10 Most Sexist Comic Superheroines Still Being Published Today

6. Red Sonja

Vampirella
Marvel

Red Sonja, known as the she devil with a sword, debuted as a female version of Conan the Barbarian in 1973, making her first appearance in that other barbarian's Marvel book. Sonja might be known in her comics for her fierce fighting style, but among comic fans, she's known for something else entirely: that metal bikini.

There was a brief time in 1973 in which Red Sonja did dress more conservatively, donning a chain-mail shirt with long sleeves. But today, Sonja is back to her bikini look.

This begs the obvious question: How much protection does a chain mail bikini provide? Red Sonja's enemies would have to be aiming for very specific parts of her anatomy for that outfit to provide any protection from a sword, right?

 
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Dan Rafter has worked as a freelance journalist for more than 20 years. He has written for everyone from the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune to Mental Floss, BusinessWeek Online and Consumers Digest. You can find more by him at his comic's Web site, CareersinComics.