Prototypes Of Superheros

312 Words2 Pages
The mythologies of many ancient civilizations feature pantheons of gods and goddesses with superhuman powers, as well as demigods like Heracles and heroes such as Gilgamesh and Perseus.[1][2] Later, folkloric heroes such as Robin Hood and the 19th century protagonists of Victorian literature, such as the masked adventurer The Scarlet Pimpernel, featured what became such superhero conventions as secret identities. Penny dreadfuls, dime novels, radio programs and other popular fiction of the late 19th and early 20th centuries featured mysterious, swashbuckling heroes with distinct costumes, secret identities, unusual abilities and altruistic missions. These include Zorro, The Green Hornet, the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh and Spring Heeled Jack, the last of whom first emerged as an urban legend. Likewise, the science-fiction hero John Carter of Mars, with his futuristic weapons and gadgets; Tarzan, with his high degree of athleticism and strength, and his ability to communicate with animals; and the biologically modified Hugo Danner of the novel Gladiator were heroes with unusual abilities who fought sometimes larger-than-life foes. The most direct antecedents are pulp magazine crime fighters — such as the masked & caped Zorro (1919) with his trademark "Z", the preternaturally mesmeric The Shadow (1930), the "peak human" Doc Savage (1933), and The Spider (1933) — and comic strip characters such as Hugo Hercules, Popeye and The Phantom.[citation needed] The first masked crime-fighter created for comic books was writer-artist George Brenner's non-superpowered detective the Clock,[3][4] who debuted in Centaur Publications' Funny Pages #6 (Nov. 1936). Historians point to the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 (June 1938) as the debut of the comic-book archetype the superhero.[citation needed] Outside the American industry of comics, the first full-fledged
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