Joe Manning

Few characters can claim they were there at the very beginning of Erik Larsen's legendary run — but Joe Manning can, debuting in Graphic Fantasy #1 in 1982 and growing into a fixture of the sprawling, decades-long world of Savage Dragon. A Bronze Age original who has kept pace with Image Comics from its scrappy early days all the way through 2024, Manning has racked up over 100 catalog appearances and earned a spot in 11 key issues — a track record that speaks for itself among serious collectors. He shares the page with heavy hitters like Mighty Man, SuperPatriot, and Horridus, placing him squarely inside one of indie comics' most richly populated universes. If you're diving into the Savage Dragon saga, Joe Manning is exactly the kind of character who rewards the attentive reader willing to follow a world across four decades.