By 1965, the comic book convention of providing female counterparts to male superheroes was so prevalent that it became a target for parody.
The trend, which began in the 1940s with characters like Hawkgirl and Bulletgirl, could be seen as a reflection of American women’s expanding role outside the domestic sphere.
According to a Pew Research report, in 1967, 49 percent of mothers were stay-at-home moms. By 1999, that figure had dropped to 23 percent.
Female mirror images of male superheroes included Pat Savage, Mary Marvel, Fly-Girl, Doll Girl, Namora, Miss America, Batwoman, Supergirl, and more — including even Lady Sprocket.
In Archie’s Madhouse 41 (Aug. 1965), the parody superhero Captain Sprocket is too much of a gentleman to capture a lady criminal, specifically Cobra Woman.
“What I need is a female assistant like all them other high-class superheroes,” he daydreams.
Sprocket runs a newspaper ad stating: “Wanted — a female superhero to accompany Captain Sprocket on his many adventures — no pay and the hours are long, but the work is glamorous and real snazzy!”
Oddly enough, he is swamped with applicants, but rejects hundreds — this one’s too unathletic, that one’s too unintelligent, and the other one too unattractive. Finally, in walks a smart, athletic looker who fits the costume.
“And now, I’ll tell you what your duties will be…” Captain Sprocket begins to explain.
But Lady Sprocket isn’t having any.
“Look, buster!” she says. “Suppose I tell you what my duties will be! First, I want half of all your reward money! I also want to share in your TV commercials! And I also want a cut in the Captain Sprocket sweatshirt business!”
The depressed Captain Sprocket sees a winged bag of money flying away from him, and loses his jealous girlfriend, Gladys, too.
“I waited 9 and a half years for you, and all this time there’s a Lady Sprocket!” Gladys shouts, pelting him with a pump.
But the good captain does have a new partner who gamely tackles Lady Cobra, in a cloud of dust, with stars flying and many shouts of “Take that! Take that!”
Both women finally decide that they look a mess, and give up their superhuman pursuits. And the Union of Super Heroes presents Captain Sprocket with his own line of bubble gum cards.
So the punch line of the story is that women are finally far more concerned about their appearance than their career.
Sigh.
The female knock-off version of the dominant male superhero is a venerable tradition, and one that paradoxically paralleled American society’s growing recognition of female power even as it nervously condescended to the idea.
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