David Nelson III

Debuting in 1987's Alien Encounters #12 under the hand of cat yronwode, David Nelson III is an Eclipse Comics creation who stepped out of the Copper Age and into a surprisingly durable corner of that publisher's universe. Over a publishing span stretching all the way to 2022 — a remarkable 35 years — this character carved out a niche alongside some of Eclipse's most beloved figures, sharing pages with the legendary Airboy, Valkyrie, Skywolf, and a colorful cast of aviator-era adventurers. His appearances across Airboy, Total Eclipse, and The Return of Valkyrie place him squarely within one of indie comics' most atmospheric and ambitious shared worlds. For collectors who love the scrappy, creator-driven energy of Eclipse's golden run, David Nelson III is exactly the kind of deep-cut discovery that makes hunting through back-issue bins so rewarding.