who was the first superhero

Quick Scoop

There isn’t one universally agreed “first superhero.” If you mean the earliest comic-book-like superhero, many historians point to Hugo Hercules from 1902 as the first such character, while others argue Superman was the first true superhero because he defined the modern genre.

Why it’s debated

• Hugo Hercules had super strength and used it to help people, which makes him an early superhero candidate.

• Superman later became the template for the superhero genre and the character most people associate with the idea today.

• Some fans and writers also point to earlier mythic or pulp-style heroes, but those are usually treated as proto-superheroes , not the first modern superhero.

Best simple answer

If you want the earliest known comic superhero , say Hugo Hercules.

If you want the first modern superhero as most people understand the term , say Superman.

TL;DR: The answer depends on your definition, but the safest short answer is Hugo Hercules first, Superman as the first iconic modern superhero.