Just 12% of mainstream superhero comics feature female protagonists, and characters – whether male or female – tend to be entrenched in stereotypes (think hyper-strong masculinity versus damsel in distress). Historically, there has been little room for vulnerability or emotional shades of grey.

With films such as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman storming the box office in recent years, female superheroes are slowly gaining more visibility. But with research from BBC America and the Women’s Media Center showing that girls feel more confident when they see superheroes like them, the need for relatable female comic book characters remains urgent.

Clarke is going for exactly this sense of authenticity with her new series. “The relatable and modern way of looking at heroes is that they are like us,” she says.

Image Comics’ M.O.M.: Mother of Madness miniseries is released on 21 July. Find out more here.

Meet Emilia Clarke’s new comic superhero: a single mum and engineer who finds power from her periods