Created in 1947

1947 marked the twilight shimmer of the Golden Age — a year when superheroes were adapting to postwar tastes, genres were splintering, and a handful of unforgettable characters emerged just before the industry shifted toward crime, romance, and horror. This page lists the 1947 creations entering the U.S. public domain in 2043 — and any already there.

Entering the Public Domain in 2030 (Created in 1947)

Black Canary
Black Canary (Dinah Drake), created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, debuted in Flash Comics #86 in August 1947. Black Canary will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Star Sapphire
Star Sapphire, created by Robert Kanigher and Lee Elias, debuted in All-Flash Comics #32 in December 1947. Star Sapphire will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Wizard
The Wizard (DC Comics version, William Asmodeus Zard), created by Gardner Fox and Irwin Hasen, debuted in All-Star Comics #34 in April 1947. The DC Comics version of The Wizard will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Rose and Thorn
Rose and Thorn, created by created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, debuted in Flash Comics #89 in November 1947. Rose and Thorn will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Icicle
Icicle, created by Robert Kanigher and Irwin Hasen, debuted in All-Star Comics #90 in October 1947. Iclicle will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Gentleman Ghost
Gentleman Ghost (James 'Jim' Craddock), created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, debuted in Flash Comics #88 in October 1947. Gentleman Ghost will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Namora
Namora, created by Ken Bald and Syd Shores, debuted in Marvel Mystery Comics #92 in May 1947. Namora will enter the public domain on January 1, 2043.

Already in the Public Domain (Created in 1947)

Tawky Tawny
Tawky Tawny, created by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck, debuted in Captain Marvel Adventures #79 in December 1947. Tawky Tawny is in the public domain.

1947: Context & Fun Facts

• Black Canary became an instant standout.
  Black Canary is a rare Golden Age heroine who stuck, outlasting the collapse of many of her peers and becoming a foundational bridge character between the pulps, the JSA, and the coming Silver Age tone.
• 1947 was DC’s villain renaissance.
  Fiddler, Icicle, the Wizard, and Gentleman Ghost all debuted this year, forming the backbone of the JSA’s rogues gallery and setting the tone for decades of quirky-but-lethal DC enemies.
• Rose and Thorn was DC’s first psychologically-driven heroine.
  Her split-personality setup was wildly ahead of its time, hinting at the darker, more introspective storytelling of the 1970s.
• Timely (Marvel) doubled down on its “extended universe” thinking.
  Namora’s introduction strengthened the Sub-Mariner corner of the Marvel mythos and gave the company another powerful, charismatic woman in an era dominated by male leads.
• And then came Tawky Tawny.
  Fawcett delivered one of the Golden Age’s most delightfully oddball supporting characters — a polite, well-dressed talking tiger who somehow managed to work perfectly in stories sitting next to grim wartime heroes.