The Wizard

The Wizard is a Golden Age superhero who debuted in Top Notch Comics #1 in 1939, created by Harry Shorten for what would become Archie Comics. He later appeared alongside The Shield in Shield-Wizard Comics, establishing him as one of the earliest costumed heroes in American comics.

Few characters can claim roots as deep as The Wizard, who burst onto the scene in the very first issue of Top Notch Comics back in 1939 — a true Golden Age original conjured by Harry Shorten at what would become Archie Comics. Spanning an remarkable arc from the late Depression era all the way to 2020, this character's staying power is written in decades, with key appearances across Shield-Wizard Comics and Pep Comics that have earned genuine collector recognition. The Wizard shares those storied pages with some of the Golden Age's finest, including The Shield and Roy the Super-Boy, making for a rich tapestry of early superhero adventure. With over eight decades of publication history and two key issues to the name, The Wizard is exactly the kind of foundational figure that reminds us just how far back the superhero tradition truly runs.