7 Marvel Heroes Who Are Nothing Like Their First Appearance

Marvel Comics has been introducing heroes for several decades, and there are some heroes who are nothing like they were when they first debuted in comics. There are some iconic heroes in Marvel Comics, with names like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and more, who have barely changed at all over the years, outside of changing costumes or, in Iron Man’s case, constantly updating his armor. There are also teams, such as the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, who have kept their main status in Marvel, even with some cosmetic changes along the way. That said, there are some heroes who are nothing like their original Marvel appearances.

From a few characters who weren’t heroes at all until years after their debuts to heroes who changed everything about themselves over time, here are seven Marvel heroes who are nothing like their first appearance.

7) Hellcat

Hellcat is Patsy Walker, and she is a hero who was created before Marvel Comics ever existed. Instead, she was introduced in Miss America Magazine #2 in 1944 by Timely Comics. However, at that time, she wasn’t a superhero at all. Instead, she was the lead character in a teen romance series similar to Archie Comics, and then something interesting happened when Marvel Comics formed.

In 1965, Patsy Walker cameoed in Fantastic Four Annual #3, and she eventually morphed into something different. In 1975, she appeared in The Avengers #141 and accompanied the team on some adventures. Soon, she took on the name Hellcat and became a superhero. It was nothing like her original character, and soon she came into her own as a member of the Defenders.

6) Jane Foster

No Marvel Comics hero has changed as much as Jane Foster over the years. She first appeared in Journey into Mystery #84 in 1962 as a nurse and the love interest of Dr. Donald Blake, the alter ego at that time for Thor. She became a recurring character for most of Thor’s appearances in that series, and then his own comic book series. This is how Jane Foster remained, and she was slowly phased out when Donald Blake was eliminated from Thor’s comics.

However, in 2014, Marvel introduced a new female Thor, and it turned out to be Jane Foster. It was also when Marvel revealed that Jane Foster had cancer, and every time she turned into Thor, it wiped her chemotherapy out of her body. However, that wasn’t the end. In 2019, Jane was about to die and ended up being named the latest Valkyrie. Jane as Valkyrie is nothing like when she debuted as a superhero’s love interest.

5) Invisible Woman

The Invisible Woman is a little different situation when it comes to her change over the years in Marvel Comics. She hasn’t changed in many ways. She is still a member of the Fantastic Four. She is still with Reed Richards, as she was when she made her debut in Marvel Comics’ first issue, Fantastic Four #1 in 1961. However, how she changed is how many characters have changed since the start of Marvel. When Marvel Comics first formed, the guys who created the comics didn’t know how to write female characters.

Marvel wrote heroes like the Invisible Girl, The Wasp, and others as women who only cared about shopping, ogling over the male heroes, and keeping house. The Fantastic Four had Susan Storm as a housewife, the weakest member of the team, and someone often disparaged by Reed Richards. Over time, she turned into the Invisible Woman, and then she became the team’s most powerful character, both mentally and power-wise. She is the best example of how Marvel has improved female heroes since the company started.

4) Captain Marvel

When Carol Danvers first appeared in Marvel Comics, it was in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 in 1968. She was a United States Air Force officer and the Security Chief who met the alien Kree hero, Captain Mar-Vell. She was his ally and worked with him as he fought to protect the Earth, despite being sent to the planet as a spy. Nine years after her debut, she gained powers and became Ms. Marvel.

That was a massive change for the character, but the most significant change was still to come. Ms. Marvel was an Avenger with thigh-high boots and a revealing costume. However, in 2012, Captain America convinced her that it was time to take the role of her former friend, and she became Captain Marvel. She was no longer a superhero meant to be eye-candy, but Captain Marvel became a powerful military-minded hero and one of the company’s best.

3) Jean Grey

Jean Grey made her debut in The X-Men #1 in 1963 as the newest member of Professor Xavier’s mutant team. She was a telekinetic who was the only female member of the team, and was shown to be someone that all the guys wanted to flirt with. She didn’t seem overly powerful, and for much of the first few years, Xavier kept her from being involved in too many fights to keep her safe.

That is shocking, considering that Jean Grey is one of the most powerful mutants in existence and one of the most powerful telepaths in the universe. Jean was retconned to show that he was a telepath, which wasn’t part of her original power level. Jean Grey gained the Phoenix Force, which made her a cosmic powerhouse. She went from being one of the least powerful X-Men to the most powerful, and it is a world of difference.

2) Falcon

When Sam Wilson debuted in Marvel Comics, it was in Captain America #117 in 1969. He was a social worker who was involved in an accident where he gained the power to communicate with birds and gained the wings to fly. He became the Falcon, and he was one of the early social issue heroes when Marvel Comics was trying to use more African American characters in the 1970s.

Now, Sam Wilson is no longer the Falcon, and he is Captain America. He is no longer a social worker, but he still fights for social justice and stands up for the little guy. While he is still the same character type as he was when he first debuted in Marvel Comics, the fact that he is Captain America is something no one could have expected when he debuted.

1) Black Widow

Black Widow is one of Marvel’s best Avengers and one of the toughest characters in the comics. However, when looking at the character when she made her debut, she has undergone massive changes over the years. Black Widow made her debut in Tales of Suspense #52 in 1964. She was a seductress who was spying on Tony Stark for the Soviet Union. She dressed in purple, was easily distracted by jewelry, and was obsessed with wealth and power.

The name Black Widow was referencing someone who would find a mate and then kill them for their money, although in this case, she did it for the Soviet government. When she took on her new role as a supervillain, she wore a blueish purple bodysuit with fishnet designs and a Hawkeye-style mask. Seeing Black Widow’s first appearances, it is almost hard to believe she is the same character that exists in Marvel Comics today.

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