Pete Carney

Pete Carney is one of the everyday faces that gives Kurt Busiek's Astro City its distinctive heartbeat — a character woven into the fabric of that celebrated superhero universe since its landmark first issue in 1995, right at the dawn of comics' Modern Age. Created by Busiek and artist Brent Anderson, Pete has kept remarkable company over the years, sharing pages with the likes of Jack-in-the-Box, Hummingbird, and The Living Nightmare across Astro City's long, acclaimed run. That debut issue alone carries key-issue status among collectors, making Pete part of a genuinely significant moment in the medium. Thirty years of appearances — including the Metrobook collections and the Visitor's Guide — speak to a character who belongs to one of modern comics' most thoughtfully constructed worlds, and that's well worth your attention.