10 Superheroes You Totally Forgot Were Rip-Offs

6. Black Cat And Catwoman - Who Ripped-Off Who?

Doom Patrol Xmen
Marvel/DC

Black Cat is Catwoman. There's really no other way to disguise it. Both are cat-themed cat burglars who use claws, whips, and wit to steal their scores and have an on-again-off-again romance with the primary hero that tries to stop them. They even have both had their dalliances with the side of good.

But what's perhaps the most strange element of this rip-off is that it's unclear who really ripped off who. Before Black Cat came along, Catwoman was almost completely different from the persona comic readers today might identify her by. She was a sophisticated kleptomaniac who enjoyed playing with her food and clashing with Batman even more than Joker did. Even her appearance was different, wearing her hair out and a high-slitted purple dress with a flashy green cape as opposed to her more stealthy, modern cat burglar uniform. She even had a menagerie of trained panthers, lions, and tigers to use in her heists.

So while Black Cat stole her hero-villain dynamic, cat themed crimes, and weapons of choice, Catwoman turned it around and copied Black Cat's skin-tight outfit and her more solitary, loner personality. While both have evolved from these points, it is now more clear than ever that they are ostensibly the exact same character. It's possible the only reason neither company has been moved to legal action is because they're unsure who ripped off who more.

Contributor

A writer, blogger, comedian, and actor in New York City, Mason relishes any opportunity to discuss his favorite topics. He has many strong opinions on all facets of media and pop culture.