Valkyrie

The Valkyrie identity first appeared as a deceptive persona crafted by the Enchantress, who posed as a noble warrior woman to manipulate a group of female heroes for her own schemes. This founding appearance established the mantle before it would later be claimed by a true bearer.

Few characters embody the spirit of Marvel's Bronze Age quite like Valkyrie, who burst onto the scene in Doctor Strange #2 in 1974, conjured by the imaginative team of Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner. Over more than five decades of continuous publication — stretching all the way to 2026 — she has carved out an impressive 202 appearances and racked up eight key-issue credits, the kind of track record that makes longbox hunters sit up and take notice. Her adventures unfold most prominently across The Defenders, Secret Avengers, and She-Hulk, where she shares the page with an extraordinary roster of Marvel heavyweights: the Hulk, Bruce Banner, Beast, Hank McCoy, and Thor himself. If you're looking for a character with genuine Bronze Age roots, remarkable staying power, and the kind of mythic presence that commands attention in every era she inhabits, Valkyrie is absolutely worth your time.