Name: Hit Girl

Occupation: Superhero/schoolgirl

Appears in: Marvel comic series Kick-Ass, films Kick Ass and Kick Ass 2, Hit-Girl comic series 2008 Р2013

Powers/abilities: hand to hand combat, martial arts training

Quotes:

  • ‚ÄúRobin wishes he was me.‚Äù
  • ‚ÄúDon‚Äôt worry about me. I can kill a man with his own finger.‚Äù
  • ‚ÄúI can‚Äôt see through walls. But I can kick your ass.‚Äù

 

The world of Kick-Ass is loved partially for its incredibly self-conscious inversion of the superhero genre. The central character, Dave, is a virtually incompetent but optimistic guy who spends the majority of his time getting beaten up and only escapes death thanks to the help of an unusually violent eleven year old girl. Enter Hit-Girl. Her fighting capabilities are virtually unmatched in the Kick-Ass universe, as is her knowledge of swear words and derision for pretty much everyone. These traits make her a particularly unique character, as they seem to oppose those of people of both her gender and age. Not everyone liked the image of a knife-wielding, swearing pre-adolescent girl, but to me she was pretty awesome.

I suppose the argument could be made that she was somewhat robbed of her childhood by her father. Desensitised to violence to an almost inhuman level, she was molded by him as a weapon of revenge, brought up to be ruthless and violent. Indeed, the brutal world of fighting she exists within does not seem the best place for a young girl. However, it could also be said that he trains her to be independent and fearless, giving her the tools to protect herself from an evil he knows to be present in their society. She also is not a wholly cold or bloodthirsty character, her relationship with her father is built on an incredible amount of warmth and love, and she has a well-formed personality that is completely separate from her costumed persona.

For me, I thought there was just something amazingly cool about a girl adopting a role traditionally reserved for an adult male – in this she is a pretty great example of female strength and capability. I also like her because she is an original; her character is not based off of a male hero but stands alone as entirely unique. The fact that her capabilities don’t come from any actual superpowers also adds to her appeal, because being strong and able to take care of herself comes from actual skill.

She runs circles around the male figures in Kick-Ass, making for a refreshing and unique figure within a genre predominantly defined by women who are sexualised or victimised. For me, every aspect of her personality that rejected female norms made her both a hilarious and admirable character, and she’s certainly one of my favourite superheroes.

-Scarlett Evans
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.

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