Superhero
Superhero comics follow costumed heroes with extraordinary powers or skills who fight crime and villains, the genre that has dominated American comics since the late 1930s.
In depth
The superhero genre began with Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, in Action Comics #1 (1938), followed by Batman in Detective Comics #27 (1939) and a flood of costumed heroes. Marvel's revival from 1961, beginning with The Fantastic Four, added heroes with personal problems and a shared universe.
Shared universes
DC and Marvel each publish hundreds of characters in one interconnected world, so heroes meet, crossover events gather them, and decades of continuity build up. That is why superhero comics are often read by creative team or by story arc rather than from the beginning.
Beyond the big two
Independent publishers produce superhero comics outside those universes, including deconstructions such as Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, which question what a superhero would really be.
Where it appears
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. self-contained classic
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. a complete Superman story, readable with no background
What it means today
To start a superhero character, pick a celebrated run or a self-contained story rather than issue #1 of decades ago. Our superhero shelf highlights complete, standalone collections.
