Paladin

A mysterious mercenary whose true name remains unknown, Paladin is a highly skilled soldier-for-hire who combines boxing, judo, and taekwondo into a lethal fighting style. He first crossed paths with Daredevil while working a paid assignment, establishing himself as a morally flexible gun-for-hire in the Marvel Universe.

Paladin is one of Marvel's most intriguing mercenary figures, a bronze Age creation who first turned up in 1978 and has been keeping seriously prestigious company ever since — sharing pages with the likes of Spider-Man, Captain America, and Misty Knight across titles like Heroes for Hire, Thunderbolts, and Captain America itself. With 87 catalogued appearances spanning an impressive 45 years and two collector-recognized key issues to their name, this is a character who has clearly earned a lasting place in the Marvel tapestry. If you love morally complex figures who orbit the edges of heroism and operate in the grayer corners of the Marvel Universe, Paladin is absolutely worth tracking down.