Vanguard (Nikolai Sergeievich Krylenko)

Nikolai Krylenko is a Soviet soldier who underwent government training and enhancement to become Vanguard, one of Russia's premier super-soldiers. Wielding a hammer and sickle as his signature weapons, he serves as a stalwart defender of his homeland.

Born into the Bronze Age in the pages of The Incredible Hulk #250 (1980), courtesy of the legendary team of Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, Vanguard is one of Marvel's great Cold War creations — a Soviet hero whose career has stretched an remarkable 46 years and touched some of the publisher's most beloved corners. He's kept extraordinary company throughout, sharing adventures with the likes of Darkstar, Captain America, and Mikhail Ursus, and his name appears across titles as varied as Quasar, Rom, and The Incredible Hulk itself. With team affiliations spanning the Soviet Super Soldiers, the Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and the Avengers, few characters can claim such a breadth of Marvel citizenship — and with three key-issue appearances to his name, collectors have taken notice. If you love the rich, geopolitically charged storytelling of Marvel's Bronze Age and the characters it quietly built into enduring figures, Vanguard is absolutely worth your time.