8 DC Characters Shamelessly Ripped-Off From Marvel

3. Aquaman Arrived After Namor, But Is Still More Popular

Although people might like to think that Aquaman was the first aquatic superhero out there, he's not all that original, really. In actual fact, it was Marvel's speedo-wearing Atlantean, Namor, who first kicked off the water-based super heroics in 1939.

A wartime compatriot of Captain America and the original Human Torch, Namor first appeared in the pages of Motion Picture Funnies, going on to command a presence in Marvel's wartime books and then as a key figure within the mutants when the X-Men began to peak in popularity. He's a pivotal character in the Marvel Universe, but one that was somewhat beaten to the punch when it came to reaching the public by his DC counterpart, who arrived with a green and gold hue in 1941.

King Arthur Curry has subsequently gone on to become one of the most famous (and infamous) comic book characters of all time, relentlessly mocked for his powers as much as he is for his ever changing design. That's a little unfair, especially since the character has benefitted from renewed attention from writers these last few decades, but there's no denying that he's emerged for the better because of his cult status.

Namor, on the other hand, is yet to get any sort of mainstream recognition, while Aquaman is gearing up for a second live action appearance with his own solo film. Tough luck, Sub-Mariner.