Black superheroes have made a significant impact on the comic book industry and popular culture. Historically sidelined or depicted through stereotypes, they have become central figures over time with rich backstories, multilayered personalities, and powerful roles. The emergence of Monica Rambeau, Storm, Luke Cage, Miles Morales, and many others have been instrumental in showcasing Black excellence, strength, and resilience in the face of adversity.
As comic books became more popular (and more lucrative for big corporations), some of those characters have transitioned to the small and big screen. As these adaptations brought beloved characters to life, they offered broader representation and highlighted their significance in mainstream media. Films like Black Panther, Blade, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse have achieved commercial success and cultural resonance.
Overall, Black superheroes (and supervillains) have provided much-needed representation and enriched the storytelling landscape for comic book fans. They continue to challenge stereotypes, inspire new generations, and remind us of the importance of diversity in all forms of media. Check out 31 examples who, through their fictional stories, continue to impact the unique art form in graphic novels, animated series, and everything in between.
1. Blade (Marvel Comics)
Blade is the superhero moniker for Eric Cross Brooks – a dhampir with superhuman abilities and expert swordsmanship. He made his first appearance in “The Tomb of Dracula” before taking on criminals in his own comic book storyline. The character would eventually transition to the big screen via a trilogy of movies courtesy of New Line Cinema, with Wesley Snipes bringing Blade to life.
2. Storm (Marvel Comics)
Storm is one of the most popular members of the X-Men, a team of superheroes led by Professor X that have appeared in a wealth of comic arcs and blockbuster films (with Halle Berry boasting one of the most notable portrayals of the character). The daughter of an African princess and an African American photographer, Ororo Munroe can fly and control the weather, making her one of the most powerful. She would also later add to her royal history by marrying Black Panther.
3. Luke Cage (Marvel Comics)
Lucas “Luke” Cage holds the distinction of being virtually indestructible with a regenerative healing factor, making him nearly impossible to beat. Hailing from Harlem, NY, the "hero for hire” went through different iterations throughout his lifespan (as superheroes tend to do) and was a member of the Thunderbolts. At one point, Cage even became Mayor of New York City. Mike Colter played as the character in a Netflix series.
4. Black Lightning (DC Comics)
Jeff Pierce – better known as Black Lightning – is the first African American superhero to headline his own comic book series. As a protector of Metropolis’ Suicide Slum neighborhood, the character can manipulate and control electricity through various mediums – initially through his suit before gaining the skills naturally. Cress Williams played Black Lighting on the eponymous TV series and made appearances on “The Flash” and “Legends of Tomorrow.”
5. Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)
Thanks to the wildly successful Spider-Verse animated trilogy (and Marvel’s Spider-Man video game series), Miles Morales and his iteration of the iconic web slinger is arguably as popular (if not more) than Peter Parker. As the son of an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother, young Morales first appeared after Parker’s death in the comics. Future issues – including his own – further expanded his story as a high-schooler balancing between his life and crime fighting. Notably, his uncle, Aaron Davis, happens to be the supervillain Prowler.
6. Black Goliath (Marvel Comics)
Dr. William “Bill” Foster didn’t just use the Black Goliath moniker; he was also known as Giant-Man throughout his comic book history. As Black Goliath, he worked alongside Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym (the original Ant-Man) and is also connected to Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp) and Tony Stark (Iron Man). An older, toned-down version of the Los Angeles-bred hero, who boasted his fair share of superhuman abilities, was later played by Laurence Fishburne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
7. Misty Knight (Marvel Comics)
Mercedes “Misty” Knight is a former NYPD police officer who lost her arm after being hit by a bomb. She received a bionic prosthetic from Tony Stark and – now armed with some otherworldly abilities – formed Daughters of the Dragon with fellow heroine Colleen Wing. She also worked with (and formed a romantic relationship with) Iron Fist and fought crime alongside Valkyrie. Additionally, Knight appeared in different comic books with the likes of Spider-Man, Marvel Girl, and many others. Simone Missick played as the character on the small screen.
8. Erik Killmonger (Marvel Comics)
Many will probably remember Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of N'Jadaka/Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in the MCU’s Black Panther series. That version wasn’t too far off, though, as the comic book version was a Wakanda-born man with a grudge after the death of his parents (Notably, he ended up being raised by Ulysses Klaue, another villain who appeared in the MCU). As such, he becomes one of Black Panther’s most ruthless enemies.
9. Prowler (Marvel Comics)
Prowler is an alias used by multiple characters in Marvel Comics. One is Hobie Brown, a teenage prodigy turned reformed criminal who becomes an ally of Spider-Man. Other characters have also adopted the Prowler identity, including a mysterious "Second Prowler" and a medical intern named Rick Lawson. Aaron Davis, who exists in the Ultimate Marvel universe and later the main Marvel universe, served as the uncle to Miles Morales who used his power for criminal acts. Both Brown and Davis have appeared in various media, including movies and TV shows, with Donald Glover and Mahershala Ali portraying the latter on the big screen.
10. Amanda Waller (DC Comics)
Amanda Waller is a ruthless government official in the DC Comics universe. Known for her cunning and lack of morals, she's in charge of the Suicide Squad, a team of supervillains who work for the government in exchange for reduced prison sentences. Despite her morally questionable methods, Waller is often portrayed as a patriot who believes her actions are necessary for national security. Angela Bassett and Viola Davis have portrayed her in different movies.
11. Steel (DC Comics)
Steel is a DC Comics superhero created by a brilliant engineer named John Henry Irons. Inspired by Superman, Irons built a powerful suit of armor to protect Metropolis after Superman's death. When Superman returned, Steel became his ally. Known for his intelligence and strength, Steel wields a sledgehammer and has a niece, Natasha Irons, who also uses a similar armored suit to fight crime. The character has been portrayed in both film (Shaquille O’Neal) and television (Wolé Parks).
12. Cyborg (DC Comics)
Victor Stone – or Cyborg – is, well, a literal cyborg that became a founding member of the Justice League. His origin is a rather sad one, beginning with a tragic accident in his parents' lab that left him severely injured. His scientist father, driven by grief and desperation, rebuilt Victor using advanced cybernetic technology, transforming him into a cyborg. Initially filled with anger and resentment towards his father for his forced transformation, Victor eventually overcame his bitterness and accepted his new reality. Ray Fisher played Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe’s film adaptation.
13. Mother’s Milk (WildStorm/Dynamite)
The original version of Mother’s Milk has some differences from the popular Amazon series’ version (played by Laz Alonso). For starters, the comic book iteration has a different name – Baron Wallis, instead of TV’s Marvin T. Milk – and has a much wilder, tragic backstory. Instead of being a regular human like Alonso’s character, Wallis is a superhuman who gained his powers through his then-pregnant mother, who was dosed with Compound V and mutated into a deformed creature as a result. The moniker came from him needing his mother’s milk in order to stay alive.
14. Bumblebee (DC Comics)
Karen Beecher, a scientist that fights crime as Bumblebee, gained prominence as a member of Teen Titans. In addition to being a genius, she uses a super suit to fly, shrink to an insect’s size, and deliver various projectile attacks. Throughout much of her history, Beecher was the girlfriend – and, later, wife – to Malcolm Arnold "Mal" Duncan, DC Comics’ first African American superhero that went by Vox, Hornblower, and other aliases.
15. Michonne (Image Comics)
Michonne Hawthorne is a formidable survivor introduced in The Walking Dead with a mysterious past, a katana, and a couple of armless, jawless zombies later revealed to be former loved ones. Initially solitary, she joins Rick Grimes' group and becomes a valued member. Much like the television adaptation (played by Danai Gurira), she endures trauma, loss, and complex relationships while fighting to survive the zombie apocalypse. One notable difference is the lack of a son.
16. Black Manta (DC Comics)
Eventually revealed to be David Milton Hyde, Black Manta is a mercenary supervillain who serves as one of Aquaman’s most notable adversaries. He has a few wildly different origin stories, from being enslaved by pirates as a youth to being a former inmate of Arkham Asylum. Skill-wise, he uses a suit that grants him special powers, including the ability to breathe underwater. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II brought the character to life in the blockbuster Aquaman film series.
17. Batwing (DC Comics)
Batwing is a superhero identity used by two different characters in DC Comics. The first, David Zavimbe, is a Congolese police officer who becomes Batman's representative in Africa. The second, Luke Fox, is an African American martial artist and tech genius – he’s also the son of Lucius Fox, Batman's trusted ally. Both characters utilize advanced technology in their crime-fighting endeavors. While Zavimbe was the original Batwing, Fox eventually took over the mantle after Zavimbe retired. The character of Luke Fox has also been portrayed by Camrus Johnson in the Arrowverse series “Batwoman.”
18. Battlestar (Marvel Comics)
Lemar Hoskins is a superhero known as Battlestar. He was enhanced with superpowers and initially served as a sidekick to John Walker, the Super-Patriot. After a tumultuous career involving various partnerships (including one with Captain America; he took on the Bucky alias during this time), teams, and conflicts, Battlestar eventually returned to his roots as a security guard for Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.
19. Monica Rambeau (Marvel Comics)
Monica Rambeau is a superhero with a complex history. After gaining incredible powers from exposure to extra-dimensional energy, she’s become a prominent figure in the Marvel Universe – at one point, she was even the leader of the Avengers. Rambeau has gone by various superhero names, including Captain Marvel, Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum. In the MCU, she was played by Teyonah Parris in “WandaVision” and, subsequently, The Marvels.
20. War Machine (Marvel Comics)
War Machine is a superhero alter ego of James Rhodes, a close friend and ally of Iron Man. Originally a military pilot, Rhodes became Iron Man when Tony Stark was incapacitated and later adopted the War Machine identity when given his own advanced armor. Known for his military background and strong moral compass, he often contrasts with Iron Man's more impulsive nature. War Machine has been a prominent character in the Marvel Universe and appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he's portrayed by Don Cheadle.
21. Robert DuBois/Bloodsport (DC Comics)
Bloodsport has quite an ironic backstory. The first person who used the name, Robert DeBois, was a Black draft evader and effectively lost his mind after his brother, who represented him in his place, was severely injured during the Vietnam War. He became a supervillain and had run-ins with several other DC Comics characters before a lucid reunion with his sibling. Following this, another individual took on the name -- Alex Trent, a racist and white supremacist. Idris Elba would later take on DuBois’ version (albeit somewhat differently) in the film The Suicide Squad.
22. Sam Wilson/Captain America (DC Comics)
One of the bigger arcs in the MCU happened when an advanced-age Steve Rogers passed on his Captain America title (and the shield that came with it) to his longtime ally, Sam Wilson. Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) previously protected the world as the Falcon, a flying superhero with a “Redwing” drone. In the comics, the Falcon could communicate with birds (hence the name), which assisted him in fighting crime). Like the MCU, he also transitions to Captain America for some time before returning to his old alias.
23. Black Panther (Marvel Comics)
Black Panther was a pivotal figure within the Marvel Universe that was created during the civil rights era. The main version of the character, a superhuman with a vibranium suit and the ability to pull from every other Black Panther that came before him, was T’Challa, the king of Wakanda. The late Chadwick Boseman’s depiction of the African protector remains one of the most powerful in film history. Notably, several others took on that role in the comics (as in the aforementioned movie), including Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, and Erik Killmonger, one of his biggest adversaries.
24. Vixen (DC Comics)
Vixen is a superhero whose powers originated from an ancient African totem, which was created to grant its wearer the abilities of the animal kingdom to protect the innocent. The totem was passed down through generations, and eventually ending up in the hands of Mari McCabe. After a tragic loss and a quest to reclaim her heritage, Mari activated the totem's powers and becomes Vixen. Two animated versions of Vixen, McCabe and her grandmother, appeared in “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” respectively.
25. Static (Milestone Comics/DC Comics)
Originally created by the now-defunct Milestone Comics, Static was moved over to DC Comics, where the character became a part of Teen Titans. During a gang war-related event known as the “Big Bang,” Virgil Hawkins was exposed to a mutagen that provided him with a wealth of electromagnetic abilities. Static’s popularity led to an animated series (“Static Shock”) that saw the show’s namesake voiced by “MADtv” alum Phillip LaMarr.
26. Spawn (Image Comics)
Lt. Colonel Albert "Al" Simmons, or Spawn, is a complex antihero who made a Faustian bargain. Once a human mercenary, he was killed and sent to Hell. There, he made a deal to return to Earth in exchange for his soul and the chance to reunite with his wife. However, the deal was a deception. Resurrected as a creature with incredible powers, Spawn struggles to come to terms with his new existence and uses his abilities to fight for good as redemption for his past sins. An eponymous film saw Michael Jai White in the title role.
27. Bishop (Marvel Comics)
Bishop is a mutant that Marvel Comics set in the universe’s distant future. Along with his signature firearm, he possesses the ability to absorb and release energy at will. Originally raised in a mutant concentration camp, his journey was closely aligned with members of the X-Men (including Gambit, who became known as Witness) and, after travelling to an earlier timeline, he officially becomes a part of the Professor X-led collective. Omar Sy took on the role of Bishop in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
28. Ironheart (Marvel Comics)
Riri Williams – also known as Ironheart – is a brilliant teenage engineering student who builds her own Iron Man-like suit. After successfully using her suit to stop a prison escape, she attracts the attention of Tony Stark, who becomes her mentor. Notably, a special cover of The Invincible Iron Man’s first issue prominently featured Ironheart and drew controversy over what many felt was a sexualization of the character (it was quickly pulled and replaced). On the big screen, Dominique Thorne portrayed the superhero in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
29. Man-Ape/M'Baku (Marvel Comics)
Man-Ape is a supervillain and frequent adversary of Black Panther. As one of Wakanda’s greatest warriors, he earned his name (and superhuman abilities) after engaging in a graphic ritual that involved killing a white gorilla. The MCU version of Man-Ape was played by Winston Duke and eschewed the aforementioned alias for the character’s real name, M’Baku. This iteration also eventually became an ally to the Black Panther regime.
30. Moon Girl (Marvel Comics)
Lunella Lafayette is a young Haitian American who, in addition to her advanced intelligence, has the ability to switch consciousness with Devil Dinosaur, a massive red Tyrannosaurus Rex that was originally paired with the ape-like Moon-Boy. The success of the duo led to an animated Disney series that saw Moon Girl voiced by Diamond White.
31. Cecilia Reyes (Marvel Comics)
Cecilia Reyes is a mutant doctor with the ability to create a protective force field. Unlike many mutants who embrace their abilities, she prefers a normal life and is often reluctant to be involved in superheroics. Reyes is also a character in the movie The New Mutants. In this version, she's a doctor working for the Essex Corporation who oversees young mutants. Unfortunately, she meets a tragic end at the hands of the Demon Bear. Alice Braga, a white Brazilian, portrayed Reyes, an Afro-Latina, a decision that sparked controversy from critics.