Who was the first costumed superhero? 0

[PokerKid]

Eliminate Jesus, gods and caveman pictures. In comic books, who was the first costumed superhero to appear in newspaper strips or comics?

 

What prompted my curiosity was the Metropolis newsletter noting the sale of Frew's Phantom #1 and this: “Many collectors may not be aware, but the Phantom was first published as a newspaper strip in 1936, making the him the 1st costumed super hero” stated Metropolis COO, Vincent Zurzolo.

 

He may be right - and if he is wrong, it can't be by much, but I would just be surprised if the very first costumed superhero anyone could think of creating happened to be a classic character who has been constantly published for more than 70 years.

 

[comixcroz]

Mandrake the Magician count? he first appeared in 1934...

[Scrooge]

Mandrake the Magician count? he first appeared in 1934...

 

While generally in stage costume, he shouldn't count b/c he was 1) wearing professional attire, more a uniform than a costume and 2) he was not wearing a mask hiding his identity.

 

I seem to recall that The Phantom stands on good ground as the first costumed hero.

 

It's not been mentioned here but Hermes Press recently announced their plan to collect and reprint the entire Phantom strip from the beginning. The first volume should hit the bookshelves in September. Yet another collection I look forward to

[Scrooge]

Eliminate Jesus, gods and caveman pictures. In comic books, who was the first costumed superhero to appear in newspaper strips or comics?

 

The real issue at hand here is that The Phantom has no super-power. He is akin to Batman, in that he is just a human with highly honed natural skills. Do this make him a super-hero or not? I'd venture no myself but folks don't always agree.

[comixcroz]

Mandrake the Magician count? he first appeared in 1934...

 

While generally in stage costume, he shouldn't count b/c he was 1) wearing professional attire, more a uniform than a costume and 2) he was not wearing a mask hiding his identity.

 

I seem to recall that The Phantom stands on good ground as the first costume hero.

 

It's not been mentioned here but Hermes Press recently announced their plan to collect and reprint the entire Phantom strip from the beginning. The first volume should hit the bookshelves in September. Yet another collection I look forward to

good point - Mandrake stands a better chance of being considered the first super-hero - but wasn't really a "costumed hero"

[Crowzilla]

Well if the Phantom counts, then does the Shadow count? His pulp started in 1931.

And of course Flash Gordon, who is just as super as the Phantom, started in 1934.

(And the Clock started in comics in 1936).

 

But none of them had superpowers.

 

[comicartcom]

it depends on what you mean by "costumed hero" and "superhero"

 

costumed hero: someone who wears a costume and does not have super powers

superhero: someone who does have superpowers, but does not need a costumed

costumed superhero: well it's obvious ain't it?

 

Flash Gordon began on January 7th 1934 and soon after was wearing a costume. Also, on the planet Mongo he was stronger than he was on Earth. So he could be the first costumed superhero

 

Mandrake does wear a costume. Any attire that is a stage outfit is a costume. Mandrake does wear a stage outfit. ergo, he is a costumed hero and he can perform magic by speaking backwards and so he is indeed a costumed superhero

 

The Phantom is a costumed hero with no super powers

[Theagenes]

There is also the "masked hero" who wears a mask (and often hat and cape), but is otherwise dressed in regular attire. The Shadow would be the first of these unless you count Zorro, followed by his fellow pulp imitators like the Spider and Blask Mask. In comics the first masked hero would be the Clock. Crimson Avenger would fall into this category, as well as Sandman in his original costume.

 

Calling Mandrake and Flash Gordon costumed superheroes is probably reaching a little bit. Flash Gordon doesn't wear a costume, just normal clothes for Mongo, and I don't recall him being stronger - are you sure you aren't thinking of John Carter? And Mandrake's stage outfit is still just a tophat and tuxedo - kind of a stretch to call that a superhero costume. The Phantom is the first character to wear what we think of today as a traditional superhero costume (i.e. mask and tights), but he had no special powers.

 

There is no doubt that all these characters were precursors to the superhero,along with Tarzan, Tracy, Doc Savage and even Popeye, but the total package doesn't come together until Superman.

[Theagenes]

Mandrake the Magician count? he first appeared in 1934...

 

It's not been mentioned here but Hermes Press recently announced their plan to collect and reprint the entire Phantom strip from the beginning. The first volume should hit the bookshelves in September. Yet another collection I look forward to

 

Cool! I'd like to read that those too.

 

 

[Scrooge]

There is also the "masked hero" who wears a mask (and often hat and cape), but is otherwise dressed in regular attire. The Shadow would be the first of these unless you count Zorro, followed by his fellow pulp imitators like the Spider and Blask Mask. In comics the first masked hero would be the Clock. Crimson Avenger would fall into this category, as well as Sandman in his original costume.

 

All very interesting, except that The Shadow never wore a mask Instead he was more likely to use make-up to change his appearance. The Spider took that to the next level since his Spider persona depended on that make-up to make him ugly and scary (à la Prince Valiant in his demon disguise) while G-8 also relied heavily (too much so in fact) on make-up to spy behind German enemy lines. Even better, Doc Savage could make himself appear small while in fact he was a mountain of man and in truth would be the closest in this group to be thought of being a super-hero and yet he's no different than Batman or I should say better than Batman since like Shazam he was master of many domains, so much so he was better than any of his aides were in their own disciplines (chemistry, archeology, law and engineering): brains and brawn! (thumbs u

[selegue]

...And Mandrake's stage outfit is still just a tophat and tuxedo - kind of a stretch to call that a superhero costume. ...

 

If he wore the fishnets like Zatanna, would he be a costumed superhero?

 

Jack

or what?

[VintageComics]

...wonder when the first kid ever put a table cloth around his neck to play superhero was?

 

What a great thread...I'm in awe of the some of the knowledge you guys posess and love it!

 

[buttock]

The Clock (Funny Pages 6/Funny Picture Stories 1) was the first hero to wear a mask AND debut in comic books. He did not have super powers.

 

There's a whole litany of characters in literature who wore a mask (Scarlet Pimpernel [1908] preceded most [all?] of the ones mentioned so far), but as far as comic books go, the clock was the first to wear a mask.

 

Dr. Mystic/Occult is, to my knowledge, the first to have super powers, although there's definitely a blurring of the lines between magic & super powers.

 

Superman was the first to (a) have legitimate super powers and (b) debut in comic book form (6/38). The next was probably the Arrow (9/38).

 

Anyone want to try and guess who DC's second "super-hero" was?

 

Oh, and for posterity's sake...

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

 

Anyone want to try and guess who DC's second "super-hero" was?

 

 

Crimson Avenger?

 

[buttock]

He may have been their next costumed hero, but I don't recall him having super powers.

[Theagenes]

All very interesting, except that The Shadow never wore a mask Instead he was more likely to use make-up to change his appearance.

 

Oops, your right. I guess I was thinking of his scarf.

 

buttock, I'd forgotten about Dr. Occult. Didn't he get a costume in his later appearances complete with an emblem on his chest? Does anyone know when that was? I think it was still pre-Action 1.

[Theagenes]

...And Mandrake's stage outfit is still just a tophat and tuxedo - kind of a stretch to call that a superhero costume. ...

 

If he wore the fishnets like Zatanna, would he be a costumed superhero?

 

Jack

or what?

 

Yes, because fishnets count as tights.

 

 

[Sal]

Anyone want to try and guess who DC's second "super-hero" was?

 

 

Does Zatara count?

[BB-Gun]

Second DC Superhero?

What about Ultraman who debuted Nov 1939 in All American 8?

bb

[Cimm]

Ya'll are forgetting one. Olga Mesmer, The Girl With the X-Ray Eyes... First appearance in the August 1937 Spicy Mystery Stories pulp, in a comic strip ... that would be your first super-powered character in a comic strip, I believe.