Best Characters Who Debuted in the 1940s

DC Comics burst onto the scene in 1937, providing readers at the time with exciting tales in comic strip form. However, everything would change with the big bang of Action Comics and the debut of Superman. However, the most iconic superhero from DC Comics isn’t the only one to celebrate a lengthy history, existing on the pages of comics for over 80 years.

There are a surprising amount of DC Titans that were created in the early 40s, and these characters continue as the most popular set of characters to this day. Whether they feature heavily now in games, movies, or an expansive list of comics, these DC characters have been around for 80+ years and probably 80+ more.

8 Shazam (Captain Marvel)

Created on: February, 1940

• Debut Issue: Whiz Comics #2
• Created by: Bill Parker C. C. Beck

Back in his early days, Shazam was known as Captain Marvel – a name that stuck with the character for decades until the early 2000s. Captain Marvel was an icon of the 40s and represented a true Golden Age of comics. Shazam is what every kid wants to be: a child imbued with the powers of Superman and the Greek Gods of old.

However, Captain Marvel wasn’t actually created by DC Comics, and instead, with Fawcett Comics, which DC later acquired. Captain Marvel was an intensely popular character back in his creation and at one point, outsold the first superhero, Superman.

7 Aquaman

Created on: November, 1941

• Debut Issue: More Fun Comics #73
• Created by: Mort Weisinger, Paul Norris

Originally appearing in a set of anthology stories for DC Comics, Aquaman would soon go on to star in his own series, where the Silver Age would provide readers with a hero that was more than just an underwater guy who talked to fish, and instead, a founding member of the Justice League. Aquaman is a very interesting character who has perhaps had the most revisions and strongest evolutions over the decades.

Aquaman was once a joke in the comic book world, and those who didn’t read his comics would assume he was entirely goofy. However, in more recent years, Aquaman’s stardom has excelled, providing him with an edge, regalness, and a heavyweight as the King of Atlantis.

6 Catwoman

Created on: April, 1940

• Debut Issue: Batman #1
• Created by: Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Batman’s Rogues Gallery is worth an entire list alone considering how iconic these villains are, but few have been as instrumental to Batman’s character as Catwoman. A woman who started as an enemy, and slowly worked her way into the enduring role as Batman’s conflicted love interest, Catwoman is a star that should never die out, and her complex relationship with Batman is one of the best love-hate romances to take to DC Comics.

Outside of her love and rivalry with Batman, this romantic feline fatale can lead the charge in her own story, and is one of the rare villains that has jumped into the role of an anti-hero and occasional hero. Catwoman leads her own solo series throughout the decades due to her interesting aspects of a tragic personal life and a cunning design as a master thief.

5 Green Arrow

Created on: November, 1941

• Debut Issue: More Fun Comics #73
• Created by: Mort Weisinger, George Papp

Green Arrow debuted within the same issue that birthed Aquaman, providing a single comic with the two most prestigious and well-written heroes from DC Comics. Robin Hood greatly inspires Green Arrow, and it’s great to see this icon revitalize in the 21st Century as Green Arrow, the fabled protector of Star City uses his wealth to help the poor and provide a new lens for a liberal superhero.

Green Arrow is an exceptional archer with a brilliance of character. Green Arrow’s flawed and stubborn beliefs have seen him clash with fellow superheroes over the years, leading insightful political commentary in the comic book medium, while also providing a hero that will do the right thing for himself and the people, rather than the sanctions imposed by the Justice League.

4 The Joker

Created on: April, 1940

• Debut Issue: Batman #1
• Created by: Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson

The debut of the Joker is chilling to many, and it might surprise some fans to know that this iconic nemesis of Batman was actually supposed to be killed in his debut issue. However, with the editorial intervening, the Joker has endured decades of providing Batman with great suffering. The Joker is a menace, and the Clown Prince of Crime is known by just about anyone. If someone knows Batman, then they also know the Joker.

The Joker is a character who hasn’t had much revision throughout the decades, and his time as a sadistic psychopath and criminal mastermind with a broken sense of humor has remained consistent. In recent years, the Joker’s whimsical ways have been somewhat replaced by that of edgy crimes, but the core principles are still in place as Batman’s nemesis, the man responsible for so much pain over the years.

3 Wonder Woman

Created on: October, 1941

• Debut Issue: All-Star Comics #8
• Created by: William Moulton Marston, H. G. Peter

The most iconic female superhero of all time is undoubtedly Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman is a feminist icon, and her triumph for female empowerment has seen her excel for decades as a respected and beloved superhero who originates from Themyscira, the Paradise Island that houses the Amazon warriors.

Wonder Woman’s compassion and warrior spirit are her defining features, and while her most recent changes since her inception indulge more so her warrior tendencies with sword and shield, her compassion and understanding have never left her and remain as one of her defining heroic traits, proving why she is just as essential and popular as her Trinity co-stars, Batman and Superman.

2 Superman

Created on: April, 1938

• Debut Issue: Action Comics #1
• Created by: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster

Perhaps without Superman, there would be no other superheroes. Superman is the direct inspiration of thousands of heroes and millions of fans, and his debut in 1938 has been continued through an astounding legacy of comics, movies, and TV. Superman has an exciting backstory and set of powers that continue to be adapted to showcase the immortal legacy of this superhero.

The world needs Superman, and his ideals of standing for truth and justice prove that he’s a hero to aspire towards. His love for the people of Earth and his incredible defining powers show that even a god can be gentle, and throughout the decades, his moral standing has remained noble and the same.

1 Batman

Created on: March, 1939

• Debut Issue: Detective Comics #27
• Created by: Bob Kane, Bill Finger

There are few superheroes that can be seen as iconic as Batman, a hero who celebrates his 85th year in 2024. Batman is an icon that has only grown better over the years, and with his initial inception from Bob Kane without Bill Finger, the character may not be who he is today. Batman has seen plenty of growing changes to his character, providing him with a brooding edge that adds to his coolness and pairs well with his exceptional costume and bat-themed gadgets.

Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s creation of Batman changed the landscape of comics forever, and Batman to this day is celebrated as having the best supporting characters with the likes of Robin and Alfred, as well as the greatest Rogues Gallery. Batman’s lack of superpowers and defying willpower shows how this hero can overcome any adversary. Why? Because he’s Batman.