8 Comic Book Characters Who are Total Superman Ripoffs

Did you know that Superman was technically not the first flying Superhero? Superman only leapt tall heights in a single bound back in 1938. The character did not start, “flying,” until 1943 or so. Superman made his debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Namor, the Sub-Mariner made his debut in Marvel Comics #1 in 1939, a year later. Namor had super strength and could fly in his first comic book appearance. However, this fact is lost to history and toxic fans who want to believe what they want. However, all of the comic book characters created after Superman, the ones who can fly, have super strength, and are invulnerable are seen as Superman rip-offs.

Superman first took flight in the 1941 Fleisher cartoon “The Mad Scientist.” When did Superman start flying in the comic books? Experts can’t agree, but think it happened sometime in the mid or late 1940s. In the meantime, Superman gets all the credit as the first flying superhero when he technically was not.

Here are eight of the best Superman rip-offs.

1. Homelander

Homelander, who you may recognize from The Boys streaming show, is one of the most obvious of the Superman rip-offs out there.  He is a corporate and lab-grown superhuman, cynical and soulless. Homelander is an egotistical hedonist and fascist who could care less about doing good.

What I found amazing is that many viewers didn’t know he was a bad guy, which the show made obvious. Also, it was obvious that most The Boys fans did not know the show was based on a comic or didn’t read it.

The Boys Omnibus Vol. 1 is a 344-page paperback collecting the earliest issues from 2007. Get it from Amazon now for $20.

2. Shazam

Superman made his debut in 1938. Shazam, who was first known as Captain Marvel, made his debut in Whiz Comics #2 in 1940. Shazam outsold Superman comics for a while during that era.

DC Comics sued Fawcett Comics, the original publisher of Shazam, into bankruptcy for copying Superman. DC won and Fawcett went out of business. When DC bought the Fawcett characters later on, Marvel Comics was already in business, so Captain Marvel became Shazam.

Since Superman first took flight in a 1941 cartoon, it might be true to say that Shazam was flying in the comic books before Superman.

Shazam! 1: Meet the Captain! is a 160-page paperback that collects all six issues of the 2024 series. Buy it now for $9.90 at Amazon.

3. Sentry

If you have seen the MCU’s Thunderbolts* film, now known as New Avengers, then you have an idea who Sentry is. Sentry is one of the most blatant Superman rip-offs out there. But he is not a new character. Sentry made his debut in 2000 in The Sentry #1.

Sentry is also ridiculously overpowered; he is a Superman rip-off with the power of a million exploding suns. While he has Superman’s powers, Sentry also has telekinesis, teleportation, ESP, the power of reincarnation, and much more.

If Sentry uses his powers too much then he changes into the void, a dark psychological manifestation of everything bad about the Sentry.

The Sentry is a 248-page paperback that collects all 5-issues of the 2000 series as well as several tie-in issues. Buy it for $19.29 now at Amazon.

4. The Plutonian (Irredemable)

Irredeemable is one of the greatest Superman rip-offs that you have probably never heard of. The series contemplates how a Superman-like hero would function in the real world. The story is about the Plutonian, a Superman analogue who becomes a supervillain when he realizes he can’t have a secret identity, and humans fear him.

The story is deeper than that, that is just the gist.

The Plutonian murders millions of humans and becomes a global super tyrant. He sinks Singapore. Government entities vow to bow to him if he stops, which insults and infuriates the Plutonian even further. His old teammate must band together to stop him. 

The Complete Irredeemable by Mark Waid is a 975-page paperback that collects all 37 issues of the series. Buy it now for $45 at Amazon.

5. Hyperion

Hyperion is another example of one the most blatant Superman rip-offs from Marvel Comics. Additionally, Hyperion was a member of the Squadron Supreme, which is a blatant rip-off of the Justice League from DC Comics. The character made his debut in The Avengers #69 in 1969. The Squadron Supreme exist in an alternate universe where the world has fallen to evil and they are the only good guys left.

Squadron Supreme Vol. 1: The Pre-War Years is a 168-page paperback. It collects all seven issues of the 2006 series update of the Squadron Supreme. Buy it for $16 now at Amazon.

6. Apollo

What if Superman were gay? The character Apollo is one of those Superman rip-offs that answers that question. Apollo has the same powers of Superman and is a member of the anti-hero superhero team The Authority.

Apollo is one of the most powerful members of the Authority and is in a relationship with Midnighter, the Batman analogue of the team. The Engineer, also a member of this team, will make her debut in July 2025’s Superman.

The Authority is a 400-page paperback that collects the first 12-issues of the landmark series. Get it for $29 at Amazon right now.

7. Bizarro

Bizarro made his debut in Superboy #68 in 1958. His origin story has seen many changes, but the gist of it is that he is a nightmare mirror version of Superman. Additionally, Bizarro speaks in a backward language scheme and has a limited intellect, which makes him dangerous.

Bizarro is a 145-page paperback that collects all six issues of the 2015 series. Jimmy Olsen teams up with Bizarro to visit Bizarro America, or Canada, and help Bizarro find a purpose. Buy it for $13 at Amazon now.

8. Icon

Icon is one of the best-known Superman ripoffs from the early 1990s. He is actually a black analogue of Superman. In the early 1800s an alien crash lands on Earth and copies the aesthetics of the first person it sees, an African-American slave. Augustus Freeman, a long-living alien with Superman-like powers, pretends to be his own descendant every generation. Augustus is now a black conservative and superhero in the present day.

Icon & Rocket (2021-): Season One is a 210-page hardcover that updates the 1990s character for modern audiences. Get it at Amazon for $26.

Superman Rip-offs

Life is not fair. If it was fair, Superman would be known as a Namor rip-off. But that is not the world we live in. Almost every character with similar powers is now known as Superman rip-offs. This is the rule, even if Namor and Shazam were flying in the comic books while Superman was leaping in single bounds until he mid or late 1940s.

That is OK. It is hard to create new characters and new ideas. Creators usually borrow and build upon existing ideas; so, every character that can fly will be compared to Superman.

Still, you can’t compare the character traits of Sentry, Icon, or the Plutonian to Superman. Even DC Comics copies itself by creating evil Superman analogues like in the Injustice series. Comic book companies rip each other off all the time; enjoy the fun as a reader.

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