Are Marvel a Bunch RIP-OFFS????

[Hmarrs]

Somthing I have always wondered and seen for years.I thought it would make an interesting Topic.Now I love Marvel as much as the next guy but:Are marvel Comics a bunch of Rip-offs?

Archie Comics The Comet 1938

Marvel Comics Cyclops 1963

Right down to the Eye beams.

Archie Pep Comics The Shield 1938

Marvel Comic Captain America 1941

Which is the reason Captaim America had to change
the shield from a direct Court order From Archie Comics Representatives.
Not to mention the Marvel Agency called.S.H.E.I.L.D.

 

[Hmarrs]

Startling Comics Fighting Yank 1941


Marvel Comics Spirit of 76' 1977

Liv Gleason Publication depictes Daredevil 1941

At the bottom of the page to the right you see what appears to be a:
Marvel Comics Skrull 1962

The Liv Gleason Daredevil character bares a resemblance to this guy.
Marvel Comics 3d man 1977

Well lets look at this 1941 Daredevil in his two toned outfit:
Here he is a again in a yellow two toned outfit:
Well lets look at this 1941 Daredevil in his two toned outfit:
Here he is a again in a yellow two toned outfit:

Hmmmmm....
The original Daredevil throws Boomerangs Marvel
Daredevil wore a two toned yellow and red and
fights a guy who throw's boomerangs.Hmmm....

 

[Hmarrs]

Okay,okay I know your still not convinced so how about this one:
Fox comics Thor 1940

Yeah I bet he does.Now I know Thor is a general public Copyright character but c'mon.
Marvel Comics Thor 1962 right down to the pose.

Right down to the T.Literally look at the belt.

Not convinced?Look at this outfit and color compared to the Fox Thor.

Sad,sad I tell you.
I hope this Thread don't get closed because this is a very interesting topic.

Comments anyone???

 

[Anubis]

Eh.

 

[Hmarrs]

Oh my am I the only Comic historian.
C'mon people lets talk.

 

[TimBisley]

There was a lot of that going on back then. Especially when an artist would do one title, and later on work on another. They lifted a lot of their own panels, character designs, etc. For example, with Steve Ditko, you see prototype characters for Peter, Osborn, May and Ben in his earlier work. Superman and Batman ripoffs were pretty prevalent. I'm not too surprised to see this. The Skrull one is interesting.

Batman and Robin rip off, Mr. Scarlet and Pinky

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

If you read Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades, they have a section in the early chapters that especially highlights the palette swapping of characters created that only lasted an issue, then launched a whole new series.

 

[Hmarrs]

There was a lot of that going on back then. Especially when an artist would do one title, and later on work on another. They lifted a lot of their own panels, character designs, etc. For example, with Steve Ditko, you see prototype characters for Peter, Osborn, May and Ben in his earlier work. Superman and Batman ripoffs were pretty prevalent. I'm not too surprised to see this. The Skrull one is interesting.

Batman and Robin rip off, Mr. Scarlet and Pinky

Good to know.See thats what I'm talking about.I feel like were talking like Comic Book historians and it lends itself to intellectual conversation.
Not random stuff we talk about.It helps us to feed off of each other.This type of conversation broadens our spectrum.It also gives us history and backstory to our beloved characters.For instance I always looked at the Creeper and Kraven the Hunter and the similarities in their costume (The Bushy fur hanging off of the shoulders)and wondered who copied who but in that case it was Ditko who created both of them.
Kraven in 1964

The Creeper in 1968

 

[spideyboy_1111]

Okay,okay I know your still not convinced so how about this one:
Fox comics Thor 1940

Yeah I bet he does.Now I know Thor is a general public Copyright character but c'mon.
Marvel Comics Thor 1962 right down to the pose.

Right down to the T.Literally look at the belt.

Not convinced?Look at this outfit and color compared to the Fox Thor.

Sad,sad I tell you.
I hope this Thread don't get closed because this is a very interesting topic.

Comments anyone???

Thor doesn't count considering he's a god. and if im not mistaken the belt emblem is one of the symbols that represent thor in mythology.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

i also think some of your similarities are also just coincidences... but others not. I think you will find this in almost any media. Not just comics, and not just marvel

 

[TimBisley]

Here's a good website, it has a nice page dedicated to "Which Came First?". Interesting stuff, and it shows that the ripping off went both ways, not just with Marvel. If you're interested in comic book history I think this is a good site to look through.

Whoops...my bad

http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/comic_coverage/which-came-first/

 

[spideyboy_1111]

you forgot the link....

 

[SuperFerret]

So? Marvel clearly was more successful with these characters, and probably did them better.

 

[Anubis]

Also, both sides stole heavily. Namor Predates Aquaman, but Aquaman is far more popular. They don't even bother to make fun of Namor.

 

[TimBisley]

I think its because Namor was never in a cartoon where his basic superpower was portrayed as talking to sea creatures.

 

[Anubis]

True.

 

[Hmarrs]

Thor doesn't count considering he's a god. and if im not mistaken the belt emblem is one of the symbols that represent thor in mythology.

Thor does count because my point is the representations of the chracters are almost identical.
These Thor's don't count.

 

[.Rorschach.]

love this thread!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Thor does count because my point is the representations of the chracters are almost identical.

I don't particularly see how they're "identical." They're guys wielding a hammer--pretty common to all portrayals of Thor. They're both blonde, which some very old art portrays Thor as being, so that's not particularly unique. They're both wearing a T on their belt, which, given that both are named "Thor," isn't too creative or out of the ordinary.

Did that earlier version have a human counterpart? Was he imbued with far more noble, heroic qualities than the mythological version? Did he obtain them from banishment due to his arrogance? The actual content of the portrayals could be as different as night and day. A couple of minor visual similarities do not a rip-off make.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I don't particularly see how they're "identical." They're guys wielding a hammer--pretty common to all portrayals of Thor. They're both blonde, which some very old art portrays Thor as being, so that's not particularly unique. They're both wearing a T on their belt, which, given that both are named "Thor," isn't too creative or out of the ordinary.

Did that earlier version have a human counterpart? Was he imbued with far more noble, heroic qualities than the mythological version? Did he obtain them from banishment due to his arrogance? The actual content of the portrayals could be as different as night and day. A couple of minor visual similarities do not a rip-off make.

Did he have a magical chariot pulled by magical regenerating goats that Thor can eat at anytime?

 

[spideyboy_1111]

just in case anyone was wondering... this is the hammer symbol of thor in norse mythology... the same one present on the belts... so yeah... not a rip off.

http://www.taexalia.com/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/thor hammer pendant.png

 

[GyLocke]

This justifies downloading Marvel comics!

 

[Drz]

So? Marvel clearly was more successful with these characters, and probably did them better.

This.

Batman started out as a Shadow ripoff, but thanks to no-killing code and a certain Boy Wonder. Batman became popular while alot of 30s pulp characters we're forgotten.

 

[Oddzball]

The Western Ghost Rider was the most blatant theft Marvel did. Ghost Rider, Originally a feature in a comic by Magazine Enterprises. (1949) The series went a few years, dying in the mid fities and Magazine Enerprises itself went under in 1958.

Roy Thomas got the original artist (Dick Ayers) for the new series in 1967.

Magazine Enterprises had The "Calico Kid' was the first Rider, later revealed to be Marshall Rex Fury in an undercover guise and a super heroic motif at night.

Marvel had Carter Slade and after he was killed, a couple of brothers, the latter of whom became the man wh ra;ped and was murdered by the Avenger aMockingbird.

The original company was gone and images and other trademarks had lapsed and were Marvel's for the taking.

For a number of reasons, Marvel opted to separate their character frrom the name Ghost Rider. They called him Night Rider till shapr eyed and better clued in readers explained that "Night Riders" was a term the Kan used for their members, and more recently they're trying Phantom Rider. Will this name stick? Time will tell.

 

[Oddzball]

So? Marvel clearly was more successful with these characters, and probably did them better.

I take it you've never read the Lev Gleason Daredevil tales. The economics of post war America devastated a lot of comic publishers. Quality or 'better management' had little to do with it.