First ever comicbook superhero?

IcePrince_X says:

"according to my comicbook history the first one will be The Yellow Kid as early as 1897 by Richard F. Outcault but its more of a collection of comic strip than a real comic book character.But the first and became the standard for superhero is Superman in 1938 to be followed by Batman in 1939.Marvel's the Sub-mariner, Namor, the Human Torch (android), the Angel and Masked Rider came in also in 1939"

The Phantom made his debut on February 17th, 1936 and he was the first costumed hero. He was created by Lee Falk, who still today is working on his stories.

Superman wasn't the first.

according to my comicbook history the first one will be The Yellow Kid as early as 1897 by Richard F. Outcault but its more of a collection of comic strip than a real comic book character.

But the first and became the standard for superhero is Superman in 1938 to be followed by Batman in 1939.

Marvel's the Sub-mariner, Namor, the Human Torch (android), the Angel and Masked Rider came in also in 1939

zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

"

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

"

"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the Super-Man" from Science Fiction #3"

actual article of superman remember this is a whole different concept of superman we all know now, the creators just changed the idea

AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

"

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

If you noticed its Super-Man there not Superman. Hes balled and a villain with only telepathic powers. Hes a totally different character. Sounds more like and evil Xavier to me though."

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

"

"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the Super-Man" from Science Fiction #3"

actual article of superman remember this is a whole different concept of superman we all know now, the creators just changed the idea"

Just so you know thats a whole different person. Super-man and Superman is a difference once being a villain and bald with telepathic powers the other jumping high taking bullets and running after trains.
Post Edited:2008-04-15 00:27:59

I think Superman

I think it's super man

Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

If you noticed its Super-Man there not Superman. Hes balled and a villain with only telepathic powers. Hes a totally different character. Sounds more like and evil Xavier to me though."

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

"

"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the Super-Man" from Science Fiction #3"

actual article of superman remember this is a whole different concept of superman we all know now, the creators just changed the idea"

Just so you know thats a whole different person. Super-man and Superman is a difference once being a villain and bald with telepathic powers the other jumping high taking bullets and running after trains.
Post Edited:2008-04-15 00:27:59"

which is why i said a whole different concept"

Hes another character though. Not like how you originally said it " did you guys know superman originally started out evil?" Thats what you said.

zee crusher says:

"Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

If you noticed its Super-Man there not Superman. Hes balled and a villain with only telepathic powers. Hes a totally different character. Sounds more like and evil Xavier to me though."

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

"

"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the Super-Man" from Science Fiction #3"

actual article of superman remember this is a whole different concept of superman we all know now, the creators just changed the idea"

Just so you know thats a whole different person. Super-man and Superman is a difference once being a villain and bald with telepathic powers the other jumping high taking bullets and running after trains.
Post Edited:2008-04-15 00:27:59"

which is why i said a whole different concept"

Hes another character though. Not like how you originally said it " did you guys know superman originally started out evil?" Thats what you said."

i meant the idea of superman...sorry for the misunderstanding

zee crusher says:

"Black Ranger says:

"zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

but Zee, if he is as bad as Wolfenstein was then wouldn't it be more insulting to call him Midnight Lantern instead of Wolfenstein?"

I call him wolfenstein since he hates his original name so much.

Black Ranger says:

If you noticed its Super-Man there not Superman. Hes balled and a villain with only telepathic powers. Hes a totally different character. Sounds more like and evil Xavier to me though."

have you watched the history channel? it showed one about superman and his origin was when he was evil, not wearing the costume he does when he was good. The creators of superman actually made him evil, then changed the whole idea of superman sooner later and made him good with the costumes he wears now"

No I didn't watch it especially since everybody know superman was good when he first came. His main idea was supose to be a man with powers something never done before. Not to be the first villain with powers does that make sense to you? If that was the case he wouldn't be known for being the first hero with powers.

"

"Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first created a bald telepathic villain bent on dominating the entire world. He appeared in the short story "The Reign of the Super-Man" from Science Fiction #3"

actual article of superman remember this is a whole different concept of superman we all know now, the creators just changed the idea"

Just so you know thats a whole different person. Super-man and Superman is a difference once being a villain and bald with telepathic powers the other jumping high taking bullets and running after trains.
Post Edited:2008-04-15 00:27:59"

which is why i said a whole different concept

just throwing it out there but Zatanna's father, Zatara, made his first appearance in the same comic as Superman

AztekTheLost says:

"just throwing it out there but Zatanna's father, Zatara, made his first appearance in the same comic as Superman"

Lol weird fact there.

Black Ranger says:

i meant the idea of superman...sorry for the misunderstanding"

Its cool I understand what you mean now.

aztek the lost says:

"zee crusher says:

"AztekTheLost says:

"just throwing it out there but Zatanna's father, Zatara, made his first appearance in the same comic as Superman"

Lol weird fact there."

well then technically if Superman was the first superhero, Zatara would also be the first..."

He was like the second though lol.

There was another thread where i listed 10-15 superheroes that came before Superman, but i can't find it now. He was definitely not the first.

fesak says:

"There was another thread where i listed 10-15 superheroes that came before Superman, but i can't find it now. He was definitely not the first."

I remember that thread. I can't wait for the search function. I'll add my words of wisdom to this debate for those who don't remember. I classify Superman as the first superhero because he was the first to bring all the elements of a superhero together to define the genre. The Phantom was the first costumed adventurer, but he didn't have powers and is considered a superhero because of Superman. Others have powers, but not the costume (and if powers is all you qualify it with, then you're looking at ancient history). Superman was the one who established the superhero as something seperate from an adventurer.

That's my opinion, yours may differ.

Post Deleted.

Another one that i didn't list at that time is Fantomah http://www.comicvine.com/fantomah/2627/ who might be the first female super-hero. She had some unusual powers for that time.

is there any other culture like comics where the first ever character is still as if not more popular than what it was when it was made.

The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor

Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him.

fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him."

There both in the same issue duh^^

anyways heres the first ever

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_Magician

Warlock360 says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him."

There both in the same issue duh^^

anyways heres the first ever

Ka-Zar was created in 1936, a couple of years before Marvel Comics 1 (1939), and Marvel (then Timely) gained the rights, so he's the first Marvel character.

And Doc Savage was first published in 1933, a whole year before Mandrake.

Vlad Tepes Dracula says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him."

There both in the same issue duh^^

anyways heres the first ever

" />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_Magician"

Ka-Zar was created in 1936, a couple of years before Marvel Comics 1 (1939), and Marvel (then Timely) gained the rights, so he's the first Marvel character.

And Doc Savage was first published in 1933, a whole year before Mandrake."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910_in_comics

well... they count as comics so... lol"

Not really superhero comics, though.

Solomon Kane was first published in 1928, i'm sure there were other earlier ones too, don't remember where i put that other thread...

fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him."

There both in the same issue duh^^

anyways heres the first ever

" />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_Magician"

Ka-Zar was created in 1936, a couple of years before Marvel Comics 1 (1939), and Marvel (then Timely) gained the rights, so he's the first Marvel character.

And Doc Savage was first published in 1933, a whole year before Mandrake."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910_in_comics

well... they count as comics so... lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_in_comics

LMAO how could we forget BUCK ROGERS!!!

fesak says:

"Vlad Tepes Dracula says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"fesak says:

"Warlock360 says:

"The First Superhero ever was a magician, just slipped my mind though and the second one was namor "

Namor wasn't even the first Marvel superhero, Human Torch and Ka-Zar predates him."

There both in the same issue duh^^

anyways heres the first ever

" />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrake_the_Magician"

Ka-Zar was created in 1936, a couple of years before Marvel Comics 1 (1939), and Marvel (then Timely) gained the rights, so he's the first Marvel character.

And Doc Savage was first published in 1933, a whole year before Mandrake."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910_in_comics

well... they count as comics so... lol"

Not really superhero comics, though."

Vlad Tepes Dracula says:

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_in_comicsLMAO how could we forget BUCK ROGERS!!!"

Now i remember, Hugo Hercules first appeared in comic strip form in 1902, and he had super-human powers.

Vlad Tepes Dracula says:

"fesak says:

"Solomon Kane was first published in 1928, i'm sure there were other earlier ones too, don't remember where i put that other thread..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Rogers#Comic_strip

buck rogers did too"

It says 1929 on that page you're linking.

fesak says:

"Solomon Kane was first published in 1928, i'm sure there were other earlier ones too, don't remember where i put that other thread..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Rogers#Comic_strip

buck rogers did too

the yellow kid is a comic strip from 1896, but i dunno how much of a super hero he is

yeah but he was first referenced to as Anthony Rogers, who first appeared in 1928 is what it says.

anyways i guess u topped us with herc :/

cpt_linger says:

"the yellow kid is a comic strip from 1896, but i dunno how much of a super hero he is"

That was more of an Alfred E Neuman predecessor. They look like twins :p

fesak says:

"There was another thread where i listed 10-15 superheroes that came before Superman, but i can't find it now. He was definitely not the first."

Some people here as so ignorant they keep saying superman after we've already said he wasn't lol. Midnight lantern is one of them.

In 1842, "The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck" became the first regular comic book published in the U.S.

Not sure if he'd count as a superhero, though.

I think the term "superhero" it's self is the key to this argument. The marketing term it's self was a direct reaction to the popularity of a particular costumed hero with super-powers. If any hero could retroactively be referred to as a "superhero", and appeared in a comic book (as per the criteria of the topic question posed), then some could consider them the "first". But who was the hero that actually spawned the term? The one who was first labeled as such? I believe that would asnwer the question in the most literal sense.

Yes it largely depends on how you define the word Superhero, however it isn't Superman any way you look at it because DC itself has characters that predates him. Both Dr. Occult and The Clock was published before him, has super-powers, secret identities and fight crime.

This is why the discussion gets so muddied when referencing the "first superhero". The term superhero is largely accepted as having been coined in response to the popularity of Superman and was used to market similar characters. HOWEVER, clearly guys like the Phantom and all of the other aforementioned names predate the Superman character, even if they were not bestowed with the "superhero" moniker. So they could be labeled as such now, but the actual term was created in respone to Superman himself. So again, it just goes back to which part of the argument you want to take: the original character who fits the definition today, or the character that spawned the term.

Maybe question with a more succinct answer would be "Who was the first costumed hero in comics" or "Costumed hero with special powers"?

Then again, that would be clearly cut and dry and not nearly as much fun to debate and argue!

Namor the Sub-Mariner pre-dates Superman.

Storm Rider has hit on the essence of my point when dealing with characters like the Phantom. There are any number of comic book characters that predate Superman and are today considered superheroes, however, Superman was the one who defined the superhero genre. That doesn't lessen the importance of the others, they established the medium that we all love.

That's just how I see it though, Fesak (and others) define things differently. As Storm Rider said, it's not cut and dry and so we all have different definitions and opinions.

On a side note (having just wikipediarized him), I noticed that Doctor Occult was created by Siegel and Shuster and (in wikipedia's opinion) is the first caped superhero.

Superman was thought up in 1933 and produce as a comicbook in 39'

there may have been other super powered crime fighters before him but i say superman is the first "superhero"

Okay, here's a rundown based on my research:

Hugo Hercules-first guy with a super power to go around and help people on his own comic strip

Phantom-first guy to wear mask and costume on his own comic strip

The Clock-first guy with powers, mask, and costume (kinda) on his own comic book

Superman-first guy to really be called a superhero

I hope that clears some things up.

Um, I heard about Mandrake the Magician somewhere.

Jesus.

Spidey-Fan123 says:

"Jesus."

You're calling the bible a comic book? Well, that might be true.

Little Redhead says:

"fesak says:

"Spidey-Fan123 says:

"Jesus."

You're calling the bible a comic book? Well, that might be true."

except it don't have pictures..."

Yes, it was Joke.

fesak says:

"Spidey-Fan123 says:

"Jesus."

You're calling the bible a comic book? Well, that might be true."

except it don't have pictures...

Well if the bible was a comicbook the first superhero would probly Abraham...he had superpowers...I'd like to see you try to have kid when you're 100 lol

wow such tension over the first?