Payload

Payload is a G.I. Joe operative who serves as the astronaut and pilot of the Defiant Space Vehicle Launch Complex, making him the team's specialist for space-based missions within the Real American Hero universe.

Payload made their entrance in the pages of G.I. Joe in 3-D #2 back in 1987 — a Copper Age debut that planted this character firmly in one of Marvel's most beloved action universes. Over a surprisingly enduring run stretching all the way to 2017, Payload has kept distinguished company, sharing adventures with the likes of Hawk, Dial-Tone, and the legendary Clayton M. Abernathy across the classic G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero titles. With a catalog appearance that includes at least one collector-recognized key issue, Payload may not be the most ubiquitous name on the roster, but for devoted fans of the Real American Hero universe, that's precisely part of the appeal — a deeper cut worth hunting down.