Created in 1951

1951 saw the superhero genre in freefall, but a handful of oddballs, space-age outliers, and future icons still managed to slip through — from DC’s first true mutant to Riverdale’s expanding cast. This page lists the 1951 creations entering the U.S. public domain in 2047 — and any already there.

Entering the Public Domain in 2047 (Created in 1951)

Captain Comet
Captain Comet (Adam Blake), created by Julius Schwartz, John Broome and Carmine Infantino, debutedd in Strange Adventures #9 in June of 1951. Captain Comet will enter the public domain on January 1, 2047.

Killer Moth
Killer Moth, created by Bill Finger, Lew Sayre Schwartz and Dick Sprang, debuted in Batman #63 in February 1951. Killer Moth will enter the public domain on January 1, 2047.

Red Hood
Red Hood, created by Bill Finger, Lew Sayre Schwartz and Win Mortimer, debuted in Detective Comics #168 in February 1951. Red Hood will enter the public domain on January 1, 2047.

Midge Klump
Midge Klump (originally Midge Smith), created by Dan DeCarlo, debuted in Jughead Comics #5 in April 1951. Midge Klump will enter the public domain on January 1, 2047.

Already in the Public Domain (Created in 1951)

Doll Girl
Doll Girl (Martha Roberts), created by Will Eisner, debuted in Doll Man #37 in December 1951. Doll Girl is in the public domain.

1951: Context & Fun Facts

• Captain Comet is arguably comics’ first true “mutant.”
  Debuting years before Marvel’s X-Men, Comet was explicitly described as a human born 100,000 years ahead of his time. Captain Comet is arguably the first hero of the Silver Age, arriving a bit early. He debuted 5 years before the 1956 debut of Barry Allen's Flash, widely considered the beginning of the Silver Age.
• Killer Moth is Golden Age Batman at his pulpiest.
  Conceived as the “anti-Batman,” he came complete with a Mothmobile, a cocoon gun, and a criminal hotline. Goofy? Absolutely. Iconic? Also yes.
• 1951’s Red Hood marks a pivotal Joker retcon.
  Though not the modern crime boss version, this early “Red Hood” story is the seed that later writers would grow into the Joker’s legendary origin.
• MLJ kept the lights on with teen drama.
  As superheroes withered, Riverdale expanded; Midge Klump’s arrival helped solidify Moose’s supporting cast and the classic love-triangle-adjacent hijinks.
• Quality Comics adds one last hero before the end.
  Doll Girl, partner to Doll Man, is one of the final notable characters Quality introduced before being folded into DC a few years later.