1940 is a year of massive expansion. For National Allied/DC, new heroes like Spectre and Doctor Fate arrive in More Fun Comics (Volume 1). Batman is expanded as well: Detective Comics #38 features Robin and Batman #1 introduces long time villains like Joker and Catwoman. All-American Comics debuts new titles with Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman (and the Justice Society of America).
Meanwhile in Minnesota, the death of magazine publisher Wilford "Captain Billy" Fawcett leads to his sons to expand their magazine empire with their own superhero: Captain Marvel, and a line of comics under the banner Fawcett Comics.
Creators
The following creative talent are known to have been born in 1940:
- Alex Niño
- Chuck Menville
- Ernie Chan
- George Romero
- Jim Baikie
- John Ridgway
- Nestor Malgapo
- Richard Corben
- Roy Thomas
- Stuart Margolin
- Winrich Kolbe
The following creative talent passed away in the year 1940:
Titles
The following comic titles debuted with a 1940 cover date:
- All-Star Comics (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 1)
- Big 3 (Volume 1)
- Crack Comics (Volume 1)
- Flash Comics (Volume 1)
- Hit Comics (Volume 1)
- Master Comics (Volume 1)
- National Comics (Volume 1)
- Nickel Comics (Volume 1)
- Slam-Bang Comics (Volume 1)
- Spirit Newspaper Strip (Volume 1)
- Whiz Comics (Volume 1)
- Wow Comics (Volume 1)
The following Comic titles were last published with a 1940 cover date:
The following One Shots were published with a 1940 cover date:
Characters
Selected 1940 character debuts. See all.
- Aztar (New Earth)
- Joker (Earth-Two)
- Kent Nelson (New Earth)
- James Corrigan (New Earth)
- Alan Scott (New Earth)
- Carter Hall (New Earth)
- Richard Grayson (Earth-Two)
- Thaddeus Sivana (Earth-S)
- Jason Garrick (New Earth)
- Selina Kyle (Earth-Two)
- Billy Batson (Earth-S)
- Albert Pratt (New Earth)
- John Thunder (New Earth)
- Basil Karlo (New Earth)
- Inza Cramer (New Earth)
- Santa Claus
- Alexei Luthor (Earth-Two)
- Rex Tyler (New Earth)
- William Glenmorgan (New Earth)
- Wotan (New Earth)
- Zoro (Earth-S)
- Delores Winters (New Earth)
- El Carim (Earth-S)
- Shazam (Earth-S)
- Jon Valor (New Earth)
- James Barr (Earth-S)
- Yz (New Earth)
- Alan Armstrong (Earth-S)
- Shiera Sanders (New Earth)
- Anthony Zucco (New Earth)
- Green Dragon (Earth-Two)
- Susan Kent (Earth-S)
- Barry Moore (Quality Universe)
- Atom Blake (Earth-S)
- Hugo Strange (Earth-Two)
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Quality Universe)
- Cyclone (Quality Universe)
- Clarice Winston (New Earth)
- Sally O'Neil (Quality Universe)
- Dian Belmont (New Earth)
- Amentep (Earth-S)
- Alexander the Great (Earth-Two)
- Joe Hercules (Quality Universe)
- King Standish (New Earth)
- Roger Parsons (Earth-S)
- Professor Rosencrantz (Earth-Two)
- Brian Butler (Earth-S)
- Buddy Smith (Quality Universe)
- Prop Powers (Quality Universe)
- Rodney Gaynor (New Earth)
Teams
Selected 1940 team debuts. See all.
