History Main / CombatStilettos

* Fanfiction author Fanfic/KhaosOmega takes this up to eleven - several times over. With pairs ranging from the common aspects of the trope up to ballet heels and almost anything in-between, his fanfictions even include an ability that makes someone even faster in heels instead of the other way around. And it's not just the girls, either, several male characters (prominently including his self-based OC Jet Brazie) often wear heels as well.

* Barbara Gordon, the second Characters/{{Batgirl}}. Lampshaded in ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2000}}'' #45 when her successor Cassandra Cain puts on Barbara's old costume. Cassandra, who usually uses WaifFu, keeps tripping and stumbling thanks to the heels. The ''Batgirl: Year One'' miniseries joins the long line of lampshades on this trope by having Barbara's heel snap off during her initial fight with Killer Moth. There [[JustifiedTrope it makes perfect sense]], since at this point she is ''not'' a crime-fighter, and was actually going to a costume party where high-heels fit in just fine. Once she decides to go pro, she cannibalizes some hiking boots to give her costume some better soles.
* Kitty, a slightly deranged former student of ComicBook/RichardDragon's who thinks his detached face would make a nice present and ends up a ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2000}} villain, wears high-heeled boots to fight in.
* When the new Characters/{{Batwoman}} was revealed in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' she was drawn with a number of impractical costume decisions, including high-heels. When she was transferred to the lead in ''Detective Comics'' the artists made a deliberate decision to have her costume be more practical and, amongst the changes, removed her heels (she also cut her hair and replaced it with a wig, since Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} [[LampshadeHanging points out]] that any {{mook|s}} can grab her hair and end the fight).[[note]]Funny how [[{{Hypocrite}} he seems to have no problem with capes and cowls...]][[/note]] This was eventually given an in-story explanation: her father was the original designer of the costume.

* Characters/BlackCanary is infamous for fighting in high-heeled shoes, and there is a [[BrokenBase widespread and heated conflict]] in the fandom between those who insist it is stupid and should be fixed, an acceptable aspect of fantasy, and a few who claim it is actually [[JustifiedTrope reasonable]]. At least one letter writer to a Black Canary comic claims she was capable of delivering high-kicks while cosplaying as Canary, without harming herself. We... [[DontTryThisAtHome wouldn't recommend trying]]. In ''JLA: Year One'', ComicBook/TheFlash once asked Black Canary about her high heels and if they are not impractical for fighting crime. [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/stardrifter001/junk/blackcanaryflash.jpg Her reaction]] was to grab the wings of his mask and turn his mask 90° around, blinding him.

* AnimalSuperheroes example: Alley-Kat-Abra from ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew''
* [[Characters/MarvelComicsEmmaFrost Emma Frost]], and every other female in the Hellfire Club. Very few of them actually get involved in hand-to-hand combat, meaning it isn't that much of an issue.

* ''{{ComicBook/Fables}}''. Cinderella wears high heels most of the time, even when flats would make more sense. (''Fables are Forever''.) But she also shows how she can kick tail anyway, and weaponize them as needed. Subverted with Dorothy, as she's wearing ''special'' high heels. [[note]][[spoiler:The Silver Shoes. Yes, ''that'' Dorothy.]][[/note]]
* For ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens'', Characters/{{Catwoman|SelinaKyle}} has added heels to her formerly sensible costume.
* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' villain Star Sapphire. Less of an issue for her since she mostly flies.
* [[Characters/{{Hawkman}} Hawkgirl]] used to, but now she wears flat-soled boots.
* ''ComicBook/{{Incandescence}}'' wears 5-inch heels as a signature part of her outfit. It's often {{lampshade|Hanging}}d that she can run, jump, and fight in them. Though it's mentioned that she has a background in dance. Some dancers do have extraordinary balance in high heels.
* Female Judges in ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' stories may have them, DependingOnTheArtist (especially if that artist is Brian Bolland).
* ComicBook/LadyDeath wears black high-heeled boots as part of her standard DarkActionGirl combat [[{{Stripperiffic}} "outfit"]].
* ''ComicBook/LadyMechanika''. Not true stilettos, but the heroine does do all of her action scenes in Victorian-era high-heeled boots.
* [[Characters/ShazamMarvelFamily Mary Marvel]], when she [[EvilCostumeSwitch turned evil]] during ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.
* In ''ComicBook/MsMarvel2014'', when Kamala's powers first kick in, she ends up transforming into [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Carol Danvers]]' iconic ComicBook/MsMarvel look and is excited to go out in the look. Unfortunately, the outfit has high heels and, in trying to foil a robbery, she ends up falling on her face.
* Elsa Bloodstone of ''ComicBook/{{Bloodstone}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Nextwave}}'' wears thigh-high stilettos.
* The girls from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' usually dress pretty sensibly ([[NotWearingTights none of them have traditional superhero costumes]]), but not always. One issue showed Nico Minoru going into battle wearing stilettos and Karolina fighting alongside her in ''flip-flops'', which seems even more impractical. To be fair, they weren't attacking somebody, somebody attacked ''them'' when they weren't expecting it.
* In ''ComicBook/SachsAndViolens'', J.J. Sachs does the majority of her fighting wearing stiletto-heeled thigh boots. There may be a vague justification in that she is a model and so has a ''lot'' of experience in moving in high heels.
* The Characters/ScarletWitch.
* Envy Adams of the ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'' series wears platform-heeled boots in her fight with Ramona.
* ComicBook/SheHulk, when she wears shoes at all, requires heels made out of [[{{Unobtainium}} special metal]].
* Everyone in ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose''. The comic exists entirely on {{fanservice}}, so it's to be expected.
* Victorion from IDW's run of ''Franchise/TheTransformers'' is an [[HumongousMecha enormous]] [[CombiningMecha Combiner]]. As the only Combiner made entirely of female Transformers, she naturally has high-heeled feet to set her apart from all the male Combiners. She may have fewer balance issues than most, considering that she's also a GravityMaster.
* The aptly-named human villain Stiletto from the ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' comic series is a former kickboxer whose boot heels actually incorporate ''[[LaserBlade laser scalpels]]''.
* The Vision, an alien female robot from the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe. It was probably not an issue anyway, as she was designed for talking, not for combat.
* ComicBook/{{Vampirella}} can fly, so equilibrium is hopefully no issue. [[note]]Mere mortals may google cosplayer Rachel EFX, who demonstrates a bit of gymnastics in a Vampirella costume. SFW.[[/note]]
* Silk Spectre I and II in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''.
* Characters/{{Wonder Woman|TheCharacter}} [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 used to have this trope done straight]], but her ComicBook/PostCrisis [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 reboot]] onward usually has her wearing sensible flat-soled boots.
* Characters/{{Zatanna}} being a StageMagician and a HotWitch superhero, almost always fights in heels.

* The majority of non-Wakandan {{action girl}}s from the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, including [[Characters/MCUNatashaRomanoff Black Widow]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsAsgardians Lady Sif]], [[Characters/MCUPeggyCarter Peggy Carter]], [[Characters/MCUGamora Gamora]], [[Characters/MCUNebula Nebula]], [[Characters/MCUWandaMaximoff Scarlet Witch]], [[Characters/MCUGuardiansOfTheGalaxy Mantis]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsValkyrior Valkyrie]] and [[Characters/MCUHelaOdinsdottir Hela]] wear high heels. The costume designers are clearly trying to be more subtle with it by giving most of them boots with no gap between the stiletto and the front of the foot, which kinda begs the question why they don't just use flat soles. Exceptions so far include the Ancient One, Characters/TheWasp, and [[Characters/MCUCarolDanvers Captain Marvel]]. Some of the actresses, such as Creator/ZoeSaldana, could only run and do fight scenes in sneakers which were digitally replaced with high-heel boots in post.

** As portrayed by Creator/AnneHathaway in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', [[http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/WmsPX5r22bY.9fEYu55RZg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/theprojector/250_catwomanbatman_092611.jpg it is played straight.]] Which is odd considering how much Creator/ChristopherNolan likes to go on about how plausible the Batsuit is. (It's a little hard to see because they appear to be made of metal and blend in with the concrete.) The heels are actual, serrated blades, and [[http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/dark-knight-rises-catwoman-poster.jpg one poster]] shows Catwoman [[SymbolicallyBrokenObject symbolically stepping on and breaking]] a Batarang with said heels. Given the plausibility attributed to the Batsuit, one has to wonder [[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys how she actually made those shoes]].

* TheBaroness herself wears wedge heels in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''. Like many examples, on close viewing, one can tell when she's actually wearing flat-heeled boots for performing certain action scenes instead of her heels.

* Due to UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}} aesthetic, ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' has Characters/BlackCanary, [[Characters/BatmanHuntress Huntress]], ComicBook/{{Vixen}} and every other female hero and villain effectively fighting in high heels.

* {{Parodied|Trope}} with Zee Zatana in ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperheroGirls2019'', who is otherwise one of the shorter characters on the show but was wears stilettos at almost all times. At one point she's seen having trouble crossing a river due to them and she once even goes to bed in heels! Barbara Gordon immediate falls when she tries on some of Zee's shows and Supergirl struggles to walk when she wears a different pair of heeled boots. Another gag involves [[FishOutOfWater Diana Prince]], who otherwise controls her SuperStrength ''much'' better than [[DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength Supergirl]], demanding a refund after flat out destroying a pair of heeled shoes.

* Molotov Cocktease in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' wears stilettos with poison tips.

In comics this is often DependingOnTheArtist: artist A will use it in moderation, artist B will draw practical shoes, but artist C will insist on drawing high heels on all female characters regardless of reason, situation, or even if it's the character's usual style. While this can be part of the MostWritersAreMale trend, this tends to appear often with Female Writers as well, [[RuleOfSexy for]] [[{{Escapism}} various]] [[AuthorAppeal reasons]]. [[note]]Just for reference, any heel less than - or of - three-and-a-half inches is excluded from this trope.[[/note]]

* {{Parodied|Trope}} with Zee Zatana in ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'', who is otherwise one of the shorter characters on the show but was wears stilettos at almost all times. At one point she's seen having trouble crossing a river due to them and she once even goes to bed in heels! Barbara Gordon immediate falls when she tries on some of Zee's shows and Supergirl struggles to walk when she wears a different pair of heeled boots. Another gag involves [[FishOutOfWater Diana Prince]], who otherwise controls her SuperStrength ''much'' better than [[DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength Supergirl]], demanding a refund after flat out destroying a pair of heeled shoes.
* [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe Princess Mandie]] on ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' wears high heels all the time, even though she's hunting Mark.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}'':

* ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'' has the franchise's first playable ActionGirl with Saeko Mukoda, who fights in a pair of stylish 4-inch pumps, who is also followed shortly after with OptionalPartyMember Eri Kamitaki who also wears a similarly tall pair, though with a bit of a wider heel. The next game in the timeline, ''VideoGame/LikeADragonInfiniteWealth'', upgrades [[TheQueenpin Seonhee]] to this as she goes from being an NPC to a playable party member, and one of her special moves is even called "Sadistic Heel" as she stomps on a fallen opponent and kicks him with said heel.

-->-- '''Arsenal''', ''ComicBook/TeenTitans''

* ''Series/{{Wonder Woman|1975}}'': Wonder Woman's main outfit had boots with heels. Averted in that during most action scenes she wore an otherwise identical pair of boots without heels.

* Film/{{Catwoman}} in the live-action adaptations. In the comics, she usually wears more reasonable shoes.

** Lampshaded in ''Literature/WitchesAbroad''. Magrat ends up wearing high-heeled "glass" slippers. She slips, loses a slipper, and screams, "How the hell is anybody supposed to walk in these?!" Then she pulls off the other one and runs for it.

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'':

Thanks to SexSells and RuleOfSexy, {{Action Girl}}s will often wear high heels to complement the rest of their {{Stripperiffic}} [[PaintedOnPants outfits]]. The reason is simple: high heels tilt the upper body forward and thrusts the hips backwards to remain balanced, which is a form of sexual signaling, similar to standing up straight and puffing out your chest.

** [[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26997530.amp This]] story of a woman who killed her lover with her blue 5.5-inch stiletto heels should tell you just how deadly these shoes can be in a fit of rage. Not surprisingly, stilettos are commonly-used weapons in domestic disputes.

** [[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26997530.amp This]] story of a woman who killed her lover with her blue 5.5-inch stiletto heels should tell you just how deadly these shoes can be in a fit of rage.

** Not surprisingly, stilettos are commonly-used weapons in domestic disputes and one well-publicized lover's spat ended with a man being bludgeoned to death by his high-heel-wielding girlfriend.

* ''VideoGame/SonicRushSeries'': Blaze the Cat is almost always shown wearing high heels, yet she can run nearly as fast as Sonic himself. And then there's Rouge the Bat...