Created in 1941

1941 was an absolute supernova. DC, Timely, Fawcett, Quality, and MLJ were all firing on every cylinder they had — launching icons, reinventing genres, and scrambling to keep up with DC’s runaway success. Nearly every corner of the Golden Age expanded this year, and many of these creations would become pillars of pop culture for generations. This page lists the 1941 creations entering the U.S. public domain in 2037 — and any already there.

Entering the Public Domain in 2037 (Created in 1941)

Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston (Charles Moulton) and artist Harry G. Peter, debuted in All Star Comics #8 in October, 1941. Wonder Woman will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Green Arrow
Green Arrow (Oliver Queen), created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, debuted in More Fun Comics #73 in September of 1941. Green Arrow will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Speedy
Speedy (Roy Harper), created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, debuted in More Fun Comics #73 in September of 1941. Speedy will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Aquaman
Aquaman, created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris, debuted in More Fun Comics #73 in September of 1941. Aquaman will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Dr. Mid-Nite
Dr. Mid-Nite (Dr. Charles McNider), created by Charles Reizenstein and Stanley Josephs Aschmeier, debuted in All-American Cmoics #25 in April of 1941. Dr. Mid-Nite will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Starman
Starman (Ted Knight), created by Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley, debuted in Adventure Comics #61 in April of 1941. Starman will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl (Shiera Sanders), created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, debuted in April of 1941 in All-Star Comics #5. Hawkgirl will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Vigilante
Vigilante (Greg Saunders), created by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin, debuted in Action Comics #42 in November, 1941. Vigilante will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Johnny Quick
Johnny Quick (Jonathan Chambers), created by Mort Weisinger, debuted in More Fun Comics #71 in September of 1941. Johnny Quick will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Star-Spangled Kid
Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton), created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman, debuted in Star-Spangled Comics #1 in October of 1941. Star-Spangled Kid will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Stripesy
Stripesy (Pat Dugan), created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman, debuted in Star-Spangled Comics #1 in October of 1941. Stripesy will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

The Shining Knight
The Shining Knight, created by Henry Lynne Perkins and Creig Fessel, debuted in Adventure Comics #66 in September of 1941. The Shining Knight will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Doiby Dickles
Doiby Dickles, created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell (and/or artist Irwin Hasen), debuted in All-American Comics #27. Doiby Dickles will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Steve Trevor
Steve Trevor, created by William Moulton Marston (Charles Moulton) and artist Harry G. Peter, debuted in All Star Comics #8 in October, 1941. Steve Trevor will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Scarecrow
Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, debuted in World's Finest Comics #3, September 1941. Scarecrow will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Penguin
Penguin (Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, debuted in Detective Comics #58, December 1941. Penguin will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

The Destroyer
The Destroyer (Kevin "Keen" Marlow), the first superhero created by the legendary Stan Lee, working with artist Jack Binder, debuted in Mystic Comics #6, October 1941. The Destroyer will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

The Whizzer
The Whizzer (Robert Frank), created by Al Avison and an unknown writer, debuted in USA Comics #1 in August of 1941. The Whizzer will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Thunderer
Thunderer (Jerry Carstairs), created by John Compton and Carl Burgos, debuted in Daring Mystery Comics #7, April 1941. Thunderer will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

The Black Marvel
The Black Marvel (Dan Lyons), created by Al Gabriele (and unknown others), debuted in Mystic Comics #5 in March 1941. The Black Marvel will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

The Defencer
The Defender (Don Stevens), created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, debuted in USA Comics #1 in August 1941. The Defencer will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Archie Andrews
Archie Andrews, created by Bob Montana, debuted in Pep Comics #22, cover-dated December 1941. Archie Andrews will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper, created by Bob Montana, debuted in Pep Comics #22, cover-dated December 1941. Betty Cooper will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Jughead Jones
Jughead Jones, created by Bob Montana, debuted in Pep Comics #22, cover-dated December 1941. Jughead Jones will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.

Already in the Public Domain (Created in 1941)

Captain Midnight™
Captain Midnight (Jim Albright), created by Wilfred G. Moore and Robert M. Burtt, actually debuted on radio in 1938. He first appeared in Funnies #57 from Dell in July 1941. Captain Midnight is in the public domain.

Captain Marvel Jr.
Captain Marvel Jr. (Freddy Freeman), created by Ed Herron, C.C. Beck, and Mac Raboy, debuted in Whiz Comics #25 in December of 1941. Captain Marvel Jr. is in the public domain.

Minute-Man
Minute-Man (Jack Weston), created by Charlie Sultan, debuted in Master Comics #11 in February 1941. Minute-Man is in the public domain.

Captain Nazi
Captain Nazi, created by William Woolfolk and Mac Raboy, debuted in Master Comics #21 in December 1941. Captain Nazi is in the public domain.

Plastic Man
Plastic Man (Eel O'Brian), created by Jack Cole, debuted in Police Comics @1 in August 1941. Plastic Man is in the public domain.

The Phantom Lady
Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight), created by the Eisner & Iger studio (with Arthur Peeddy pencil work), debuted in Police Comics #1 in August 1941. Phantom Lady is in the public domain.

Firebrand
Firebrand (Rod Reilly), created by S.M. Iger and Reed Crandall, debuted in Police Comics #1 in August of 1941. Firebrand is in the public domain.

Miss America
Miss America (Joan Dale), created by Ed Wexler, debuted in Miliary Comics #1 in August 1941. The Quality Comics version of Miss America is in the public domain.

The Hangman
The Hangman (Robert Dickering), created by Cliff Campbell and George Storm, debuted in MLJ's Pep Comics #17 in July 1941. The MLJ version of The Hangman is in the public domain.

Mr. Justice
Mr. Justice (Prince James), created by Joe Blair and Sam Cooper, debuted in MLJ's Blue Ribbon Comics #9 in February 1941. Mr. Justice is in the public domain.

Captain Flag
Captain Flag (Tom Townsend), created by Joe Blair and Lin Streeter, debuted in MLJ's Blue Ribbon Comics #16 in September 1941. Captain Flag is in the public domain.

Blackjack
Blackjack (Jack Jones), created by Al Camy, debuted in MLJ's Zip Comics #20 in November 1941. Blackjack is in the public domain.

Blackhawk
Blackhawk (the character and the squadron)created by Chuck Cuidera, with input from Bob Powell and Will Eisner, debuted in Military Comics #1 in August 1941. Blackhawk is in the public domain.

1941: Context & Fun Facts

• DC’s Greatest Power Surge Yet.
  DC didn’t just add characters in 1941 — they added archetypes. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Green Arrow/Speedy duo, Starman, Hawkgirl, and a roster of Justice Society recruits made this the largest single-year expansion the company ever had.
• Timely Comics Fires Back — Hard.
  Seeing DC dominate the newsstands, Timely threw everything it had into the ring: Captain America and Bucky debuted right at the tail end of 1940, quickly joined by a rapid-fire wave of “second-string but fun as hell” heroes — The Whizzer, The Destroyer, The Black Marvel, The Defender and the Thunderer. This was Timely’s first real attempt to build a universe, not just a roster.
• MLJ Comics Splits Its Personality.
  MLJ was in a weird but fascinating hybrid mode in 1941: half superhero publisher (The Hangman, Mr. Justice, Captain Flag, Captain Valor), half teen-comedy pioneer (Archie, Betty, Jughead). They were accidentally inventing two whole genres at once.
• Fawcett Comics Doubles Down on Magic & Militancy.
  Fawcett followed the success of Captain Marvel by launching Captain Marvel Jr., Minute-Man, and giving Captain Midnight a full comic presence. Their output in 1941 solidified Fawcett as DC’s only real competitor in the superhero-as-blockbuster arena.
• Quality Comics Becomes the Sleeper Hit of the Year
  Quality debuted Plastic Man, Phantom Lady, Miss America, and Blackhawk — four characters who would outlive the company and stay culturally relevant for decades. 1941 was the peak of Quality’s “art-first, pulp-second” philosophy.
• Golden Age Weirdness Peaks (in the Best Way).
  Between Doiby Dickles, the human-sized penguin mobster, flashlight-powered acrobatics, patriotic teens with chauffeurs, and a cowboy vigilante with a violin, 1941 marked the moment the Golden Age fully embraced its own glorious eccentricity.