Comic book writers have been "borrowing" from one another since the beginning, the most famous example arguably being Captain Marvel, who was deemed so close to Superman that Fawcett Comics got taken to court by DC, then named National, if memory serves.
Other knockoffs include Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk, who borrowed from Hugo Danner, aka Gladiator, and Hawkeye, who borrowed from Green Arrow, himself the very figure of Robin Hood.
Who, in your opinion, are the most blatant or best knockoffs?
Are there any that are widely considered BETTER than the original source character? Which is the most unusual or intriguing?
Borrows heavily and most obviously from Supergirl and Superman.
Her origin story alludes to the Marvel family of Fawcett Comics (Shazam).
The villain she is fighting is Toyman, and the boyfriend in question is Braniac of DCs futuristic hero group, Legion of Super-Heroes.
•Superman. Borrows from Hugo Danner/Gladiator, to the point that 'Iron' Munro, who replaced Superman in WWII after Crisis, is actually related to Danner.
•Superman. DC amped his powerset in an effort to keep up with Fawcett's Captain Marvel, then sued Fawcett, even though the concepts for the characters (alien visitor/magic word wish fulfillment) are completely different.
•Batman. Borrows from Zorro, so much that DC even acknowledges it in a way, as Zorro is most often the mivie the Waynes are shown having seen before being mugged.
•The Fantastic Four/X-Men/Doom Patrol/Challengers of the Unknown, all connected by simiar concepts, publication timing, and overlapping creators.
•The Hulk. Was Stan Lee's take on the Jekyll/Hyde concept.
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Last edited by riv6672 on Oct 31st, 2017 at 05:37 AM
1. Tesla Strong also homages Wonder Woman now that I think of it.
It was actually quite common in Diana's early years to meet other versions of herself, including giant ones, as Tesla does:
2. Wade = Slade. Not bad. I've often thought about the similarity between these two.
3. Good catch on Zorro. I never really thought about it until you said it, but the choice of movie probably WAS a chosen homage as they retold Batman after 1940, in addition to be a likely real-life inspiration for Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
This especially hit home when I saw the following image when typing in the name "Zorro" to see if Wikipedia recounted the fate of either Zorro's mother or father:
One this looks very like Batman on a rooftop, which was Zorro's natural environment years before Bruce.
Two, the "Dark Knight" moniker suits one who has a sword by his side better than someone with customized boomerangs.
Further,
Dad was wealthy.
Hero was regarded as a cavalier "fop".
Hero was well-versed in science, literature, and the arts.
Hero used a cave as his training ground and secret headquarters.
Later adaptations have the hero inspiring a young protege or protégés, who take on his mantle in the hero's more senior years.
Frank Miller took this even further -- in one climactic scene of the Dark Knight Returns, Bruce prevents his "town" from falling to chaos and rioting with the aid of Sons of the Batman, youth inspired by his example -- and leads them on horseback.
4.
The following scan failed to get uploaded on my first attempt. It would have been the 2nd one of 9.
(The above image is from Amazing Spider-Man #3, Doctor Octopus's first appearance, as shown in slightly more complete context below. I've read that some reprints have now altered the dialogue to "correct" for this mistake, but the comment works perfectly as written as it is well in-line with the type of arrogant derision and dismissive attitude Ock used to have toward his opponents in his earlier years.
Sentry was meant to be Marvels Superman, by the creators.
Goku got the Backstory directly from him.
OPM is an satire version of the Superhero Archetype, which Superman is the origin of.
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