Ares

The Olympian god of war from Greek mythology, Ares is the son of Zeus and a divine immortal of the pantheon that dwells in Olympus — a figure defined by his fierce, belligerent nature and his long-standing antagonism toward both his fellow gods and the heroes of Earth, most notably Thor.

Born from the imagination of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of Thor #129 in 1966, Ares arrived at the height of the Silver Age as Marvel's thunderous take on the Greek god of war — a figure whose mythological weight was immediately at home in a universe already crackling with Asgardian thunder. What makes this character remarkable is sheer staying power: across roughly sixty years and over 200 catalog appearances, Ares has proven far more than a one-era curiosity, racking up eight key issues that collectors prize and leaving his mark across Dark Avengers, Incredible Hercules, and even Punisher. That's a range that speaks volumes — this is a character who moves fluidly through Marvel's darkest, most brutal corners. Along the way he's shared pages with Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Captain America, placing him squarely at the center of Marvel's biggest moments. If you love characters with genuine mythological gravitas and a publication history that stretches from the Kirby era to today, Ares absolutely deserves a place on your pull list.