Zartan

Few villains in the G.I. Joe universe have left a mark quite like Zartan, who slithered onto the scene in 1984's G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #24, brought to life by the legendary Larry Hama and artist Russ Heath during comics' Bronze Age. Over an extraordinary four-decade span stretching all the way to 2026, Zartan has proven himself one of the most enduring and collector-coveted figures in the franchise, racking up 110 catalog appearances and six key issues that any serious G.I. Joe fan will want on their shelf. He keeps dangerous company — sharing pages with the likes of Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, and Snake-Eyes — which tells you everything about the high-stakes world he inhabits. If you're building out a G.I. Joe collection, Zartan is exactly the kind of complex, long-running antagonist whose Bronze Age debut and remarkable longevity make him essential reading.