Dr. Strongfort Stearn

Few characters capture the gleeful, anything-goes spirit of Bronze Age independent comics quite like Dr. Strongfort Stearn, who burst onto the scene in 1984's Vanguard Illustrated #7 courtesy of creators Michael T. Gilbert and William F. Loebs. Published under the Eclipse banner, this wonderfully offbeat figure went on to headline his own series, Doc Stearn...Mr. Monster, and turned up across beloved indie showcases like Dark Horse Presents — rubbing elbows over the years with the likes of Airboy, Madman, and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The fact that his adventures stretch across a remarkable 36 years speaks to a dedicated cult following that never let this eccentric gem fade away, making him one of the more quietly enduring cult figures the independent comics scene ever produced.