The Flash

The Flash (Neeraj Kumar)

In the 1950s, DC Comics decided to relaunch several of their most successful superheroes from the 1940s as new individuals. The Flash was the first to receive this treatment, being reintroduced in 1956 as forensic scientist Barry Allen. While working late in his lab one night, he was struck by lightning, which subsequently knocked him into shelf full of chemicals. After waking up, he discovered he could run at superhuman speeds, and donning the red and yellow costume that's become much more recognizable than his predecessor's, Barry became the new Flash and built a quite a supporting cast. Visually it's one of the best origins on this list, but it also has a distinct sci-fi feel to it that few DC hero origins had before it. Many non-comic book fans saw this origin told for the first time back in October on the CW series The Flash.