We are living in the golden era of comic books. It’s no secret that super hero based films, television shows, video games and what’s on the pulp itself are all the rage. Yet, a glaring black eye on the genre is its lack of females to have hit either, the big or small screens. Before you start dropping names like Black Widow, Harley Quinn or the upcoming Wonder Woman. Yes, this is a welcome change, but it’s also like giving a whale a tic-tac. Simply not enough, especially when you factor in that none of these heroes listed are women of color. No worries, ‘LLERO to the rescue, here are just a few of the Latinas who have made waves in comic book based film and television and looked good doing it.
Lynda Carter
Lynda Jean Cordova Carter is the OG of heroines. Before Gal Gadot picked up the golden lasso, Lynda Carter was reppin’ Latinas back in the 70’s with her real life portrayal of Diana Prince, better known as Wonder Woman. The series ran on ABC from 1977 to 1980. It was groundbreaking because it was the first time a female lead carried a super hero show and put Carter on the map. Making her a pinup babe alongside the ranks of Farrah Fawcett and Cheryl Tiegs. After Wonder Women, Carter would go on to star in several made for television films, make singing appearances and settle down to start a family. However, she recently got back in the game and can now be seen on the CW’s Supergirl series as none other than the President of the United States — don’t we wish life would imitate art on that one!
Zoe Saldana
If Linda Carter is the OG, Ms. Saldana is the current Queen Bey. You could consider her a triple threat as far as Latinas in the comic game. Appearing in no less than three blockbuster franchises. First there is the iconic Star Trek series. Besides going where no man has gone before, she inherits the role of Lieutenant Uhura, portraying a younger version of the character during her early days at Starfleet. Saldana not only fills the shoes of Nichelle Nichols, but makes the role her own, displaying a feisty take no shorts attitude. If that weren’t enough, there is her Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, in which she plays the character of Gamora. Another feisty albeit green heroine. Mmmm…were seeing a trend here. Finally, there is that lead role in the highest grossing film of all time Jim Cameron’s Avatar, as Neytiri, this time Saldana is blue and charged with protecting her community from humans seeking to exploit it for its natural resources. Needless to say, yet again she does not suffer fools lightly. With sequels for all of these franchises in various stages of development, it’s safe to say, we are going to be seeing quite a bit of this beauty for some time to come. And that’s a good thing.
Rosario Dawson
The MCU on Netflix is a long way from that 1995 docu-drama Kids where Ms. Dawson got her start. Yet, that’s exactly where Rosario Dawson finds herself these days. As the ass-kicking nurse, Claire Temple, she started out on Daredevil helping the Hell’s Kitchen vigilante recover from his various injuries, she made it to midtown on Jessica Jones, and finally trekked it uptown to Harlem to help fight the local forces of evil – and check in on her mom too – on Luke Cage. Dawson’s character is unique in that she wears no cape, cowl nor possesses a superpower, just a good old round the way girl doing some good. She is also the common thread in the street level MCU and set to appear in The Defenders – the MCU’s television answer to The Avengers. We can’t wait to binge.
![Marvel's Daredevil | Claire Temple [HD] | Netflix](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l4VPEPOxHws/hqdefault.jpg)
Eve Torres Gracie
Eve Torres was a superhero well before hitting the screen, as a WWE Diva, she was knocking opponents into submission night after night in arenas all over the world. After retiring from the WWE she used her powers for more good, in the form of instructing self-defense clinics for women around the world. With that type of resume, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood took notice. This year, besides handling mommy-hood and helping out with the Gracie empire Torres Gracie made an appearance on Supergirl as Maxima – going head to head with the Girl of Steel. Hopefully this was not a one off appearance as we’d all like to see more of Eva fighting for truth, justice and all mankind!!!
Dania Ramirez
Before she was a devious maid this quisqueyana, hit both the small and big screens for her superhero tour of duty. First as Maya Herrera in the television show Heroes. Maya’s ability is a fast-acting fatal poison effecting anyone nearby. Triggered when she is stressed, when Maya’s ability activates, her eyes turn completely black and “black tears” are emitted from her eyes. Lesson – this is one girl you don’t want to make cry. If small screen success were not enough, Ramirez followed up the TV stint by appearing in the third installment of the X-Men franchise X-Men: The Last Stand, this time as Callisto, the leader of New York City’s subterranean mutant settlement known as the Morlocks, where she did battle against Halle Berry’s character Storm. Ramirez put down her cape as of late, but here’s hoping she finds her way back soon, because while we Like our Latinas wise, we love it when they can kick some butt too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7y8_P8f_fA