In the wild world of superhero comics it’s rare that women are given their due. It’s even rarer that mothers are allowed to survive or thrive within the panels and pages of our best loved stories. So to celebrate this Mother’s Day, I’ve picked out some of the most deserving comic book characters who’ve been raising and saving our faves for decades. These heroes have earned a reward for their maternal efforts, and I’ve paired them up with someone who should be sending something a little better than flowers this Mother’s Day.

Jean Grey Deserves a Gift From Cable 

Jean Grey is truly one of the most long suffering women in comics. Killed off more often than the fan favorites in Game Of Thrones, the world’s most powerful telepath has been through more than most. Yet she still managed to be one of the best surrogate mothers in comic book history when, after her terrible longterm love Scott Summers abandoned his infant son Nathan on a spaceship, she traveled through time to raise him. That baby would grow up to be none other than everyone’s cherished cranky techno-organic virus infected silver fox, Cable.

Storm Deserves a Gift From Kitty Pryde

The X-Men‘s true leader, Storm, has often had to put up with the nonsense of comics’ most emotional–and best–team of heroes, the X-Men. During the ’80s in Chris Claremont’s seminal run, after Xavier disappeared to romance a space alien, Storm became the surrogate mother of the X-Mansion, nurturing teens who came through the doors of the Westchester house. None more so than Kitty Pryde, the troublemaking 12-year-old who Xavier recruited before ghosting on the team. Storm heralded Kitty through her teenage years in the face of some really bad decisions and emotional abuse from her intangible pre-teen charge.

Mystique and Destiny Deserve a Gift From Rogue

Mystique gets a bad rep. The blue-hued mutant is often seen as nothing more than Magneto’s erstwhile sidekick. The truth, though, is that Raven has always been much more than a foil for her male peers. Long before Rogue ever walked into Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, she was raised by Mystique and her beloved partner, Destiny. Saving a young and terrified Rogue, and inadvertently introducing our lil sugah to her future X-Men family, Destiny and Mystique played an oft-forgotten yet pivotal part in the early years of one of the most famous mutants.

Mera Deserves a Gift From Aquaman

This is more of an apology than a gift, and it’s one I’d hope Aquaman’s been making to his wife for many many years. See, Queen Mera of Atlantis and her hubs had a son, Arthur Jr. But as with countless superheroes before and since, Aquaman put his fight for justice before his child. During a battle to the death with his loyal sidekick, Aqualad, the King of Atlantis let his son suffocate inside an air bubble made by Black Manta. Arthur Sr. better be buying Mera a lavish gift every year to make up for the horrors he’s wrought.

Hippolyta Deserves a Gift From Wonder Woman

Whatever your relationship is with your mother, we can all agree that we wouldn’t be here without them as they made us, and I mean that quite literally in the case of DC’s most iconic super heroine. In Diana’s original origin story, she was crafted out of clay by her mother, Hippolyta, and given life by the goddess, Aphrodite. This was later retconned for a horrifically violent Watchmen-esque origin that centered around Zeus rather than Hippolyta and Diana themselves, but we’re fully here for Wonder Woman‘s original story as a celebration of the life giving power of women!

Bova Deserves a Gift From Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver

Rarely has there been a more unconventional childhood than that of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Though their parentage is now much debated–they were the children of Magneto for many years though that was recently retconned–there’s one special person in their life who they should celebrate this Mother’s Day. Bova–a genetically enhanced cow–raised the Maximoff twins after their mother, Magda, left them at Mount Wungadore, the home of the High Evolutionary. Years later Bova would even save the twins again when they were kidnapped. Basically, they owe that cow-lady a lot.

Catwoman Deserves a Gift From Huntress

Selina Kyle has throughout the years been like so many other women in comics murdered, assaulted, and generally disrespected. From Frank Miller’s Dark Knight books to the New 52, Catwoman has often starred in some of comics’ darkest timelines. There’s a timeline, though, where she spent many years as a happy wife and mother alongside Bruce Wayne as they raised a daughter, Helena. Reared in a happy and wealthy household, Helena was an accomplished athlete and star pupil who only turned to a life of vigilante justice after her mother was murdered.

Virginia Vision Deserves a Gift From Viv & Vin Vision

A relatively new addition to the House of Ideas, Virginia Vision first appeared in 2015’s award-winning The Vision, Tom King and Gabriel Walta’s heartbreaking tale of Vision’s attempt to live an ordinary life with his extraordinary family. The Vision’s titular hero is often absent and most of the story circulates around Virginia and the unbelievable sacrifices that she makes to keep her family safe. Hard to discuss without spoiling the story, The Vision is an unmissable comic book, and Virginia is an unconventional mother who’ll go to any lengths to look after loved ones.  

Leslie Thompkins Deserves a Gift From Batman

When you think of Bruce Wayne following the death of his parents, you likely envision him under the care of his old English butler, Alfred. But there’s another caregiver who helped young Bruce and shared in his Bat-shaped secret. Dr. Leslie Thompkins was a close friend of the Waynes and became one of Bruce’s closest confidantes during his time as Batman in both pre-New 52 continuities. As the saying goes, behind any successful man is a badass woman, and in Bruce Wayne’s case it’s always been Leslie.

Sue Storm Deserves a Gift From THE WHOLE MARVEL UNIVERSE

Our final figure of maternal magnificence could only be she of Marvel’s first family: Susan Storm, The Invisible Woman. From her very first appearance she’s been dealing with the impact of all the terrible decisions that the men around her make. Sassy, smart, and caring, Sue has saved her husband and the world on numerous occasions. Consistently putting others before herself and always living up to the vow of protection that she made alongside her famous family, Sue is the mother the Marvel Universe needs but definitely doesn’t deserve.

Images: Marvel Comics / Disney/DC Comics / Warner Brothers