How different are the heroes in their first appearance when compared to their later incarnations?
In this section we’ll be looking at all sorts of superheroes from various companies, all the way from the Golden to the Silver Age and later, with various levels of historical importance.
* Reviews done before the start of this retrospective don’t include the same categories.
| Company | Year | Hero | Comic | |
| Various | N/A | Proto-superheroes | Early 1900s | |
| DC Comics | 1935 | Dr. Occult | New Fun 6 | * |
| DC Comics | 1938 | Superman | Action Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1938 | Zatara | Action Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1938 | Crimson Avenger | Detective Comics 20 | |
| DC Comics | 1939 | Batman | Detective Comics 27 | |
| DC Comics | 1939 | Sandman | New York World's Fair Comics 1 | |
| Fox | 1939 | Blue Beetle I | Mystery Men Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1939 | Human Torch | Marvel Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1939 | Angel | Marvel Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1939 | Namor | Marvel Comics 1 | |
| Quality/DC | 1939 | Doll Man | Feature Comics 27 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Flash I | Flash Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Hawkman | Flash Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Johnny Thunder | Flash Comics 1 | |
| Archie Comics | 1940 | The Shield | Pep Comics 1 | |
| Archie Comics | 1940 | The Comet | Pep Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | The Spectre | More Fun Comics 52 | |
| Fawcett | 1940 | Captain Marvel | Whiz Comics 2 | |
| Fawcett | 1940 | Ibis | Whiz Comics 2 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Hourman | Adventure Comics 48 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Robin | Detective Comics 38 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Doctor Fate | More Fun Comics 55 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Green Lantern I | All-American Comics 16 | |
| Quality / DC | 1940 | Black Condor | Crack Comics 1 | |
| Quality / DC | 1940 | Uncle Sam | National Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Marvel Boy I | Daring Mystery Comics 6 | |
| Quality / DC | 1940 | Red Bee | Hit Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Thin Man | Mystic Comics 4 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Black Widow I | Mystic Comics 4 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Red Raven | Red Raven Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Mercury (Makkari) | Red Raven Comics 1 | |
| Quality / DC | 1940 | The Ray | Smash Comics 14 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Toro | Human Torch 2 | |
| Quality / DC | 1940 | Max Mercury | National Comics 5 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Atom | All-American Comics 19 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Vision I | Marvel Mystery Comics 13 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Red Tornado I | All-American Comics 20 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Captain America | Captain America Comics 1 | |
| Marvel | 1940 | Hurricane | Captain America Comics 1 | |
| DC Comics | 1940 | Justice Society of America | All Star Comics #3 | |
| DC Comics | 1958 | Legion of Super-Heroes | Adventure Comics 247 | * |
| DC Comics | 1959 | Supergirl | Action Comics 252 | * |
| DC Comics | 1962 | Metal Men | Showcase 37 | * |
| DC Comics | 1963 | Doom Patrol | My Greatest Adventure 80 | * |
| Marvel | 1963 | Nick Fury | Sgt.Fury #1 | * |
| Marvel | 1980 | Dazzler | Uncanny X-Men 129 | * |
| DC Comics | 1986 | Booster Gold | Booster Gold 1 | |
