Female Super-Heroes: Are They Sex Symbols?

Lately I've gotten very engrossed in heroes, mostly because I wrote a term paper on Greek and American Comic heroes. 
I am beginning to see that most (and I do say most) female super-heroes are seen as sex symbols. If you just Google the phrase "super girl" you would get some provocative images. It's like women can't be equal to men they are just objects. Just look at the way most artist draw these characters. Enlarged breasts, extremely short skirts or skin tight bodysuits and occasionally cut off tees. But think about it; the people that make these comic are men and the primary audience are men. So, it's a given that these people want to appeal more to the male population of ages twelve through twenty-one. But what does that say about women? Are we just trophies or objects of desire? Are we simply here to please men and merely sex slaves? It's a double standard and it's as if women are the second sex even in the comic book world.
On the contrary, these writers do a great job at making these female super-heroes role models to the younger generation. I know when I was younger I wanted to be just like Super-Girl or Wonder Woman. They are instilled with good values, smart, handy and of course strong. Their presentation could be less revealing but, the lessons and morals are received. I'm just saying can they be both role models and sex symbols? Or is it just some wacky thought I just throwing out there?