Billy the Kid

Few characters in comics carry a name as loaded with American mythology as Billy the Kid, and this version rode onto the page all the way back in 1940, debuting in Doc Savage Comics #1 during the Golden Age — brought to life by the remarkable pairing of pulp maestro Walter Gibson and artist Vernon Greene. Published primarily through Toby Press, this Billy carved out a niche across Billy the Kid Adventure Magazine and even shared ink with the likes of John Wayne and Felix the Cat, making for one of the more eclectic rosters of comic companions you'll find from the era. With a publishing footprint stretching an astonishing 78 years from that 1940 debut all the way to 2018, this is a character whose staying power in the catalog quietly speaks for itself. Thirty appearances may not sound like a crowd, but for fans of Golden Age western comics and the publishers who kept the frontier spirit alive, tracking down these issues is a genuine treasure hunt.