J. Jonah Jackal

Few characters capture the gleeful absurdity of Marvel's Bronze Age humor comics quite like J. Jonah Jackal — the blustering, cigar-chomping animal-kingdom answer to a certain wall-crawler's most famous media nemesis. Debuting in the landmark 1983 one-shot Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1, courtesy of Tom DeFalco and Mark Armstrong, this jackal-ified loudmouth has been haranguing the funny pages across nearly three decades of anthropomorphic mayhem. He keeps wonderfully chaotic company — sharing panels with Peter Porker, Spider-Ham, Bunsen Bunny, and even a J. Jeremiah Jackal Jr. — suggesting his particular brand of bluster runs in the family. With 19 appearances spanning into 2010 and a key issue to his name, J. Jonah Jackal is a delightful slice of Marvel's willingness to poke fun at itself, and a must-know for any collector with a soft spot for the Spider-Ham corner of the multiverse.