Why is he considered the first superhero?

Superman. "Without him there would be no superhero genre" or something of the sort has been the uttered by tons of comic fans. Whether you like him or hate him, he is much respected by everyone (except the close-minded "dark-themed-only" preferring people). But why is he considered the first superhero?

I could just go and discuss mythology and legends and how every culture has had some hero that surpasses the ordinary and goes so far as being supernatural. But I won't. A lot them have already been written and I doubt I would be more interesting in writing such a post. Achilles, Hercules, Charlemagne, blah blah blah! A lot them have been inspirations for Superman. We all know that!

What I want to talk about is the characters released within the era of Superman but predated him by some years. First would be Gladiator (1930). Obvious inspiration (and claimed by some as ripped-off) by Superman. Superhuman strength, invulnerability, etc. So we have superpowers then tons of feats then trying to make change. Superhero? Maybe not. He's not in comics (yeah that's a prerequisite of being a superhero) and no costume! Yeah these are pathetic excuses not to call him superhero but I want to move on now.. :D

Next, Doc Savage(1933). Ok. He's just a man (but so is Batman and a load of other superheroes). I know. But tons of adventures and yeah, he appeared in comics. But one thing's missing. Costume! Moving on.

Next? The Shadow (1931). Superpowers? Check! Supervillains? Check! Comicbook release? Later on, yes, so check! Then why the hell is he not considered the first superhero? Is it because he's a pulp hero? Does that justify it? Are they mutually exclusive? Why? Why? Why? I'm ranting cause I don't know a lot!

Moving on... The Spider (1933). Superpowers? No. But had something to compensate for that. His supergadget! The silent air pistol. Costume? The mask counts. Again, for me, I guess he counts as a superhero. (insert my rant here)

Last and probably most popular... The Phantom (1933). Also no powers but he's got a ring! What? Yes! A ring! Plus he's got uber awesome fighting skills. Those count! Costume? Of course! Secret identity? Yes plus something better! Secret identity of a bloodline not just a person! Comics? Do I even have to answer this? So he's a Superhero right? (insert bigger rant here).

I'm not really taking anything away from my man Supes. It's just that I don't think all superherodom (is there such a word?) should be attributed to him. I could be wrong (so correct me if I am) and I know a lot of viners already know what I just posted. But post your thoughts anyway.. :D

Superman is the first superhero because his creation created the word superhero.Those other characters also aren't "super".

 who has considered Superman the first superhero o.O "

I don't think he was so much the first superhero as he was one of the first to really catch on outside of the comics. Even a guy who's never picked up a comic book in his life will recognize Superman.

" Superman is the first superhero because his creation created the word superhero.Those other characters also aren't "super". "

" @Vance Astro said:

" Superman is the first superhero because his creation created the word superhero.Those other characters also aren't "super". "

So ordinary humans like Batman were only considered superheroes after Supes? Is that what distinguishes superhero from pulp hero? I mean costumed heroes before Supes were just considered pulp heroes? Forgive me if my questions are a bit dumb. "

all the Characters that you mentioned like the Phantom were all normal humans while Superman had superpowers

" all the Characters that you mentioned like the Phantom were all normal humans while Superman had superpowers "

technically, Popeye is the first superpowered comic book character, and grandfathered a lot of the trends set thereafter, but the whole genre of super-heroism in comics itself stems from
Superman, him being the character by which all others are judged by either being close to or far away from him. note though, considered the first, more meaning the " prime " or " absolute "
superhero, and in the overall comic fan base. it's more his influence and the design aesthetic than anything else that's taken into account when that is said.

Superman was the first to have superpowers not related to mysticism of some kind. He was genuinely "Super" rather than just magical.

" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Hercules "

You forgot a very important charcater someone that predates all of those characters and is still human like The Phantom, The Spider, and Doc Savage

" @RedK said:

" all the Characters that you mentioned like the Phantom were all normal humans while Superman had superpowers "

The Shadow has powers. And do you think Batman, Green Arrow, Cap, Black Panther, Hawkeye, etc aren't superheroes? "

" @ssejllenrad said:

" @RedK said:

" all the Characters that you mentioned like the Phantom were all normal humans while Superman had superpowers "

The Shadow has powers. And do you think Batman, Green Arrow, Cap, Black Panther, Hawkeye, etc aren't superheroes? "

They aren't, those characters are crime fighters.Superman's purpose is greater than organized crime and super-villains. "

" The term superhero didn't originate with Superman at all. I believe it was first used in 1916 to 18 in a book about airmen/flyers. It also wasn't used in relation to Superman too much around his debut. In fact during the GA the "Superheroes" were referred to as "Mysterymen". It was only use sporadically during teh GA. I think I remember it mentioned in the book all in color for a dime as first being used (in relation to an actual costumes hero)  in sensation in reference to the Guardian. The term super hero wasn't really used until the start of the SA and is only posthumously applied to the GA. "

" Superman is the first superhero because his creation created the word superhero.Those other characters also aren't "super". "

" The term superhero didn't originate with Superman at all. I believe it was first used in 1916 to 18 in a book about airmen/flyers. It also wasn't used in relation to Superman too much around his debut. In fact during the GA the "Superheroes" were referred to as "Mysterymen". It was only use sporadically during teh GA. I think I remember it mentioned in the book all in color for a dime as first being used (in relation to an actual costumes hero)  in sensation in reference to the Guardian. The term super hero wasn't really used until the start of the SA and is only posthumously applied to the GA. "

Superman is the first COMIC BOOK superhero, but that doesn't make him the first superhero to have ever existed. It also depends on what your definition of superhero is. 
To me it's: A being who takes the law into their own hands for a greater purpose by fantastical means.

Being: Doesn't have to be human (ie. Superman, Thor, Silver Surfer, etc.)

History channel told me he was the first superhero.

He was not the first hero with powers but he is the source of the term or at least popularized the term super hero so in a way he was the first super hero but technically he wasn't 

@ssejllenrad: 
It's because he was the first to do the cape and boots with the symbol on his chest. While I am sure this will be a controversial statement, I hope everyone can be mature enough to agree that since their creation every superhero copies either Superman or Batman in some way. I am not saying they are the first, just like Dick Grayson was not the first sidekick and Luigi was not the first player 2. However, sidekicks and player 2 meant nothing before Dick and Luigi, just like superheroes meant nothing before Superman (and Batman).

Proof of that is that most people think of capes and boots and symbols on chests when they think superhero, except how many of them ACTUALLY have all of that? Capes are actualy one of the least seen accessories in comics, and symbols are dying out as well. Mario could be seen as the first video game hero, but he's not. However, you can see why people would say that.

" @ebuchanan: Actually there were a few before Hercules such as Orion "

@ssejllenrad: 
and the cave man that saved his village  from wolves before him, are we talkin comics or comic history here????

Hercules was a regular hero, who did good deeds and slayed monsters..............

he is the first true constant hero........................................ first apeared in 1936...............................

@ssejllenrad: Hugo Herc is the father of Hugo Danner, and his Grandson is Superman.

@ssejllenrad:

http://www.barnaclepress.com/new-strip-samson-the-strong-man/

@ssejllenrad:

I believe Superman status is a result of the impact his creation did. The creation of Superman brought about the super in super-hero.

There's always been heroes. Both reallity and myth. But there wasn't superheroes. Least of all, a universe where a lot of superheroes each had their own space, personality, way of doing things. Those superheroes even started working together, combining their strengths to do, what each of them alone could not do.

When we read the stories of Hercules, Achilles, Perseus, and many others, they were mostly individuals born special and apart from the rest of humanity. They were the sons of gods and goddesses, with mortals, making them outsiders. Not entirelly gods and also not mortals.

Not only that Superman brought about something new. That even the most apparently normal people have in them the potential to be like gods. Remember that on Krypton, Kal-El would never have become Superman, he'd be just a man.

His story is one that mostly inspires people to seek their true potential.

While with the stories of old. One had to be born special to do special things. With Superman a new concept was introduced. That every person can become a hero, and even more, a superhero. Because another concept that Superman brought was that one doesn't need powers to be a superhero. It's one's determination, commitment and will that creates a superhero.

He is the first superhero

Superman is not the first "hero" but he is the first Superhero, he created the standard Superhero costume (and cape ), morals, secret identity gimmick & the word "superhero" came with him.

@ssejllenrad: I think the reason is because he's the first *comic book* superhero. The others you mentioned either were pulp fiction magazines or newspaper comic strips. They're superheroes, maybe even comic superheroes but comic *book* superhero they are not

Another thing for a superhero to be considered a superhero they need to have some super human abilities or gadgets (they don't need super powers), wear a costume that represents their origin or character, and often has a secret identity (though the last one has become less important)

The Phantom seems like a super hero but if I showed you a picture of him would you immedetly think a ghostly figure? If o showed you Zoro would you think fox or master fencer? The Shadow a mysterious rootin tootin gunslinger? With Superman he is based on circus strongmen and has an S on his chest with a magnificent flowing cape. He looks well super. Sure the others have superhero like qualities like masks, secret identities, super powers, gadgets, villains, costumes etc but the fundamentals of them don't make them a superhero but instead a super hero. Though to say we'd have no superhero genre solely because of Superman is a bit false since he in himself is inspired by the others I've mentioned. But he did give way to a new type of fictional super hero

Bah Sherlock Holmes is the first Superhero, everyone knows that!

I'm kidding in-case some people can't tell.

The period preceding Superman with pulp heroes greatly influenced his creation. But Superman pretty much brought together and popularized all the troupes we now associate with superheroes: superpowers, mysterious origins, bright colourful costume, recognizable symbol (not as important or common anymore, but was very common back then) etc.

It also has to do with the fact that he was massively popular, has stayed popular, and is DC's (the oldest comic publisher still around) first real superhero. If DC would have flopped after the war like a lot of comic publishers, we probably wouldn't even remember Superman.

@ssejllenrad: Superman is considered the first Super-Hero because, simply put, he IS the first Super-Hero.

Characters like Doc Savage, the Shadow, etc, are different because they are "Pulp Heroes" who appeared in pulp magazine stories. Superman appeared in the very first comic in that kind of format (a lot different than pulp fiction). Superman not only became a huge hit, he is responsible for putting the term "Super-Hero" on the map.

Even if guys like Doc Savage and the Shadow can be called Super-Heroes, Superman perfected the term "Super-Hero" like no other could. And it's also because of Superman's popularity that he also made comics popular. This wasn't pulp fiction, it was an entirely different format. And thus, Superman not only popularized the term, he launched the Super-Hero genre. So, yes, without Superman there would be no Super-Hero genre, no Marvel comics, etc.

Either which way the pie is sliced, Superman started something that is still ongoing today. He has had such a major influence on the world that Doc Savage and the Shadow can only stand back and watch with envy.

While powered superbeings playing hero are as old as human literature and religion, the combination of: 1) comic strip medium; 2) spandex muscle suit with cape; and 3) zany science-fiction plots put Superman as a good contender for the first full-fledged superhero. Many elements predate Superman (and pulp fiction), but the above combination of features is shared by the majority of superheroes ever since.

He was the first guy in comic to break the small minded imagination of the world at the time. Believe it or not, thinking about far off planets called Krypton and sending a baby to Earth on a spaceship was ground breaking at the time. Back then we didn't even have frigging satellites much less going out in space.

Superman is the first superhero. He's obviously not the first superhuman character nor is he the first vigilante character ever made. But he is the first superhero.

@druzzie: I wouldn't underestimate the imagination of people up to that point. Jules Verne and H.G. Wells already existed, after all.

And I didn't say they werne't but they were not wide spread, remember HG wells novel was pretty under appreciated at the time. Now a days we like it and love it but back then it even caused a panic that one time. Superman was the first of his kind with a fantastical story and sparks imaginations. He was the first super hero just like HG Wells might have been the first true sci fi author. I would put Jules vernes as Adventure.