Famous Firsts: A History of Diversity in Superhero Comics

Image via Complex Original

Issue: Jungle Comics #2 (1940)
Why it’s significant: She’s widely regarded as the first female superhero.

There is some dispute around this one due to the inconsistent issue dates at the time, but it’s recognized that the first ever female superhero was Fantomah. She predates the likes of Wonder Woman and Mary Marvel by a few years, even though she hasn’t fared as well in the decades since. Females starring in their own comics weren’t uncommon in the ‘40s, but Fantomah was the first to fit the traditional superhero mold.

Issue: Lobo #1 (1965)
Why it’s significant: He’s the first African American comic book character to headline his own series.

Before Lobo hit shelves in 1965, African Americans were portrayed as terrible stereotypes in comics. Just look at the character of Ebony White as an example of how outright racist the industry was in the ’40s and ‘50s. However, Lobo changed that by starring in his own two-issue series at Dell Comics. The book itself didn’t make much of an impact, but in the years since, this quaint little Western comic has become one of the greatest achievements in the medium.

Issue: Fantastic Four #52 (1966)
Why it’s significant: He’s the first prominent black character in mainstream superhero comics.

Soon after Lobo starred in his own series, Marvel debuted the Black Panther, who would go on to become the first famous black character to ever grace the pages of a superhero comic. Within years, the Black Panther would receive his own series and become a member of the Avengers. This opened the flood gates for other black characters to debut at Marvel, most notably Luke Cage, Storm, and the Falcon. DC wasn’t far behind with heroes like Cyborg and Black Lightning hitting the pages. 

Issue: Special Marvel Edition #15 (1973)
Why it’s significant: He’s the first mainstream Asian superhero.

Marvel was a house of diversity in the ‘70s with characters like Storm and Luke Cage leading the way, but one of the most important examples of the company welcoming all races is Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu. Sure it might seem a little stereotypical now, but Shang-Chi was treated respectfully by writers and artists of the time, and most of his stories were aimed towards the mature reader. Shang-Chi’s relative obscurity allowed writers and artists to be more experimental with their storytelling, allowing his adventures to be some of the most interesting ones on the shelf during the '70s.

Issue: Amazing Adventures #31 (1975)
Why it’s significant: It’s the first interracial kiss in mainstream comics.

Comics were taking baby steps to become more diverse during the ‘60s and ‘70s, and one of the most notable examples of one of these small victories is when M'Shulla and Carmilla Frost kissed in Amazing Adventures #31. It might not seem important on the surface — especially because, well, who cares about M'Shulla and Carmilla Frost? — but this seemingly insignificant moment was actually the first interracial kiss ever in a high-profile superhero comic. We’ve seen plenty of interracial relationships since then, but this one panel opened the door for all of them. Sometimes the biggest barriers are broken in the smallest books.

Issue: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 (1975)
Why it’s significant: He is Marvel’s first Hispanic superhero.

We’re not sure what version of New York the Marvel Universe actually exists in, but there is a severe lack of Hispanics in this reality. Thankfully, the company decided to take some steps to rectify that in the mid-‘70s with the debut of Hector Ayala, a.k.a. the White Tiger, the first Puerto Rican superhero ever. While never the A-lister he should have been, the White Tiger was a big part of the Spider-Man comics of the ‘70s before settling into relative obscurity before his death in the 2000’s. Since then, though, the White Tiger mantle has been passed on to both his niece and sister in recent years.

Issue: Alpha Flight #106 (1992)
Why it’s significant: He’s the first openly gay character at Marvel.

Northstar wasn’t the first openly gay character in comics, but he was the first high-profile one that fans actually cared about. Originally created in 1979, writers had always hinted at Northstar’s sexuality, even to the point that fans just assumed he was gay for decades. But it wasn’t until 1992 when he officially came out of the superhero closet.

Of course this was the ‘90s, so the actual issue he came out in was a crudely drawn mess with a plot that’s pretty laughable now. Still, this was a major milestone for both Marvel and the comic book industry. Northstar would again make headlines in 2012 when he took part in the first gay wedding at Marvel in Astonishing X-Men #51.

Issue: The Authority #29 (2002)
Why it’s significant: This is the first gay marriage in a mainstream comic.

By the 2000s, comics had dealt with gay characters pretty extensively, but there was still one hurdle to cross: marriage. In The Authority #29, writer Mark Millar finally made the leap by featuring a wedding between two gay characters in the book, Apollo and Midnighter.

The best part about this gay wedding is that The Authority was still under the radar to most readers, so the plot wasn’t used as a shocking publicity stunt like we’ve seen both Marvel and DC do in recent years. It was actually a logical extension of the plot and respectful to both characters.

Issue: Batwoman #1 (2011)
Why it’s significant: She's the first lesbian character to headline her own mainstream title.

When it was revealed in 2006 that the new Batwoman would be a lesbian named Kate Kane, it was assumed by many that the character was simply going to exist as a publicity stunt and soon be forgotten. But not only has Batwoman stood the test of time, she’s now the star of her own self-titled book, which is among one of DC’s most critically revered comics.

Kate Kane is more than just diversity for diversity’s sake; she’s a deeply complex and relatable hero who deals with issues that aren't limited by sexual orientation. Comic book companies take a lot of grief for being late to the diversity game, but when a character as rich as Kate comes along, fans should give them the props they deserve.

Issue: Batgirl #19 (2013)
Why it’s significant: She’s the first openly transgender character in a mainstream comic.

There have been other characters in comics who were hinted at being transgender but recently in Batgirl #19, Alysia Yeoh, the roommate of Barbara Gordon, confirmed the fact. She’s not a significant character, nor will she ever have her own solo series, but she adds a dose of diversity to the DC Universe, making it more reflective of our real world.