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Can we say that Superman was the first superhero. The Phantom can be just considered a fictional "hero" not "superhero" same can be said who appeared before Superman. Support if you agree with me oppose if you disagree. Vote now! Kazama16 (talk) 22:13, 21 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I provided source for saying "Superman was the first superhero with superpowers" so this part of sentence shouldn't even be a problem. Kazama16 (talk) 07:27, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Also The Phantom wasn't the first superhero that was important or popular worldwide. Superman was the first superhero to get mainstream recognition so saying "Superman was the first "major" superhero" can't be considered wrong. Kazama16 (talk) 07:33, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Simply having a source doesn't make statement gold because if I search long enough I will eventually find another source that contradicts yours or has more nuance. Mandrake the Magician and Ogon Bat have superpowers and if they had been released after Superman, they would certainly have been labelled superheroes. Kurzon (talk) 07:48, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Okay find a better source than Guinness book of world records that says Ogon Bat and Mandrake the Magician were the first superheroes that have superpowers. Kazama16 (talk) 09:55, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Kurzon and I'm not saying that Superman was the first superhero, I'm using the word "major". Just saying that he can be considered the first "major" superhero ever created. Kazama16 (talk) 09:58, 24 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
@Kazama16 "Major" needs to be defined then. If we take the meaning of "significant" or "important", arguably Doc Savage fits the bill being seemingly the inspiration for many of the characteristics Superman is known for (the article did mention the creators were heavily inspired by prevailing pulp magazines). Doc Savage's real name is Clark Savage Jr., his nickname is the Man of Bronze and he was originally billed as “Superman", and even has a secret base -- which is located in the far-off Arctic -- known as the Fortress of Solitude. IMHO to make the lede more accurate, Superman should actually be credited as the first COMIC BOOK superhero with superpowers. Doc Savage actually preceded Superman, debuting originally in its own Doc Savage Magazine in 1933, then a 1934 radio teleseries in 1934, and only appeared in comic form in 1940. And then there's the obscure Hugo Hercules, an actual comicstrip hero with superstrength from the 1920s....----Zhanzhao (talk) 11:50, 25 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Doesn't matter if Doc Savage preceded Superman or not because Doc Savage is not considered a superhero. Hugo Hercules's superstrength is not really same as superpowers. Many examples of superpowers are Telekinesis, Teleportation, X-ray vision, Phasing, Telepathy, Atmokinesis, Shapeshifting and many other so just having superstrength is like simply having strength so it shouldn't even be considered a superpower and even a common man have strength it means that he has superpowers? Absolutely not. I have a very reliable source (Guinness world records) that says Superman was the first superhero with superpowers here's the source [1] .Find a better source than Guinness world records that says Hugo Hercules was the first superhero with superpowers. Kazama16 (talk) 14:44, 25 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Hugo Hercules's strength feats include lifting a car with a man over his head. IF that isn't considered a super-power.... But digress. I just want to point out that its better to qualify the statement of Superman being the first superhero with superpowers being one made by many even specifically mentionining the Guiness Book link, but it's not an all-encompassing statement. I.e.Ogon Bat was mentioned above, one of the link say he is the first superhero as well. The definition of "Superhero" doesn't seem to be very clearly defined too. ----Zhanzhao (talk) 06:39, 26 September 2023 (UTC)[reply]