The best “legacy” characters (heirs who take up a mantle) in comics are, at the top, Miles Morales , Wally West , Dick Grayson and Kamala Khan. This tier list ranks emerging heroes according to their success and importance. Facts (publisher, creation) verified, no invented ratings; each character refers to its file when it exists.
The “legacy” is a strength of the comic: a new character takes the name of a hero and gives it a new lease of life, often more diverse and modern. This tier list ranks these heirs according to their success: some have far exceeded their model. Criterion: successful recovery of the coat.
Editorial Ranks, Facts verified. Each character refers to its file when it exists.
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Start my trial →Tier S: the heirs who have surpassed the model
Miles Morales is the biggest recent legacy success: an Afro-Latino Spider-Man who became a movie star. Wally West went from Kid Flash to Flash, often favored over Barry. Dick Grayson left the mantle of Robin to become Nightwing, and Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) created an immediately cult heroine.
Tier A: successful successions
Sam Wilson took back Captain America's shield, Jane Foster raised Mjolnir in Thor, Kate Bishop shares the name Hawkeye, and Riri Williams (Ironheart) continues the legacy of Iron Man.
Tier B: coats passed down
Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099), Cassandra Cain (Batgirl), Jaime Reyes (Blue Beetle) and Kyle Rayner (Green Lantern) have each reinvented their legend.
Tier C: the notable heirs
X-23 (who takes up the mantle of Wolverine), Bucky (briefly Captain America), Connor Hawke et Damian Wayne complete the selection.
Tier D: the curiosities
Patriot , Prodigy and Batwing close this tier list: more discreet but very real heirs.
To remember
- Miles Morales and Kamala Khan are the great modern legacy hits.
- A good legacy brings diversity and modernity without betraying the spirit of the hero.
- Ultimate Fallout #4 (1st of Miles) is a highly sought after key number.
- Each character refers to its file when it exists.
Chronological guideposts: when each mantle changed hands
Legacy reads like a timeline. The creation dates in the tier list let you trace the thread, and each handover points to a specific issue the collector should know.
- The 1950s and 1960s: heirs who took a while to become heirs. Wally West is born in 1959 as Kid Flash, in The Flash #110 (December 1959-January 1960), long before taking over the Flash mantle. Jane Foster appears in Journey into Mystery #84 as a friend of Thor, and lifts Mjolnir only in 2014. Sam Wilson is born as the Falcon in Captain America #117 (1969) and takes up the shield in 2014, with his dedicated series All-New Captain America #1 dating from 2015.
- The 1980s and 1990s: the DC wave and the Spider-Man of the future. Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing in 1984. Miguel O'Hara is born in 1992 in Spider-Man 2099 #1 (November 1992), by Peter David and Rick Leonardi. Kyle Rayner and Connor Hawke date from 1994: Kyle receives the last surviving ring from Ganthet at the end of Emerald Twilight (Green Lantern vol.3 #48-50). Cassandra Cain appears in 1999 in Batman #567, then in a Batgirl costume in Detective Comics #741.
- The 2000s: the next generation multiplies. Prodigy and X-23 in 2004, Kate Bishop and Patriot in 2005, Jaime Reyes and Damian Wayne in 2006, then Bucky under Captain America's shield in 2007.
- The 2010s: heirs who became icons. Miles Morales is born in 2011 in Ultimate Fallout #4 (August 2011), as is Batwing, then come Kamala Khan and Jane Foster in 2014 and Riri Williams in 2016.
A point of caution for collectors. An heir's first appearance is not always the moment they take up the mantle. Wally West, Sam Wilson and Jane Foster existed as characters before becoming the replacements of their model: depending on your interest, the key is therefore the character's first appearance or the issue where they put on the costume. For Miles Morales, the two coincide, hence the attention paid to Ultimate Fallout #4. Finally, keep in mind that these dates are editorial: they serve as guideposts to order a reading, not as proof of rarity. To track your own issues by hero, the missing-issues list of My Comics Collection remains the simplest tool.
Frequently asked questions
It's a new character who takes the name and mantle of an existing hero (Miles Morales becomes Spider-Man, Wally West becomes Flash), often to bring diversity and renewal.
Miles Morales is the biggest recent success, which has become an icon in its own right. Wally West and Kamala Khan also appear at the top.
Yes: Dick Grayson as Nightwing and Wally West as Flash are often considered as important, or even more appreciated, than the characters whose mantle they took over.
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