186-588: Swamp Thing is a superhero and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson , the Swamp Thing has had several different incarnations throughout his publication. The character first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century. The character found perhaps its greatest popularity during
372-497: A standalone sequel to the earlier DCEU film Suicide Squad (2016) which retained some cast members but otherwise told its own story. He worked with producer Peter Safran , who also produced the DCEU films Aquaman (2018) and Shazam! (2019). In May 2020, Warner Bros. and Snyder announced that his original vision for Justice League would be released on the streaming service HBO Max as Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). By
558-575: A successful franchise which pioneered the Kyodai Hero subgenre where the superheroes would be as big as giant monsters ( kaiju ) that they fought. The kaiju monster Godzilla , originally a villain, began being portrayed as a radioactive superhero in the Godzilla films , starting with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). By the 1970s, Godzilla came to be viewed as a superhero, with
744-611: A "beautiful, star-spanning tale", the film contrasts the jaded character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl , who was raised on a chunk of the destroyed planet Krypton and watched everyone around her die, with her cousin Superman who was raised on Earth by loving parents. When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023 they included a film adaptation of the comic book miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2021–22) by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. In November 2023, Ana Nogueira
930-471: A "coherent creative and brand strategy" and were underusing key characters such as Superman. Hamada was still contracted until 2023, and his supporters felt Zaslav was not giving him enough credit for his DC plans and successes. In June, Zaslav announced that DC Films would be separated from Warner Bros. within the WBD structure but would be overseen by Warner Bros. film chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy until
1116-689: A book entitled Business Zero to Superhero . In 2014, he received a cease and desist from DC and Marvel who claimed that his use of the term superhero would cause confusion and dilute their brands. He was offered a few thousand dollars in settlement to change the name of his book, but he did not concede. A few days prior to the scheduled hearing at the Intellectual Property Office in London, the companies backed down. A similar scenario occurred when comic book creator Ray Felix attempted to register his comic book series A World Without Superheroes with
1302-551: A character that Stephen Bissette had introduced in Swamp Thing Annual #4. After a period of high creative turnover, in 1991 DC sought to revive interest in Swamp Thing by bringing horror writer Nancy A. Collins on board to write the series. Starting with Swamp Thing Annual #6, Collins moved on to write Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #110–138, dramatically overhauling the series by restoring the pre-Alan Moore tone and incorporating
1488-460: A civil war on Themyscira. Mike Carter / Booster Gold is a disgraced former football star in the 25th century who travels back in time to pose as a superhero using basic future technology. When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023, they included Booster Gold , an "outright comedy" series set in the DCU. In June 2024, an animated series focused on Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle
1674-445: A combination of popular and obscure DC characters. Some DCEU projects in development were abandoned in favor of new takes, while others—including Peacemaker —continued within the new franchise. Gunn and Safran wanted to focus on storytelling needs rather than forcing creators to produce their projects for specific release dates. The story of the DCU is divided into chapters, starting with "Gods and Monsters" which will begin in 2024 with
1860-527: A community that has watched over Kaziranga wetlands, he has differing views and later becomes a scientist working in Prescot Industries. When his employers interest in the Kaziranga wetlands, he attempts to help negotiate a deal to sell the land in return for economic opportunities. The tribunal rejects the deal and protests ensues but Prescot Industries use their political ties to force a deal, resulting in
2046-408: A continuation of Peacemaker because that series' second season was delayed while Gunn focused on the rest of the DCU slate. Henry was set as co-showrunner of Waller alongside Jeremy Carver , and Viola Davis was confirmed to be reprising her role as Waller from Peacemaker and the DCEU. The series was scheduled to be released in 2024, as an "aperitif" for the DCU before Superman , but production
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#17328526979302232-691: A crossover event between Swamp Thing , Animal Man and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Charles Soule wrote issues #19-40. A six–issue miniseries written by Len Wein, co-creator of the Swamp Thing, with art by Kelley Jones was released between March and August 2016. It follows Swamp Thing giving up his powers to Anton Arcane, who is disguised as Matt Cable. This was followed by a critically acclaimed Tom King winter special in 2018, also featuring Len Wein's last Swamp Thing issue. A 16-issue miniseries retitled with " The " written by Ram V with art by Mike Perkins began publication in March 2021. The book focuses on
2418-662: A decorated officer in the United States Air Force who would become a costumed superheroine herself years later. In 1975 Shotaro Ishinomori 's Himitsu Sentai Gorenger debuted on what is now TV Asahi, it brought the concepts of multi-colored teams and supporting vehicles that debuted in Gatchaman into live-action, and began the Super Sentai franchise (later adapted into the American Power Rangers series in
2604-443: A demon. She held power over both plants and flesh. Believing herself to be a normal human girl named Mary who had miraculously recovered from cancer three years prior, she rediscovers her powers and identity when she finds her boyfriend and best friend betraying her on prom night. In a moment of anger, her powers manifest and she kills them both. Tefé then fakes her own death and embarks on a series of misadventures that take her across
2790-516: A film based on the superhero team the Authority, which was created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch for the independent comic book publisher WildStorm . WildStorm was acquired by DC Comics and its characters, including the Authority, were introduced to the DC Comics continuity in 2011. Similarly, Gunn and Safran intended to include WildStorm's characters in their own DC Universe continuity, starting with
2976-528: A journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human family in Smallville , Kansas . Safran described Superman in the film as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way; he's kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned". James Gunn was already writing a new DC film by the middle of November 2022, and revealed it to be a Superman film the next month. He said it would not star
3162-525: A larger one. Another important event was the debut of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai, creating the Super Robot genre. Go Nagai also wrote the manga Cutey Honey in 1973; although the Magical Girl genre already existed, Nagai's manga introduced Transformation sequences that would become a staple of Magical Girl media. The 1970s would see more anti-heroes introduced into Superhero fiction such examples included
3348-449: A letter column of the pulp magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories , the word superhero was used to define the title character of the comic strip Zarnak , by Max Plaisted. In the 1930s, the trends converged in some of the earliest superpowered costumed heroes, such as Japan's Ōgon Bat (1931) and Prince of Gamma (early 1930s), who first appeared in kamishibai (a kind of hybrid media combining pictures with live storytelling), Mandrake
3534-518: A multimedia franchise that used footage from Super Sentai . Internationally, the Japanese comic book character , Sailor Moon , is recognized as one of the most important and popular female superheroes ever created. The first use of the word "super hero" dates back to 1917. At the time, the word was merely used to describe a "public figure of great accomplishments." However, in 1967, Ben Cooper, Inc., an American Halloween costume manufacturer, became
3720-507: A mystery on Earth. Gunn confirmed in December 2022 that the Green Lantern characters would be an important part of the new DCU. When he and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate a month later, they included Lanterns , a new iteration of a long-in-development Green Lantern series. Safran said the series would be an Earth-based detective story and "a huge HBO-quality event" in the style of
3906-399: A new DC head was appointed. At the start of August, WBD decided not to release the DCEU film Batgirl on HBO Max or theatrically, stating that it "simply did not work" and went against Zaslav's mandate to make DC films "big theatrical event films". Soon after, Zaslav said he wanted a new 10-year plan for DC films, and he had enlisted the help of Disney executive Alan F. Horn in finding
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#17328526979304092-409: A new character named Levi Kami taking up the Swamp Thing mantle while the second Swamp Thing, Alec Holland, is off-world. Originally planned as a 10-issue miniseries, The Swamp Thing has been extended to 16 issues, with The Swamp Thing #10 followed by a short hiatus before returning in March 2022. The chronological original version of the Swamp Thing, the character would preceded Alec Holland within
4278-608: A new leader for DC. Hamada was reportedly upset by the cancellation of Batgirl and tried to leave DC Films, but was convinced by De Luca and Abdy to stay through the release of Black Adam in October 2022. Around that time, Henry Cavill reprised his role as Superman from Man of Steel for a cameo appearance in Black Adam . This was against Hamada's wishes and was approved by De Luca and Abdy when they were approached directly by Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson . Johnson began promoting
4464-490: A new set of supporting cast members into the book. Collins resurrected Anton Arcane , along with the Sunderland Corporation, as foils for the Swamp Thing. Her stories tended to be ecologically based and at one point featured giant killer flowers. With issue #140 (March 1994), the title was handed over to Grant Morrison for a four-issue story arc, co-written by the then-unknown Mark Millar . As Collins had destroyed
4650-528: A plan to revitalize the DC brand following the poor reception of some DCEU films. Gunn and Safran were hired to lead the newly formed DC Studios in November 2022 after working on several DCEU projects, including the film The Suicide Squad (2021) and its spin-off series Peacemaker (2022–present). The pair spent several months with a group of writers developing the overarching story for a new DC continuity, which features
4836-405: A planned Batman spin-off film was reworked into director Matt Reeves 's The Batman (2022), a film separate from the DCEU. Warner Bros. intended for future DCEU films to be more standalone than their previous interconnected plan. Walter Hamada was appointed the new president of DC Films in January 2018. That October, James Gunn was hired to write and direct The Suicide Squad (2021),
5022-485: A plant creature believing himself to be Alec possessing his memories while later stories make him the genuine Alec who transforms into the Swamp Thing. This version is also a reluctant ally of John Constantine and a later member of the Justice League Dark, considered a powerhouse among their ranks. In 2021, a new incarnation of Swamp Thing is created. This version is Levi Kamei , a young Indian scientist chosen as
5208-514: A plot point in Volume 4. A fourth series began in 2004, with writers Andy Diggle (#1–6), Will Pfeifer (#7–8) and Joshua Dysart (#9–29). In this latest series, the Swamp Thing is reverted to his plant-based Earth elemental status after the first story line, and he attempts to live an "eventless" life in the Louisiana swamps. Tefé, likewise, is rendered powerless and mortal. Issue #29 was intended to be
5394-423: A profound effect on Japanese television . 1958 saw the debut of superhero Moonlight Mask on Japanese television. It was the first of numerous televised superhero dramas that would make up the tokusatsu superhero genre. Created by Kōhan Kawauchi , he followed up its success with the tokusatsu superhero shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both starring a young Sonny Chiba . It
5580-499: A promiscuous manner. Through the overdeveloped bodies of the heroes or the seductive mannerisms of the villains, women in comic books are used as subordinates to their male counterparts, regardless of their strength or power. Wonder Woman has been subject to a long history of suppression as a result of her strength and power, including American culture's undoing of the Lynda Carter television series. In 2017's Wonder Woman , she had
5766-571: A publishing agreement with DC Comics that allowed them to introduce a line of comics that included characters of many ethnic minorities. Milestone's initial run lasted four years, during which it introduced Static , a character adapted into the WB Network animated series Static Shock . In addition to the creation of new minority heroes, publishers have filled the identities and roles of once-Caucasian heroes with new characters from minority backgrounds. The African-American John Stewart appeared in
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5952-629: A rampage in Star City, ultimately seeking to destroy all life on Earth. The Entity within the White Lantern used several heroes, including Hawkman , Hawkgirl , Firestorm , the Martian Manhunter , Aquaman and Deadman to slow the rampage and to construct a new Swamp Thing based on the body of Alec Holland. Instead of merely thinking that it was Holland, this version of the Swamp Thing would actually be him. The new Swamp Thing defeated and killed
6138-747: A secondary character of the Green Hornet media franchise series since its inception in the 1930s. ). Kitty Pryde , a member of the X-Men, was an openly Jewish superhero in mainstream American comic books as early as 1978. Comic-book companies were in the early stages of cultural expansion and many of these characters played to specific stereotypes ; Cage and many of his contemporaries often employed lingo similar to that of blaxploitation films, Native Americans were often associated with shamanism and wild animals , and Asian Americans were often portrayed as kung fu martial artists . Subsequent minority heroes, such as
6324-406: A single source." DC and Marvel have continued to expand their commercialization of the "superhero" mark to categories beyond comic books. Now, the two publishers jointly own numerous trademarks for figurines (see Spider-Man, Batman), movies, TV shows, magazines, merchandise, cardboard stand-up figures, playing cards , erasers , pencils , notebooks , cartoons , and many more. For instance,
6510-506: A skull-faced creature with superpowers to fight evil; she debuted in Fiction House 's Jungle Comic #2 (Feb. 1940), credited to the pseudonymous "Barclay Flagg". The Invisible Scarlet O'Neil , a non-costumed character who fought crime and wartime saboteurs using the superpower of invisibility created by Russell Stamm, would debut in the eponymous syndicated newspaper comic strip a few months later on June 3, 1940. In 1940, Maximo
6696-406: A suit not unlike the swimsuits in the T.V. show Baywatch . The sexualization of women in comic books can be explained mainly by the fact that the majority of writers are male. Not only are the writers mostly male, but the audience is mostly male as well. Therefore, writers are designing characters to appeal to a mostly male audience. The super hero characters illustrate a sociological idea called
6882-544: Is Nick Fury , who is reinterpreted as African-American both in the Ultimate Marvel as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuities. DC Universe (franchise) The DC Universe ( DCU ) is an upcoming American media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications. It was created by James Gunn and Peter Safran , co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios . The DCU
7068-505: Is "a figure, especially in a comic strip or cartoon , endowed with superhuman powers and usually portrayed as fighting evil or crime", and the Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person." Terms such as masked crime fighters, costumed adventurers or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer to characters such as
7254-606: Is a soft reboot of a previous franchise, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), retaining select cast members and narrative elements but disregarding others. In contrast with the previous state of DC Comics adaptations, the DCU features a united continuity and story across live-action films and television, animation, and video games. Concurrent DC adaptations that do not fit this continuity are labeled " DC Elseworlds ". After Discovery, Inc. and WarnerMedia merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), CEO David Zaslav revealed
7440-442: Is a fictional character who typically possesses superpowers or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero ; typically using their powers to help the world become a better place , or dedicating themselves to protecting the public and fighting crime . Superhero fiction is the genre of fiction that is centered on such characters, especially, since
7626-421: Is a motorcycle-riding hero in an insect-like costume, who shouts Henshin (Metamorphosis) to don his costume and gain superhuman powers. The ideas of second-wave feminism , which spread through the 1960s into the 1970s, greatly influenced the way comic book companies would depict as well as market their female characters: Wonder Woman was for a time revamped as a mod-dressing martial artist directly inspired by
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7812-533: Is a website satirizing the sexualized portrayal of women in comics by recreating the same poses using male superheroes, especially Marvel's Hawkeye . In 1966, Marvel introduced the Black Panther , an African monarch who became the first non- caricatured black superhero. The first African-American superhero, the Falcon , followed in 1969, and three years later, Luke Cage , a self-styled "hero-for-hire" , became
7998-454: Is also often in an elemental conflict with both rivals within the Green (i.e Floronic Man ), rival elemental forces, such as "The Red" (embodies all animal life, including humanity), and most notably "The Rot" or "The Black" (embodies death), with their archnemesis being Anton Arcane . The original version of the character is Alexander Olsen , a scientist who was killed by his assistant vying for
8184-520: Is arguable that the Marvel Comics teams of the early 1960s brought the biggest assortment of superheroes ever at one time into permanent publication, the likes of Spider-Man (1962), The Hulk , Iron Man , Daredevil , Nick Fury , The Mighty Thor , The Avengers (featuring a rebooted Captain America , Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man , Quicksilver ), and many others were given their own monthly titles. Typically
8370-821: Is pretty messed up. There is the Arrowverse . There is the DCEU which then split and became the Joss Whedon Justice League at one point, became the Snyder-verse at the other point. There was Superman & Lois , there's the Reeves-verse ... we came in and did [ The Suicide Squad ] and that became Peacemaker and all of a sudden Bat-Mite is a real guy... No one was minding the mint, they were just giving away IP like they were party favors to any creators that smiled at them." — DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn on
8556-695: Is set after the animated DCU series Creature Commandos (2024). Frank Grillo reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr. from Creature Commandos . Additionally, members of the Authority are introduced in Superman ahead of their own film, alongside the introduction of other superheroes including Nathan Fillion as the Green Lantern Guy Gardner . Fillion previously portrayed Cory Pitzner / T.D.K. (The Detachable Kid) in The Suicide Squad . Described by Gunn as "a big science fiction epic film" and
8742-498: Is uncommon, the USPTO will grant joint ownership in a mark. For example, in the case Arrow Trading Co., Inc. v. Victorinox A.G. and Wegner S.A. , Opposition No. 103315 (TTAB June 27, 2003), the TTAB held that when "two entities have a long-standing relationship and rely on each other for quality control, it may be found, in appropriate circumstances, that the parties, as joint owners, do represent
8928-589: The Avatar of the Green , an illustrious title depicted as synonymous with both Swamp Thing and makes the character the embodiment of the cosmic energies that gives life to all plant life in the known universe, often dubbed " The Green ". Several incarnations arise from the consciousness of other beings who are selected as the champion of the Parliament of Trees , the guiding and collective consciousness of all plant life, which includes past incarnations of Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing
9114-645: The Black Canary , introduced in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947) as a supporting character. The most iconic comic book superheroine, who debuted during the Golden Age, is Wonder Woman . Modeled from the myth of the Amazons of Greek mythology , she was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston , with help and inspiration from his wife Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne. Wonder Woman's first appearance
9300-469: The Comics Code Authority 's approval. With issue #65, regular penciler Rick Veitch took over from Moore and began scripting the series, continuing the story in a roughly similar vein for 24 more issues. Veitch's term ended in 1989 due to a widely publicized creative dispute, when DC refused to publish issue #88 because of the use of Jesus Christ as a character, despite having previously approved
9486-548: The DC Comics character Superman , to start their own shared universe, which became known as the " DC Extended Universe " (DCEU). They announced a full slate of DC films in October 2014. Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was set to return for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), and spin-off films were planned for the Justice League members and other DC characters. "The history of DC
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#17328526979309672-469: The DC Universe as Swamp Thing. Alexander "Alex" Olsen was a talented young scientist in Louisiana in the early 1900s, married to Linda. Alex's assistant, Damian Ridge, was secretly in love with Linda and plotted the death of his friend. He tampered with Olsen's chemicals, killing him in the explosion, and dumped his body in the nearby swamp. Ridge used Linda's grief to convince her to marry him; however, Ridge
9858-525: The Emma Peel character from the British television series The Avengers (no relation to the superhero team of the same name), but later reverted to Marston's original concept after the editors of Ms. magazine publicly disapproved of the character being depowered and without her traditional costume; Supergirl was moved from being a secondary feature on Action Comics to headline Adventure Comics in 1969;
10044-520: The Infinite Frontier event. This incarnation of the character is a scientist and technical advisor originating from India chosen as the future Swamp Thing from a young age and succeeds the Allec Holland incarnation and it's derivatives. At a young age Kamei is unknowingly marked to become the Swamp Thing at during a ritual performed to him and his brother, Jacob, by their mother. A descendant of
10230-513: The Lady Liberators appeared in an issue of The Avengers as a group of mind-controlled superheroines led by Valkyrie (actually a disguised supervillainess ) and were meant to be a caricatured parody of feminist activists; and Jean Grey became the embodiment of a cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force with seemingly unlimited power in the late 1970s, a stark contrast from her depiction as
10416-688: The New York Times and The Colbert Report , and embraced by anti- Islamophobia campaigners in San Francisco who plastered over anti-Muslim bus adverts with Kamala stickers. Other such successor-heroes of color include James "Rhodey" Rhodes as Iron Man and to a lesser extent Riri "Ironheart" Williams , Ryan Choi as the Atom , Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle and Amadeus Cho as Hulk . Certain established characters have had their ethnicity changed when adapted to another continuity or media. A notable example
10602-691: The Swamp Thing series, attempting to capitalize on the summer 1982 release of the Wes Craven film of the same name . A revival had been planned for 1978, but was a victim of the DC Implosion . The new series, called The Saga of the Swamp Thing , featured an adaptation of the Craven film in its first annual. Now written by Martin Pasko , the book loosely picked up after the Swamp Thing's guest appearances in Challengers of
10788-655: The X-Men 's Storm and the Teen Titans ' Cyborg avoided such conventions; they were both part of ensemble teams, which became increasingly diverse in subsequent years. The X-Men, in particular, were revived in 1975 with a line-up of characters drawn from several nations, including the Kenyan Storm, German Nightcrawler , Soviet / Russian Colossus , Irish Banshee , and Japanese Sunfire . In 1993, Milestone Comics , an African-American-owned media/publishing company entered into
10974-399: The " male gaze " which is media created from the viewpoint of a normative heterosexual male. The female characters in comic books are used to satisfy male desire for the "ideal" woman (small waist, large breasts, toned, athletic body). These characters have god-like power, but the most easily identifiable feature is their hyper sexualized bodies: they are designed to be sexually pleasing to
11160-817: The 1930s, in American comic books (and later in Hollywood films , film serials, television and video games ), as well as in Japanese media (including kamishibai , tokusatsu , manga , anime and video games). Superheroes come from a wide array of different backgrounds and origins. Some superheroes (such as Spider-Man and Superman ) possess non-human or superhuman biology or use and practice magic to achieve their abilities (such as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel ) while others (for example, Iron Man and Batman ) derive their status from advanced technology they create and use. The Dictionary.com definition of "superhero"
11346-552: The 1970s as an alternate for Earth's Green Lantern Hal Jordan , and would become a regular member of the Green Lantern Corps from the 1980s onward. The creators of the 2000s-era Justice League animated series selected Stewart as the show's Green Lantern. In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Miles Morales , a youth of Puerto Rican and African-American ancestry who was also bitten by a genetically-altered spider, debuted as
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#173285269793011532-458: The 1980s, superhero fiction centered on cultural, ethnic, national, racial and language minority groups (from the perspective of US demographics ) began to be produced. This began with depiction of black superheroes in the 1960s, followed in the 1970s with a number of other ethnic-minority superheroes. In keeping with the political mood of the time, cultural diversity and inclusivism would be an important part of superhero groups starting from
11718-409: The 1980s. In the 1990s, this was further augmented by the first depictions of superheroes as homosexual. In 2017, Sign Gene emerged, the first group of deaf superheroes with superpowers through the use of sign language . Female super heroes—and villains—have been around since the early years of comic books dating back to the 1940s. The representation of women in comic books has been questioned in
11904-561: The 1990s). In 1978, Toei adapted Spider-Man into a live-action Japanese television series . In this continuity, Spider-Man had a vehicle called Marveller that could transform into a giant and powerful robot called Leopardon, this idea would be carried over to Toei's Battle Fever J (also co-produced with Marvel) and now multi-colored teams not only had support vehicles but giant robots to fight giant monsters with. In subsequent decades, popular characters like Dazzler , She-Hulk , Elektra , Catwoman , Witchblade , Spider-Girl , Batgirl and
12090-529: The Alec version, this Swamp Thing is instead more prominently a member of the Titans . The character has been adapted from the comics into several forms of media, including feature films, television series, and video games. The character made its live-action debut in the film Swamp Thing (1982), with Dick Durock playing the Swamp Thing, while Ray Wise played Alec Holland . Durock played both Swamp Thing and Holland in
12276-417: The Amazing Superman debut in Big Little Book series , by Russell R. Winterbotham (text), Henry E. Vallely and Erwin L. Hess (art). Captain America also appeared for the first time in print in December 1940, a year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese government, when America was still in isolationism . Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the superhero was the physical embodiment of
12462-567: The American spirit during World War II. One superpowered character was portrayed as an antiheroine , a rarity for its time: the Black Widow , a costumed emissary of Satan who killed evildoers in order to send them to Hell —debuted in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), from Timely Comics , the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics . Most of the other female costumed crime fighters during this era lacked superpowers. Notable characters include The Woman in Red , introduced in Standard Comics ' Thrilling Comics #2 (March 1940); Lady Luck , debuting in
12648-473: The Authority as a team that thinks "the world is completely broken. And the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments, you know, whatever they want to do to make the world better". Safran compared the morally complex team to Jack Nicholson 's character in A Few Good Men (1992). When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023, they included
12834-481: The Authority. Gunn described the film as a passion project for which he had been working on an outline with the other DC Studios writers. Gunn said the film would have connections to Superman. The film explores members of the " Bat-Family ", including introducing Batman's son Damian Wayne as a version of Robin . Gunn said the film would be a "strange father and son story" about Batman and Robin. After Gunn and Safran were hired, Zaslav said of their new plan for
13020-422: The Avengers) with her brother, Quicksilver. In 1963, Astro Boy was adapted into a highly influential anime television series. Phantom Agents in 1964 focused on ninjas working for the Japanese government and would be the foundation for Sentai -type series. 1966 saw the debut of the sci-fi/horror series Ultra Q created by Eiji Tsuburaya this would eventually lead to the sequel Ultraman , spawning
13206-468: The Birds of Prey became stars of long-running eponymous titles. Female characters began assuming leadership roles in many ensemble superhero teams; the Uncanny X-Men series and its related spin-off titles in particular have included many female characters in pivotal roles since the 1970s. Volume 4 of the X-Men comic book series featured an all-female team as part of the Marvel NOW! branding initiative in 2013. Superpowered female characters like Buffy
13392-569: The Collins run. In a confrontation with Tefé, the Swamp Thing explains that he has cut himself off from the Green and there seems to be no trace of the god-like powers he acquired from the Parliaments of Air, Waves, Stone or Flames during the Millar run. Also, Vaughan's Swamp Thing does not seem to have been divorced from the humanity of his Alec Holland self. The disconnection between these two entities becomes
13578-467: The DCEU continuity, making the DCU a " soft reboot " that retains certain cast members and elements of the DCEU while replacing others. Gunn and Safran primarily selected the elements that are carried over based on actors. The pair expected characters to be portrayed by the same actors across mediums, including animation. They said Viola Davis ( Amanda Waller ) and John Cena ( Peacemaker ) would reprise their The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker roles in
13764-433: The DCEU's Henry Cavill because the script focused on a younger version of Superman. When Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023, the film was titled Superman: Legacy . Gunn said the film would take specific inspiration from the comic book All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely , along with other comic books. In March, Gunn confirmed he would direct and Safran
13950-453: The DCU but the film itself would stand on its own. In July 2023, following the commercial failure of the DCEU film Shazam! Fury of the Gods , Levi cast doubt on his return in the DCU. The next month, Gadot said she would be developing a new Wonder Woman film with Gunn and Safran, but this was soon reported to not be the case. No decision had been made on if Gadot would be reprising her role in
14136-502: The DCU's version under the DC Elseworlds label. The Flash director Andy Muschietti was hired to direct the film in June 2023, with Barbara Muschietti co-producing alongside Gunn and Safran. A Gothic horror film that explores the "dark origins" of Swamp Thing . In December 2022, James Mangold was reported to be interested in working with Gunn and Safran on a DCU project. When
14322-482: The DCU, "There's not going to be four Batmans". When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate a month later, they included The Brave and the Bold which introduces the DCU version of Batman. Gunn said the film was based on Grant Morrison's 2006 to 2013 run on the comics. Ben Affleck was confirmed to not be reprising his DCEU role of Batman, while Matt Reeves's version of Batman was expected to continue separately from
14508-563: The DCU, and a "rough memory" of those projects would remain. Specific moments from the DCEU are deemed to be canon to the DCU if they are directly referenced in a DCU project. In addition to Davis and Cena, there was potential for DCEU actors Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot ( Wonder Woman ), Ezra Miller ( the Flash ), and Zachary Levi ( Shazam ) to also reprise their roles in the DCU, but decisions on those characters had not been made by January 2023. No actor would be playing multiple characters, so if Momoa
14694-412: The DCU. Variety reported in October 2023 that none of the DCEU's Justice League cast would reprise their roles in the DCU. Safran said they were being flexible with the DCU's release order, though some projects key to the overall story would need to be released in a specific order. He added that they were aiming to release two films and two series a year. Gunn felt studios being "beholden to dates"
14880-404: The DCU. Waller continues the story of Amanda Waller and Team Peacemaker. In May 2022, a Peacemaker spin-off series was revealed to be in development featuring Amanda Waller, with Christal Henry writing and serving as executive producer alongside Gunn and Safran. When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023, the second project was Waller , which Gunn said would be
15066-566: The Green is also cut off by mystical or scientific applications. Over the years, the Swamp Thing series has been nominated for and won several awards. Len Wein won the 1972 Shazam Award for "Best Writer (Dramatic Division)" and Berni Wrightson won the Shazam Award for "Best Penciller (Dramatic Division)" that same year for their work on Swamp Thing . Wein and Wrightson also won the Shazam Award for "Best Individual Story (Dramatic)" in 1972 for "Dark Genesis" in Swamp Thing #1. The series won
15252-576: The Green is revealed to be his brother, now known as the Hadera. who believed he should have been the Avatar in place of his brother, having stronger environmentalist ideals. but falls towards using eco-terrorism to punish humanity for their crimes against nature. Conflict arises when Prescot Industries' interest in Levi as Swamp Thing results in them hiring Jason Woodrue, whose actions resurrects Levi's initial adversary,
15438-618: The MCU approach of taking different elements from throughout Marvel Comics history. The day after the slate announcement, several of the comics that Gunn had named as influences on in-development projects appeared on best-selling lists and some had sold out. Another difference Gunn saw between DC and Marvel was the former having more limited runs with unique tones that were separate from "mainstream comics", such as The Dark Knight Returns (1986), Watchmen (1986–87), and All-Star Superman (2005–2008). He intended to replicate this feeling by having
15624-465: The MCU is set in a version of the real world, with many of its heroes residing in New York City; he expected the DCU to be more planned out from the beginning than the MCU due to the group of writers working on the DCU's overall story; the DCU focuses on traditional superheroes with secret identities ; and DCU projects were announced to be based on specific comic book runs and story arcs compared to
15810-518: The Magician (1934), Olga Mesmer (1937) and then Superman (1938) and Captain Marvel (1939) at the beginning of the Golden Age of Comic Books , whose span, though disputed, is generally agreed to have started with Superman's launch. Superman has remained one of the most recognizable superheroes, and his success spawned a new archetype of characters with secret identities and superhuman powers. At
15996-435: The Shazam Award for "Best Continuing Feature" in 1973. Alan Moore won the 1985 and 1986 Jack Kirby Awards for "Best Writer" for Swamp Thing . Moore, John Totleben , and Steve Bissette won the 1985 Jack Kirby Award for "Best Single Issue" for Swamp Thing Annual #2. They also won the 1985, 1986, and 1987 Jack Kirby Awards for "Best Continuing Series" for Swamp Thing . Superhero A superhero or superheroine
16182-510: The Spirit , who may not be explicitly referred to as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits. Some superheroes use their powers to help fight daily crime while also combating threats against humanity from supervillains , who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superhero's archenemy or nemesis . Some popular supervillains become recurring characters in their own right. Antecedents of
16368-784: The Sunday- newspaper comic-book insert The Spirit Section June 2, 1940; the comedic character Red Tornado , debuting in All-American Comics #20 (Nov 1940); Miss Fury , debuting in the eponymous comic strip by female cartoonist Tarpé Mills on April 6, 1941; the Phantom Lady , introduced in Quality Comics Police Comics #1 (Aug. 1941); the Black Cat , introduced in Harvey Comics ' Pocket Comics #1 (also Aug. 1941); and
16554-439: The Sunderland Corporation to the forefront, as they hunted the Swamp Thing down and "killed" him in a hail of bullets. The subsequent investigation revealed that the Swamp Thing was not Alec Holland transformed into a plant, but actually a wholly plant-based entity created upon the death of Alec Holland, having somehow absorbed duplicates of Holland's consciousness and memories into himself. He is described as "a plant that thought it
16740-560: The Swamp Thing developed a close bond with Arcane's niece Abigail Arcane . Arcane was aided by his nightmarish army of Un-Men and the Patchwork Man, alias Arcane's brother Gregori Arcane who, after a land mine explosion, was rebuilt as a Frankenstein Monster-type creature by his brother. Also involved in the conflict was the Swamp Thing's close friend-turned-enemy Lt. Matthew Joseph Cable , a federal agent who originally mistakenly believed
16926-490: The Swamp Thing to be responsible for the deaths of Alec and Linda Holland. As sales figures plummeted towards the end of the series, the writers attempted to revive interest by introducing fantastical creatures, aliens, and even Alec Holland's brother, Edward (a character that was never referred to again by later writers) into the picture. The last two issues saw the Swamp Thing transformed back into Alec Holland and having to fight one last menace as an ordinary human. The series
17112-447: The Swamp Thing would be forced to go upon a series of trials against rival elemental forces. Millar brought the series to a close with issue #171 in a finale where the Swamp Thing becomes the master of all elemental forces, including the planet. Written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Roger Petersen and Giuseppe Camuncoli in 2001, the third Swamp Thing series focused on the daughter of the Swamp Thing, Tefé Holland . Even though she
17298-493: The Top 100 Comic Book Heroes list. Len Wein came up with the idea for the character while riding a subway in Queens . He later recalled: "I didn't have a title for it, so I kept referring to it as 'that swamp thing I'm working on'. And that's how it got its name!" Bernie Wrightson designed the character's visual image, using a rough sketch by Wein as a guideline. Len Wein was the writer for
17484-408: The USPTO. Felix is one of many who argue that the term "superhero" has become generic (see discussion below). Felix's mark is currently abandoned, but he has stated that he intends to fight against DC and Marvel for use of the term. In 2024, Superbabies Limited managed to obtain a default judgement and cancel the "super heroes" trademarks as genericized, except for the animation pictures mark. This
17670-517: The Unknown #81-87, DC Comics Presents #8, and The Brave and the Bold #172, with the character wandering around the swamps of Louisiana seen as an urban legend and feared by locals. Pasko's main arc depicted the Swamp Thing roaming the globe, trying to stop a young girl (and the possible Anti-Christ ) named Karen Clancy from destroying the world. When Pasko had to give up work on the title due to increasing television commitments, editor Len Wein assigned
17856-526: The Vampire Slayer and Darna have a tremendous influence on popular culture in their respective countries of origin. With more and more anime , manga and tokusatsu being translated or adapted, Western audiences were beginning to experience the Japanese styles of superhero fiction more than they were able to before. Saban 's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , an adaptation of Zyuranger , created
18042-632: The Wanderer. The Swamp Thing, considered typically the Avatar of the Green, possess the power to control the aforementioned "Green", the cosmic energies in which animates all plant life in the known universe and is often the living embodiment of it. With it, the Swamp Thing possess various powers, in which includes being capable of inhabiting and animating vegetable matter at will, including those with alien origin, and move towards places wherever there's life. Swamp Thing also possess various esoteric abilities, including able to change size and shape with control over
18228-519: The West as Astro Boy , was published. The series focused upon a robot boy built by a scientist to replace his deceased son. Being built from an incomplete robot originally intended for military purposes, Astro Boy possessed amazing powers such as flight through thrusters in his feet and the incredible mechanical strength of his limbs. The 1950s saw the Silver Age of Comics . During this era DC introduced
18414-499: The affections of his wife. Returning as a swamp creature, he confronts his assistant and kills him in revenge but his wife runs off, unable to recognize him. He later becomes a local legend in Louisiana. His successor, Alec Holland , is the second and most well regarded version of the character. A chemist who dies following the creation of a scientific formula capable of stimulating plant life in hostile environment to criminal or malevolent elements. Stories vary in his being, sometimes
18600-408: The animated series Creature Commandos . Gunn and Safran consider the chapter's first film, Superman (2025), to be the true beginning of the DCU. Warner Bros. Pictures was deemed to be "lagg[ing] behind" rival company Marvel Studios and their shared universe of superheroes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), by late 2012. Warner Bros. began planning for Man of Steel (2013), based on
18786-508: The archetype include mythological characters such as Gilgamesh , Hanuman , Perseus , Odysseus , David , and demigods like Heracles , all of whom were blessed with extraordinary abilities, which later inspired the superpowers that became a fundamental aspect of modern-day superheroes. The distinct clothing and costumes of individuals from English folklore , like Robin Hood and Spring-Heeled Jack , also became inspirations. The dark costume of
18972-475: The archetypical hero stock character in 1930s American comics, superheroes are predominantly depicted as White American middle- or upper-class young adult males and females who are typically tall, athletic, educated, physically attractive and in perfect health. Beginning in the 1960s with the civil rights movement in the United States, and increasingly with the rising concern over political correctness in
19158-462: The character Sgt. Rock . Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig were in negotiations to direct and star in the title role, respectively, after working together with Kuritzkes on the film Queer (2024). Though there was potential for the project to fall apart if the deals with Guadagnino and Craig did not go through, DC Studios was said to be "bullish" on Kuritzkes's script and it was expected to be Guadagnino's next film ahead of his planned adaptation of
19344-541: The character of John Constantine the Hellblazer as a magician/con artist who would lead the Swamp Thing on the "American Gothic" storyline. Alan Moore also introduced the concept of the DC characters Cain and Abel being the mystical reincarnations of the Biblical Cain and Abel caught in an endless cycle of murder and resurrection. The Saga of the Swamp Thing was the first mainstream comic book series to completely abandon
19530-413: The comic-strip characters Patoruzú (1928) and Popeye (1929) and novelist Philip Wylie 's character Hugo Danner (1930). Another early example was Sarutobi Sasuke , a Japanese superhero ninja from children's novels in the 1910s; by 1914, he had a number of superhuman powers and abilities. The French character L'Oiselle , created in 1909, can be classed as a superheroine. In August 1937, in
19716-534: The companies filed a trademark application as joint owners for the mark "SUPER HEROES" for a series of animated motion pictures in 2009 (Reg. No. 5613972). Both DC and Marvel also individually owned trademarks involving the "super hero" mark. Notably, DC owns the mark " Legion of Super-Heroes " for comic magazines and Marvel owns the mark "Marvel Super Hero Island" for story books, fiction books, and children’s activity books. DC and Marvel have become known for aggressively protecting their registered marks. In 2019,
19902-552: The companies pursued a British law student named Graham Jules who was attempting to publish a self-help book titled Business Zero to Superhero . Much academic debate exists about whether the "super hero" mark has become generic and whether DC and Marvel have created a duopoly over the "super hero" mark. Conversely, DC and Marvel hold that they are merely exercising their right and duty to protect their registered marks. The following trademarks were or are registered jointly with MARVEL CHARACTERS, INC. and DC COMICS: As mentioned,
20088-493: The corrupted and original Swamp Thing. The Swamp Thing then restored life to natural areas around the world and declared that those who hurt the Green would face his wrath. He also restored Aquaman, Firestorm, Hawkman, and the Martian Manhunter to normal. The book ended with the Swamp Thing killing several businessmen who engaged in deliberate, illegal polluting activities. This three–issue miniseries follows immediately after
20274-456: The country, and ultimately to Africa, in search of a mythical "Tree of Knowledge". During this series, it seems that the Swamp Thing and Abigail have reunited as lovers and are living in their old home in the Louisiana swamps outside Houma. The home in which they live more closely resembles the one that the Swamp Thing constructs for Abigail during the Moore run than the home in which they dwell during
20460-418: The creative side of the company while Safran focused on the business and production side, and their deal was reportedly for four years. In addition to their new roles, Gunn and Safran were expected to continue directing and producing projects, respectively, though these would be exclusively for WBD. They would report directly to Zaslav and work closely with De Luca and Abdy. A week after starting their new roles,
20646-423: The creators of each DCU project bring their own visions. When Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate, they said a second season of Peacemaker was delayed while Gunn was busy writing Superman . In February 2023, Gunn confirmed that Peacemaker was not canceled, and he clarified in October that the second season would be set in the DCU continuity. Gunn further stated in December that
20832-405: The dawn of humanity, and that all versions of the creature were designated defenders of the Parliament of Trees , an elemental community which rules a dimension known as "the Green" that connects all plant life on Earth. Moore's Swamp Thing broadened the scope of the series to include ecological and spiritual concerns while retaining its horror-fantasy roots. In issue #37, Moore formally introduced
21018-434: The death of Levi's father. Levi awakens his powers shortly after and attempts to understand his role as Swamp Thing, the name given to the those who are known as the Avatar of the Green. Assisted by his girlfriend and fellow scientist Jennifer Reece to understand his power, various other such as Amanda Waller and Prescot Industries sought to control him and the power he possess. Matters are also complicated when his rival in
21204-471: The debut of Shotaro Ishinomori 's Skull Man (the basis for his later Kamen Rider ) in 1970, Go Nagai's Devilman in 1972 and Gerry Conway and John Romita's Punisher in 1974. The dark Skull Man manga would later get a television adaptation and underwent drastic changes. The character was redesigned to resemble a grasshopper, becoming the renowned first masked hero of the Kamen Rider series. Kamen Rider
21390-464: The eight-to-ten-year plan, with the potential for more chapters after that. The first chapter was titled "Gods and Monsters" and its first five films were Superman: Legacy (later retitled Superman ), The Authority , The Brave and the Bold , Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow , and Swamp Thing . Its first five television series were Creature Commandos , Waller , Lanterns , Paradise Lost , and Booster Gold . Any DC projects that did not fit within
21576-634: The end of 2020, Hamada was planning spin-off DCEU television series for HBO Max, including Gunn's The Suicide Squad spin-off Peacemaker (2022–present). At that point, there were around 25 other live-action and animated DC-based series in addition to the various film projects. Hamada planned to connect all of these using the multiverse , which was introduced in The Flash (2023). In April 2022, Discovery, Inc. and Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav . The new company
21762-401: The end of the decade, in 1939, Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger . During the 1940s there were many superheroes: The Flash , Green Lantern and Blue Beetle debuted in this era. This era saw the debut of one of the earliest female superheroes, writer-artist Fletcher Hanks 's character Fantomah , an ageless ancient Egyptian woman in the modern day who could transform into
21948-549: The episodes. Filming began on April 13 with a "pre-shoot", ahead of principal photography which began in June and concluded in late November 2024. The season is scheduled to premiere in August 2025. The season is set after the events of Creature Commandos and Superman . Frank Grillo reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr. from previous DCU media. Hal Jordan and John Stewart , two Green Lanterns (intergalactic heroes who wear rings that give them extraordinary powers), investigate
22134-507: The events of Brightest Day , and follows the actions of John Constantine as he tries to work out what has changed with the Swamp Thing and track him down, with the assistance of Zatanna , the Batman , and Superman . DC Comics relaunched Swamp Thing with issue #1 in September 2011 as part of The New 52 , with writer Scott Snyder (#1-18 and Annual ). Snyder's run concluded with "Rotworld",
22320-502: The film and Peacemaker . The series acknowledges the death of Flag's son Rick Flag Jr. ( Joel Kinnaman ) in The Suicide Squad at the hands of Peacemaker. The season is set after the events of Superman . HBO Max announced a second season of Peacemaker in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all eight episodes. In February 2023, Gunn said work on the season would continue after Waller had been made, later saying it
22506-532: The final issue of the fourth volume, which was cancelled due to low sales numbers. The conclusion of the crossover event Brightest Day revealed that the Swamp Thing had become corrupted by the personality of the villain Nekron in the wake of the Blackest Night crossover event. The Swamp Thing now believed himself to be Nekron, similar to how he had once believed himself to be Alec Holland. The Swamp Thing went on
22692-508: The first black superhero to star in his own series . In 1989, the Monica Rambeau incarnation of Captain Marvel was the first female black superhero from a major publisher to get her own title in a special one-shot issue. In 1971, Red Wolf became the first Native American in the superheroic tradition to headline a series. In 1973, Shang-Chi became the first prominent Asian superhero to star in an American comic book ( Kato had been
22878-423: The first 13 issues, before David Michelinie and Gerry Conway finished up the series. Burgeoning horror artist Bernie Wrightson drew the first 10 issues of the series, while Nestor Redondo drew a further 13 issues, the last issue being drawn by Fred Carrillo . The original creative team worked closely together; Wrightson recalled that during story conferences, Wein would walk around the office acting out all of
23064-454: The first entity to commercialize the phrase "super hero" when it registered the mark in connection with Halloween costumes. In 1972, Mego Corporation , an American toy company, attempted to register the mark "World's Greatest Superheroes" in connection with its line of action figures. Mego Corporation’s attempted registration led Ben Cooper, Inc. to sue Mego Corporation for trademark infringement. Due to its financial struggles, Mego Corporation
23250-637: The first projects from the DCU slate. They revealed the writers who had been working with them on the overall story for the DCU: Drew Goddard , Jeremy Slater , The Flash writer Christina Hodson , Christal Henry, and comic book writer Tom King . The writers took inspiration from the Star Wars franchise, which has "different times, different places, different things", as well as from the series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its morally complex characters. The group had planned two "chapters" of story for
23436-456: The first two episodes and executive produce. Filming is expected to take place from January to June 2025 in Atlanta. Gunn said in November 2024 that he intended for the series to be released around the same time as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow , which was scheduled for release in June 2026. Safran said the mystery that Jordan and Stewart investigate in the series leads into the main storyline for
23622-434: The franchise, and Gunn put out a statement saying they "were coming into a fractious environment" and there would be an "unavoidable transitional period as we moved into telling a cohesive story across film, TV, animation and gaming". A week later, Gunn announced that they had a slate of projects "ready to go" and would provide more details in 2023. He was writing a new Superman film that would not star Cavill, and Ben Affleck
23808-479: The hypothetical heteronormative male audience. Villains, such as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy , use their sexuality to take advantage of their male victims. In the film versions of these characters, their sexuality and seductive methods are highlighted. Poison Ivy uses seduction through poison to take over the minds of her victims as seen in the 1997 film Batman and Robin . Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad uses her sexuality to her advantage, acting in
23994-418: The idea of a Black Adam vs. Superman film co-starring Cavill in the future, and Warner Bros. began pursuing a sequel to Man of Steel starring Cavill. At the end of August, producer Dan Lin emerged as a potential candidate for taking over DC, but exited talks weeks later. Todd Phillips , director of the standalone DC film Joker (2019), was also considered for the role but remained focused on directing
24180-465: The idea of a masked avenger and the superhero trope of a secret identity . Over the next few decades, masked and costumed pulp fiction characters such as Jimmie Dale/The Grey Seal (1914), Zorro (1919), Buck Rogers (1928), The Shadow (1930), and Flash Gordon (1934), and comic strip heroes such as the Phantom (1936), began appearing, as did non-costumed characters with super strength , including
24366-456: The latest scheme of the Floronic Man . Issue #32 was a strange twist of comedy and tragedy, as the Swamp Thing encounters an alien version of Pogo , Walt Kelly 's character. Moore would later reveal, in an attempt to connect the original one-off Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets #92 to the main Swamp Thing canon, that there had been dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Swamp Things since
24552-459: The latter, complete with a domino mask and a cape, became influential for the myriad of masked rogues in penny dreadfuls and dime novels . The vigilantes of the American Old West also became an influence to the superhero. Several vigilantes during this time period hid their identities using masks. In frontier communities where de jure law was not yet matured, people sometimes took
24738-590: The law into their own hands with makeshift masks made out of sacks . Vigilante mobs and gangs like the San Diego Vigilantes and the Bald Knobbers became infamous throughout that Old West era. Such masked vigilantism later inspired fictional masked crimefighters in American story-telling, beginning with the character Deadwood Dick in 1877. The word superhero dates back to 1899. The 1903 British play The Scarlet Pimpernel and its spinoffs popularized
24924-472: The likes of Batwoman in 1956, Supergirl , Miss Arrowette , and Bat-Girl ; all female derivatives of established male superheroes. In 1957 Japan, Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character Super Giant , signaling a shift in Japanese popular culture towards tokusatsu masked superheroes over kaiju giant monsters. Along with Astro Boy , the Super Giant serials had
25110-739: The magazine King of the Monsters in 1977 describing Godzilla as "Superhero of the '70s." In 1971, Kamen Rider launched the "Henshin Boom" on Japanese television in the early 1970s, greatly impacting the tokusatsu superhero genre in Japan. In 1972, the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman anime debuted, which built upon the superhero team idea of the live-action Phantom Agents as well as introducing different colors for team members and special vehicles to support them, said vehicles could also combine into
25296-461: The mark in connection with comic books, and were granted the mark by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1981. In the years leading up to the assignment of the mark, both DC and Marvel battled to register various trademarks involving the phrase “superhero.” However, DC and Marvel quickly discovered that they could only register marks involving the phrase "superhero" if
25482-432: The new Spider-Man after the apparent death of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker . Kamala Khan , a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager who is revealed to have Inhuman lineage after her shapeshifting powers manifested, takes on the identity of Ms. Marvel in 2014 after Carol Danvers had become Captain Marvel. Her self-titled comic book series became a cultural phenomenon, with extensive media coverage by CNN ,
25668-483: The new Swamp Thing at a young age. Descended from a tribunal connected to the Kaziranga wetlands, his powers awaken following a altercation between the community and employers, which also resulted in the death. Following his awakening, various factions seeking to control the new Swamp Thing for their own nefarious agenda. Kamei is guided by Alec and fellow scientist Jennifer Reece in his new role. Existing concurrently with
25854-611: The novel American Psycho (1991). Following the events of the first season of Peacemaker , Amanda Waller is no longer able to put human lives in jeopardy for her clandestine operations as she did with the Suicide Squad and Team Peacemaker. Instead, she assembles a black ops team of monsters consisting of Nina Mazursky , Doctor Phosphorus , Eric Frankenstein , the Bride , G.I. Robot , and Weasel , who are led by Rick Flag Sr. Gunn discussed making an animated series for Max after
26040-614: The original 1970s Wein/Wrightson run and in the mid-late 1980s during a highly acclaimed run under Alan Moore , Stephen Bissette , and John Totleben . Swamp Thing would also go on to become one of the staples of the Justice League Dark , a team featuring magical superheroes. The character is often depicted as a swamp monster that resembles an anthropomorphic mound of vegetable matter seeking to protect nature and humanity from threats of both scientific and supernatural origin. These duties are often an expression of his designation as
26226-600: The pages of several popular superhero titles from the late 1950s onward: Hal Jordan 's love interest Carol Ferris was introduced as the Vice-President of Ferris Aircraft and later took over the company from her father; Medusa , who was first introduced in the Fantastic Four series, is a member of the Inhuman Royal Family and a prominent statesperson within her people's quasi-feudal society; and Carol Danvers ,
26412-451: The pair said they had begun working with a group of writers to develop an eight-to-ten-year plan for the new DC Universe (DCU). Zaslav said they had begun work on a bible for future DC projects that would be finished soon. He also said the new plan would emulate Marvel's model of having a single, unified approach to each character, specifically highlighting new approaches to Batman and Superman. By mid-November, Gunn had already begun writing
26598-402: The pair unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate in January 2023, they included a new Swamp Thing film. Gunn said it would take specific inspiration from Alan Moore 's 1984–85 The Saga of the Swamp Thing comic book run. After the announcement, Mangold posted a picture of Swamp Thing on social media. He was confirmed to be in negotiations to write and direct the film the next day, but
26784-425: The parts. The Swamp Thing fought against evil as he sought the men who murdered his wife and caused his monstrous transformation, as well as searching for a means to transform back into his human form. The Swamp Thing has since fought many villains. Though they only met twice during the first series, the mad scientist Anton Arcane (with his obsession with gaining immortality) became the Swamp Thing's nemesis, even as
26970-420: The past decade following the rise of comic book characters in the film industry (Marvel/DC movies). Women are presented differently than their male counterparts, typically wearing revealing clothing that showcases their curves and cleavage and showing a lot of skin in some cases. Heroes like Power Girl and Wonder Woman are portrayed wearing little clothing and showing cleavage. Power Girl is portrayed as wearing
27156-406: The phrase referenced their own company or a character associated with their company. As a result, DC and Marvel decided to become joint owners of the "superhero" trademark. Although many consumers likely see DC and Marvel as competitors, the two comic book publishing giants are allies when it comes to protecting the trademark "superhero" and variants thereof. Although joint ownership in a trademark
27342-421: The plans were circulating, including that the DCU would be a complete reboot of the DCEU that moved away from the actors cast by Snyder, that Matt Reeves's The Batman films would be integrated with the DCU, and that Aquaman actor Jason Momoa would be recast as the character Lobo . These reveals and rumors led to concerns within the industry and among DC fans about the direction Gunn and Safran were taking
27528-419: The power of a god, but was still drawn to a much weaker, mortal male character. This can be explained by the sociological concept "feminine apologetic," which reinforces a woman's femininity to account for her masculine attributes (strength, individualism, toughness, aggressiveness, bravery). Women in comic books are considered to be misrepresented due to being created by men, for men. The Hawkeye Initiative
27714-520: The public, and policing unauthorized uses. However, misuse by the public alone does not necessarily cause a trademark to become generic if the primary significance of the term is still to indicate a particular source. Some legal experts argue that, like the once-trademarked terms "aspirin" and "yo-yo," the term "superhero" now primarily refers to a general type of character with extraordinary abilities, rather than characters originating from specific publishers. In keeping with their origins as representing
27900-466: The rest of the DCU. In March 2024, a film centered on the Teen Titans team was revealed to be in development, with Ana Nogueira writing the screenplay. In September 2024, a team-up film centered on the villains Bane and Deathstroke was revealed to be in development, with Matthew Orton writing the screenplay. By late November 2024, Justin Kuritzkes had written the script for a film featuring
28086-502: The script for a new DC film while Safran had been "fixing" the DCEU film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). In early December, Gunn and Safran were finalizing their plans ahead of a meeting with Zaslav. Patty Jenkins was no longer developing a sequel to her DCEU films Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) after being told by Gunn and Safran that such a film did not fit within their new plans. Various rumors about
28272-542: The script in which the Swamp Thing is a cupbearer who offers Jesus water when he calls for it from the cross. The series was handed to Doug Wheeler , who made the cup that the Shining Knight believed to be the Holy Grail to be a cup used in a religious ceremony by a Neanderthal tribe that was about to be wiped out by Cro-Magnons , in the published version of issue #88. Beginning in issue #90, Wheeler reintroduced Matango,
28458-502: The season would be part of the Chapter One slate. DCU television series were initially all intended for the streaming service Max , but in June 2024, WBD shifted many of its planned big-budget Max series to be HBO originals beginning in 2025, including upcoming DCU series. Although it is not an origin story, the film focuses on a young version of Superman as a reporter interacting with key characters such as Lois Lane , as he goes on
28644-411: The sequel Joker: Folie à Deux (2024). James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022 and were set to take over from Hamada on November 1. It was considered a shocking and unprecedented decision to have a high-profile director like Gunn move into a top executive position at a film studio. Gunn was expected to focus on
28830-428: The sequel film The Return of Swamp Thing (1989). Durock reprised the role again in the television series Swamp Thing (1990). The Swamp Thing was played by Derek Mears with Andy Bean playing Alec Holland in the television series Swamp Thing (2019). Another live-action film adaptation, titled Swamp Thing , is in development as an installment of the DC Universe (DCU) media franchise. IGN ranked him 28th in
29016-418: The series True Detective (2014–present). Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof wrote the pilot script and series bible for Lanterns by the end of May 2024. Mundy serves as showrunner for the eight-episode series, which will be released on HBO . In October 2024, Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre were cast to respectively portray Hal Jordan and John Stewart, while James Hawes was hired to direct
29202-498: The shared universe would be labeled "DC Elseworlds". Gunn said the slate combined DC's "diamond characters", such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman , with lesser-known characters who they hoped would become just as popular. He chose not to retell the origin stories of Batman and Superman because "everyone knows them" already, and pushed back against a suggestion that the DCU was focusing on "niche" characters that only interested comic book fans. Gunn said The Flash would "reset"
29388-630: The state of DC Comics film and television adaptations before the DC Universe Batman v Superman did not meet Warner Bros.' box office expectations and received negative responses from fans and critics for its dark tone. Warner Bros. felt they could no longer give Snyder the "long leash" he had on Man of Steel and Batman v Superman , and reorganized future DC projects under the new DC Films division. Executive Jon Berg and comic book writer Geoff Johns were set to run DC Films and wanted to make Justice League more optimistic and hopeful. When
29574-432: The status quo of the series, Morrison sought to shake the book up with a four-part storyline which had the Swamp Thing plunged into a nightmarish dreamworld scenario where he was split into two separate beings: Alec Holland and the Swamp Thing, which was now a mindless being of pure destruction. Millar then took over from Morrison with issue #144, and launched what was initially conceived as an ambitious 25-part storyline where
29760-421: The studio was not satisfied with their efforts, Joss Whedon was hired to write reshoots for the film. Snyder left the film after the death of his daughter in March 2017, and Whedon completed the film with significant changes. Justice League was another critical and commercial disappointment for Warner Bros., and the studio was again rethinking its approach to DC in late 2017. Berg and Johns left DC Films, and
29946-531: The success of Peacemaker . He wrote the seven-episode series without a deal, based on the Creature Commandos team of monsters. After he was hired to lead DC Studios, Gunn greenlighted the project. When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate in January 2023, the first project was Creature Commandos . Warner Bros. Animation co-produced the series, with Dean Lorey as showrunner and Yves "Balak" Bigerel as supervising director . The main cast
30132-538: The superhero supergroups featured at least one (and often the only) female member, much like DC's flagship superhero team the Justice League of America (whose initial roster included Wonder Woman as the token female ); examples include the Fantastic Four 's Invisible Girl , the X-Men 's Jean Grey (originally known as Marvel Girl ), the Avengers ' Wasp , and the Brotherhood of Mutants ' Scarlet Witch (who later joined
30318-410: The term "SUPER HERO" trademark is at risk of becoming generic. Courts have noted that determining whether a term has become generic is a highly factual inquiry not suitable for resolution without considering evidence like dictionary definitions, media usage, and consumer surveys. Trademark owners can take steps to prevent genericide , such as using the trademark with the generic product name, educating
30504-418: The title to British writer Alan Moore . When Karen Berger took over as editor, she gave Moore free rein to revamp the title and the character as he saw fit. Moore reconfigured the Swamp Thing's origin to make him a true monster, as opposed to a human transformed into a monster. In his first issue, he swept aside most of the supporting cast that Pasko had introduced in his year-and-a-half run as writer and brought
30690-421: The two companies also own a variety of other superhero-related marks. For instance, DC owns "Legion of Super-Heroes" and " DC Super Hero Girls " and Marvel owns “Marvel Super Hero Island" and "Marvel Super Hero Adventures." DC and Marvel have garnered a reputation for zealously protecting their superhero marks. As noted above, one of these instances included a man by the name of Graham Jules, who sought to publish
30876-584: The vegetable matter within their given body and can even travel through time. Swamp Thing also possess superhuman strength and other attributes capable of contending with powerful adversaries of great strength including the likes of Captain Atom , Etrigan the Demon , and Superman and also possess regenerative powers. Swamp Thing is susceptible to chemical compounds in which typically prove disastrous to plant-life, making him capable of being poisoned. His powers can be impaired or completely disrupted if his connection to
31062-601: The weakest member of her team a decade ago. Both major American publishers began introducing new superheroines with a more distinct feminist theme as part of their origin stories or character development. Examples include Big Barda , Power Girl , and the Huntress by DC comics; and from Marvel, the second Black Widow , Shanna the She-Devil , and The Cat . Female supporting characters who were successful professionals or hold positions of authority in their own right also debuted in
31248-440: Was Alec Holland, a plant that was trying its level best to be Alec Holland". This is explained as a result of the plant matter of the swamp absorbing Holland's bio-restorative formula, with the Swamp Thing's appearance being the plants' attempt to duplicate Holland's human form. This revelation resulted in the Swamp Thing suffering a temporary mental breakdown and identity crisis, but he eventually re-asserted himself in time to stop
31434-458: Was an industry-wide issue and wanted to focus on getting the screenplays right for each project before putting them into production. He said this happened with The Suicide Squad and that film did not require any reshoots unlike other DCEU projects. Contrasting the DCU with the MCU, Gunn said the former was set in a "fictional universe" with an alternate history and locations such as Metropolis , Gotham City , Themyscira , and Atlantis , while
31620-479: Was cancelled with issue #24 and a blurb for a 25th issue containing an upcoming encounter with Hawkman led nowhere. Alec Holland's transformation back into the Swamp Thing was covered in Challengers of the Unknown #81-87, within which the Swamp Thing is enlisted by the titular team to fight the Lovecraftian cosmic threat M'nagalah, whom the Swamp Thing had encountered during Wein's run. In 1982, DC Comics revived
31806-418: Was cast as Lobo he would not portray Aquaman in the DCU as well. Gunn added that the then-upcoming DCEU film Blue Beetle (2023) was disconnected from previous DCEU entries and could connect to the DCU, which was reiterated by the film's director Angel Manuel Soto , who said it was part of future DCU plans. Gunn and Safran soon clarified that Xolo Maridueña 's Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle would continue in
31992-459: Was chronologically 11–12, the series had Tefé aged into the body of an 18-year-old with a mindwipe orchestrated by the Swamp Thing. Constantine and Abby try to control her darker impulses, brought about by her exposure to the Parliament of Trees. Due to the circumstances under which she was conceived, the Swamp Thing, possessing John Constantine , was not aware that he was given a blood transfusion by
32178-572: Was confirmed in April, including Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. and Indira Varma as the Bride, who Gunn said was the main protagonist. Voice recording began by May 2023 and was completed by that August. The series is scheduled to be released from December 5, 2024, to January 9, 2025, as an "aperitif" for the DCU before Superman . Sean Gunn reprises his role as Weasel from the The Suicide Squad , while Viola Davis and Steve Agee reprise their respective roles as Waller and John Economos from both
32364-420: Was confirmed to not be reprising his DCEU Batman role moving forward. Gunn and Safran had discussions with Cavill and Affleck about returning to the DCU to respectively portray a new character and direct a project; Affleck later said he was not interested in directing a DCU project. In January 2023, the DCU was reported to be a "broad but not blanket reset" of the DCEU. On January 31, Gunn and Safran unveiled
32550-472: Was confronted by Alex Olsen, now a risen humanoid pile of vegetable matter. Olsen killed Ridge but Linda did not recognize him and ran away, leaving Olsen to wander the swamps alone as a monster. The latest version of the character and protagonist of The Swamp Thing 2021 limited comic book series. Created by Ram V and Mike Perkins, the character first debuted in Infinite Frontier #0 (May 2021) as part of
32736-424: Was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes and it is now set to be released after the second season of Peacemaker . Additional Peacemaker cast members reprise their roles in the series, including Steve Agee as John Economos. This series is a political drama about the scheming and power struggles on the all-female island of Themyscira before the birth of Wonder Woman. In December 2022, Patty Jenkins
32922-471: Was expected to restructure DC Entertainment so the film, television, and video game divisions of the company could be aligned. Even before the merger was complete, Zaslav began meeting with candidates to take over DC—including film executive Emma Watts—with the hope of finding an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige . Despite some recent successes with DC films and series, Zaslav and WBD felt DC lacked
33108-405: Was his next project after Superman . Gunn was writing the season by that October, when he confirmed that it would take place in the DCU continuity. In March 2024, Gunn revealed that Waller had been delayed and the second season of Peacemaker would be produced first. Filming was set to begin later in 2024, simultaneously with Superman . This meant Gunn would no longer be able to direct all of
33294-598: Was in All Star Comics #8 (Dec. 1941), published by All-American Publications , one of two companies that would merge to form DC Comics in 1944. Pérák was an urban legend originating from the city of Prague during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in the midst of World War II . In the decades following the war, Pérák has also been portrayed as the only Czech superhero in film and comics. In 1952, Osamu Tezuka 's manga Tetsuwan Atom , more popularly known in
33480-643: Was not expected to start work on it until he had completed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (2024). Mangold's involvement was confirmed that April when he had begun writing. He was simultaneously working on a planned Star Wars film and was unsure which project would move forward first. Gunn described Swamp Thing as a passion project for Mangold. Despite being tonally darker than other DCU projects, Gunn and Safran intend for Swamp Thing to be interconnected with
33666-450: Was producing. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan were cast as Superman and Lois Lane in June. The title was shortened to just Superman by the end of February 2024, when filming began at Trilith Studios in Atlanta , Georgia. Filming wrapped on July 30. Gunn and Safran consider the film to be the true beginning of the DCU. Superman will be released on July 11, 2025. Superman
33852-414: Was revealed to be in development with Warner Bros. Animation for the DCU. It was expected to build off the DCEU film Blue Beetle but tell its own story, and had the potential to lead to that film's star Xolo Maridueña starring in a DCU film if successful. Miguel Puga had been working on the series since early 2024 and was expected to serve as showrunner and director. Cristian Martinez was set as writer, with
34038-491: Was revealed to be writing the screenplay, and Milly Alcock was cast as Supergirl in January 2024, to debut in another DCU project, reportedly Superman (2025). Craig Gillespie entered talks to direct the film in April 2024, and was confirmed as director the next month. Filming is scheduled to begin in January 2025 in the United Kingdom. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be released on June 26, 2026. Gunn described
34224-443: Was revealed to no longer be developing a sequel to Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 after being told by Gunn and Safran that such a film did not fit within their new plans. When Gunn and Safran unveiled their initial DCU slate a month later, they included Paradise Lost , which they compared to Game of Thrones . The title is similar to " Paradise Island Lost ", a 2001 comic book story arc by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez about
34410-404: Was unexpected as Marvel and DC had filed a motion to extend time to answer. There is an ongoing debate among legal scholars and in the courts about whether the term "superhero" has become genericized due to its widespread use in popular culture, similar to terms like "aspirin" or "escalator" which lost their trademark protection and became generic terms for their respective products. Some argue
34596-467: Was unwilling to defend itself against Ben Cooper Inc.'s suit. As a result, in 1977, Mego Corporation jointly assigned its interest in the trademark to DC Comics , Inc. ("DC") and Marvel Comics ("Marvel"). Due to the financial prowess of DC and Marvel, Ben Cooper, Inc. decided to withdraw its trademark opposition and jointly assigned its interest in the "World's Greatest Super Heroes" mark to DC and Marvel. Two years later in 1979, DC and Marvel applied for
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