Nero

Few comic characters can claim a Platinum Age debut stretching all the way back to 1924, but Nero — introduced by Angus MacDonall in Judge #2207 — is one of those rare figures whose presence in the medium predates nearly everything modern fans think of as "classic." Over a remarkable publishing span that touches Famous Funnies and even Captain Marvel Jr., this character has kept extraordinarily rarefied company, sharing pages with the likes of Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Satan, Jesus Christ, and Chief Sitting Bull — a roster that signals stories operating on a grand, mythic scale. With roots deep in the Platinum Age and a trail through comics history spanning some eight decades, Nero is a fascinating artifact for collectors who love tracing the medium back to its earliest, most adventurous experiments.