Daniel Drumm

Daniel Drumm made his explosive debut in Strange Tales #169 (1973), a landmark issue that introduced both Daniel and his brother Jericho Drumm to the Marvel Universe. Created by Len Wein and Gene Colan, Daniel was a powerful Haitian houngan — a voodoo priest — whose tragic death at the hands of the sorcerer Damballah set the entire Brother Voodoo mythology in motion. His spirit, bound to his brother Jericho, became one of Marvel's most unique supernatural power sources, making that first appearance a genuine key issue that any horror or mystic arts collector should have on their radar.

What makes Daniel Drumm truly fascinating to collectors is his dual existence as both a spiritual force and an active character in his own right. For decades he existed as a ghostly presence inhabiting Jericho's body, granting his brother enhanced strength and the ability to command the Loa. But Daniel eventually emerged as a far more dangerous figure — a vengeful, corrupted spirit willing to possess heroes and villains alike to settle scores he believed the Avengers owed him. His villainous turn during the New Avengers era recast him as a chilling antagonist, adding serious dramatic weight to his appearances and making back issues from that period highly sought after.

As the Houngan Supreme and Lord of the Loa, Daniel carries titles that carry enormous power within Marvel's supernatural hierarchy. His connections to the Savage Avengers and the broader Ghosts team affiliations show that writers continue to find compelling uses for a character whose powerset — spanning possession, phasing, flight, teleportation, and true immortality — makes him virtually impossible to permanently defeat. That narrative resilience is exactly what keeps a character relevant across decades of publishing.

For collectors, Strange Tales #169 remains the crown jewel — a Bronze Age key with strong demand driven by the enduring popularity of Marvel's mystic corner. Any issue featuring Daniel's possession storyline from the New Avengers run is worth grabbing in high grade, and his ties to the Brother Voodoo legacy mean his books benefit whenever Jericho Drumm gets a moment in the spotlight, including any future Doctor Strange or Avengers media appearances that might send collectors scrambling for his debut.