Kick-Ass Kids in Comics

Today, welcome our very own Tif Sweeney from Tif Talks Books, talking about kick-ass comic book kiddos.

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Let’s be honest.  Most of the time, heroes in most stories tend to be the mature, dashingly handsome adult, male or female.  In comics, the general population would probably gravitate to the super heroes … Bruce Banner turned Hulk, Bruce Wayne turned Batman, Clark Kent turned Superman.  In reality, comics offer us so much more than that.  We get rising female stars.  We get fairy tale characters that we grew up with.  And, sometimes, we even get some kick-ass kids saving the day.  

Brian K. Vaughan brings us a whole group of them in the Runaways:  Alex, Nico, Chase, Karolina, Molly, and Gertrude.  The six teens unite to take on the universe’s worst enemies that are hiding in plain sight - millionaires, philanthropists, and scientists . . . also, their own parents.  Dumbledore once said, “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.”  Can you imagine the amount of courage these youngsters have to have to stand up to their families, the very people who raised them to be who they are today?

Let’s get a little younger by looking at Izabel from Saga, yet another creation of Vaughan.  She is a permanently young teen, only living in the waist up.  She tends to the outcast toddler of Marko and Alana, two lovers living in exile.  Not only do these two trust Izabel in helping to care for their child, but Izabel frequently stands up for the family, takes on beasts to protect those she cares about, and even transforms into reason and authority.

Teenagers have proven to hold their own, but what about the younger generations?  Willingham brings us seven of them in Fables, and they are not dwarves.  They are the children of Snow White and Bigby Wolf:  Ambrose, Darien, Winter, Connor, Therese, Blossom, and Ghost.  These kids are destined for great things, both good and bad, but there is one that stands above all the rest.  If Ghost were to go head to head with any of his siblings or any other kick-ass kid previously mentioned, he would blow them away.  A secret child with unspeakable powers used for good is the most kick-ass kid in my book.

Who are some of your favorite kick-ass kids in comics?  Could s/he stand up to my ultimate pick, Ghost from Fables?