Doctor Zaius

Few characters carry the weight of an entire civilization's secrets quite like Doctor Zaius, the imposing ape authority figure who made his comics debut in 1970 and has endured in print across an extraordinary span stretching into the mid-2020s. Rooted in the Silver Age and launched by Marvel UK, he's a figure whose presence on the page commands attention — sharing adventures with the likes of Cornelius, Zira, Colonel George Taylor, General Ursus, and Nova, a roster that reads like a roll call of the Planet of the Apes universe at its most charged. His appearances span titles as varied as the foundational Planet of the Apes series, the wild crossover spectacle of Planet of the Apes vs. Fantastic Four, and the imaginative Kong on the Planet of the Apes — proof that this character travels well across creative concepts. With 56 years of publishing history behind him, Doctor Zaius is a cornerstone of one of comics' most philosophically rich sci-fi franchises, and any collection that features him is richer for it.