There's a whole world of comic books beyond Superman and the Peanuts. In recent years, more women have been working in this literary form and, not coincidentally, there are more interesting female characters than ever before. Here are five of these heroines-some brave, some funny, and all very original-who take center stage in a new era of graphic novels.

Lady Jain

This fairy-tale series tells what happens after "happily ever after" comes to an end. Lady Jain leaves her Prince Not-So-Charming for a journey of discovery. She is aided by witches, monsters, and other surprising characters, including an order of bearded nuns.

In the Castle Waiting series by Linda Medley

Pastil

This surreal series from Italy stars Pastil, a little girl with a pill-shaped head, in whose woody world lurks an array of mysterious dangers. Ghermandi's highly imaginative soft-pencil illustrations have international appeal-the series has no words.

In the Pastil series by Francesca Ghermandi

Rose

The medieval adventures of the teenage Princess Rose include triumphant battles over not only dragons but Giant Hairy Rat Creatures. A beautifully illustrated, full color prequel to the Bone series, in which Rose appears as the aged warrior Gran'ma Ben.

In Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess

Scary Godmother

Scary Godmother isn't all that scary, even though she lives on the Fright Side (just to the left of our universe) and shares her house with a skeleton in the closet and a monster under the bed. She's a humorous and helpful godmother to little Hannah Marie.

In the Scary Godmother series by Jill Thompson

Sephie

The teenage Sephie was born to rule Meridian, a sky-city floating high above Earth, where ships sail on the wind. But a strange mark on her forehead threatens to change her destiny-and puts her beloved sky-city at risk.

In the Meridian series by Barbara Kesel and others