List of superhero debuts
1930’s
Doc Savage (1932) (Kenneth Robeson)
The Phantom (1936) (Lee Falk)
The Clock (1936)
Superman (1938) (Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel)
The Shadow (1938)
Batman (1939) (Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
Blue Beetle (1939)
Original Human Torch (1939) (Carl Burgos)
Wonderman (1939)
Radio Shows
The Shadow (1930’s)
1940’s
Captain Marvel (DC Comics) (1940) (C.C. Beck and Bill Parker), originally published by Fawcett Comics.
The Flash (1940)
Green Lantern (1940) (first apprearance: All-American Comics #16)
Justice Society of America (1940) first Super-Team
Robin the Boy Wonder (1940) first Sidekick
The Spectre (1940)
The Shield (1940) first patriotic superhero
The Spectre (1940)
The Spirit (1940) (Will Eisner)
Aquaman (1941) (Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris)
The Atom (1941)
Captain America (1941) (Jack Kirby)
Plastic Man (1941)
Wonder Woman (1941) first major female super-heroine
Radio Shows
Superman (1940's)
1950’s
Martian Manhunter (1955)
Supergirl (1958) (first appearance: Superman #123)
Television
Adventures of Superman (1952-1957)
1960’s
The Silver Age
Elongated Man (1960)
Justice League (1960) (first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28)
Fantastic Four (1961) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
The Hulk (1962)
Thor (Marvel Comics) (1962) (first appearance: Journey into Mystery #83)
Avengers (comics) (1963)
Doctor Strange (1963)
X-Men (1963) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
Teen Titans (1964)
Wonder Man (1964) (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)
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)
West Coast Avengers (1984)
Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985)
Dark Knight Returns (1985)
Booster Gold (1986)
Television
The Incredible Hulk (1979-1982)
Superboy (1988-1992)
Movies
Superman II (1980)
Superman III (1983)
Supergirl (1985)
Superman IV (1987)
1990’s
Hellboy (1993) (First appearance: Next Men #21)
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)
Identity Crisis (comics) (2004)
House of M (2005)
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)