10 Marvel & DC Characters Who Debuted On Screen Before They Appeared In Comics
While Marvel and DC have built entire film franchises based on popular comic book characters, the movies and shows have made an impact on the comics side too, with some original characters of their own. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
has made the most popular and profitable movies within the superhero genre of all time, but it’s not just fame and fortune that the MCU has given back to Marvel. The extensive range of stories stretching out over more than a decade has created popular new characters that now appear in the comics.
Likewise, the DCU
‘s former TV and film properties have been responsible for introducing some of the most interesting and popular characters from DC today, who now star in their own comics. These characters have the unique privilege of being among the few out of thousands to come from the other side, and through their sheer likability, become staples in the comics. From the superpowerful, to the super funny, these are a few of the incredible characters made for TV, film and radio, before being adapted to the comics.
10
Kahhori
First Appearance: Marvel’s What If?… Season 2
Marvel’s What If?… has been responsible for bringing some incredibly unique and interesting new concepts to the MCU, but it also debuted a brand-new Marvel character. In What If…? season 2, Kahhori plays a central role in the show when the Mohawk woman falls into a magical lake and is imbued with superpowers. And while the MCU has introduced a number of other original characters to the Marvel Comics, Kahhori has the distinct privilege of being the first new superhero to come from the MCU.
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Her first appearance in Marvel Comics is in a new title series starring the character which was published in late 2024. However, now that the character has had their first official appearance, there are plenty of opportunities for them to crossover with the rest of the Marvel Comics, and potentially live-action movies in the years ahead. For now, she remains one of the newest additions to the Marvel lineup.
9
Wonder Twins
First Appearance: The All-New Super Friends Hour
The Wonder Twins fall into the category of odd superheroes whose powers exclude them from many other mainstream stories, but they can be a fun addition to many stories. The twins, Zan and Jayna, are aliens who have the power to shapeshift into anything. However, their powers come with one significant caveat. The pair need to be physically touching in order to activate their powers. Obviously, this can create challenges if they were members of a top-notch superhero team, like the Justice League.
The Wonder Twins are often aimed at a younger audience, which meant they didn’t have huge success for DC.
However, when they were first introduced in 1977 as part of The All-New Super Friends Hour, they made enough of an impression to transition from the show to the comics. The Wonder Twins are often aimed at a younger audience, which meant they didn’t have huge success for DC, but with some redesigns and improvements over the years, the characters are now a frequent part of the DC universe of stories.
8
John Diggle
First Appearance: Arrow
The Arrowverse was one of the best and most exciting TV adaptations of superhero stories, with interconnected shows that created an interesting multiverse on the small screen. But even before they began working on major crossovers and events like the Crisis on Infinite Earth’s, the flagship show, Arrow, was making waves for DC. Most notably, this happened when the show introduced a character by the name of John Diggle, who worked closely with Oliver Queen.
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However, while it may appear like Diggle played a pivotal role in the life of Oliver Queen, in a function that is somewhat similar to Jimmy Olsen for Superman, or Robin for Batman, Diggle didn’t exist before the show began. The character was created to help elevate Queen from an isolated vigilante whose popularity in the comics was never astronomical, to a hero more akin to the main supers. And that is exactly what Diggle did, elevating the Green Arrow’s status as a hero, and growing to become a hero in his own right.
7
Firestar
First Appearance: Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends
In 1981, Marvel introduced a brand-new hero through the animated show, Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends. Angelica Jones, aka, Firestar, has the ability to manipulate heat and microwave radiation. Applying the opposites attract ideology to the character, Firestar initially appeared in the show as a former member of the X-Men, and someone who had been very close, and possibly even romantically involved, with Iceman.
However, the reason for her creation is actually down to practicality.
The series wanted to use the character, The Human Torch, but at the time when they hoped to write a story featuring the character, the rights for using them were tied up. So, the creatives behind the show decided to introduce a new hero with a similar powerset, and as a result, Firestar was born. Now, the character has been appearing in comics for decades with several other super teams and solo.
6
Jimmy Olsen
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman (1940 Radio Show)
While many of these characters were created decades after the comics got a foothold in popular media, DC Comics and Marvel Comics started operating under different names way back in the 1930s. DC Comics was originally known as National Comics Publication, and it wasn’t until around 1940 that it became more commonly known as DC Comics, and best known for the superhero stories, including the incredible Superman.
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At the same time, Superman was proving to be a popular hero in various forms of media, and almost as soon as he appeared in comics, he was adapted for special serialized films in theaters, and radio shows. This was the same period when a radio show introduced Clark Kent’s best friend, Jimmy Olsen. Today, it’s hard to imagine a version of the Superman story without Olsen, but it wasn’t until the radio version that the character even existed.
5
Agent Phil Coulson
First Appearance: Iron Man
Back to the MCU, another iconic character who proved popular enough to build another TV series around, and introduce in comics, was Agent Phil Coulson. The MCU had plans for an interconnected set of films, but back in 2008, there was no guarantee something like this would pay off. However, as a way to lay the foundation for the shared universe, Phil Coulson was introduced as an agent of the super-secretive government agency, S.H.I.E.L.D. was brought in to do the recruitment work that was below Nick Fury’s paygrade.
This incident could be seen as the moment the heroes formed a team, and chose to avenge the fallen.
Phil Coulson was initially a fairly unassuming agent, but over his time in the MCU, he became a dear friend of the Avengers before his untimely death at the hands of Loki in The Avengers. This incident could be seen as the moment the heroes formed a team, and chose to avenge the fallen. Outside the MCU movies, Coulson was revived and led the show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where he went on to become the head of the agency. And beyond that, Coulson is now an important character in Marvel Comics.
4
X-23
First Appearance: X-Men: Evolution
While X-23’s most famous appearance outside the comics was in the 2017 film Logan, and then again in Deadpool & Wolverine, her first ever appearance also happened outside the comics. Laura Kinney was introduced in 2003 as part of X-Men: Evolutions, where the character was seen to have remarkably similar powers to Wolverine. Since then, the character has had her origins established, as the clone and adoptive daughter of Wolverine.
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One of the many Marvel faces to feature in the recently released Deadpool & Wolverine was that of Dafne Keen’s X-23, reprising her role from 2017’s Logan. Though some of the cameos were meant to serve as send-offs for their actors, Keen’s actually looks to finally offer her a proper future in the MCU after plans for an X-23 movie were scrapped at Fox. Not only did she survive the events of the movie, but she also joined Logan in Deadpool’s universe, leaving the door open for her appearance in the next two Avengers movies, or elsewhere.
Now, following the death of Wolverine, X-23 has grown to fill her father’s shoes and take on the mantle as Wolverine in the comics. This character is one of the most popular and well-regarded of any creations to come from outside the comics. With her debut in the MCU in 2024, X-23 also has a bright potential future in the MCU as well as the comics.
3
Terry McGinnis
First Appearance: Batman Beyond
The next hero was specifically created to pick up a legacy and carry the mantle forward within the DC Animated Universe. After the tremendous success of Batman: The Animated Series, and the follow-up series, The New Batman Adventures, the DCAU was due for a revamp. So, in 1999, Batman Beyond was conceived as a way to give the hero a complete overhaul. Now, a much younger man, by the name of Terry McGinnis, would don a futuristic, sleek version of the batsuit.
While he is commonly referred to as Batman, this new incarnation of the hero is better known as Batman Beyond. His access to technology, and his own adept skills in engineering are considerably more advanced than Bruce Wayne’s rudimentary knowledge, but his combat and martial arts skills are not nearly as refined. However, even with these changes, McGinnis become Gotham’s newest protector.
2
Madisynn King
First Appearance: She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Initially, the name Madisynn King may not ring any bells, but for those who watched She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, the quote “Madisynn is with two N’s, one Y, but it’s not where you think!,” will no doubt immediately bring the character to mind. Madisynn is not someone who possesses powers, and by most accounts, her presence in the show is coincidental, but as seen countless times before, when a character is charismatic and likable enough, it doesn’t matter how they started.
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With Deadpool & Wolverine‘s opening credits seeing Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth hilariously dancing to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye”, many are looking back to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law‘s twerking scene and the show’s overall quality. Though some remain brutal in their critiques, many remain hopeful for a second season of the Disney+ show. Given Marvel is reconfiguring many of their future plans, it seems unlikely season 2 will happen, but the door is open for her to return elsewhere, the most likely being either Daredevil: Born Again or the next two Avengers movies.
Madisynn was a bit part, and most likely only included for comedic effect, but due to the actress’ incredible performance and the incredibly memorable moments with Wong, she solidified her spot in the Marvel Universe. Since appearing on the show, Madisynn has now been adapted for the Marvel Comics in What If…? Venom #3. This is a testament to the character’s popularity, and it almost guarantees her return in the future of the MCU and the comics.
1
Harley Quinn
First Appearance: Batman: The Animated Series
Finally, the most popular comic book character to be created outside the comics has to be Harley Quinn. Harley has a rich history and backstory that has been fleshed out in the comics, but her journey from the Joker’s adoring sidekick to a badass anti-hero in her own right has played out on the screen since her inception. Harley Quinn’s debut was in 1992 in Batman: The Animated Series, where the character was dressed in her classic red and black jester outfit.
However, in 1993, she officially joined DC Comics, and her journey of self-actualization began. Since her debut, Harley has separated from the Joker, found new love, joined other teams of villains and anti-heroes and even battled with her old flame. Harley remains one of the most popular characters both in the comics, with numerous different runs and stories featuring the character, and in live-action and other media. With so many great contributions to the Marvel and DC Comics’ lineups, it’s exciting to look forward to who could be introduced next.
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