Comic books, anime and manga- nerd culture has been becoming increasingly popular with teenagers and young adults today. And who can blame them? With season eight of 'The Big Bang Theory' currently airing on E4, Gotham on channel 5 and the likes of Superman, Professor X and Luke Skywalker being immortalised on the silver screen- they've got those kick-ass heroes that can literally blow our minds and blow up their enemies.

As a young girl I found myself idolising Kim Possible, Wonder Woman and Lara Croft. Brave, intelligent and (most of the time) even stronger than their male colleagues, some of the most brilliant and strong minded female role-models can be found within fiction.

Then why, for an industry that is constantly evolving with the times, are women still being portrayed saving the world by bouncing their gravity defying boobs and flicking their voluminous hair? Women are being presented to their young audience merely as an unrealistic, over sexualised dream- a vision that would be frowned upon in main stream magazines.

Of course comic books aren't designed to depict reality- merely project a fantasy, and the hypersexualisation works in both ways. Just as not all women wear skintight, revealing outfits, are not all perfectly toned and have probably had at least one bad hair day (if I am anything to go by). It should be acknowledged that not all men have huge, bulging biceps, chiseled features and defined six-packs. But, where many male heroes can also take the form of unattractive monsters or have geeky, unglamorous alter-egos (with the exception of the Incredibles), there is still a resounding lack of understanding in what a female superhero is meant to symbolise- strong, capable, equal women. It seems almost as though 'only apply if you resemble a sixteen year old boy's fantasy' was included in small print at the end of the job description.

Friday 24th October began our local and largest... no, that would be an understatement! Greatest pop culture event this side of London. MCM Comic Con. The ExCel was transformed for one whole weekend into a paradise of comic books, TV shows, gaming, movies, anime- and perhaps most notable, cosplay.

Both genders embraced face paint and creative, colourful costumes. Essentially no matter how old you are, you can dress up as what you want, whenever you want- because that is what everyone is doing, no matter how young or how old. Real people embodying their heroes.

As I wandered with a yellow Pokemon hat, through crowds of inflatable abs and boobs, super tall humanoids and mutant ninja turtles, my eyes landed upon something I'd only expect to see if I'd hopped into the Tardis and somehow ended up a few years back in the room of one of the lead characters from the Inbetweeners. There were tables and tables of comic-porn (and not in the same way as food porn).

If pictures of real men and (mainly) women in such degrading and provocative poses would be condemned and immediately reported- then why is it okay for children to purchase and view them simply because it is animated?

I looked up to my childhood heroes not because of how they were physically, but because of what they accomplished- saving the city from countless villains every day of the week. I looked up to Lara Croft not because of her tight outfits and ample chest, but because she was an intelligent woman, not confined to the restraints of society. And beneath Spider Man's mask, he still is Peter Parker- an average looking, unpopular teenager, who had the fortune of being bitten by a radioactive spider and becoming someone who could rise up above the rugged looks and impressive physiques to simply be the icon that he is today. A hero that we can not only all count on, but also relate to.

By Savannah Howard, Nonsuch High School for Girls