As an avid comic book reader, I was very excited to hear the news that the classic comic series Archie added a character in a wheelchair. How cool! That got me thinking — in the world of comics, are there other characters living with disabilities? The answer is YES! There are hundreds of characters, but here are 5 of my favorite characters living with disabilities.
Harper (Archie)
Harper is the newest character in the Archie comics, inspired by Toronto author Jewel Kats. She is in a wheelchair due to a car accident when she was young. Harper doesn’t let disability definite her, she is proud of her disability. She is young, sassy and a total Diva.
Oracle, also known as Barbara Gordon or Batgirl (Batman)
You probably know Barbara Gordon or Batgirl, but did you know she was paralyzed from the waist down by a gunshot wound to the spine. She wasn’t able to be Batgirl anymore, so she became a police informant under the name Oracle.
Professor X (X-Men)
The comic book character that comes to mind when I first think about super heroes with disabilities is Professor X. Professor X is the most powerful and most defining character in the X-Men Series. He is an effective telepath and a scientific genius.
Aquaman
Aquaman is a well-known comic book character, but you may not know that he wears a prosthesis! In a fight with villain Charybdis, he loses his left hand. S.T.A.R. Labs creates him a pretty awesome cybernetic prosthetic hand, complete with a retractable harpoon.
Jewel (Ditzabled Princess)
Ditzabled Princess is an autobiographical web comic, written by and about Jewel Kats (she was also the inspiration for Archie’s Harper). Jewel is a Toronto author who has written many children’s storybooks about disabilities. The character in the web comic is based on her. In real life, she has a hot pink wheelchair, in the comic she has a hot pink crutch and does not let anything stop her.
As I said, there are many great comic book characters who are living with disabilities — these are just a few of my favorite. Check out these resources for more info:
We want to hear from you! Know any other awesome comic book characters who are living with a disability? Which character is your favorite?
