Johann Schmidt

Johann Schmidt, better known as the Red Skull, is one of Marvel's most notorious villains — a ruthless ideologue and Cap's greatest nemesis whose ambitions for world domination have made him a persistent threat to Captain America and the forces of freedom alike.

Johann Schmidt made his catalog debut in Panini Deutschland's Marvel Special #1 in 1997, stepping onto the page in the company of some of Marvel's heaviest hitters — Captain America, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and the Red Skull himself. Brought to life by the creative team of Mark Waid, Reinhard Schweizer, and Ron Garney, this Johann Schmidt has carved out a presence across nearly three decades of publishing, appearing most frequently in Captain America, Marvel Origins, and Marvel Special — a run that speaks to genuine staying power in the German-language Marvel landscape. With at least one key-issue appearance to his name and 17 catalog appearances spanning 1997 to 2026, he's a figure worth tracking for collectors with an eye for the international side of the Marvel universe.