John Steed

John Steed is the bowler-hatted, umbrella-wielding British secret agent from the classic TV series The Avengers, known for his unflappable charm and gentlemanly wit as he tackles espionage threats alongside capable partners like Emma Peel.

Dapper, unflappable, and unmistakably British, John Steed made his comics debut in the pages of Look-In in 1976 — a Bronze Age introduction brought to life by Angus P. Allan and Bill Titcombe — before finding his most celebrated four-color home in DC's delightful Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel, where he shares adventures with the likes of Emma Peel, Bruce Wayne, Batman, and Dick Grayson in a crossover that feels tailor-made for fans of a certain era's cool. His catalog footprint is modest but choice, spanning an impressive four decades from 1976 to 2017 and touching titles as varied as Look-In and Captain America, which speaks to a character whose appeal has never quite gone out of style. If you love sophisticated, era-defining figures who bring a touch of Savile Row elegance to the four-color world, Steed is absolutely worth seeking out.