Boris the Bear #3

Boris the Bear was launched in 1986 by Dark Horse Comics as a cynical, satirical response to the growing trend of anthropomorphic animal characters in independent comics, particularly the runaway success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Created by James Dean Smith, the series followed a titular bear who was essentially an unstoppable, violent force of nature serving as a meta-commentary on the gritty, over-the-top comic book tropes of the mid-1980s.

Issue #3 continued the narrative style established in the earlier installments, maintaining Smith's distinctive, scratchy ink-work and dark humor. The series was well-received by readers looking for a subversive alternative to mainstream capes and cowls, eventually gaining a cult following that allowed the character to endure as a piece of 1980s underground comic history.