Superman was created in 1933 but didn't actually appear in a comic until DC's Action Comics #1 in 1938. Inspiration for this hero came from several sources, but one of the main ones was John Carter of Mars, according to co-creator Jerry Siegel.
John Carter a series about a Civil War soldier who goes to Mars only to realize he's extremely powerful because of the low gravity. You may remember the Disney attempt at bringing John Carter to life. When WWII began, Superman was designed to have invulnerability, super strength, and speed.
I bet you can guess where Batman came from. This winged superhero is a culmination of Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, and Leonardo da Vinci. Does the last one seem a little odd? Well, it actually came from a sketch he drew of a bat-winged flying machine.
A big surprise might be that the creators of Bats took inspiration from Dracula and a 1926 silent film called The Bat. Batman didn't appear in comics until Detective Comics #27 in 1939. He's had a lot of changes over the years, but we can still see Sherlock Holmes and Zorro in his character.
The Joker is many peoples' favorite villain, and for a good reason. He's erratic, fun, and always doing what you'd least expect. He appeared in Batman #1 in 1940, but his inspiration came from a much earlier film.
The Man Who Laughs is a 1928 silent film featuring German actor Conrad Veidt as Gwynplain. Fun fact, when The Joker (2019) was written, the creators went back to Joker's roots and studied The Man Who Laughs. Turns out the original source is sometimes the best source.
Catwoman is another character that first appeared in 1940's Batman #1. This sleek, feminine feline has been portrayed by many women over the years (although my favorite is Michelle Pfeiffer). Unlike many of the characters on this list, Catwoman has a more modern inspiration.
Bill Finger and Bob Kane (the men who created Catwoman) looked at actresses Hedy Lamarr and Jean Harlow for inspiration. Their sleek sex appeal and desire knew no bounds. She was also inspired partially by Kane's second cousin by marriage, Ruth Steel.
The X-Men comics have a strong tie to social issues, so many of their creations are based on civil rights events and people. Magneto is one of them. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Magneto made his debut in 1963, just as the Civil Rights Movement was at its height.
Malcolm X was the inspiration behind Magneto. While it's never been confirmed, Magneto and Malcolm X also have several similarities that are hard to deny, like their ideologies. Another is that Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were friends, just like Magneto and Professor X (who was partially inspired after Dr. King).
Ah, yes – America's butt. You can probably imagine where Captain America came from. During WWII, there were plenty of superheroes involved in the war effort, but Captain America became the symbol we needed. He was also the first one to wear the American flag.
Created by none other than Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, the character was a figment of their own minds. He was inspired by soldiers who were fighting for their lives and country. They wanted Captain America to provide hope for those on the battlefield.
Wonder Woman is the most recognizable female superheroes out there, and she's even become an icon for women as early as 1941 when she debuted. The character was created by William Morton Marston. He wanted to model her after the "new feminine ideal" of womanhood.
As far as her physical appearance, that all came from Varga Girl centerfolds in Esquire magazine. Her costume was supposed to be pinup art, and well, it's not far off. Wonder Woman also has characteristics of Marston's wife and mistress. Somehow, they both lived with him at the same time.
Our favorite sticky man didn't appear in comics until Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962. He was created by the legendary Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, but his character's inspiration may come from a place you won't expect.
Spiderman was inspired by a 1954 children's Halloween costume that was created by Ben Cooper Inc. The name came from Richard Wentworth, who was also known as The Spider in a pulp magazine by the same title.
The Hulk has a pretty cool inspiration story. Jack Kirby was near the street one day when he saw a child playing under a car. The mother, panicked and full of adrenaline, lifted the vehicle up, and got her child out from underneath.
Talk about a hero! The event stuck in his mind and inspired him to create the Hulk. He asked himself, “what would a person be able to do if they are forced into action?” Apparently, smash and lift heavy cars.
Many think the Black Panther's origins were from the Black Panther Party, but that's not right. The character actually predates the party! Character creation started in 1963 when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Gabe Jones in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. The two realized they needed more black heroes at that point.
The original design had a black panther helping him, and the character's name was "Coal Tiger." That idea was scrapped in favor of the Black Panther we know and love today. He was inspired by historical figures like 14th-century sultan Mansa Musa and 20th-century Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey.
Wolverine was never supposed to be a major character, much less carry solo movies. His sole purpose was to fight the Hulk when he went to Canada. One thing led to another, and Wolverine stuck around for good. Thank god!
The appearance of his character was based on actor Paul D'Amato from Slap Shot. D'Amato played Dr. Hook, and he looked a lot like Wolverine. He had crazy hair and thick sideburns. Overall, Dr. Hook's personality matched Wolverine's, as well. It was just as wild and grizzled.
The movies would have us believe that Bucky Barnes has always been the Winter Soldier, but he spent several years as Captain America's sidekick before that. Bucky was only 15 when Steve Rogers joined the military, and he was based on a young boy of the same age: Bucky Pierson.
Pierson was a star basketball player and Joe Simon's (one of Barnes's creators) best friend. Bucky debuted in Captain America Comics #1 in 1941 as a young boy that would later become Cap's best friend. It wasn't until later that he developed into the Winter Soldier (and later, Captain America).
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee teamed together once again to create Professor Charles Xavier, but they had a little help. The character's looks were based on actor Yul Brynner from The King and I. The bald head and heavy eyebrows made the character unique. The duo wanted the same for Prof X.
As for his ideologies, that was heavily based off of Martin Luther King, Jr. The character debuted at the height of the Civil Rights Movement alongside Magneto. Magneto and Professor X were best friends despite their disagreements, just like Dr. King and Malcolm X.
This is probably the most obvious inspiration for a character. Iron Man and Tony Stark were modeled after none other than Howard Hughes. According to Lee, Hughes was "one of the most colorful men of our time. He was an inventor, an adventurer, a ladies' man, and finally, a nutcase."
That being said, the movies drew inspiration from elsewhere. Tony Stark was loosely based off Elon Musk. Director Jon Favreau said he wanted to "bring the character of genius billionaire Tony Stark to the big screen." That he did and choosing Robert Downey Jr.? A cherry on top of the sundae.
Harley Quinn is one of the most unique characters on this list because she was in a TV show before she made it to comics. She's also one of the few characters voiced by the person who directly inspired her! Quinn's first debut was in the 1992 cartoon Batman: The Animated Series voiced by Arleen Sorkin.
Paul Dini and Bruce Timm created the character after Dini had a dream that Sorkin (his longtime friend) was a court jester. He called her up immediately after, explained the character, and asked if she wanted to play her. Naturally, she said yes. Harley Quinn was put in the comics shortly after.
