Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines Of Golden Age Comics compiled & annotated by Mike Madrid (graphic novel review).
This second volume, Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines Of Golden Age Comics, compiled by Mike Madrid, showcases 28 heroines who appeared in American comic books during the 1940s and early 1950s. Some of these characters enjoyed only a single appearance, despite many of their stories ending with the clear suggestion that more adventures were planned. You would think publishers would have given them a proper trial run before abandoning them. Without access to the original comic books and their editorial context, however, it is difficult to know whether these features failed to attract readers or were simply intended as filler material from the outset.
Among the standouts is Fantomah, whose powers could rival, if not surpass, those of Superman. Camilla, Queen Of The Jungle, enjoyed the longest run, appearing from 1940 through to 1952. For many of these heroines, secret identities were not considered especially important, and quite a few were perfectly capable of taking on Nazi agents and enemy saboteurs largely on their own while assisting the military effort.
In contrast to the first volume, Vixens, Vamps And Vampires, not all the artwork here is of the same high standard. Some stories appear to have been produced in a hurry, with artists focusing on basic storytelling and continuity rather than elaborate visuals. Given the economic pressures of the era, many artists were probably working primarily to earn a living rather than create masterpieces, moving quickly from one assignment to the next.
If nothing else, this collection serves as a useful reminder that the comic book industry was never populated solely by male heroes. Female protagonists were far more common during the Golden Age than many modern readers realise. Not all of these characters were successful, and there is certainly an element of period cheesecake on display, but at least publishers were willing to give female-led features a chance. Some of these forgotten heroines arguably deserved longer careers than they received.
GF Willmetts
May 2026
(pub: Exterminating Angel, 2013. 236-page softcover graphic novel. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-93528-23-7).
