DC’s First 10 Superheroes Ranked by Importance

DC has had superhero comics running longer than anyone else. Superman’s meteoric success kick-started the entire genre around him, and to this day, superhero comics are going strong with characters new and old. Of course, while characters like Batman and Superman still define the genre today, the same can’t be said for every early superhero. Back then, people weren’t even sure what a superhero was. Making new heroes was really throwing everything at the wall and seeing what stuck. Some of these ideas worked, some didn’t, but all of them deserve to be celebrated for their part in carving out this incredible genre.

Today, we’re going to be looking back at DC’s first ten superheroes and ranking them based on how important they were and have stayed throughout the decades. As a note, the rise of superhero comics also saw the fall of other popular genres like adventure comics and mystery comics, and since DC was never one to let an idea go to waste, most of their popular characters from those genres made the jump to superheroism at one point or another. To be fair, we’ll only be counting characters who debuted as superheroes, so no people like Americamando. To keep things simple, we’re defining superheroes as crime-fighters who have a costume and a secret identity. With the rules set, let’s dive right into the ranking.

10) Whip

First appeared in Flash Comics #1, November 20, 1940.

Rod Gaynor, yes, that’s his real name, was the Whip, a vigilante who fought crime in Seguro, New Mexico. Rod was a polo player and a wealthy playboy who dedicated himself to destroying the abhorrent living conditions inflicted by unjust landlords. He was the de facto hero of the American Southwest and went on to join the All-Star Squadron. Like everyone else on this list, the Whip has since become a legacy identity, although there is no currently active Whip. Still, Whip opened a new section of the map for heroism, even if he does heavily resemble Zorro.

9) Crimson Avenger

First appeared in Detective Comics #20, September 9, 1938.

Lee Travis could be thought of as the proto-Batman. He was a wealthy newspaper publisher and socialite who, alongside his butler, operated as one of DC’s first mystery men. He targeted gang-related crimes and corrupt officials, such as taking down a corrupt lawyer in his first adventure. In-universe, the Crimson Avenger has a reputation for being among the first superheroes, especially given that Superman’s origin continuously moves forward with the sliding timescale. While he’s a niche hero now, he has a powerful legacy in DC’s own lore, and there is a successor to his name currently operating, so he takes ninth place.

8) Johnny Thunder

First appeared in Flash Comics #1, November 20, 1940.

Okay, Johnny Thunder’s costume might just be a tux, but he still had a secret identity, and most definitely was a superhero. A supernaturally lucky birth allowed Johnny to connect with the nigh all-powerful genie Yz, the Thunderbolt, whom he could summon with the magic words CEI-U. Johnny would go on to become one of the central figures of the Justice Society of America, DC’s first true superhero team. Today, Jonny’s powers have been passed on to Jakeem Thunder, who has succeeded his spot on the JSA. Jonny was the JSA’s comedic relief and their ace in the hole, and while he might not be their most famous member, he was certainly important to them and to DC as a whole.

7) Sandman

First appeared in New York World’s Fair Comics #1, April 30, 1939.

Wesley Dodds was yet another of the Golden Age mystery men, and arguably is the most iconic of the bunch. An expert detective, he fought crime with his specialty sleep gas gun, knocking out all of his opponents with ease. Later, Sandman would become an infinitely more important character, becoming the bridge between the superhero community and the Endless, when Wesley was blessed with prophetic dreams by Dream. Wesley was another of the original members of the JSA, and his successor similarly still takes up a role in it. Wesley is one of DC’s most iconic detectives, and for a company named after Detective Comics, that goes a long way.

6) Zatara

First appeared in Action Comics #1, April 18, 1938.

While he doesn’t get nearly as much attention as the Man of Tomorrow, Zatara appeared in the very same comic that first gave us Superman, making him DC’s second official superhero. He was a master magician who traveled the world and fought crime, and while he isn’t often used in stories and he didn’t join any major teams, his presence is still felt to this day. Without Zatara, we wouldn’t have his daughter, Zatanna, who is DC’s de facto magical expert. Zatara taught her everything he knew, and set the stage for her iconic backwards-speaking magic that is so iconic. Zatara himself might not have made too much of an impact, but his legacy lives on in her.

5) Spectre

First appeared in More Fun Comics #52, December 28, 1939.

The Spectre debuted as the first ever superhero to return from the dead when Jim Corrigan rose as the Spirit of Vengeance. He started as a supernatural detective unleashing ironic justice on criminals, but later developed into one of the most powerful forces in all of DC. Nowadays, the Spectre is the literal embodiment of God’s wrath and the heavy hitter for the forces of good. He is one of the most iconic members of the JSA and has stood as a pivotal force in both events and small-scale storylines. When things go bad, turn to the Spectre, for he will be there to inflict divine punishment on those he deems deserving. 

4) Hawkman

First appeared in Flash Comics #1, November 20, 1940.

Carter Hall flew onto the scene as the reincarnation of the Egyptian prince Khufu, who sought to get justice for his and his love’s murder centuries ago. Much later, it would be revealed that Hawkman was actually Ktar Deathbringer, a murderer cursed to reincarnate until he saved as many lives as he took. While he’s often the butt of the joke, Hawkman is one of the most important DC heroes out there in terms of constructing a timeline. He’s been a prominent hero in both the JSA and the Justice League, and he is one of the connecting points between Earth and the Thanagarians. He has served as the linchpin to countless superhero stories, usually in the background, but always a major player behind the scenes.

3) The Flash

First appeared in Flash Comics #1, November 20, 1940.

DC knew they struck gold with the Scarlet Speedster before they even introduced him, given that they named the comic after him. Ever since his debut, the Flash has been one of the most important characters in DC. Jay Garrick is important enough in his own right, being a core member of the JSA and the first ever speedster, but what really makes him important is his legacy. The Flash mantle has become the single most important legacy in DC, and has been passed more than any other. Legacy, after all, has always been one of DC’s biggest themes.

Jay, Barry, and Wally each have a claim to be one of the single most important heroes on their own, and that’s not even counting the accolades they hold when put together. They’ve popularized the multiverse, shown us the Speed Force, and even caused the Flashpoint event that led to the New 52. The Flash is DC’s fourth most important hero ever, just behind the Trinity, and has been at the heart of nearly all of their major events.

2) Batman

First appeared in Detective Comics #27, March 30, 1939.

I don’t need to convince anyone that Batman is one of the most important heroes of all time. He is one of the faces of DC, one of the legendary Trinity, and easily the most published superhero thus far. Batman debuted at the perfect time with the perfect design, bridging the gap between the detective genre that was giving way to the superhero genre. Batman embodied both in the best way possible, attracting fans of the old and new. Much like Superman, he was lightning in a bottle, and that only got brighter with time. The Caped Crusader is easily the second most important superhero in all media, having defined what the regular human would look like in that genre. Without Batman, superheroes would be irrevocably different.

1) Superman

First appeared in Action Comics #1, April 18, 1938.

This spot, obviously, can only be reserved for the king of superheroes himself. Superman was DC’s first superhero and became the benchmark by which the genre is judged. Even to this day, there is no better example of what a superhero should be than Superman. He is endlessly selfless and kind, and fights to save everyone, no matter who or what they are. Superman teaches us how to be better people, and he is rightfully the face of DC. Without Superman, there wouldn’t be superheroes as we know them. Potentially, the genre wouldn’t have kicked off at all. Everything DC has, they owe to Superman.

So there we have DC’s first ten superheroes. Honestly, they really knocked it out of the park, considering so many of these heroes are still relatively popular. Which of these original ten is your favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

10 Worst DC Comics Superheroes of All Time