Gender in speculative fiction
The first known female superhero is writer-artist Fletcher Hanks's minor character Fantomah, an ageless, ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could transform into a skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil; she debuted in 1940 in Fiction Houses "Jungle Comics".
Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain (also known as Cassandra Wayne) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott, Cassandra Cain first appeared in "Batman" #567 (July 1999). The character is one of several who have assumed the role of Batgirl, and Cassandra Cain goes by the name of Orphan in current DC Comics continuity.