Superheroes have had sidekicks since nearly the inception of the genre. Robin, the first sidekick, appeared as Batman’s crime-fighting partner less than a year after the Dark Knight’s debut, and even before he had his own comic. Sidekicks are perfect supporting characters in superhero stories, as they can participate in the action alongside the hero, and through their own inexperience and lack of skills, offer a lens for the hero to still save the day in the end. They bring out a new side to the hero and exemplify the aspects that make them great. As the students of heroes in never-ending stories, then, it’s only natural that plenty of sidekicks eventually graduate to be heroes all their own in both DC and Marvel.

We’ve often seen sidekicks evolve from rambunctious, bright-eyed partners to heroes in their own right, learning everything they can from their mentors, then venturing out on their own. Today, we’re going to be looking at five characters that established their own hero careers so well that they can stand side by side with, and occasionally surpass, their mentors. 

5) Rick Jones

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

The quintessential Marvel sidekick can’t be anybody other than Rick Jones. He debuted in The Incredible Hulk #1, being the only person able to keep the Hulk in check, for the most part. Rick wasn’t just the Hulk’s first friend, as he bounced around the entire hero community. He was the heart of the Avengers, the fourth Bucky to Captain America, and was physically bonded to the original Captain Marvel. Just like he was the sidekick for just about everyone, he developed multiple hero identities all his own to match. He’s been A-Bomb, Bucky, the Hulk, and, most recently, taken the name Sleeper Agent when bonded to the Sleeper symbiote. 

Rick has been all over the Marvel Universe, and his identity has changed significantly over that time, but one thing is certain. Rick was everyone’s sidekick, the human element that they all needed, and later became a hero in his own right. His name and powers might change at the drop of a hat, but Rick is a hero through and through, forged by some of Marvel’s biggest names.

4) Wally West

Image Courtesy of DC Comics

Wally first appeared in The Flash #110. He was a massive fan of the Flash, and in a stroke of astronomical cosmic chance, was struck by a bolt of lightning and gained the same powers, taking the name Kid Flash. Wally is special because not only did he serve as a wonderful sidekick to Barry, but he eventually became the Flash himself and surpassed his mentor in every way. Not only was Wally faster than Barry, but he became far more popular, eventually becoming what many consider to be the de facto version of the Flash.

Even adaptations like the DC Animated Universe used Wally instead of Barry, showing how he’d become the standard for the Flash role. Fans still debate over which Flash is the better one, but Wally only ever wanted to make his idol proud, and he’s more than done that. He’s made the Flash mantle his own and proven that he is far, far more than your average sidekick.

3) Bucky Barnes

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Bucky debuted in Captain America Comics #1, Cap’s first solo issue. Bucky was the standard sidekick for a hero of his era, but what sets him apart is how much his death mattered. While Cap returned from the ice, everyone thought that Bucky was dead for decades, with many saying that his death was one of the few that truly mattered in comics and couldn’t be undone. That would eventually be proven wrong with Bucky’s return as the Winter Soldier, and from then on, he became a beloved hero in his own right.

Bucky even temporarily served as Captain America himself and showed that he was more than capable of carrying on Steve’s legacy as the champion of liberty. Nowadays, Bucky isn’t looked on as a sidekick, but a complicated and storied hero that can stand next to Captain America.

2) Dick Grayson

Image Courtesy of DC Comics

Dick is the original sidekick that started it all, debuting as Robin the Boy Wonder in Detective Comics #38. Not only is he half of one of the most famous duos in all of fiction, but Robin is one of the cornerstones of DC. He fought crime alongside DC’s two biggest pillars as a member of the World’s Finest, and founded one of their most popular teams in the Teen Titans. Eventually, Dick wanted to strike out on his own and let Robin become a legacy, creating the name Nightwing from a Kryptonian legend Superman told him.

Especially in recent years, Nightwing has surged in popularity and presence in DC. He’s become the backbone of the superhero community, taking charge and directing everyone on how to save the day when the chips are down, such as in the Absolute Power crossover event. Nightwing is a hero made from the best parts of Batman and Superman, melded together, and with DNA like that, it’s impossible for him to be anything other than one of the biggest names in DC.

1) Sam Wilson

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Sam Wilson first appeared in Captain America #117 as the Falcon, and quickly became Captain America’s new crime-fighting partner. Sam was an instant hit, in no small part because he was the first African-American superhero in comics, and working alongside one of Marvel’s big names, no less. The fans loved Sam so much that they even renamed the series to Captain America and the Falcon. Sam garnered his own fanbase and eventually was regarded not as a sidekick but as an equal hero who worked closely with Cap.

Nowadays, Sam isn’t just a beloved sidekick or even the Falcon, but Captain America himself. He took the mantle during an era where Marvel replaced many of their biggest names with legacy characters, and is widely regarded as the best one of the lot. Heck, many consider him to be one of, if not the single best example of a character taking on the superhero identity of a popular hero, with his only competition in that regard being Wally West. Sam is a fantastic hero who brought a much-needed fresh perspective to Marvel and continues to push it forward to a better future to this day.

So there we have five incredible superheroes who started out as plain old sidekicks. What other heroes do you think deserve props for making the transition from partner to established hero on their own? What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!