What fans believe of as Marvel Comics might have officially began in 1961, but the business extends all the way back to the Golden Age of comics. The publication of Marvel Comics #1 featured the very first appearances of characters as varied as Namor, the Angel and the Human Torch, though some have been pretty diverse than the characters modern day fans are familiar with…

Known as Timely Comics in the course of the Golden Age, the business published a quantity of superhero characters to capitalize off the monumental accomplishment of Superman. Many of these heroes would return when the “Marvel Age” began up in the 1960’s – most notably Captain America, who was retconned as becoming frozen in the Arctic in the closing days of WWII. Yet lots of other characters also date back to the Golden Age, even if all they share with their modern day-day counterparts is small far more than a name. Never letting even the most obscure piece of I.P. go to waste, right here are nine characters who began out in the Golden Age and later had their names repurposed for new Marvel heroes and villains:

9 Ka-Zar

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 (1939)Silver Age Appearance: X-Men #10 (1965)

Ka-Zar predates even his comic book appearances, as the character began out in pulp magazines place out by Marvel publisher Martin Goodman. Originally small far more than a Tarzan rip-off, Ka-Zar produced his comics debut in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1, in which artist Ben Thompson adapted the Ka-Zar pulp story ‘King of Fang and Claw.” The name was later repurposed by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the sixties in X-Men #10, exactly where he was rebooted into Kevin Plunder, the son of an English lord who was stranded in the Savage Land. Along with his companion Shanna the She-Devil and his pet sabretooth tiger Zabu, Ka-Zar remains a significant Marvel character to this day.

8 Ghost Rider/Blazing Skull

Golden Age Appearance: Ghost Rider: Tim Holt #11 (1949)/Blazing Skull: Mystic Comics #5 (1941)Silver Age Appearance: Ghost Rider #1 (1967)Bronze Age Appearance: Marvel Spotlight #5 (1972)

Ghost Rider has very a difficult history, 1 that extends even beyond comics published by Marvel/Timely. The very first Ghost Rider was a western hero who was designed by Ray Krank and Dick Ayers and very first appeared in 1949’s Tim Holt #11. Marvel would use the name for a new western hero in 1967’s Ghost Rider #1, with original artist Dick Ayers joining writers Roy Thomas and Gary Freidrich. Thomas &amp Freidrich would once again revive the name for the most well-known iteration in 1972’s Marvel Spotlight #5, exactly where they have been joined by artist Mike Ploog. To additional muddy the waters, Johnny Blaze appears to be inspired by the golden age hero Blazing Skull, who was the very first hero with a flaming skull head.

7 Marvel Boy

Golden Age Appearance: Martin Burns: Daring Mystery Comics #6 (1940)/Robert Grayson: Marvel Boy #1 (1950)Modern Age Appearance: Marvel Boy #1 (2000)

Several characters have taken the name Marvel Boy all through the years, with the very first designed by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1940. The alter ego of Martin Burns, this Marvel Boy drew his energy from the mythical Hercules, and quite significantly disappeared following two appearances. In 1950, Stan Lee and Russ Heath introduced a new version of Marvel Boy, this 1 the alter ego of Robert Grayson. While other Marvel Boys appeared sporadically thereafter, the most radical reinterpretation came with the young Kree warrior Noh-Varr. Created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones in Marvel Boy #1, Noh-Varr decided to wage war on Earth following his Kree ship was brought down by the super-villain Doctor Midas.

6 Miss America/America Chavez

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics #49 (1943)Modern Age Appearance: Vengeance #1 (2011)

The very first Miss America was designed by Supergirl co-creator Otto Binder and Al Gabreile, producing her debut in 1943. The alter ego of Madeline Joyce, Miss America gained her powers following becoming exposed to an unnamed experimental device, which gave her enhanced strength, durability and he capacity to levitate due to psionic powers. After the Golden Age Miss America, the most prominent hero to assume her mantle was America Chavez, designed by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta. The new Miss America hails from alternate dimension identified as the Utopian Parallel, and is 1 of the most effective heroes in the Marvel canon following traveling to the 616 universe and operating covertly as a super-hero following losing her mothers.

5 Electro

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics #4 (1939)Silver Age Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #9 (1964)

While most fans know the Spider-Man villain Electro, lots of are in all probability unaware of the Golden Age robot who shares his name. Created by Steve Dahlman, Electro was the invention of Professor Philo Zog, a super-robot who routinely fought crime in the Golden Age of comics. When coming up for Spider-Man villains to fight, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko took the name and repurposed it for Max Dillon’s alter ego. The original Electro hasn’t been entirely forgotten, as he later had a starring part in The Twelve maxi-series in the late 2000’s.

4 The Angel

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 (1939)Silver Age Appearance: X-Men #1 (1963)

The original Angel is 1 of Marvel’s pretty very first heroes, appearing in Marvel Comics #1 alongside Namor and the Human Torch. Created by artist Paul Gustavson and an unnamed writer, the Golden Age Angel was in fact former surgeon Thomas Halloway. After his mother died in childbirth, Halloway was raised in a prison, exactly where he discovered many disciplines that he would make use of as a costumed detective. The name was resurrected by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Warren Worthington, III as the X-Men’s winged warrior. Interestingly sufficient, just before he was recruited by Professor X, Worthington operated as an independent superhero the Avenging Angel.

3 The Vision

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics #13 (1940)Silver Age Appearance: Avengers #57 (1968)

The original Vision is very diverse from the latter day version most fans are familiar with. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the original Vision was an further-dimensional becoming named Arkus. Hailing from a location known as Smokeworld, Aarkus was a law enforcement officer who finds himself on Earth in the course of the 1940’s. Roy Thomas and John Buscema took the original name and repurposed it for an completely new character, the android superhero designed by Ultron to infiltrate the Avengers. The Vision of course resisted his programming, becoming 1 of the most valued and trusted heroes in the complete Marvel Universe.

2 The Human Torch

Golden Age Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 (1939)Silver Age Appearance: Fantastic Four #1 (1961)

By virtue of appearing on the cover of Marvel Comics #1, the Human Torch could pretty nicely be labeled as the pretty very first Marvel superhero. The android creation of Phineas Horton, the original Human Torch was designed by writer-artist Carl Burgos, and swiftly became 1 of Timely Comics’ most well-known characters, alongside Captain America and Namor. Although the original disappeared following the waning reputation of superheroes following WWII, the name was brought back as the superhero codename of Johnny Storm when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby officially began the Marvel Age with the publication of Fantastic Four #1.

1 Black Widow

Golden Age Appearance: Mystic Comics #4 (1940)Silver Age Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (1964)

Black Widow might be the ultimate superspy in present-day continuity, but the original Black Widow operated with an completely diverse energy-set. Created by George Kapitan and Harry Sahle, Claire Voyant was a spirit medium who became possessed by Satan. After becoming killed, Voyant became a servant of the Devil, donning the costume of the Black Widow to bring her new master fresh souls of criminals and other evil-doers. While she wasn’t a servant of Satan, Natasha Romanova did get started out as an Iron Man villain designed by Stan Lee, Don Rico and Don Heck.

Although she initially didn’t have a costume, Romanova sooner or later reformed and joined the Avengers as a hero, donning a blue costume with a cape and outlandish mask. Artist John Romita, Sr. later refined this style into the black suit she wears to this day, adding her wrist gauntlets that fired anything from tasers to grappling lines. Black Widow is 1 of the top rated characters at Marvel Comics to this day, proving that any hero from the previous can be reinterpreted in new and fascinating approaches.