Comics Virginia Hall (1906-1982) The Most Dangerous Spy of All This "most dangerous of all spies" staged daring mountaintop escapes, prison breaks, and railway bombings -- all on her trusty wooden leg, codenamed "Cuthbert."
Mary Patten (1837-1861) The First American Woman to Command a Ship When her husband became deathly ill, this pregnant teen took the reins to become America's first female boat commander - all while fighting off a mutiny and keeping her husband alive.
Anacaona (c.1474-1503) Poet Queen of Haiti When Columbus and his crew ravaged her land, this native Haitian poet gave all to keep the peace.
Comics Ani Pachen (1933-2002) Tibetan Warrior Nun When China invaded her native land, this would-be monk put down her pacifist dreams and took up arms.
Comics Marguerite de Bressieux (15th century legend/pseudohistory) The Black Knight Who Hunted Rapists When soldiers sexually assaulted her and others, this woman donned armor and got revenge.
Comics Bessie Stringfield (1911-1993) The Motorcycle Queen of Miami Motorcycling across America, making her living doing stunts and transporting secret government documents, this stand-out woman found family in places she didn't expect.
Comics Mercadera (c.1245-1300) The Farmer Who Caught a Knight When this Spanish merchant went out to pick cabbages, she stumbled upon an unusual kind of pest: a French knight.
Comics Black Agnes (c.1312-1369) Defender of Dunbar Castle When the English laid siege to her castle home, this Scottish woman bedeviled them until they gave up.
Comics Sutematsu Oyama (1860-1919) Japan's First College-Educated Woman The first Japanese woman to go to college didn't have a choice. But the experience changed her - and she changed Japan in return.
Comics Takeko Nakano (1846-1868) The Samurai Who Refused to Die Quietly When the end of an era was at hand, this samurai woman refused to go gently.