For years, Marvel Comics has introduced new characters with brief appearances in various comics before giving them larger roles. This often means popular characters actually first appeared in comics not typically associated with them. Many fans assume mutants first appeared in titles like The X-Men, but several debuted in unexpected parts of the Marvel Universe. The same is true for some of Marvel’s biggest heroes, who had their initial appearances in surprising places.
Many Marvel characters have changed a lot since their first appearances. Here are 10 popular heroes and villains whose first comic book issues might surprise you.
10) X-23 (in NYX)
Laura Kinney, also known as X-23, has been part of famous teams like the X-Men and X-Force. However, her first appearance in Marvel Comics was actually in a lesser-known series called NYX. This seven-issue comic, created by Joe Quesada and Joshua Middleton, focused on the lives of teenage mutant runaways in New York City, and X-23 was one of the characters featured in it. It originally came out in 2003.
The comic features X-23, a young woman forced into prostitution, and depicts a violent encounter where she seemingly kills an attacker. While the series initially focused on a group of runaway teens forming a found family, it has largely shifted away from that theme. Ultimately, this storyline is remembered as a strong introduction to the character of X-23, a clone of Wolverine.
9) Wolverine (in Hulk)
One of the most memorable surprise appearances by a major Marvel hero happened when Wolverine first showed up in The Incredible Hulk comic. He briefly appeared on the very last page of issue #180, but he was prominently featured on the cover of the next issue, #181, battling both Hulk and Wendigo.
Wolverine first appeared as a character when he was sent by the Canadian government to intercept the Hulk after he entered Canada, preventing him from causing destruction. He later joined the X-Men as part of the ‘All-New X-Men’ team. Afterwards, the story was revised to explain Wolverine’s absence with Canada dispatching Alpha Flight to try and bring him back.
8) Sabretooth (in Iron Fist)
Sabretooth made a surprisingly early appearance as a villain in Marvel Comics, debuting in Iron Fist #14. While he’s well-known as a major mutant villain and Wolverine’s archenemy, his first appearance was alongside Danny Rand (Iron Fist), similar to Wolverine’s debut as an opponent of the Hulk. This initial story was crafted by X-Men writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne.
Coleen Wing’s first encounter with Sabretooth was memorable. She described him as a ruthless thief – a ‘modern-day pirate’ willing to steal anything if the price was right. While he later used the nickname ‘bub’ with Wolverine, in this initial meeting, Sabretooth acted more like a hired gun, employing his own team of mercenaries to complete the job. Iron Fist defeated him fairly easily, but it was a good introduction to Sabretooth’s dangerous abilities, foreshadowing his long-running rivalry with Wolverine.
7) Black Panther (in Fantastic Four)
The Fantastic Four comic book series was famous for introducing many now-iconic heroes. Within just over a year, it launched the Inhumans, the Watcher, the Silver Surfer, and Galactus. While all these characters have strong ties to the Fantastic Four, one hero ultimately surpassed them in popularity after first appearing in the series.
Shortly after the Fantastic Four’s encounter with the Silver Surfer and their battle against Galactus, Black Panther first appeared in issue #52. This issue featured Reed Richards meeting an envoy from Wakanda, who offered the Fantastic Four a technologically advanced spacecraft in exchange for a meeting with Wakanda’s leader. Following a brief conflict, Black Panther joined forces with the heroes, and introducing Wakandan technology alongside Reed Richards was an ideal way to showcase the innovative African nation.
6) Kazar (in X-Men)
Surprisingly, Ka-Zar, a hero known for the Savage Land, actually debuted in X-Men #10. In that issue, the X-Men traveled to the Savage Land and fought Maa-Gor, a local caveman who was trying to wipe out all the sabretooth tigers – even the mate of Ka-Zar’s companion, Zabu. This conflict led Ka-Zar and Zabu to try and stop him.
Ka-Zar’s first appearance fit into the X-Men’s storyline because they’d heard rumors about him and thought he might be a mutant – and they were actively looking for mutants to recruit for Xavier’s school. Later, when Jean Grey was kidnapped, the X-Men joined forces with Ka-Zar and his sabertooth tiger, Zabu, to battle the Swamp Men and safeguard the Savage Land.
5) Moon Knight (in Werewolf By Night)
In the 1970s, Marvel published several horror comics, such as Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf By Night. The character Blade first appeared in Tomb of Dracula, as many fans know. But a more unexpected first appearance happened in Werewolf by Night #32, which marked the debut of Moon Knight in the Marvel Universe.
It’s fitting that Moon Knight appears alongside werewolves, considering his connection to a moon god and his mythological background. However, in this story, he initially acts as the antagonist – a hired mercenary tasked with capturing Jack Russell, knowing full well Jack is a werewolf. The story takes an unexpected turn when Moon Knight ultimately helps Jack escape, which then inspires him to become a vigilante himself.
4) Punisher (in Spider-Man)
The Punisher is a very popular antihero in Marvel Comics, and while he generally prefers to work alone, he’s often linked to Daredevil. Interestingly, Frank Castle first appeared in Marvel not as a hero, but as a villain in Amazing Spider-Man #129.
This issue really highlighted the Punisher’s code of ethics – he takes the law into his own hands because he doesn’t trust the justice system. It all started when the Jackal tricked the Punisher into believing Spider-Man was actually a villain, and the Daily Bugle’s constant negative reporting made it seem true. The Punisher tried to kill Spider-Man, but when he discovered the deception, he switched his focus to the Jackal. Interestingly, this story established the core of the Punisher’s character, and he largely remained consistent from that point on.
3) Drax the Destroyer (in Iron Man)
I’ve been a fan of Drax for a while now, and it’s amazing how much his story has evolved! Most of us know him as this powerful, sometimes rough around the edges, member of the Guardians of the Galaxy – a total force in a fight. But it’s wild to learn that he didn’t start out that way. Originally, he was actually a human named Arthur Douglas! Thanos killed him and his wife, but their daughter, Moondragon, lived on. Then, somehow, Arthur’s spirit ended up connected to this being called the Destroyer, and that’s how Drax the Destroyer was born. It’s a pretty tragic origin story, honestly!
Interestingly, Drax the Destroyer didn’t begin as a cosmic character. He first appeared in Iron Man #55 back in 1972 – also marking Thanos’s debut in Marvel comics. In this first appearance, Drax uses his telepathic abilities to contact Iron Man, pleading for help to get away from Thanos. While Drax’s character evolved significantly later on, this initial story established his important connection to Thanos.
2) Gwenpool (in Howard the Duck)
Gwenpool originally comes from a world where Marvel superheroes are just characters in comic books. Somehow, she and her brother Teddy were transported to the main Marvel Universe. Because she’d read so many comics, she knew all the heroes’ strengths, weaknesses, and secret identities, which helped her become a superhero herself. As a character who frequently breaks the fourth wall, it’s fitting that her comic is known for not being very serious.
Gwenpool first appeared in Howard the Duck Vol. 6 #1. She showed up in the second story, while Black Cat was making Howard the Duck work for her. During a robbery, Gwenpool stole from Black Cat and then killed the corrupt police officer who was helping her. Unbeknownst to Black Cat, Gwenpool had already approached Howard first. The story was unique because Howard had to explain to Gwenpool that the characters in the Marvel Universe weren’t simply expendable, as they were considered fictional in her reality.
1) Yelena Belova (in Inhumans)
Yelena Belova shares a history with Black Widow as they were both trained in the Red Room. Interestingly, her first appearance wasn’t in a Black Widow, Avengers, or even a SHIELD-related comic. She actually debuted in Inhumans Vol. 2 #5 back in 1999, during a conflict between Attilan and Earth, where Earth launched the initial attack.
I was so excited to see Yelena Belova show up during the attack on Attilan! It was a cool way to learn about a whole new side of the Black Widow program – she told someone in the U.S. government that her boss, General Stalyenko, had basically started a war with Attilan. It felt like Marvel was setting things up for the Black Widow series we eventually got, where we finally got to see Yelena and Natasha go head-to-head. But you know what’s interesting? She actually first appeared in the Inhumans comic books before that!
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2026-02-01 23:16