Storm

Born to a Kenyan princess and an American photojournalist, Ororo Munroe discovered she could manipulate weather after her mutant powers emerged. Professor Charles Xavier recruited her from Africa to join a new generation of X-Men.

Few Marvel characters command a room — or a page — quite like Storm, who burst onto the Bronze Age scene in 1975's landmark Giant-Size X-Men #1, conjured into existence by the formidable creative trio of Chris Claremont, Len Wein, and Dave Cockrum. A proud, enduring pillar of the X-Men, she has spent over five decades sharing adventures with some of Marvel's most iconic figures — Wolverine, Cyclops, Colossus, and the rest of that legendary roster — across the pages of Uncanny X-Men and beyond. With nearly 2,000 catalog appearances and an extraordinary 97 recognized key issues to her name, Storm's footprint in comics history is simply staggering, a testament to a character who resonated instantly and never stopped mattering. If you're building a serious Marvel collection, she is, without question, essential.