While Superman and Batman may be famous for launching the world of costumed heroes, they weren’t technically the first. And they weren’t alone, as the wave of the first superheroes who followed are what turned a novel idea into an entire genre of comic book storytelling.
Comic books introduced a superhero for the first time in 1936 and changed pop culture forever. Nobody could have predicted the successful and powerful industry that superheroes would eventually become, but 86 years later they are more relevant than ever.
The Phantom (1936)
First appearance: King Features Syndicate on February 17, 1936
The Phantom was created by Lee Falk and debuted in a newspaper strip in 1936, and although there had been previous magazines about other heroes in the past, The Phantom was the first of its kind and definitely paved the way for other iconic superheroes to be published.
Falk came up with characteristics that other superheroes would pick up on, such as an extravagant suit and white eyes that were hidden under a mask, a trait that can also be seen in Batman, Green Lantern, and Flash, to name a few. After its success as a newspaper strip, the superhero got its own comic book and is still active to this day.
Superman (1938)
First appearance: Action Comics #1 on April 18, 1938
Superman was not always the superhero people know today and was actually first introduced in 1933 in a short story written by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Later on, the character was reimagined and inspired by other powerful mythological characters, and Clark Kent was finally created and published in 1938.
In the beginning, he was overlooked by most companies who didn’t expect Superman would become successful but eventually, it was bought by DC. Superman became one of the most important and iconic superheroes of all time, and it is really hard to imagine pop culture without him and his best superhero performance in DC movies.
Batman (1939)
First appearance: Detective Comics #27 on March 30, 1939
Batman needs no introduction and most people, fans or not, know the heroic alter ego of multimillionaire Bruce Wayne. First published in 1939, Batman is still active today and has a strong fan base that follows each of his new comics and movies.
Batman is the best DC superhero without superpowers, and not only in the comic company but in all the superheroes’ universes. His iconic suit, weapons, cars, sidekicks, and villains are so relevant today that it’s hard to believe he was first published so many years ago, but he is so admired and loved that it’s evident he is not going anywhere anytime soon.
The Flash (1939)
First appearance: Flash Comics #1 on November 20, 1939
The Flash soon became a crowd favorite with its amazing superpowers after it was created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert. Five different characters have acquired his iconic super speed but the first one to do so in 1940 was Jay Garrick, which has made a few appearances in recent adaptations and comic book releases.
Although today he is mostly recognized for his red suit and mask, the Flash had at first blue pants and an unforgettable metal helmet with a pair of wings on the sides, like Hermes the messenger god. For some, his sensational style and many of his quotes prove Flash is the best hero of the DCU.
The Comet (1939)
First appearance: Pep Comics #1 on Dec 31, 1939
The Comet appeared for the first time in Pep Comics in 1940 and was created by Jack Cole. Despite not being that popular today, he was the first superhero to die in comic book history, although he was revived multiple times later (which is something other superheroes started doing later too).
It’s difficult to imagine many superheroes without some sort of dramatic death and revival, which in most cases, becomes vital for character development; especially in Marvel. As the fifth superhero to ever exist, Comet introduced an important plot device that would be adopted by other comic book writers to have readers at the edge of their seats.
Captain Marvel (1940)
First appearance: Whiz Comics #2 on February 10, 1940
The Marvel character who claims the name may now be the most well known, but Billy Batson first appeared as “Captain Marvel” all the way back in Whiz Comics #2, released in 1939. Forever compared to Superman (but with bonus magic), few fans realize Billy’s magic form debuted less than two years after Superman made his own comic book debut.
Those similarities led to legal battles between DC and Fawcett Comics that would ultimately see the character acquired by DC (with a notable name change to Billy’s famous magical motto). Marvel’s version of ‘Captain Marvel,’ the alien soldier and hero Mar-Vell, wouldn’t appear until 1967 (with his successor Carol Danvers making her own first appearance in the subsequent issue).
Fantomah (1940)
First appearance: Jungle Comics #2 on Feb 10, 1940
Most people think that Wonder Woman was the first female superhero, but that is not the case. Fantomah was created by Fletcher Hanks and first published by Fiction House in February 1940, which made her one of the first female comic book superheroes to have ever existed.
Her character and comic are famous for being weird, absurd, and even creepy, but nobody can deny that as one of the first female superheroes, she became a very important figure in comic book history. Her use of supernatural powers to protect the jungle made her one of a kind and an example for future female superheroes to follow.
Woman In Red (1940)
First appearance: Thrilling Comics #2 on December 1, 1940
In March 1940, Nedor Comics published The Woman In Red. The second female superhero of all time, Peggy Allen, was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist George Mandel, and although she appeared in many issues of Thrilling Comics, she never had a cover appearance.
In spite of their poor popularity and almost forgotten existence, Fantomah and Peggy were groundbreaking for their time and set important bases for the most iconic and important female superhero of all time, Wonder Woman, who would debut only a year after her previous lady heroes.
Captain America (1941)
First appearance: Captain America Comics #1 on December 20, 1940
Captain America was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and was published in 1941 and is still one of the most beloved and popular superheroes to this day, with numerous fans that read his comic books and watch his MCU movies.
Although today he probably can’t be recognized without his round shield made out of Vibranium, he first used one that was triangular and had another depiction of the American flag. Steve Rogers is a fictional character, but the implications of his comics during WWII prove that he goes beyond entertainment and has historical value.
Aquaman (1941)
First appearance: More Fun Comics #73 on September 19, 1941
Aquaman was created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger and had its first debut in 1941. The king of Atlantis usually has audiences divided, and while some think he is not as great as other superheroes, others defend that he is still one of the best DC superheroes.
He won a poor reputation after the cartoon adaptations of his comics, and it seems that most let his animated show overshadow his qualitative comic books series. Yet recent adaptations have since boosted his reputation, not to mention that Aquaman is still one of the founders of the Justice League, so fans owe him many memorable moments in the DC universe.
