List of superhero debuts
Superhero Chronology
1930’s
Doc Savage (1932) (Kenneth Robeson)
The Phantom (1936) (Lee Falk)
The Clock (1936)
Superman (1938) (Joe Schuster and Jerry Siegel)
The Shadow (1938)
Batman (1939) (Bob Kane and Bill Fingers)
Wonderman (1939)
Original Human Torch (1939) (Carl Burgos)
Radio Shows
The Shadow (1930’s)
1940’s
The Shield (1940) first patriotic superhero
The Spectre (1940)
Captain Marvel (1940)
Robin the Boy Wonder (1940) first sidekick
Justice Society of America (1940) first Super-Team
The Spirit (1940) (Wil Eisner)
Wonder Woman (1941) first major female super-heroine
Captain America (1941) (Jack Kirby)
Radio Shows
Superman (1940's)
1950’s
Martian Manhunter (1955)
Television
Adventures of Superman (1952-1957)
1960’s Silver Age
Fantastic Four (1961) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
The Hulk (1962)
X-Men (1963) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Wonder Man (1964) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Teen Titans (1964)
Black Panther (comics) (1966) first African superhero
Batgirl (1967)
Television
Batman (TV-Series 1966-1968)
1970’s
Luke Cage, a.k.a. Power Man (1972)
Shang-Chi (1972)
Television
SuperFriends (animated)(1973-1977)
Shazam! (1974-1977)
Wonder Woman (1976-1979)
The Incredible Hulk (1979-1982)
Movies
Superman: The Movie (1978)
1980’s
Alpha Flight (Canadian super-team) (1983)
New Mutants (1983)
X-Men increases in popularity
Dark Knight Returns
Television
The Incredible Hulk (1979-1982)
Superboy (1988-1992)
Movies
Superman II (1980)
Superman III (1983)
Supergirl (1985)
Superman IV (1987)
1990’s
Astro City (1995)
Television
Superboy (1988-1992)
Batman (animated)(1992-1995)
Superman (animated) (1996-2000)
Batman Beyond (animated) (1999-2001)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993-1997)
2000 and beyond
Ultimate Marvel imprint (2001)
Marvel Age imprint (2003)
Television
Justice League (animated)(2001-)
Smallville (2001-)
Teen Titans (animated) (2003-)
Movies
X-Men (2000)
Spider-Man (2002)
Daredevil (2003)
X2 (2003)
Hulk (2003)
Hellboy (2004)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The Incredibles (2004)
Elektra (2005)
Batman Begins (2005)
Fantastic Four (2005)
Sky High (2005)
Many thanks to the following resources which provided information for this page
The History of Superhero Comic Books
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8580/Hist2.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8580/Hist3.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8580/Hist4.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8580/Hist5.html
http://www.psu.edu/dept/inart10_110/inart10/cmbk2fungold.html
Internet Movie Database
Superhero (from Wikipedia)