5 Comic Book Characters I Relate To Most

Anyone that has known me since I was old enough to write can attest to the fact that I adore making lists.  Whether they be traditional to do lists or grocery shopping lists, New Years Resolutions and goal oriented lists, or simply lists of the next movies, television series, or books I plan to indulge in, I cannot get enough when it comes to list making.  Perhaps it's the accomplished sense I experience when I get to slide my pen across the page and cross off another thing I've completed.  Others may argue that I have OCD, but either way, no one can come between me and my lists.  So for my first list blog post, I decided to layout the top 5 comic book characters I relate to most.  I don't think anyone will be surprised which leading lady comes in at number one but I will spell out exactly why I identify with her so closely.  

5. Sailor Moon - For one thing, Usagi Tsukino and I can certainly both rock pigtails and bow-back dresses.  Throughout the manga series Sailor Moon grows to be a more mature heroine than she is in the first book which is something we all go through in our own lives.  Both Usagi and I share a love of arcade games and comics, and we both spend a lot of our time daydreaming and shopping.  Other similarities include our love of ice cream and other sweets, pretty jewelry, rabbits, and the color pink.  We both value friendship above all else and we're always successful at achieving our goals once we set our mind to them.  Sailor Moon is a true friend and she is always going out of her way to befriend other girls and include them in her group of Sailor Scouts.

4. Casey Blevins - Casey Blevins of the Morning Glories ranks as number four on my list of comic book characters I relate to most.  Casey is very close with her family and even after her admittance to MGA, she refuses to cut off contact with her parents.  She tends to take on a similar persona to me in that she is always looking out for other people (ie. Jade).  Casey never gives up hope in Jade and she is able to help turn her life around.  Casey is a determined girl who will not let anything get in her way.  She takes responsibility for her actions, and for events that she cannot truly be held accountable for.  Casey takes on the leadership role in her group and she plots to get even with the evil Headmistress without any concern for the consequences of her actions.  To put it quite frankly, Casey is full of spunk and she realizes that she is responsible for her own future.  She takes the necessary actions to change her life's course instead of wallowing in sorrow about her loss and complaining like other kids her age may do.

3. Cinderella From Fabletown - I've always enjoyed Cinderella from the Fables series, but it wasn't until she received her own spinoff series that I realized just how similar the two of us are.  Cinderella comes off as an innocent Fable who loves shoes (she owns her own shop) and traveling around the country.  Many of the other Fables think Cindy is kind of flaky partly because she assumes a dumb blonde stereotype, but little do they know that Cinderella is actually an undercover agent carrying out missions for Bigby.  Both Cinderella and I have been trained in martial arts (crazy, and downright unexpected, right?!).  There is more to both of us than meets the eye.  Part of the reason Cinderella is able to be such a master of espionage is because, like me, she looks very nonthreatening.  The back cover of the first volume of Cinderella From Fabletown says it best “Fashionista, Socialite – Spy? Hey, if the shoe fits…”

2. Supergirl - Kara Zor-El, or my Kryptonian counterpart as I often refer to her, exerts an energy level that rivals my own.  We both thrive in the warm yellow Earth sun and it serves as a method of recharging our batteries so to speak.  In the summer, I barely sleep and I'm able to function perfectly.   This ability actually tempts me to move to a place that's warm year round (but alas, I can never picture myself leaving New York City).  Like me, Kara is very motivated and is more concerned with her career than she is with other distractions.  We both recover quickly and have quick metabolisms.  Kara is blonde, bold, brave and willing to risk her life for her family.  I've also recently taken a strong liking to the Supergirl of DC Nation's Super Best Friends Forever, because really, where would a girl be without her super friends?

1. Gwen Stacy - Everyone who follows my twitter account should've known that Gwen Stacy would be number one on this list.  Gwen and I share many similar characteristics in addition to our love of Spider-Man.  This past June when I saw The Amazing Spider-Man movie, I could barely breathe when Peter Parker set foot into the OsCorp building because of how familiar it was.  Within seconds I realized that the actual building filmed as OsCorp where Gwen Stacy interned was the Hearst Building in Columbus Circle, which is the very same building that I myself interned in while I was in college.  Unlike Mary Jane, Gwen is interested in science and she genuinely falls in love with Peter Parker whereas MJ seems more drawn to the mask than the man behind it.  That's not to say that Gwen and Peter don't have their fair share of issues, but hey, whoever said true love is easy?  One thing Gwen and I definitely share is our ability to be rational in difficult situations.  Upon reading Marvels, one can see that although Spider-Man is present in the death of her father, Captain Stacy, Gwen is able to be logical and realize that Spider-Man is not to blame for the unfortunate event that occurred.  Another quality we share is the ability to forgive people no matter how deeply they've hurt us.  Gwen is a good hearted character who doesn't want to see anybody get hurt.  Above is a painting of Gwen Stacy done by Paolo M. Rivera which was brought to my attention by Dan Slott (@DanSlott).  The painting closely resembles me and I've loved it ever since Dan tweeted it!