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Superheroes created after Superman, but before Batman

Started by Kakapo,

40 posts in this topic

Kakapo

Kakapo

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So there I was, with time to think. And I thought: People usually simplify the start of the Golden Age to say that Superman came out, was a big hit, so DC looked for another strip, and along came Bob Kane with the first Batman story, representing about 40% of his lifetime output, and then Batman was a huge hit, too.

 

But Tec 27 wasn't two or three months after Action 1, it was 11 months. How many superheroes were created in that 11-month window, and did any of them endure for any significant length of time?

 

The only one I can think of is the Crimson Avenger, but he may not be, strictly speaking, superpowered. But for that matter, neither is Batman. :gossip: So a supplementary question: who was the first superpowered hero in the post-Superman, let's-cash-in-on-this-new-fad era?

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Forbush-Man

Forbush-Man

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I just looked up Motion Picture Funnies Weekly on Heritage. The CGC'd copies of #1 give the date 4/1939, which would make Sub-Mariner the actual 2nd Super-hero.

 

 

Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 April 1939 Sub-Mariner

 

Wonder Comics #1 May 1939

Detective Comics #27 May 1939

 

Amazing Mystery Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Fantom of the Fair

Keen Detective Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Masked Marvel

 

Amazing-Man # 5 September 1939

 

Marvel Comics # 1 November 1939

All-American # 8 November 1939 Ultra Man

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sakaridis

sakaridis

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What about comparing to the release date of the :popcorn: 1st Phantom comic released from Australia? Phantom has supernatural powers and talks to dogs/coyotes.

The Phantom debuted in a U.S. newspaper strip in 1936. That was two years before Action Comics #1.

 

I think the Australian comic books started later, though. More like mid to late 40's or something.

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Kakapo

Kakapo

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I just looked up Motion Picture Funnies Weekly on Heritage. The CGC'd copies of #1 give the date 4/1939, which would make Sub-Mariner the actual 2nd Super-hero.

 

 

Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 April 1939 Sub-Mariner

 

Wonder Comics #1 May 1939

Detective Comics #27 May 1939

 

Amazing Mystery Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Fantom of the Fair

Keen Detective Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Masked Marvel

 

Amazing-Man # 5 September 1939

 

Marvel Comics # 1 November 1939

All-American # 8 November 1939 Ultra Man

 

Thanks very much for that. So there was a bit of a lag between June '38 and Sub-Mariner's arrival, similar to the "Hey, DC's doing really well with the JLA, perhaps we could make a superhero team, too" event of 1961. And Subby's still around, 70 years later. Not bad at all.

 

Presumably Wonder Man didn't last too long, since Marvel was able to create their own Wonder Man later (see also: Captain Marvel, Daredevil - hey, that sounds like a cue for another thread - names recycled by Marvel). I must confess that I'd never heard of Fantom of the Fair before. Hard to believe that something alliterative failed in comics - the entire Marvel Universe was built on alliteration! And even DC had Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, all in the same book. Perhaps the Golden Age Starman would have had a longer run if he'd been called Ted Tight? :)

 

Okay, after a moment's reflection, I suppose Ned Knight would work too... :P

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KirbyJack

KirbyJack

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This is really eye-opening. I never thought about how few there actually were in the earliest days. I know the date on MPFW is controversial, but assuming it's correct that still ties my after-thought purchase of KDF v2 #7 as the fifth hero! I'm glad I got it!

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Theagenes

Theagenes

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What about comparing to the release date of the :popcorn: 1st Phantom comic released from Australia? Phantom has supernatural powers and talks to dogs/coyotes.

The Phantom debuted in a U.S. newspaper strip in 1936. That was two years before Action Comics #1.

 

I think the Australian comic books started later, though. More like mid to late 40's or something.

 

The Phantom's first comic book appearance was in Ace Comics 11 in Feb. 1938 - a couple of months before Superman. They were reprints of the daily strip that were colorized.

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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This is really eye-opening. I never thought about how few there actually were in the earliest days. I know the date on MPFW is controversial, but assuming it's correct that still ties my after-thought purchase of KDF v2 #7 as the fifth hero! I'm glad I got it!
first masked marvel, very scarce book (thumbs u
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Forbush-Man

Forbush-Man

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Might as well fill this out completely:

 

Funny Pages V1 # 6 November 1936 The Clock

 

Ace Comics # 11 February 1938 The Phantom

 

Action Comics # 1 June 1938 Superman

 

Funny Pages V2 #10 September 1938 The Arrow

 

Detective Comics # 22 December 1938 Crimson Avenger

 

Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 April 1939 Sub-Mariner

 

Wonder Comics #1 May 1939 Wonder Man

Detective Comics #27 May 1939 Batman

 

Amazing Mystery Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Fantom of the Fair

Keen Detective Funnies V2 #7 July 1939 Masked Marvel

 

Amazing-Man # 5 September 1939 Amazing-Man

 

Marvel Comics # 1 November 1939 Human Torch

All-American # 8 November 1939 Ultra Man

 

More Fun # 52 February 1940 Spectre

 

All-American # 16 July 1940 Green Lantern

 

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