This is a list I have compiled specifically for my project at publicdomainsuperheroes.com to give readers an idea of the scope of the plans for the universe I've created.
Ideally, every single one of these 200+ characters will one day appear in books, comics and multi-media projects within the Public Domain Super Heroes canon.
The list is divided into two major parts. First, those characters already in the public domain.
In some cases, the listed character's public domain status may be unclear or arguable. This list is not a legal document and anyone considering using public domain characters in their work should educate themselves on copyright and trademark law before proceeding. Also keep in mind that privately operated platforms such as Amazon are under no obligation to treat disputes over copyright or trademark the way a court would, so in most cases they're likely to side with the party with the most lawyers at their disposal.
Any character or team marked with an asterisk is one where the public domain status is particularly uncertain and legally fraught.
Characters in BOLD are already published in at least one Public Domain Super Heroes novel or short story.
Part 1 - Characters Already In The Public Domain:
Pre 1900:
Dr. Victor Frankenstein - Mary Shelley (1818)
Frankenstein's Monster - Mary Shelley (1818)
Captain Nemo – Jules Verne (1870)
Allan Quatermain – Cassell (1885)
Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)
Dr. John Watson - Arthur Conan Doyl (1887)
Professor Moriarty – Arthur Conan Doyle (1893)
Dr. Moreau – H.G. Wells (1896)
The Invisible Man (Griffin) – H.G. Wells (1897)
Count Dracula - Bram Stoker (1897)
Mina Harker - Bram Stoker (1897)
Abraham Van Helsing - Bram Stoker (1897)
1900-1939:
Tarzan (John Clayton) – All-Story Magazine (1912)
John Carter – All-Story Magazine (1912)
Professor Challenger - The Lost World (1912)
Zorro (Don Diego de la Vega) – All-Story Weekly (1919)
Solomon Kane – Weird Tales (1928)
Buck Rogers (Anthony Rogers) – Amazing Stories (1928)
Kull (Kull of Atlantis) – Weird Tales (1929)
Bran Mak Morn – Weird Tales (1930)
The Spider (Richard Wentworth) – Popular Publications (1933)
Red SonYa of Rogatino – Magic Carpet Magazine (1934)
Dr. Occult - National/DC Comics (1935)
Crash Corrigan – Republic Pictures (1936)
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle – Fiction House (1938)
Blue Beetle (Dan Garret) – Fox Feature (1939)
Hop Harrigan – All-American (1939)
The Masked Marvel – Centaur (1939)
Dollman (Darrel Dane) - Quality (1939)
The Flame (Gary Preston) - Fox Features (1939)
The Wizard – MLJ (1939) Bob Phantom – MLJ (1939)
1940-1949:
Captain Marvel/Billy Batson* - Fawcett (1940)
The Wizard Shazam* - Fawcett (1940)
Daredevil (Bart Hill) – Lev Gleason (1940)
The Spirit (Denny Colt) – Register and Tribune Syndicate (1940)
Kaänga – Fiction House (1940)
Dr. Satan – Republic Serial (1940)
Copperhead -Republic Serial (1940) |
Dr. Sivana – Fawcett (1940)
Spy Smasher (Alan Armstrong) – Fawcett (1940)
Ibis the Invincible – Fawcett (1940)
Bulletgirl – Fawcett (1940)
Bulletman – Fawcett (1940)
Black Condor (Richard Grey Jr.) - Quality (1940)
The Ray (Happy Terril) - Quality Comics (1940)
The Shield - MLJ (1940)
The Comet - MLJ (1940)
The Black Hood - MLJ (1940)
Steel Sterling - MLJ (1940)
The Fox - MLJ (1940)
Firefly - MLJ (1940)
Zambini - MLJ (1940)
The Scarlet Avenger - MLJ (1940)
Mr. Satan - MLJ (1940)
Captain Valor - MLJ (1940)
The Sphinx - Fox Features Syndicate (1940)
Captain Marvel Jr./Freddy Freeman* – Fawcett (1941)
Minute-Man (Jack Weston) – Fawcett (1941)
Captain Midnight (Jim "Red" Albright) – Fawcett (1941)
Captain Nazi* – Fawcett (1941)
Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) – Quality Comics, Police Comics #1 (1941)
Plastic Man (Eel O'Brian) – Quality Comics (1941)
Blackhawk – Quality Comics (1941)
Miss America (Joan Dale) – Quality (1941)
The Hangman – MLJ (1941)
Mr. Justice – MLJ (1941)
Captain Flag - MLJ (1941)
Blackjack - MLJ (1941)
Miss Victory (Joan Wayne) - Holyoke/Helnit (1941)
Nyoka the Jungle Girl – Republic Serial (1941)
The Defender* - Timely Comics (1941)
Archie Andrews - MLJ (1941) Betty Cooper - MLJ (1941)
Jughead Jones - MLJ (1941)
Mary Marvel/Mary Batson/Bromfield* – Fawcett (1942)
Ibac - Fawcett (1942)
Airboy – Hillman Periodicals (1942)
Valkyrie – Hillman Periodicals (1942)
Woozy Winks - Quality Comics (1942)
The Weeper - Quality Comics (1942)
Veronica Lodge - MLJ (1942)
Reggie Mantle - MLJ (1942)
Uncle Dudley - Fawcett (1943)
Mr. Mind – Fawcett (1943)
Sabbac - Fawcett (1943)
Blackout - Quality Comics (1943)
The Octopus – Register and Tribune Syndicate (1946)
Tawky Tawny - Fawcett (1947)
1950 and later:
Doll Girl - Quality (1951)
Fighting American - Prize (1954)
Gorilla-Man (Ken Hale)* - Marvel (1954)
Mister Element (Albert Desmond)* - DC Comics (1957)
Gorilla Grodd* - DC Comics (1959)
Starro The Conqueror* - DC Comics (1960)
Justice League of America* - DC Comics (1960)
Matter Master (Mark Mandrill)* - DC Comics (1961)
T.O. Morrow (Thomas Oscar Morrow)* - DC Comics (1962)
Shaggy Man* - DC Comics (1966)
The Question (Vic Sage)* - Charlton Comics (1967)
Part 2 - Characters Entering the Public Domain By Creation Year/Public Domain Year
1931/2027
The Shadow (Kent Allard/Lamont Cranston) – Street & Smith (1931)
Dick Tracy – Chicago Tribune Syndicate (1931)
1932/2028
Conan the Cimmerian** - Weird Tales (1932) (**There is evidence Conan is already public domain due to lapsed renewals)
1933/2029
Doc Savage (Clark Savage Jr.) – Street & Smith (1933)
Lone Ranger (John Reid) - The Lone Ranger Inc. (1933)
Tonto - The Lone Ranger Inc. (1933)
1934/2030
Flash Gordon (Flash Gordon) – King Features (1934)
Mandrake the Magician – King Features (1934)
Lothar - King Features (1934)
1935/2031
Bride of Frankenstein - Universal (1935)
1936/2032
The Phantom – King Features (1936)
The Green Hornet (Britt Reid) - Green Hornet Inc. (1936)
Kato - Green Hornet Inc. (1936)
1937/2033
Slam Bradley - National/DC Comics (1937)
1938/2034
Superman (Clark Kent) – DC/National (1938)
Zatara - DC (1938)
Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis) - DC (1938)
Lois Lane - DC (1938)
1939/2035
Batman (Bruce Wayne) – DC/National (1939)
The Flash (Jay Garrick) – DC (1939)
Hawkman (Carter Hall) – DC (1939)
Sandman (Wesley Dodds) – DC (1939)
Ma Hunkel - DC (1939)
Commissioner Jim Gordon - DC (1939)
Ultra-Humanite - DC/National (1939)
Dr. Death - DC (1939)
Ma & Pa Kent - DC (1939)
Joan Garrick - DC (1939)
Sub-Mariner (Namor) – Timely (Marvel) (1939)
The Angel (Thomas Halloway) – Timely (Marvel) (1939)
Human Torch (Android) – Timely (Marvel) (1939)
1940/2036
Green Lantern (Alan Scott) – DC (1940)
The Spectre (Jim Corrigan) – DC (1940)
Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson) – DC (1940)
Hourman (Rex Tyler) - DC (1940)
Atom (Al Pratt) - DC (1940)
Robin (Dick Grayson) - DC (1940)
Jimmy Olsen - DC (1940)
Perry White - DC (1940)
Inspector Henderson - DC (1940)
The Justice Society of America - DC (1940)
Lex Luthor – DC (1940)
Joker – DC (1940)
Catwoman – DC (1940)
Wotan - DC (1940)
Clayface (Basil Karlo) - DC(1940)
Hugo Strange - DC (1940)
Hath-Set - DC (1940)
Tony Zucco - DC (1940)
Captain America (Steve Rogers) – Timely (1940)
Bucky Barnes - Timely (1940)
The Vision (Aarkus) – Timely (1940)
Red Skull – Timely Comics (1940)
1941/2037
Wonder Woman (Diana) – DC (1941)
Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) - DC (1941)
Speedy (Roy Harper) - DC (1941)
Aquaman (Arthur Curry) - DC (1941)
Dr. Mid-Nite (Charles McNider) - DC (1941)
Starman (Ted Knight) - DC (1941)
Hawkgirl (Shiera Sanders) - DC (1941)
Vigilante (Greg Saunders) - DC (1941)
Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers) - DC (1941)
Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton) - DC (1941)
Stripesy (Pat Dugan) - DC (1941)
The Shining Knight (Sir Justin) - DC (1941)
Firebrand (Rod Reilly) - DC (1941)
Steve Trevor - DC (1941)
Doiby Dickles - DC (1941)
Penguin – DC (1941)
Scarecrow – DC (1941)
The Whizzer (Robert L. Frank) - Timely (1941)
Thunderer (Jerry Carstairs) - Timely (1941)
The Black Marvel (Daniel Lyons) - Timely (1941)
The Destroyer (Keen Marlow) - Timely (1941)
1942/2038
Wildcat (Ted Grant) - DC (1942)
Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane) - DC (1942)
Liberty Belle (Libby Lawrence) - DC (1942)
The Guardian (Jim Harper) - DC (1942)
The Newsboy Legion - DC (1942)
Etta Candy - DC (1942)
Holliday Girls - DC (1942)
Two-Face – DC (1942)
The Shade - DC (1942)
Rag Doll - DC (1942)
Prankster - DC (1942)
The Puzzler - DC (1942)
Dr. Poison - DC (1942)
1943/2039
Alfred Pennyworth - DC (1943)
Miss America (Madeline Joyce Frank) - Timely (1943)
Vandal Savage – DC (1943)
Cheetah – DC (1943)
Brain Wave - DC (1843)
Toy Man (Winslow Schott) - DC (1943)
Cavalier - DC (1943)
Crime Doctor - DC (1943)
Tweedledum & Tweedledee - DC (1943)
1944/2040
Solomon Grundy - DC (1944)
Giganta - DC (1944)
Mr. Mxyzptlk - DC (1944)
Psycho-Pirate (Charles Halstead) - DC (1944)
1945/2041
Superboy (Clark Kent) - DC (1945)
Monacle - DC (1945)
Turtle - DC (1945)
Black Adam (Teth-Adam) – Fawcett (1945)
Blonde Phantom (Louise Grant Mason) - Timely (1945)
1946/2042
Crazy Quilt - DC (1946)
1947/2043
Black Canary (Dinah Drake) - DC (1947)
Star Saphhire - DC (1947)
Fiddler - DC (1947)
Rose and Thorn - DC (1947)
Icicle (Joar Mahkent) - DC (1947)
Gentleman Ghost - DC (1947)
Wizard - DC (1947)
Namora - Marvel (1947)
1948/2044
Riddler - DC (1948)
Mad Hatter - DC (1948)
1949/2045
The Rival - DC (1949)
Moose (Marmaduke Mason) - MLJ (1949)
1950/2046
Deadshot - DC (1950)
Dilton Doiley - MLJ (1950)
1951/2047
Captain Comet - DC (1951)
Killer Moth - DC (1951)
Red Hood - DC (1951)
Midge Klump - MLJ (1951)
1952/2048
Phantom Stranger - DC (1952)
Firefly - DC (1952)
1953/2049
James Bond - Fleming (1953)
1954/2050
Godzilla - Toho (1954)
1955/2051
Krypto - DC (1955)
Martian Manhunter - DC (1955)
It should be noted, that many characters underwent evolution over time, adding powers and backstory as they were re-made and re-imagined over the years. The date of their entry into the public domain covers only the character at that moment, so things like Superman's heat vision do not automatically enter the public domain the day the character does.
As always, creators using any public domain character, plot or concept are advised to do careful research before publication.
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