The Brass Monkey

Stepping out of the richly textured streets of Astro City since 1995, The Brass Monkey is one of the intriguing figures Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson wove into their celebrated humanist superhero universe — a world where every character, no matter how briefly glimpsed, feels like they have a whole life behind them. Debuting in the very early issues of what would become one of the most beloved independent superhero titles of the modern era, this character shares the page with some of Astro City's most iconic figures, including Jack-in-the-Box and the Confessor. It's a testament to the depth of Busiek's world-building that even a character with a modest appearance count feels like a genuine piece of a living, breathing city — and for collectors who love discovering the corners of Astro City's sprawling mythology, The Brass Monkey is exactly the kind of find that makes digging through back issues so rewarding.