Renegades

The true origins of the superhero genre are difficult, if not impossible, to trace, since even ancient literature contains notable examples of people with superhuman abilities. (Prime examples include the titular character in The Epic of Gilgamesh, as well as the various Greek heroes featured in Homer’s Iliad). Likewise, the theme of “hidden identities” or alter egos also proliferated throughout literature from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel. 

Modern superhero narratives are often characterized as an American phenomenon due to the widespread prevalence of Marvel- and DC-owned stories, but the genre has appeared in other countries as well—particularly in Japan, where kamishibai, or street storytelling, created heroes like Ōgon Bat, or Golden Bat. This largely overlooked character first appeared in 1931 and predates Superman’s debut by seven years. In fact, Ōgon Bat is considered to have influenced the creation of both Batman and Superman and is arguably the first modern superhero in fiction. 

However, the true rise of the modern superhero genre is popularly attributed to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster of DC Comics, who created the character of Superman.