Tempered Steele

Burst onto the Copper/Modern Age indie scene in 1995's Big Bang Comics #4 from Caliber Press, Tempered Steele is one of those intriguing cult figures that passionate collectors love to track down. Brought to life by Gary Carlson, Christopher Ecker, and Bart Schmitz, this character moves through a world populated by the likes of Kevin Steele, Pandora, Brightblade, and Temblor — a vivid ensemble that signals just how ambitious Caliber's corner of the indie universe was. With appearances spread across both Big Bang Comics and StormQuest, Tempered Steele may have a compact catalog footprint, but that rarity only adds to the appeal for anyone who loves digging into the overlooked gems of '90s independent comics.