lots of mentions of Judge Dredd, but he is really only the tip of the 2000AD iceberg. What about Rogue Trooper, Robohunter, and Strontium Dog?
Also, quick mention of Death’s Head, the robotic future bounty hunter (err…“freelance peace-keeping agent”). As far as I know, he was the only character created by Marvel UK who ended up in mainstream marvel continuity (ok, Motormouth once cropped up in an issue of the Hulk, but I think that was a one off)
In terms of awareness, Dredd has a much higher profile than any of the other 2000AD comics (except maybe Dan Dare, as I mentioned earlier). But the British writers didn’t really go for superheros (in the US sense) - bravery, courage and comradeship seem to me to be far more important to British writers than extraordinary powers.
I don’t think Dan Dare is particularly well known outside the UK, frankly, while Judge Dredd has managed to get two big-budget Hollywood productions.
UK writers, if we are talking about people like Ennis. Morrison, Millar, and so on, are mostly known for being strongly cynical with a penchant for de-constructing US-created narratives, and Dredd is a prime example of that.
Bravery, courage and comradeship? Well, maybe Roy of the Rovers.
Technically, Dan Dare was created in the Eagle (and on radio), although I think that 2000ad have since bought the rights
There used to be a lot of ‘heroic’ comic books in the UK, but they were always more based on wartime heroics, rather than crime fighting (I’m thinking of things like Victor or Warlord).
They tended to be anthologies though, rather than about a specific character.
Ben Grimm is indeed wearing a costume, because the blue spandex thing is “different” by human standards (and uniform with the rest of the team). Even if he wasn’t a big pile of rocks, he would look goofy in his plastic bermuda.
OTOH, all of the Atlanteans wear the same sort of non-clothes as Namor. It might look like a costume to us, but from his perspective it’s just casual Friday. It’s not something he wears to set himself apart from the muggles. He’s certainly not using it as a disguise, either (unless the secret is that he’s really a nice Jewish boy :D) : much like Super-Man, his real disguise is when he’s wearing casual clothes.
Whereas Constantine’s trench is worn for deliberate effect as much as anything. Whether it’s Russian secret agents or Neo, there’s something both intimidating and mysterious about a (chain-smoking) dude in a long, concealing coat. All the moreso that nobody really wears them any more, these days.
Fair point - although lots of “alien” superheroes then wouldn’t really be wearing a costume so much as “native garb” in that case.
Is this ever stated?
Well, maybe not (I couldn’t point to any specific panel or issue anyway), but he sure doesn’t seem to mind people getting intimidated by his looks and demeanor 
Which is my point - those were comics that were about heroic people, not superheros. The Eagle had a specific moral goal, but the war comics were about ordinary people who were brave and sometimes sacrificial. In the 50s and 60s, this was very clear to the British people - they didn’t need superheroes, because ordinary British people could do the job if they were pushed around. 2000AD ran comics (Bill Savage in Invasion: 1999 comes to mind) in this vein, as well as the Judge Dredd style deconstructionalist and dystopian future comics.
It is a very different attitude and I think this is reflected in the general lack of specific British superheroes. It is why the possible candidates (Dredd, Dare) seem pretty weak compared with their American counterparts.
Geez, folks, doesn’t anyone actually read the question.
Firstly, the character must be a superhero. The exact definition is debatable, but one essential feature is that they are independent and unofficial. I don’t think that any policeman*, soldier, spy or fireman counts.
Secondly, that the charactger is not based in USA.
Thirdly that the character is not created in USA.
Most of those nominated clearly do not count. ANY character created by Marvel or DC is de facto American, including Constantine, Thor and Captain Britain.
Zorro books, comics are almost all written by Americans. TV shows and movies are usually made in America and star American actors.
Action Man is a soldier.
Answers I’d consider correct include Asterix, Hercules and The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Judge Dredd is a policeman, not a superhero. Also, he operates in USA, or at least the post-nuclear remains of it. And creator John Wagner is American by birth, and spent a large part of his childhood there.
International Rescue /Thunderbirds are unofficial rescue operatives, so they count. Captain Scarlett, as a member of an official Military organisation doesn’t count.
I just want to re-mention Zenith. Definitely a superhero, and a forerunner for other Grant Morrison creations.
Isn’t the Avengers an official Military organisation?
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Isn’t the Avengers an official Military organisation?
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Regardless of the Avengers in general, isn’t Captain America in particular a superhero?
A lot hinges on how you read that “or” in the OP.
Captain Britain was created for Marvel UK. The clue is in the name.
Well, the OP was a little ambiguous.
“Are there any hugely popular superheroes in Europe, South America, Asia, or elsewhere who are not of U.S. origin (either in that official biographies or in their creators)?”
First, it’s not really clear if the first part is asking about hugely popular superheroes who are in Europe, etc., or superheroes who are hugely popular in Europe, etc.
Second, the part in parentheses could be saying that the both the character and creators do not have U.S. origins, or it could be saying that either the character or the creators are not of U.S. origin.
Interpreted one way, Wolverine is the obvious answer. But I suspect that what the OP really wants to know is if there are any superhero characters created and published outside the U.S., whose adventures are set outside the U.S., and who are hugely popular outside the U.S.
Fine. So, we are looking for the most well-known character
-Created outside the U.S.
-By a non-U.S. company.
-Without U.S. citizenship.
-Based, as a character, outside of the U.S.
Who classifies as a Superhero because the character:
-Fights evil.
-Using supernatural powers (What about Batm…? oh, fine.)
-Wears a uniform
-Not as a job and outside governmental influence (Not sure about this one, I mean, Alpha Flight? Heroes for Hire?-- Whatever.)
The answer is clearly Son Goku, from Dragon Ball. By a long mile.
And the movie version, at least, of War Machine is an active duty officer in the US Air Force.
Also, the Silver Age Batman was an official deputy of the Gotham Police Force. Had a badge and everything.
ok, sticking within this fairly narrow criteria, the only UK ones I can think of are the occasional super hero that turned up in comics such as the Beano or Dandy. These comics were mostly full of (supposedly) funny comic strips, and are aimed at a fairly young age range, so you got the odd jokey superhero such as Bananaman or Superted. These were both popular enough to eventually get their own cartoon on TV.
Going back earlier, these comics would publish the occasional strip played straight, and often featuring some sort of hero, and a couple might fit the definition. The only one I can really remember from when I was a kid was Billy the Cat and Katie, which pretty much played to the superhero trope (climbing buildings, swinging on ropes etc), but with the exception that they were both kids.
Nemesis the Warlock! (Eh? Anti-hero or even villain? Oh, shizzle!)
Can be argued. He’s the result of genetic selection and manipulation, so he isn’t quite the same as any other ordinary policeman.
We’re getting off topic here, but I don’t think Dredd is a superhero - at least not in the traditional sense. “Super anti-hero”, maybe, but the dude has far more in common with The Punisher than he does, say, Batman.