Lord High Papal

Lord High Papal is a powerful religious and political leader in the Dreadstar universe, ruling the Instrumentality — a theocratic empire locked in brutal galactic war. He serves as one of the primary antagonists opposing Vanth Dreadstar and his ragtag band of rebels.

A shadowy figure born in the twilight of the Bronze Age, Lord High Papal made a striking first appearance in U.S. 1 #12 in 1984, brought to life by the legendary Steve Ditko and Al Milgrom — a creative pedigree that alone makes any debut worth tracking down. This enigmatic character found his true home in the cosmic reaches of Dreadstar, keeping dangerous company with the likes of Vanth Dreadstar, Willow, Skeevo, and Kalla Dreadstar across Malibu's ambitious publishing slate. With appearances stretching into the mid-nineties across titles like Bravura and 'Breed, Lord High Papal is a testament to the rich, sprawling universe that Malibu cultivated beyond the mainstream. Rare enough to intrigue any serious collector, his twelve catalogued appearances carry the weight of a character who clearly left a mark on everyone who encountered him.