Ben

Few characters in Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's landmark Image series carry as much quiet weight as Ben, who first stepped onto the page in The Walking Dead #5 back in 2006. A Modern Age creation born into one of comics' most unrelenting survival narratives, Ben shares his harrowing world with some of the series' most iconic figures — Michonne, Andrea, Glenn, and others whose fates are never guaranteed. His appearances are few but pointed, including at least one collector-recognized key issue, and his presence across The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead Deluxe, and The Walking Dead: Michonne Special speaks to the lasting resonance of even the story's smaller, more haunting figures. If you're building a serious Walking Dead collection, Ben is exactly the kind of character whose significance sneaks up on you.