A superhero (also known as a "super hero" or "super-hero") is a fictional character "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest." Since the debut of Superman in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas — have dominated American comic books and crossed over into other media. A female superhero is sometimes called a "superheroine."
By most definitions, characters need not have actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although sometimes terms such as "costumed crimefighters"Per ; ; , ; , and other sources. are used to refer to those without such powers who have many other common traits of superheroes.
For a list of comic book supervillain debuts, see List of comic book supervillain debuts.
1900s Character / Team Year debuted Company / publisherCreator/sFirst appearance MediumHugo Hercules1902 (September 7)Chicago TribuneWilhelm Heinrich Detlev KörnerHugo Hercules Obliges Beauty in DistressNewspaper ComicsThe Scarlet Pimpernel (Sir Percy Blakeney)1903 (October 15)William Heinemann Ltd. Baroness OrczyThe Scarlet PimpernelPlayThe League of the Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet PimpernelPlayRima the Jungle Girl (Riolama)1904Duckworth & Co. William Henry Hudson Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest Novel L'Oiselle (Vega de Ortega)1909 (July 18) La Mode du Petit JournalRenée Marie Gouraud dʻAblancourt L’Oiselle ou Royale énigmeSerialized novel
Despite its short run, Hugo Hercules is seen as the earliest superhero fiction comic.
The Scarlet Pimpernel cited as perhaps the earliest superhero akin to those to become popularized through American comic books.
Rima is the earliest jungle girl heroine while L'Oiselle is noted as the earliest superheroïne overall.
DC Comics made Rima into an actual comic book superheroine in 1974. She starred in a self-titled series which ran for seven issues. And this version of the character guest-starred in the DC Comics Saturday morning cartoon The All-New Super Friends Hour.
1910s Character / Team Year debuted Company / publisherCreator/sFirst appearance MediumThe Scarecrow (Doctor Syn)1910Thomas Nelson & SonsRussell ThorndikeDoctor SynPlayNyctalope (Léo Saint-Clair)1911Le MatinJean de La HireLe Mystère des XVNewspaper serialJohn Carter of Mars1911The All-Story MagazineEdgar Rice BurroughsA Princess of MarsMagazineTarzan1912 (October)The All-Story MagazineEdgar Rice BurroughsTarzan of the ApesMagazineThe Night Wind (Bingham Harvard)1913 (May 10)The Cavalier MagazineVarick Vanardy(Frederick Van Rensselaer Dey)Alias "The Night Wind"MagazineThe Gray Seal (Jimmie Dale)1914 (May)People's MagazineFrank L. Packard"The Adventures of Jimmie Dale"MagazineThe Masked Marvel (Mort Henderson)1915National Wrestling Association (NWA)Mort HendersonUnknown 1915 NWA ShowProfessional wrestlingMasked Rider (Bruce Edmunds)1916 (June 12) Metro Pictures Fred J. BalshoferThe Masked Rider (1916 film) Silent filmRavengar1916 (October 1)Pathé Exchange; Astra FilmRandall Parrish, George B. SeitzThe Shielding ShadowSerial filmJudex (Jacques de Trémeuse)1916Gaumont Louis Feuillade, Arthur BernèdeJudexSilent filmThe Masked Rider1919 (May 7)Arrow Film CorpAubrey M. Kennedy"Masked Rider Chapter 1 The Hole in the Wall"Silent film serial Zorro (Don Diego Vega)1919 (August 9)The All-Story MagazineJohnston McCulley"The Curse of Capistrano"Magazine
1920s Character / Team Year debuted Company / publisherCreator/sFirst appearance MediumLady Robinhood/La Ortiga (Señorita Catalina) 1925 (July 26) Robertson-Cole Pictures Corporation Clifford Howard, Burke Jenkins, Fred Myton Lady RobinhoodSilent filmThe Red Shadow (Pierre Birabeau)1926 (November 30) Casino Theatre Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach, and Frank MandelThe Desert SongPlaySenorita (Señorita Francesca Hernandez)1927Paramount Pictures Lloyd Corrigan, Robert Hopkins, John McDermott Senorita (film)Silent filmBuck Rogers1928 (August)Amazing StoriesPhilip Francis NowlanArmageddon 2419 A.D.Newspaper comicPatoruzú (Curugua Curuguagüigua)1928 (October 19)Diario CriticaDante QuinternoLas Aventuras de Don Gil ContentoNewspaper serialPopeye1929 (January 17)UnknownE.C. SegarThimble Theatre Newspaper comic
1930s Character / Team Year debuted Company / publisherCreator/sFirst appearance MediumThe Night Hawk (Thurston Kyle)1930 (April 5)Amalgamated PressJohn James Brearley GarbuttThe Nelson Lee Librarystory paperThe Shadow (Lamont Cranston)1930 (July 31)UnknownMaxwell Grant (Walter B. Gibson)Detective StoriesRadioLe Colorado (Hugo Danner)1930Alfred A. KnopfPhilip WylieGladiator (novel)NovelGolden Bat / Ôgon Batto1931UnknownTakeo NagamatsuGolden Bat / Ôgon BattoKamishibai (Japanese scroll show)Dick Tracy1931 (October 4)UnknownChester Gould Dick TracyNewspaper comicsPat Patton1931 (October 4)UnknownChester Gould Dick TracyNewspaper comicsChandu the Magician (Frank Chandler)1932 (March 10)UnknownVera OldhamChandu the MagicianRadioConan the Barbarian1932 (December)UnknownRobert E. Howard "The Phoenix on the Sword" Weird Tales Pulp fictionLone Ranger (John Reid)1933 (January 30)UnknownGeorge W. TrendleThe Lone RangerRadioTonto1933 (February 25)UnknownFran StrikerThe Lone RangerRadioDoc Savage1933 (March)UnknownKenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)The Man of BronzePulp fictionMoon Man (Stephen Thatcher)1933 (June)UnknownFrederick C. DavisTen Detective AcesPulp fictionThe Spider 1933 (October)Popular Publications Harry Steeger The Spider #1: "The Spider Strikes"Pulp fiction Flash Gordon1934 (January 7)UnknownAlex Raymond On the Planet MongoNewspaper comicsMandrake the Magician1934 (June 11)UnknownLee FalkMandrake the MagicianNewspaper comicsLothar the Stongman1934 (June 11)UnknownLee FalkMandrake the MagicianNewspaper comicsThe Green Hornet (Britt Reid)1936 (January 31)UnknownGeorge W. Trendle and Fran StrikerThe Green HornetRadioKato1936 (January 31)UnknownGeorge W. Trendle and Fran StrikerThe Green HornetRadioThe Phantom1936 (February 17)UnknownLee Falk The PhantomNewspaper comicsDomino Lady (Ellen Patrick)1936 (May)UnknownLars AndersonSaucy Romantic AdventuresPulp fictionThe Eagle (Don Loring)1936 (August 22) Republic Pictures Maurice Geraghty, Winston Miller, John Rathmell, Leslie SwabackerThe Vigilantes Are ComingFilm serialZarnak1936 (August)UnknownMax Plaisted"The Plunder Plague" (Thrilling Wonder Stories)Pulp fictionThe Girl with the X-ray Eyes (Olga Mesmer)1937 (August)UnknownWatt DellSpicy Mystery StoriesPulp fictionBlack Bat1939 (July)NedorNorman A. DanielsBlack Book DetectivePulp fictionCaptain Midnight1938 (October)UnknownWilfred G. Moore and Robert M. BurttCaptain MidnightRadioThe Avenger (Richard Henry Benson)1939 (September)UnknownKenneth Robeson (Paul Ernst)"Justice, Inc."The Avenger Magazine #1Pulp fiction
Comic book Character / Team Year debuted CompanyCreator/sFirst appearanceSecret Operative No. 48 (Detective Dan Dunn)1933 (May 12)Norman MarshOriginal Comic Book CharacterDoctor Occult (Richard Occult)1935 (October)DCJerry Siegel, Joe ShusterNew Fun Comics #6Rose Psychic (Rose Spiritus)1935 (October)DCJerry Siegel, Joe ShusterNew Fun Comics #6Dinky (later to become one of the two Cyclone Kids, sidekicks to Red Tornado)1936 (August)DellSheldon MayerPopular Comics # 7The Clock1936 (November)Comics Magazine CoGeorge BrennerFunny Pages #6 or Funny Picture Stories #1Slam Bradley1937 (March)DCMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, Jerry Siegel, Joe ShusterDetective Comics #1Sheena, Queen of the Jungle1938 (January in Britain,September in USA)Fiction HouseWill Eisner and S.M. "Jerry" IgerWags #46 (in Britain, Jumbo Comics #1 in USA)Dick Fulmine1938 (March)L'AudaceCarlo Cossio and Vincenzo BaggioliAlbi dell'audacia #2Superman (Clark Kent)1938 (June)DCJerry Siegel, Joe ShusterAction Comics #1Zatara1938 (June)DCFred Guardineer Action Comics #1Americommando (Harold "Tex" Thompson)1938 (June)DCKen Fitch, Bernard BailyAction Comics #1Fatman (Bob Daley)1938 (July)DCKen Fitch, Bernard BailyAction Comics #2Arrow1938 (September)Centaur PublicationsPaul Gustavson Funny Pages vol. 2 #10 (or #21)Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)1938 (October)DCJim ChambersDetective Comics #20Wing1938 (October)DCJim ChambersDetective Comics #20Namor the Sub-Mariner1939 (April)Marvel/TimelyBill EverettMotion Picture Funnies Weekly #1American Ace (Perry Webb)1939 (April)Marvel ComicsPaul LaurettaMotion Picture Funnies Weekly #1The Guardian Angel (Hop Harrigan)1939 (April)DCJon BlummerAll-American Comics #1Batman (Bruce Wayne)1939 (May)DCBob Kane, Bill FingerDetective Comics #27Wonder Man (Fox Publications)1939 (May)Fox PublicationsWill EisnerWonder Comics #1Ma Hunkel and Sisty (later to become Red Tornado and one of her two sidekicks, the Cyclone Kids, respectively)1939 (June)DCSheldon MayerAll-American Comics # 3The Flame (Gary Preston)1939 (July)Fox PublicationsWill Eisner, Lou FineWonderworld Comics #3Sandman (Wesley Dodds) 1939 (April)DCGardner Fox, Bert ChristmanWorld's Fair Comics #1Fantom of the Fair1939 (July)Centaur PublicationsPaul GustavsonAmazing Mystery Funnies vol. 2, #7 Blue Beetle (Dan Garret)1939 (August)Fox PublicationsCharles NicholasMystery Men Comics #1 Green Mask (Michael Shelby)1939 (August)Fox Publications Walter FrehmMystery Men Comics #1Bozo the Iron Man1939 (August)Quality ComicsGeorge BrennerSmash Comics #1Invisible Hood1939 (August)Quality ComicsArt PinajianSmash Comics #1Masked Raider (Jim Gardley)1939 (August)Marvel ComicsAl AndersMarvel Comics #1Amazing-Man1939 (September)Centaur PublicationsBill EverettAmazing-Man Comics #5The Human Torch (Jim Hammond, original)1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyCarl BurgosMarvel Comics #1Angel (Thomas Halloway)1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyPaul GustavsonMarvel Comics #1Ka-Zar (David Rand)1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyBob Byrd, Ben ThompsonMarvel Comics #1Fiery Mask (Jack Castle)1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyJoe SimonDaring Mystery Comics #1John Steele1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyLarry AntonetteDaring Mystery Comics #1Monako1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyLarry AntonetteDaring Mystery Comics #1Flash Foster (Robert Foster)1939 (October)Marvel/TimelyBob WoodDaring Mystery Comics#1Shock Gibson1939 (October)Brookwood PublicationsMaurice ScottSpeed Comics #1Magician from Mars (Jane 6EM35)1939 (November)Centaur PublicationsJohn Giunta, Malcolm KildaleAmazing-Man Comics #7Ultra-Man (Gary Concord, Jr.)1939 (November)DCJon L. BlummerAll-American Comics #8Stardust the Super Wizard1939 (December) Fox Feature SyndicateFletcher HanksFantastic Comics #1Samson1939 (December) Fox Feature SyndicateWill Eisner, Alex BlumFantastic Comics #1Doll Man1939 (December)Quality ComicsWill EisnerFeature Comics #27Wizard1939 (December)MLJ Comics/Archie ComicsWill Harr, Edd Ashe JrTop-Notch Comics #1The Phantom Bullet (Allan Lewis)1939 (December)Marvel/TimelyJoe SimonDaring Mystery Comics #2Trojak1939 (December)Marvel/TimelyJoe SimonDaring Mystery Comics #2Mister E (Victor Jay)1939 (December)Marvel/TimelyJoe Cal Cagno, Al CarrenoDaring Mystery Comics #2Laughing Mask (Dennis Burton)1939 (December)Marvel/TimelyWill Harr, Maurice GutwirthDaring Mystery Comics #2Electro1939 (December)Marvel/TimelySteve DahlmanMarvel Mystery Comics #4Ferret (Dennis Piper)1939 (December)Marvel/TimelyStockbridge Winslow, Irwin HasenMarvel Mystery Comics #4
1940s