Where have all the superheroes gone?

Much as I love watching Katee Sackhoff chew up scenery as Sarah Corvus, I miss the campy nature of the original Bionic Woman. I'm a big fan of shows that don't take themselves too seriously. That's one of the multitudes of reasons why I loved Xena and Buffy. The folks involved in both of those shows could do the serious-make-you-think kinds of episodes, but they weren't afraid to poke a little fun at themselves either. I think that's also one of the reasons I lost interest in The X-Files after a time; they started taking themselves too seriously far too often.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I have started to wonder what happened to my favorite superheroes of days gone by, the ones that clearly were as capable of laughing at themselves as they were of saving the world. I remember watching Wonder Woman in her invisible jet, hearing the telltale bionic sound effect when Jamie Sommers broke into a run, and very briefly catching a glimpse of Electra Woman and her faithful sidekick Dynagirl. So, where did the ladies who portrayed these super femmes disappear to, anyway? Or did they really disappear at all?

Since Bionic Woman sent me off on this tangent, it's only fair that I start with the original Jamie Sommers, Lindsay Wagner.

These days, Wagner can be seen hawking sleep number beds (and looking less than enthusiastic about it, if you ask me) and tearfully accepting awards from the folks at TV Land.

Personally, despite my affection for Sarah Corvus and they way Sackhoff delivered the "first bionic woman" line, Wagner will always be the first and, in my opinion, the best.

With the Wonder Woman movie up in the air, especially considering movie big shots who think it's a bad idea to make movies with female leads, Lynda Carter's original is looking better and better. I can still see and hear the catchy little theme song if I try hard enough. I think you should sing it with me.

Recently, Carter has popped up in guest spots on Smallville and Law & Order. She's also reportedly filming something called Between Heaven and Earth, which is about two people who meet up while stuck between, well, heaven and earth. Sounds thrilling. I'll say this about her: She has aged well.

Last, briefest, but certainly not least in my world, we have Electra Woman and Dynagirl. Never heard of them? Well, they lasted all of eight episodes back in the mid-1970s. Why I remember them, I have no idea, but I do.

Wait, now I know why I remember them! Does Electra Woman look at all familiar to you? If she does, you likely suffered from an addiction to Days of Our Lives at some point in your life. (Mine was in college.) That electric woman in tights is none other than Deidre Hall.

Guess she hasn't exactly disappeared. Her new identity seems to have worked out rather well for her. As for her sidekick Dynagirl, played by Judy Strangis, well the secret identity thing seems to be just that, secret.

I can't find much about her since the 1980s, but I'm guessing she has been active in the land of theater, based on her appearance at the Professional Dancers Society's Gypsy Awards in 2001. She's also done a fair amount of voice work in animation, including Batman: The Animated Series.

The WB tried to reinvent Electra Woman and Dynagirl back in 2001, but the pilot never aired. It's too bad, because Markie Post was the woman inside the Electra Woman tights that time around.

Just thinking about it makes me giggle. I can't see Markie Post kicking tail and taking names. Campy, yes. Capable of holding her own in a fight, no. What I really want is a little bit of both. Maybe I just miss watching the likes of these ladies: