and teams.
By most definitions, characters need not have actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although sometimes terms such as costumed crimefighters 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.
is often cited as perhaps the earliest superhero akin to those to become popularized through American comic books.
| 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 
| 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
|
| 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
| The 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
|
