Olga Mesmer is reportedly the first comics heroine to have superpowers, but she was confined to comic strips in pulp magazine. Arguably the first heroine in comic books to have actual powers was really The Magician From Mars who premiered in 1939 in the pages of Centaur Publications' Amazing Man #7. Set sometime in the future, Jane Q-X3 was the result of an Earthling woman and a Martian human male who would've grown up like any other human on Mars, but because she was accidently exposed to cathode rays by a clumsy doctor, she is granted the power to do nearly anything. This includes matter-manipulation, enhanced speed, telekinesis, flight, creating illusions, superior intelligence, and the ability to change her body at will. Her shape-changing power includes being able to heal herself, immortality, super-strength, and being able to turn herself into a giant. After the death of Jane's parents, her controlling aunt had her locked away. Fed up with her aunt's tyranny, Jane broke free and stowed away on an Earthbound ship, and ends up stealing three million space bucks, half of which she gives to charity, even though she pockets the other half to fund her new career as the Magician from Mars. Technically, she isn't a Magical Girl since she got her powers from a lab accident, but billing herself as a magician was a good enough cover for her to secretly act as an uber-powered Martian messiah. Throughout her adventures, she crushes a crooked politician, riggs a rodeo, and gets in an epic battle with the equally powerful alien menace called Elemental where the two of them end up in kaiju-sized duel who she defeats by of all things singing him to death. Magician's greatest challenge comes when she is targeted by a mysterious interplanetary terrorist known as The Hood bent on universal domination. The Martian King later sends word to the Magician to get your ass to Mars to round up The Hood's forces, when she again breaks the law by stealing a spaceship. She falls in love with the rebellious Prince Taal which would've been nice if The Hood hadn't quickly killed him during a raid on her headquarters. The Hood is revealed to be Jane's evil aunt again who also has magical powers as she teleports away leaving Magician grieving with the corpse of her would be Prince Charming. The Magician From Mars' adventures only lasted five issues, but her potential for future stories was staggering. Her main flaw as a character is that she was too powerful, similar to Stardust or Fantomah whose abilities allow them to do whatever the plot needs them to do. Short of just making the non-magical Magician a full-blown goddess, Jane Q-X3 might have fared better if her powers were dialed back from 11 to more around 8.
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