If by "Like Superman...", you mean "wears a costume, has a secret I.D., a love interest, and fights crime with superhuman abilities", then, yes I agree. Otherwise, I find Jay Garrick/Flash the character, the modus-operandi, and the abilities, as different from Superman, as I find Wonder Woman, Alan Scott, or even Johnny Thunder and the Thunderbolt.
Were they attempting to capitalize on the market that Superman created? Absolutely. A strategy that seems linked with any modicum of commercial success (i.e. how many anti-heroes cames about after Wolverine and The Punisher? Exactly.).
Therefore, I would say that Superman was the catalyst for The Flash......the base design. But, the differences overall...even back then....make them quite incomparable. Thus, his originality.
I would agree, likewise, with Batman being the catalyst for the grounded, non-powered vigilante-crime-fighters. Although Crimson Avenger may chronologically pre-date Batman as the first with a mask, it was Batman's success and popularity that allowed for the creation of those that followed.
Still, if Crimson Avenger had not a sold an issue, I doubt Batman would have ever gotten in the door.
I wonder how Doctor Occult would be classified? No mask. No double-identity. Yet, armed with a "mystic" weapon, and fights crime. Would he be the catalyst for Green Lantern?
The Superman derivatives (those so obviously emulating the Kryptonian), whether in ability, look, or origin, would have to be characters like: Supergirl, Superboy (He's Superman as a teen? Nice excuse.), Captain Marvel, J'onn J'onnz the Martian Manhunter, Mon-El, and Power Girl immediately come to mind. I'm sure there are more. These are the ones that I do not celebrate as original ideas.
Now, are you going to post chapters from your thesis here, or what?
