Neutron

Bursting onto the independent comics scene in 1986 courtesy of creator Sherman Burnett, Neutron is a Copper Age original from Firebird Press — one of those scrappy indie publishers that gave the era so much of its creative spark. Over a remarkable 31-year publishing span, this character carved out a niche across titles like Energons, Firebird Press Presents, and Quasar, sharing adventures with a charged-up roster that includes Vortex, Micron, Quasar, Twister, and Electron. Seventeen catalog appearances across three decades may sound modest, but for an independent character to endure from the mid-'80s all the way to 2017 speaks to a genuine staying power that any collector with a soft spot for overlooked gems should appreciate.