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The most popular Marvel comic book superheroes and super villians are usually male and white.In fact, almost 86% of comic book characters in general are white and male or white in general. That is why Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, and many others are household names. While Scarlet Witch is a household name now too, due to the MCU, hundreds of other characters, especially Marvel female super villains, have not received their proper respect.
Here are 10 female Marvel villains and the comic books where they first appeared.
1. Selene
Selene Gallio is one of the oldest mutants and Marvel female super villains. She was born over 17,000 years ago somewhere in Central Europe. Selene is a life-force vampire. She siphons the life force of people to sustain herself. So, she is an energy vampire; if she siphons too much energy then her victim will turn into dust. Selene also has super strength, speed, telepathy, stamina, telekinesis, and control of sorcery.
Selene once resurrected a legion of dead mutants in a fight with the X-Men. She was once also worshipped as an Incan goddess in the past. Actress Kota Eberhardt portrayed a version of Selene in 2019’s Dark Phoenix. Selene made her debut in New Mutants #9 in 1983.
2. Enchantress
Enchantress is a blonde-haired sorceress and one of the top Marvel female super villains from Asgard. She has superhuman strength and agility but is best known for her sorcery powers.
Enchantress is notorious for seducing, duping, and making male Asgardians do her bidding. Skurge the Executioner, portrayed by Karl Urban in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok was her usual lovesick dupe in the comics. Enchantress made her debut in 1964’s Journey Into Mystery #103.
3. Lady Deathstrike
Yuriko Oyama grew up as the daughter of the Japanese scientist who developed the adamantium skeletal bonding process that created Wolverine. Oyama killed her father and pledged to kill anyone she believed dishonored her father. Such foes included Wolverine and other heroes. Oyama had adamantium bonded to her body, developed adamantium finger claws, and the ability to communicate with computers.
She is one of the fiercest Marvel female super villains. Kelly Hu portrayed a version of this character in the Fox-era X-Men films. Lady Deathstrike debuted in 1983’s Daredevil #197.
4. Titania
Mary MacPherran was a regular Denver suburbanite who found herself kidnapped to an alien world. In 1984’s Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #7, Mary was experimented on by Dr. Doom and transformed into Titania. Bestowed with super strength, stamina, and durability, Titania was Doom’s henchwoman before striking out on her own.
Titania has fought Thor, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Avengers and held her own. Her main foe is She-Hulk. Jameela Jamil portrayed the character in the 2022 She-Hulk Disney+ show.
5. Mystique
Raven Darkhölme, also known as Mystique, is one of the deadliest Marvel female super villains. Mystique debuted in 1978’s Ms Marvel #16. She is a mutant shapeshifter. Mystique has blue skin and yellow eyes. She may be over 100 years old due to slowed aging.
Mystique is an expert at weapons, martial arts, and psychological warfare. The character is a deadly X-Men foe but is also portrayed as an antihero too. Rebecca Romijn and Jennifer Lawrence both portrayed the character in the Fox-era X-Men films since 2000.
6. Hela
Hela is the Goddess of the Dead in the comic books. She is one of the most feared Marvel female super villains of Asgard. Hela is the daughter of a Loki variant and a deity named Angrboda.
Hela is a sorceress, has super strength, is immortal, and can communicate with the dead. Her “Hand of Glory” attack is a punch that can kill Asgardians. Cate Blanchett portrayed Hela in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Hela debuted in 1964’s Journey Into Mystery #102.
7. Proxima Midnight
Proxima Midnight is one of the newest Marvel female super villains in the MCU. The character debuted in 2013’s New Avengers #8. Actress Carrie Coon portrayed the character in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Proxima Midnight possesses super strength, agility, speed, and projects energy from a cosmic spear. She is a member of the Black Order, a group that serves Thanos as bodyguards and assassins.
8. Madame Masque
Giulietta Nefaria is the daughter of international crime boss Count Nefaria, a notorious foe of the Avengers. Count Nefaria gave his infant daughter to respectable businessman Byron Frost to raise. Nefaria wanted to distance her from his criminal enterprise. Giulietta was renamed Whitney Frost and grew up unaware of her true lineage. Count Nefaria returns right before Whitney is about to get married and tells her the truth.
Whitney is disfigured in an accident after her engagement is called off. She wears a gold mask to hide her scars and becomes Madame Masque, the head of the mob-like Maggia Syndicate. Madame Masque has no superpowers but was a major Iron Man foe for decades. The character debuted in 1967’s Tales of Suspense #97.
9. Moonstone
Dr. Karla Sofen was a psychologist who got tired of pretending she wasn’t evil. After counseling the first Moonstone she convinced him to give up his power source, a gravity stone from the Kree home world, and took it for herself. As Moonstone, Sofen can fly, has super strength, generates energy blasts, becomes intangible, and controls gravity locally.
She once helped the Masters of Evil take over Avengers Mansion merciless beat the avengers in the “Avengers Under Siege,” storyline. Moonstone is cruel, savage, and one of the deadliest Marvel female super villains. Moonstone debuted in 1975’s Captain America #192.
10. Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, is now a household name. Elizabeth Olsen made the character popular while portraying her in the MCU. Scarlet Witch is a powerful sorceress with the power to warp reality, teleport, manipulate time, and control chaos magic. She nearly erased mutants from existence with her powers in the “House of M,” event.
She nearly destroyed the Avengers after having a mental breakdown in the “Avengers Disassembled” event. Although she is portrayed as a hero now, the Scarlet Witch was one of the deadliest Marvel female super villains for decades. Scarlet Witch debuted in 1964’s The X-Men #4.
In the original House of M event, Scarlet Witch almost erased mutants and creates an alternate Earth. In House of M 2, the House of M event begin spilling into the wider multiverse and endangering new heroes. Buy the 344-page hardcover, now a collectible, for $188 at Amazon now.
Marvel Female Super Villains
Check out the rich history of Marvel Comics, especially the backstories of the best Marvel female super villains. Marvel Comics has over 8,000 original characters and tens of thousands of variant and supporting characters. While every character can’t get their own TV shows and films, the characters on this list deserve more opportunities for mainstream acknowledgment.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College and has decades of experience in comic investing and personal finance. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen now focuses on comic book reviews, collectible investments, and helping others collect and enjoy comics.