By most definitions, characters need not have actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although sometimes terms such as costumed crimefighters[2] are used to refer to those without such powers who have many other common traits of superheroes.
The folkloric Spring Heeled Jack came to be featured in a series of Penny Dreadfuls, first as a villain, then as a crime-fighter with a disguise, secret lair, and gadgets, halmarks of superheroes.[3]
| Character / Team / Series |
Year Debuted |
Creator/s |
First Appearance |
| Flash |
1940 (January) |
Gardner Fox, Harry Lampert |
Flash Comics #1 |
| Hawkman |
1940 (January) |
Gardner Fox |
Flash Comics #1 |
| Johnny Thunder |
1940 (January) |
John W. Wentworth, Stan Asch |
Flash Comics #1 |
| The Shield (Archie) |
1940 (January) |
Harry Shorten, Irv Novick |
Pep Comics #1 |
| Captain Marvel (DC Comics) |
1940 (February) |
C. C. Beck, Bill Parker |
Whiz Comics #2 |
| Electro (comics) |
1940 (February) |
Steve Dahlman |
Marvel Mystery #4 |
| The Spectre |
1940 (February) |
Jerry Siegel |
More Fun Comics #52 |
| Hourman |
1940 (March) |
Ken Fitch, Bernard Bailey |
Adventure Comics #48 |
| Black Marvel |
1940 (March) |
Stan Lee, Al Gabriele |
Mystic Comics #5 |
| Blazing Skull |
1940 (March) |
|
Mystic Comics #5 |
| Robin, the Boy Wonder |
1940 (April) |
Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson |
Detective Comics #38 |
| Bulletman and Bulletgirl |
1940 (May) |
Bill Parker |
Nickel Comics #1 |
| Doctor Fate |
1940 (May) |
Gardner Fox, Howard Sherman |
More Fun Comics #55 |
| Uncle Sam (Quality Comics) |
1940 (July) |
Will Eisner |
National Comics #1 |
| Green Lantern |
1940 (July) |
Martin Nodell, Bill Finger |
All-American Comics #16 |
| Red Tornado |
1940 (November) |
Sheldon Mayer |
All-American Comics #20 |
| Justice Society of America |
1940 (Winter) |
Gardner Fox |
All Star Comics #3 |
| Daredevil (Gleason Publications) |
1940 |
Jack Binder |
Silver Streak #6 |
| Quicksilver |
1940 |
Jack Cole, Chuck Mazoujian |
National Comics #5 |
| The Red Bee |
1940 |
Toni Blum, Charles Nicholas |
Hit Comics #1 |
| Scarlet Avenger |
1940 |
Harry Shorten, Irv Novick |
Zip Comics #1 |
| Doc Strange |
1940 |
Richard E. Hughes, Alexander Kostuk |
Thrilling Comics #1 |
| Sargon the Sorcerer |
1941 (May) |
John B. Wentworth, Howard Purcell |
All American Comics #26 |
| Mr. America(Americommando) |
1941 (June) |
|
Action Comics #33 |
| 711 |
1941 (August) |
George Brenner |
Police Comics #1 |
| Aquaman |
1941 (November) |
Mort Weisinger, Paul Norris |
More Fun Comics #73 |
| The Atom |
1941 |
Ben Flinton, Bill O'Conner |
All-American Comics #19 |
| Blackhawk (comics) |
1941 |
Will Eisner, Chuck Cuidera |
Military Comics #1 |
| Black Terror |
1941 |
Richard E. Hughes, Don Gabrielson |
Exciting Comics #9 |
| Captain America |
1941 |
Joe Simon, Jack Kirby |
Captain America #1 |
| Captain Flag |
1941 |
Joe Blair, Lin Streeter |
Blue Ribbon Comics #16 |
| Captain Marvel, Jr. |
1941 |
Ed Herron, Mac Raboy |
Whiz Comics #25 |
| Catwoman |
1941 |
Bill Finger, Bob Kane |
Batman #1 |
| Green Arrow and Speedy |
1941 |
Mort Weisinger, Greg Papp |
More Fun Comics #73 |
| The Human Bomb |
1941 |
Paul Gustavson |
Police Comics #1 |
| Johnny Quick |
1941 |
Mort Weisinger, Chad Grothkopf |
More Fun Comics #71 |
| Miss America (DC Comics) |
1941 |
Quality Comics |
Military Comics #1 |
| Professor Supermind and Son |
1941 |
Dell Comics |
Popular Comics #60 |
| Nelvana of the Northern Lights |
1941 |
Adrian Dingle |
Triumph Comics #1 |
| Phantom Lady |
1941 |
Arthur Peddy |
Police Comics #1 |
| Plastic Man |
1941 |
Jack Cole (artist) |
Police Comics #1 |
| Sandy the Golden Boy |
1941 |
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby |
Adventure Comics #69 |
| Seven Soldiers of Victory |
1941 |
Mort Weisinger |
Leading Comics #1 |
| Starman (Ted Knight) |
1941 |
Gardner Fox, Jack Burnley |
Adventure Comics #61 |
| The Whizzer |
1941 |
Writer unknown; Al Avison & Al Gabriele, artists |
USA Comics #1 |
| American Crusader |
1941 (August) |
Writer and artist unknown |
Thrilling Comics #19 |
| Liberator (Nedor) |
1941 (December) |
Writer and artist unknown |
Exciting Comics #15 |
| Air Wave |
1942 (February) |
Murray Boltinoff or Mort Weisinger, and Lee Harris |
Detective Comics #60 |
| Johnny Canuck (as superhero) |
1942 (February) |
Leo Bachle |
Dime Comics #1 |
| Manhunter (Dan Richards) |
1942 (March) |
|
Police Comics #8 |
| Manhunter (Paul Kirk) |
1942 (April) |
Jack Kirby, Joe Simon |
Adventure Comics #73 |
| Yank |
1942 (July) |
|
Wow Comics #6 |
| Captain Commando [8] |
1942 (August) |
S.M. "Jerry" Iger, Alex Blum |
Pep Comics #30 |
| Kid Eternity |
1942 |
Otto Binder, Sheldon Moldoff |
Hit Comics #25 |
| Mister Terrific (comics)(Terry Sloane) |
1942 |
Chuck Reizenstein, Hal Sharp |
Sensation Comics #1 |
| Mary Marvel |
1942 |
Otto Binder, Marc Swayze |
Captain Marvel Adventures #18 |
| Robotman |
1942 |
Jerry Siegel, Leo Nowak |
Star-Spangled Comics #7 |
| Superboy |
1942 |
Don Cameron, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster |
More Fun Comics #101 |
| Wildcat (comics) |
1942 |
Bill Finger, Irwin Hasen |
Sensation Comics #1 |
| Wonder Woman |
1942 |
Charles Moulton(William Moulton Marston), H. G. Peter |
All Star Comics #8 / Sensation Comics #1 |
| Canada Jack |
1943 (March) |
George Menendez Rae |
Canadian Heroes Vol. 1, #5 [9] |
| Miss America (Marvel Comics) |
1943 (November) |
Otto Binder, Al Gabriele |
Marvel Mystery Comics #49 |
| Grim Reaper (Nedor) |
1944 (May) |
Author unknown, artist Al Camy |
Wonder Comics #1 |
| All-Winners Squad |
1946 (Fall) |
Martin Goodman, Bill Finger |
All Winners Comics #19 |
| Black Canary |
1947 (August) |
Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino |
Flash Comics #86 |
| Moon Girl |
1947 (Fall) |
Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff |
The Happy Houligans #1 |
| Character / Team / Series |
Year Debuted |
Creator/s |
First Appearance |
| Captain Atom |
1960 (March) |
Joe Gill, Steve Ditko |
Space Adventures #33 |
| Elongated Man |
1960 (May 12) |
John Broome, Carmine Infantino |
The Flash vol. 1 #112 |
| Justice League |
1960 (Feb.-March) |
Gardner Fox |
The Brave and the Bold #28 |
| Fantastic Four |
1961 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
The Fantastic Four #1 |
| Flygirl |
1961 |
Robert Bernstein, John Rosenberger |
Adventures of the Fly #13 |
| The Jaguar |
1961 |
Robert Bernstein |
The Adventures of the Jaguar #1 |
| The Hulk |
1962 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
The Incredible Hulk #1 |
| Ant-Man |
1962 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Tales to Astonish #27 |
| Spider-Man |
1962 |
Stan Lee, Steve Ditko |
Amazing Fantasy #15 |
| Thor |
1962 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Journey into Mystery #83 |
| Wonder Wart-Hog |
1962 |
Gilbert Shelton |
Bacchanal |
| Doctor Strange |
1963 |
Stan Lee, Steve Ditko |
Strange Tales #110 |
| Doom Patrol |
1963 |
Bob Haney, Arnold Drake, Bruno Premiani |
My Greatest Adventure #80 |
| Iron Man |
1963 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Don Heck |
Tales of Suspense #39 |
| Magnus, Robot Fighter |
1963 |
Chase Craig, Russ Manning |
Magnus Robot Fighter 4000 A.D. #1 |
| Nick Fury |
1963 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 |
| X-Men |
1963 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Uncanny X-Men #1 |
| The Avengers |
1963 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers |
Avengers #1 |
| Daredevil |
1964 |
Stan Lee, Bill Everett |
Daredevil #1 |
| Metamorpho |
1964 |
Bob Haney, Ramona Fradon |
The Brave and the Bold #57 |
| Teen Titans |
1964 |
Robert Haney, Bruno Premiani |
The Brave and the Bold #54 |
| Wonder Man |
1964 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Avengers #9 |
| Zatanna |
1964 |
Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson |
Hawkman #4 |
| Judomaster |
1965 |
Joe Gill, Frank McLaughlin |
Special War Series #4 |
| Mighty Crusaders |
1965 |
Jerry Siegel, Paul Reinman |
Fly-Man #31 |
| Animal Man |
1965 |
Dave Wood, Carmine Infantino |
Strange Adventures #180 |
| Black Panther |
1966 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Fantastic Four #52 |
| Nightshade |
1966 |
Joe Gill, Steve Ditko |
Captain Atom #82 |
| Silver Surfer |
1966 |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
Fantastic Four #48 |
| Batgirl |
1967 |
Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino |
Detective Comics #359 |
| Carol Danvers (a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, Binary, Warbird) |
1968 |
Roy Thomas, Gene Colan |
Marvel Super Heroes #13 |
| The Creeper |
1968 |
Steve Ditko |
Showcase #73 |
| Character / Team / Series |
Year Debuted |
Creator/s |
First Appearance |
| Dazzler |
1980 |
Tom DeFalco, Louise Simonson, Roger Stern |
Uncanny X-Men #130 |
| She-Hulk |
1980 |
Stan Lee, John Buscema |
Savage She-Hulk #1 |
| Omega Men |
1981 |
Marv Wolfman, Joe Staton |
Green Lantern #136 |
| Alpha Flight |
1983 |
Chris Claremont, John Byrne |
Uncanny X-Men #120 |
| New Mutants |
1983 |
Chris Claremont |
The New MutantsMarvel Graphic Novel #5 |
| Outsiders |
1983 |
Mike Barr, Jim Aparo |
The Brave and the Bold #200 |
| American Flagg |
1983 |
Howard Chaykin |
American Flagg #1 |
| Beowulf |
1984 |
Jerry Bingham |
|
| Femforce |
1984 |
Bill Black, Stephanie Sanderson, Mark Heike |
Femforce Special |
| Northguard |
1984 |
Mark Shainblum, Gabriel Morrisette |
New Triumph featuring Northguard #1 |
| West Coast Avengers |
1984 |
Roger Stern, Bob Hall |
West Coast Avengers (Vol. 1) #1 |
| Zot |
1984 |
Scott McCloud |
Zot! #1 |
| Fleur de Lys |
1985 |
Mark Shainblum, Gabriel Morrisette |
New Triumph featuring Northguard #5 |
| X-Factor |
1985 |
Bob Layton, Jackson Guice, Josef Rubinstein |
X-Factor #1 |
| Booster Gold |
1986 |
Dan Jurgens |
Booster Gold #1 |
| Watchmen |
1986 |
Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons |
Watchmen #1 |
| Excalibur (comics) |
1988 |
Chris Claremont, Alan Davis |
Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn |
| New Warriors |
1989 |
Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz |
Thor #411 |