Are Batman and Zorro copycats of the Scarlet Pimpernel?

From Zorro to Batman: Tracing the transition of the archetypal superhero bout four months ago, this column had looked at Baroness Emma Orczy's The Old Man in the Corner and mentioned that she was much better known for The Scarlet Pimpernel (and its less famous sequels). read more

The Scarlet Pimpernel became a favourite of London audiences, playing more than 2,000 performances and becoming one of the most popular shows staged in the United Kingdom. The novel The Scarlet Pimpernel was published two years after the play opened and was an immediate success. read more