I remember as a girl always enjoying Superheroes, though I didn’t really get into comic book geeky stuff until high school when a lot of the guys I hung out with were comic book guys. When I was little I would of course gravitate towards the few high profile female superheroes of the day. Which were pretty much just Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

I include Supergirl in that despite the fact there was only one movie made starring Helen Slater, because I adored that movie. And even as a little girl I remember being frustrated at the fact that there were so many Superman movies (which I also loved) but only the one Supergirl movie. I waited for a sequel. I’m 33, and still waiting.

I think that’s why the recent news surrounding DC Comics making an actual push to bring more gender equality to the staff behind their comic books, but also the announcement of a Wonder Woman Lego action figure (the first female superhero Lego action figure to date) struck a chord with me.

Especially considering the decision to hire more women comes directly from fans simply demanding they do so.  In its relaunch DC Comics has gone from 12% to 1% female creators.

“Women are half of the world, and a significant percentage of the DC Comics character stable, and yet only 1% of their creators," said Laura Hudson at Comics Alliance. "And the way that you treat and represent half of the people in your world – and by extension, half of the people in the real world who might potentially buy your books – should be more than a marginal concern."

A petition was also launched by readers that has already surpassed 3,000 signatures that states, "when women see other women creating comics, they feel empowered. It encourages women to read, to buy, and to maybe one day contribute to the comic book industry." The petition also includes over 100 suggestions for new female DC Comic superheroes.

"We're committed to telling diverse stories with a diverse point of view," they said. "We want these adventures to resonate in the real world, reflecting the experiences of our diverse readership. Can we improve on that? We always can – and aim to." Co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee promised in a response to the call for more women, "exciting news about new projects with women creators in the coming months", adding that "we know there are dozens of other women creators and we welcome the opportunity to work with them.”

Now, I’m not going to pretend I know exactly what exciting things may be on the horizon for DC Comics, or that I’m even sure they’ll live up to the promise they’ve given. But I hope they do.

And until then the little 9-year-old girl in me will continue to sit and wait patiently for my Supergirl sequel or at least a new female Superhero to inspire me to reach for the stars.