In the crooked man story, the central figure is, of course, the crooked man. However, there are likely other important characters. There could be a shopkeeper who is hesitant to serve the crooked man. Or perhaps a child who is not afraid of the crooked man and tries to befriend him. And then there might be an old wise person in the village who sees the good in the crooked man when others don't.
The main character is the crooked man himself. There may also be other characters like the people in his village or town who interact with him.
In the 'cursery the crooked man and the crooked cat story', the main characters are, as the title implies, the crooked man and the crooked cat. The man could be an old, wizened character with a strange gait and a mischievous glint in his eye. The cat might be a scruffy, oddly - shaped feline with a personality to match. Their relationship could be one of mutual understanding. They might rely on each other for company, protection, or to get into all kinds of interesting and perhaps slightly naughty situations together. Their 'crooked' qualities might be physical, like having a bent body or a lopsided walk, or it could be in their personalities, such as being sneaky or having a different view of the world compared to others in the story's setting.
Since I haven't read the exact short story, I'm not sure. But it's likely that the crooked man is one of the main characters. There might also be some characters who interact with him, like neighbors or people he meets on his journey.
The most prominent character is the crooked man. He is the one around whom the story is built. In some interpretations, there could be an antagonist, perhaps someone who discriminates against the crooked man because of his appearance. But overall, the focus is on the crooked man and his experiences in the fable world, whether it's about how he copes with his situation or how he changes the perspectives of those around him.
There could be the 'crooked man' himself as the main character. He might be surrounded by friends or acquaintances who are part of his playboy world. There may also be some characters who are affected by his crooked ways, like the people he deceives or those who see through his false charm. Without more details, it's all speculation though.
In 'the crooked man short story', the main character is the crooked man himself. But there may be other important characters as well. For instance, a young child who is not afraid of the crooked man at first but then starts to notice his strange behavior. There could also be a local shopkeeper who has interactions with the crooked man and notices some odd things about him. These characters all play important roles in developing the story around the crooked man.
There could be a young protagonist who stumbles upon the Crooked Man. This character might be on a journey of discovery and has to deal with the enigma that is the Crooked Man. They could be trying to understand his motives and either help or stop him depending on the nature of the fanfic.
The main characters are Sherlock Holmes, of course. Then there's Dr. Watson who assists Holmes. The wife of the dead man is also a major character as her past connection with the crooked man is central to the story. And the crooked man himself, whose sudden appearance causes all the trouble.
As I haven't read 'Once a Crooked Man, a Novel', it's hard to say for sure. However, based on the title, the central character is likely the 'crooked man'. There may also be other characters such as those he deceives, or people who try to reform him. There could be a love interest who either falls for his charm despite his crookedness or tries to change him. And of course, there might be antagonists who are either in cahoots with him or oppose him because of his devious ways.
I don't know the specific main characters in this graphic novel. But usually, there would be the Crooked Man himself as a central figure. There might also be characters who oppose him, like a hero figure trying to set things right. And perhaps there are side characters, like his friends or people he meets on his journey, who either help or hinder his progress.
In the 'crooked man story', the main character is the crooked man. He could be a complex character. He might be presented as a lonely figure who has been shunned by society because of his crookedness. Or he could be a menacing presence, lurking around and causing trouble for the other characters in the story. It really depends on how the story is told.