John Clayton / Lord Greystoke

John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, is the aristocratic alter ego of Tarzan — the English nobleman raised by apes in the African jungle who grew to become one of literature's most iconic adventure heroes, adapted into comics via Edgar Rice Burroughs's original creation.

Few names carry the weight of literary legend into the Golden Age of comics quite like John Clayton / Lord Greystoke, who made his catalog debut in Tip Top Comics #6 in 1939, brought to the page by none other than Edgar Rice Burroughs himself alongside artist Rex Maxon. Spanning an remarkable 75 years of publication history from 1939 to 2014, this aristocratic figure has kept extraordinary company on the comics page — sharing adventures alongside Tarzan and an eclectic roster of characters across titles like Tarzan: The Beckoning and the gorgeously rendered Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan: Burne Hogarth's Lord of the Jungle. With roots stretching back to the Golden Age and appearances carrying through to Malibu's era, this is a character whose presence in comics reflects one of popular fiction's most enduring mythologies — well worth tracking down for any serious collector with a taste for adventure's aristocratic side.