't very many traditional superheroes who are particularly pleasing to the eye. They're often too muscular and most of them don't really have very nice facial structures. I've always preferred a physique somewhere between skinny and well-toned; Arnold Schwarzenegger is too much, let alone paintings by Bisley. While the lantern jaw and cleft chin are, in my opinion, the epitome of ugliness.
12/18/2010242538
12/18/2010245164See above
12/18/2010246826Someone who is grappling with an inner darkness, as though violence is their default state, and they struggle to be good, even though the idea is foreign to them. Someone psychotic, really.
12/18/2010248424
12/18/2010248607I would like to see a woman as a fully realized character. Not a virgin/whore, not arm candy for the team, not a victim. If she's strong, let her be strong, don't strip her of her powers because it serves to illustrate a plot point for a male character.
12/18/2010248679Maggie and Hopey are still my all-time favourites, but I like Tomb Raider - Tank Girl was great - now I can continue Buffy in comic form
12/18/2010249401
12/18/2010250687I mostly enjoy reading about troubled people, depression, anxiety, and love. I prefer reading about male characters, who aren't strong and heroic, but have their weaknesses and sometimes struggle with life. Also I like them young-ish, but not children. In their 20's.
12/18/2010250912
12/18/2010251495Comic characters often take themselves so seriously - Yorick Brown from Y: The Last Man has a great blend of sarcasm and vulnerability, very few superpowers, and the ability to learn from his mistakes. I'd love to see his spirit in others. He's so human in the face of great weirdness.
12/18/2010251771A strong female protagonist that doesn't get overwhelmed in a comic that's "aimed for guys" (aka anything along the lines of SOUL EATER).
12/19/2010252365
12/19/2010254004Realistic, amibitious, fighting for justice and to save humanity. FEMALE.
12/19/2010256885I'm not gonna let you steal my ideas, Dan DiDio.
12/19/2010257406I don't really have an ideal character so much as things I'd really like not to see in comics anymore. I like characters--male and female--who are emotionally complicated and whose stories come from their character. I'd like to see a character whose "origin story" is not the focus of their character. Tired of origin stories. I'd like to see female characters who are a little emotionally messy--but not from some traumatic event, just because they are complicated like Kate Spencer or Kate Kane. I like moral complexity.
12/19/2010258005Anti-hero's. I love anti-hero's.
12/19/2010258845A strong woman who is a fighter but works to balance everything in her life- whatever cause she's fighting for, her job and her family/partner/romantic interest. Oh let's be honest a mysterious/hard past is great as well.
12/19/2010259742Smart, heroic, principled, able to overcome great odds, noble, loner.
12/19/2010259930
12/19/2010260312
12/19/2010260511These days, I still like the classic superheroes fighting for justice but I also appreciate more realistic indie comics, not available when I was a child, about realistic people. ie: Shortcomings, Blankets, Fun Home, Snow, etc.

Picking an ideal character type is hard because it really depends on the genre. Sometimes I like superhuman heroes and sometimes, I prefer people who could be my real life friends.
12/20/2010262878Inmigrants, latinos, the ones that have no voice
12/20/2010266188Pretty much what I said above. Wonder Woman would almost fit that quality, but even she becomes weak when tied up.
12/20/2010267581
12/20/2010267655Consistently smart, loyal, inventive, and admirable. Also humorous.
12/20/2010268885same. Not the pinky girly overexcited kind of girl but not either the over voluptuous, sexy , violent and stubborn b**tch
12/21/2010271843
12/21/2010272189
12/21/2010272689I don't want a female character who is perfect to the extent of being unrealistic or just plain boring. Wonder Woman sometimes ends up falling into that category (it's not a sexist thing - it's the same for Superman). I prefer to see rounded female characters with flaws, real people who open their mouth without thinking or kick off too easily, who make idiots of themselves sometimes or get a little too obsessed with a case. Idealised characters might seem like good role models to younger readers, but personally I think there's more to be said for a character who overcomes fears and flaws and fights anyway just because it's the right thing to do, even if they don't win.
12/21/2010273377
12/21/2010273678
12/21/2010273746I like men and women as heroes, flawed but still good inside -- struggling to deal with the moral complications of the real world and being different/being as hero. I like characters who aren't idiots, who are witty and actually see the writing on the wall. I like characters who have continuity and develop depending on what happens to them (minus any resets).
12/21/2010274094
12/22/2010276934Someone who shows happiness and optimism inspite of hardships. Fights for many reasons. Less cliche anti-hero traits.
12/24/2010283382See above.
12/25/2010284036
12/26/2010285668
12/27/2010287223Someone smart, athletic and sarcastic, with more clothing and a smaller chest. Buffy the Vampire Slayer less the airhead shtick and weepy teenage dramatics.
12/27/2010287556More characters like Wonder Woman. Or characters that are not defined by their gender, but by their actions as heroes.
12/27/2010287743Someone who is generally independant and strong but isnt perfect. Some who has realistic emotions and is intelligent.
12/31/2010294453I would like to see more teenage female characters that actually look and ACT like teenage characters. Not all teenage girls dress as skimpy as possible, not all of them are into trying to attract a guy, not all of them are perfect and not all of them are white. I'd also love to see more heroic women with more clothes. Why no one has stabbed a girl wearing a two-piece in the stomach due to how easy a target it is is beyond me!
01/02/2011295930That would be about the same, I think.
01/02/2011295933someone sarcastic and nerdy with clear flaws but also positive qualities. they should have more focus on mental ability than just beating people up, and they should have a realistic appearance - if it was really ideal she would be short and curvy with a bit of a belly, and she wouldn't have long flowing hair.
01/02/2011296078A woman who can kick ass, keep her head on her shoulders, and not have to succumb to a love interest.
01/02/2011296802Just like above, I want a woman who's strong, beautiful, intelligent and independent.
01/03/2011297745
01/03/2011299375
01/04/2011301897Maybe a geek or someone whose very interested in a certain subject. Quirky. Someone who doesn't fit the mold (aka not the regular muscular white straight superhero) or if they do fit the mold at least make them interesting. Not a stereotypical character. They don't have to be a charismatic leader or emotionally stunted loner. There's a lot of anti-heroes going around and that's fine but I'd like someone who has to go further than just killing a person to stop them. Preferably someone who works with the supernatural. They don't have to do the fighting monsters all the time - there's are other ways to help people. If they're in a relationship or married they can struggle together but not flip out over "I'm putting him/her at risk but just being next to them! Oh, the woe!" They should have their flaws so they're not the "complete perfect example of how a person should be" type of character.
01/05/2011304347See above. Plus maybe the caveat that not defining her identity in relation to the men in her life is a must.
01/05/2011308591
01/07/2011316663Awesome female in a leading role.
01/10/2011326974
01/10/2011328320Someone who knows who they are and is comfortable with themselves. They are excellent fighters from training and experience and have friends they can rely on for backup if necessary- they rarely do things alone. Someone who can think well under pressure and has constantly funny remarks is also quite exciting to read about.
01/11/2011331987
01/23/2011508849Same as previous answer.
04/13/20111428182
06/21/20112231707
08/12/20112928555
11/03/20114251952catwoman
01/29/20125877668Uh... well-represented LGBT characters and awesome ladies.