Stephen Colbert may want Marvel to make more villain-esses and heroines, but today I read about a bunch of women from the past whose names have been mostly forgotten but whose stories prove that B.A.D.A.S.S. women are real and have been around a lot longer than the comic book industry.
First up, Deadshot Mary of the 1930’s NYPD.
Mary “dead shot” Shanley, took names and kicked ass all over New York in the 1930’s, from busting shoplifters through undercover stings to breaking up armed robberies, she was a rough and ready Irish immigrant whose life work was devoted to cleaning up the streets of her American home.
The next article features not one, but two femme-fatales who ran their own respective “razor gangs” in prohibition-era Australia.
Both ladies began their legally dubious career paths with sex work,then they climbed the ladder so to speak to become madams of their own brothels. Each one used their places of boudoir-business as the home office to what would become their boot-legging, drug peddling gangs that slashed the competition (literally) with hidden razor blades. Take THAT Assassin’s Creed. (in case Ubisoft is listening… I would 10/10 play this reboot)
I highly recommend reading these articles back-to-back if you have the time, because the parallels between these three women is a little uncanny. Although, it goes to show that it might be in a woman’s nature to be powerful and resourceful, but lifestyle plays a major role in the road that woman ends up walking for the rest of her life.
And it might just make you think a little about what could be inside yourself.
everything's terrible 