Marvel has been producing comic books for much longer than most people imagine. Although it began operating under that name in 1961, its founders had been making comic books since 1939 under the name “Timely Comics.” Yes, some of the brand’s most memorable superheroes were created before it existed! Nowadays, you have to live under a rock not to know who Black Widow or Iron Man is, but that wasn’t always the case. We did some research and found that some of the people’s favorite Avengers were much older than expected.
Namor, The Submariner
Tenoch Huerta, who played Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, made history in 2022 by becoming the first Mexican Marvel superhero. Most people had never heard of the character until then, but he is far more ancient than he seems.
Only the most die-hard fans would know that he was featured in the first issue of Marvel Comics, released in 1941. However, his creator, Bill Everett, drew him in 1939 for a comic that was meant to be the prize for a giveaway that never happened.
