Normally, I don’t like to draw the race lines when it comes to cosplay, because, simply put, it’s a waste of time. If you’re an Asian girl who wants to cosplay as Princess Tiana, go for it — just no blackface. If you’re a black girl who wants to cosplay as Sailor Venus, you damn well rock that orange skirt, and fuck the haters.

However, every year, and quite frequently, I do have black friends who get frustrated with their severe lack of choices in our nerdy community, as far as dressing up and cosplaying as other black characters. And I understand the frustration, of course. Moreover, I also have friends (both black, Asian, white, and otherwise) who truly don’t feel comfortable cosplaying outside of their race. So, I’ve gone ahead and compiled the top list of black characters (and one alien) who would make for a great Halloween cosplay (or anytime play)!

Storm

A common fan favorite, Storm, next to Wolverine, is often considered the de facto leader of the X-Men. With her white locks (whether short or long) and white eyes, she has left her mark upon the comic book world. Moreover, Storm is not only incredibly beautiful, but she is talented, and one of the top black female role models we have in nerd culture today. With her strong sense of justice, love of nature, and no-nonsense attitude, Storm is a force to be reckoned with.

Starfire

While not a black woman, Starfire, the beautiful princess of Tamaran, is a dark-skinned, full-bodied (read: wildly disproportionate), red-headed fireball of joy, whose powers stem from pure emotion. Clearly, the more child-friendly version of her costume can be found in Starfire’s more teenage counterpart from Teen Titans, as opposed to her voluptuous appearance in The New 52, but she makes this list mainly because she’s one of my top favorite female characters due to her owning her sexuality and her overall personality of being an incredibly kind-hearted person.

Static Shock

This list isn’t strictly female, of course! Who could forget the (cute/hot) Virgil Hawkins as one of DC’s most well-known black characters. With the power to control electricity with magnetic powers, he’s not so much a male Storm (couldn’t be further from the truth!), as his abilities resonate from an accident known as the Big Bang. Static is stylish both, in his fourteen-year-old role and years later when he’s older.

Misty Knight

Misty gets an honorable mention on this list because so few people actually know who she is. Originally conceived by Marvel to be the Pam Grier of comic books, Misty is sexy, deadly, and sports (after an accident) a bionic arm that takes no prisoners. With her red catsuit, sharp wit, and kick-ass personality, Misty brings a new dimension of sexy to the comic book character with style and a lot of class.

Rambeau

(aka Photon, aka Captain, Marvel, aka Pulsar, aka Spectrum)

This woman has a lot of names, but there is no doubt that she is one of the more well-known, famous black superheroines in the world. She too was modeled after the legendary Pam Grier, and is sexy, funny, and a good-old kickass gal from the Bayou. She has many names and many different appearances, with her latest one being an homage to her original one as she appears in the 2000 series, The Marvel Divas, beside Blackcat, Hellcat, and Firestorm in a funny, Sex in the City inspired comic book.

Of course, don’t let the color of your skin ever stop you from cosplaying who you damn well want to, but, here is a list for those who want something a little closer-to-home, nonetheless. Who would you add to this list of great superheroines?