Many comic book characters will enter the public domain in the coming decades. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman will enter the public domain in the mid and late 2030s. Superman would enter the public domain on Jan. 1, 2034. Batman on Jan. 1, 2035. Wonder Woman on Jan. 1, 2037. However, you don’t necessarily have to wait for that. Some of the best public domain heroes and analogues at Marvel and DC exist.
Thor, Ares, and Dracula are public domain characters. Hawkeye and Green Arrow are analogues of Robin Hood, a public domain character. There is one character on this list that is paradoxically public domain and technically still not public domain, and you should not use it.
Here are the 10 best public domain heroes and various analogues at Marvel and DC.
1. Thor
Thor is a god of Norse mythology and ancient Germanic paganism. Ancient humans were worshipping Thor as a god over 2,000 years ago. The word and day “Thursday” is an homage to the God of Thunder. Thor is one of the best public domain heroes because anyone can use the character.
You can make your own Thor comic book. The problem is that you cannot use the Marvel Comics or MCU IP version of Thor. As long as you do not use the Marvel trademark and copyright version of Thor, you have the legal right to create your own original version of this public domain character.
Thor by Straczynski & Gillen Omnibus is 1,086-pages. It collects the Straczynski and Gillen runs of Thor from 2007 to 2011, along with numerous tie-in issues. Thor has been resurrected after Ragnarok and is now living in Broxton, Oklahoma. Portions of this story were the inspiration for the third act in 2011’s Thor.
Buy it on Kindle now for only $39.99. You can also purchase the hardcover on Amazon for $125.
2. Frankenstein’s Monster
Frankenstein’s Monster is a character from the 1818 Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The 8-foot-tall monster in the story has no name; it is a reanimated being composed of assorted human body parts. He is Frankenstein’s monster since Victor Frankenstein brought him to life.
You can make your own Frankenstein film, comic, or novel. This character is one of the most readily accessible public domain heroes out there. Frankenstein’s Monster appeared in Marvel and DC Comics often. Frankenstein’s Monster was recently in the DCU animation feature Creature Commandos.
3. Hawkeye
Hawkeye is an original Marvel Comics character. The character made his debut in Tales of Suspense #57 in 1964. No, Hawkeye is not one of the best public domain heroes, but he is definitely an analog of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is one of the best public domain heroes you can freely use.
The character grew to prominence in comics in the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of the West Coast Avengers. Actor Jeremy Renner made the character a household name with his portrayal in the MCU. Hailee Steinfeld is now the legacy Hawkeye in the MCU, but her reappearance as the character is now in question.
4. Green Arrow
Green Arrow is an original DC Comics character who is also an analog of one of the best public domain heroes, Robin Hood. The character made his debut in More Fun Comics # 73 in 1941. So, technically, Hawkeye is the ripoff of Green Arrow, who is a ripoff of Robin Hood. Actor Stephen Amell would play the character for seven seasons on the CW show Arrow.
5. Hercules
Our modern folkloric perception of Hercules is actually the Roman interpretation of the ancient Greek demigod. The legend of Hercules in the original Greek mythology probably goes back over 2,700 years. Hercules made his first Silver Age appearance as a Marvel superhero in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 in 1965.
From the 1960s to the 2000s, Hercules and Thor had fights and grudge matches in the comics. Actor Brett Goldstein would portray the character for several seconds in a post-credit scene in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Hercules is one of the best public domain heroes because you are free to use him. Still, just be aware of existing copyrights for other versions.
6. Ares
Ares is the god of courage and war in ancient Greek mythology. Like Hercules, ancient humans began mythologizing Ares over 2,700 years. Ares is a public domain character anyone can use. The character is a major DC Comics bad guy and was the main villain in 2017’s Wonder Woman film.
7. Loki
Loki is a 1,000-year old figure in Norse mythology. Unlike Thor, there is no evidence that ancient humans actually worshipped Loki. However, Loki is now one of the most popular public domain characters in the world. Most modern fans of the character are now familiar with the Marvel Comics and MCU version of the character.
You can make your own novels, video games, films, or media featuring Loki. You just have to make your own version of the character. The Silver Age comic book version of Loki, the quarrelsome and scheming half-brother of Thor, made his debut in Journey into Mystery #85 in 1962. Tom Hiddleston made the character a modern household name with his MCU portrayal of Loki.
8. Dracula
The character Dracula made his debut in the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker. The character is in the public domain. Comic book publishers have been using the character for decades. Dracula is still a prominent character in Marvel Comics today as a foil for Blade.
Blade made his debut in The Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973. Dracula was a major horror comic character for Marvel in the 1970s.
9. Morgan Le Fay
Morgan Le Fay is a public domain character that is mostly associated with the legend of King Arthur. The character is about 1,000 years old and may have origins in Welsh mythology. Morgan Le Fay was later incorporated into Arthurian legend as a fairy, Arthur’s half-sister, or nemesis, depending on the tale.
The character is a major Marvel Comics supervillain. She made her debut in Black Knight #1 in 1955. Morgan Le Fay was originally a major Avengers and Iron Man villain. She was once a lover of Dr. Doom. Like the other characters of King Arthur, Camelot, and Arthurian legends, Morgan Le Fay is a public domain character you can use.
Actress Jessica Walter portrayed Morgan Le Fay in the CBS TV movie Dr. Strange, starring Peter Hooten as Dr. Strange, in 1978.
10. Plastic Man
Plastic Man is NOT in the public domain. The character is the legal IP of DC Comics and its parent company – let’s be 100% clear on that part. You cannot use Plastic Man for your own creations. Now that those caveats are out of the way, the truth is that a version of Plastic Man that is technically in the public domain.
Plastic Man made his Golden Age debut in 1941’s Police Comics #1. Plastic Man’s first appearance by publisher Quality Comics may technically be in the public domain. However, DC Comics bought the full rights to Plastic Man and other Quality Comics characters in 1956 when Quality Comics went out of business.
There may paradoxically be a version of Quality Comics #1 Plastic Man in the public domain. Still, don’t take the legal chances of trying to find out.
Best Public Domain Heroes
Copyright law has a lot of legal complications. There is a 1954 Roger Corman film, The Fast and the Furious, that is in the public domain. It is about an innocent man who kidnaps a woman and enters a race to prove his innocence. However, the multi-billion-dollar Universal Pictures franchise now owns the title and copyright to the franchise.
Even though you should be technically able to make your own The Fast and the Furious public domain IP, you may also be technically violating Universal Pictures’ copyright. The point is that you should probably consult a lawyer before you try to create new characters from public domain IP.
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