It is common knowledge that not every beloved or notable character originated from the comics. There are many notable characters that have gained serious popularity on-screen before making their debut in the comic world. Meaning, characters such as Batman, Superman, and Iron Man all came derived and became popular as a result of being in comics. When I mean on-screen, the reference applies to characters debuting in movies or television before appearing in comic books. Some notable characters include Batman Beyond, Harley Quinn, and Laura Kinney (X-23). Below are other characters that appeared on-screen first that you may not know about.

Dr. Who

So, the first character I want to chat about is Dr. Who. Dr. Who is a timelord that goes by the "The Doctor" when it is working along with humans. The show is based on this character and his adventures through time. The show has been in regular British television programming since the 1960s.

Doctor Who is especially beloved in Great Britain and has developed a cult following amongst fans around the world. The plot of the show details the adventures of "The Doctor" as he time travels to different places of the world in fighting evil people or changing history.

The first appearance of Dr. Who in a U.S. published book is in Dr. Who and the Daleks #190. This issue is also an adaptation of the "Dr. Who and the Daleks" movie as well. A CBCS 7.5 VF- with White Pages is currently listed on eBay for $499, though raw copies in varying conditions can be picked up for a very small amount of money. June 2019, a 9.4 sold on eBay for $685, so it might be worth a collection check to see if you own this piece of Dr. Who fandom.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The 1990s was a decade to remember. From personal experience, the emergence of popular television shows was the norm during this timeframe. Shows of all genres, whether it was comedy, drama, action, or science fiction all became very popular amongst fans. One example is Buffy Summers, who is a female Vampire Slayer who would use her abilities to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of evil. She is the main character of the movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer film in 1992. The popularity of the film produced a television show that ran from 1997 to 2003.

The success of the series is notable. The branding of Buffy led to video games, books, and comics. In addition, the success of the show produced a spinoff series called Angel. In a way, two shows intertwining with each other in the same timeline created the "Buffyverse". The first appearance of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a comic book is in Dark Horse Presents Annual #1. 9.8s hold an FMV of around the $300 mark, with the 9.6 dropping to $120.

Indiana Jones

A beloved American movie franchise centered around an individual named Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr. Known by fans from the franchise, as Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, the movies explore the adventures of Jones as he tries to obtain precious objects such as the "Ark of the Covenant" and the "Holy Grail". The franchise spanned for three decades and has an upcoming movie set to be released in 2022. The franchise has produced four movies with Harrison Ford portraying the role of Indiana Jones.

The series is created by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is also credited with directing all the films in the franchise. Indiana Jones' first comic appearance is depicted in Marvel Comics Super Special #8. Sales data for this book is varied, with 9.8s auctioning for anywhere between $200 and $800. Raw and low-graded books are very affordable; they run you less than $20.

Conclusion

All in all, you can find interesting books for character's first appearances all the time. Notice that if you have the knowledge of this information, it is a great experience to find random books in the wild. Not every book with a first appearance is associated with the number one(#1), so it is good to know these quirky facts about these beloved movie and television characters.

Did YOU know that Dr. Who has a first appearance out there? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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