Two Gun Kid (comic book)

Last updated
Two Gun Kid
Publication information
Publisher Timely Comics
Atlas Comics
Marvel Comics
ScheduleBimonthly
Format Ongoing series
Genre Western
Publication date(Timely)
Mar. 1948 – Nov. 1949
(Marvel)
Nov. 1953 – Apr. 1977
No. of issues136
Main character(s)Clay Harder
Matt Hawk
Creative team
Written by Stan Lee
Artist(s) Ogden Whitney
Penciller(s) Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers
Inker(s) Dick Ayers, Joe Sinnott

Two Gun Kid is the name of a comic book title featuring the character Two Gun Kid originally published by Timely Comics beginning in 1948, by Atlas Comics from 1953 to 1961, and later by Marvel Comics.

Contents

Publication history

The series titled Two-Gun Kid ran in two parts, from 1948 to 1949 and then from 1953 to 1977. Clay Harder debuted in Two-Gun Kid #1 (March 1948). [1] [2] He was Marvel's second continuing Western character, following the Masked Raider, who had appeared in Marvel Comics #1 / Marvel Mystery Comics #2–12 (October 1939 – Octctoer 1940). [3] Two-Gun Kid was the company's first ongoing Western title, [4] running 10 issues.

Russ Heath said in 2004 he believed his first work for Timely was a Western story featuring the Two-Gun Kid. [5] Historians have tentatively identified his first work as either a Kid Colt story in the omnibus series Wild Western #4 (Nov. 1948); the second Two-Gun Kid story in Two-Gun Kid #5 (Dec. 1948), "Guns Blast in Thunder Pass;" and the Two-Gun Kid story in Wild Western #5 (Dec. 1948), while confirming Heath art on the Kid Colt story that same issue. [6]

Beginning in 1953, Atlas Comics continued the original Two-Gun Kid series from issue #11, and then continued with Marvel publishing it until cover date April 1977. The Harder version of the character appeared sporadically through 1962, with Joe Sinnott being the last artist to draw the original Two-Gun Kid on a regular basis.

Two-Gun Kid #60 (Nov. 1962) retconned the Clay Harder character out of existence, turning him into a dime novel character who had inspired the second Two-Gun Kid, Matt Hawk. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, creators of the Fantastic Four, concocted the new Kid to make the character resemble a masked superhero with a secret identity, to stimulate sales for the title. [7] Kirby drew the title for three more issues before passing it off to Dick Ayers. [8]

From issue #93 (July 1970) on, Two-Gun Kid was mostly a reprint title. At one point later in the second series, some of the original Clay Harder Kid adventures were retouched to add a mask and make him look like the Matt Hawk Kid for the reprints. [9] [10] Two-Gun Kid story reprints, including many Jack Kirby-drawn stories, also appeared in the 1968–1976 title The Mighty Marvel Western .

Ogden Whitney became the regular artist for the series from No. 87 to the final issue, No. 92 (May 1967 – March 1968). He wrote and drew the lead story in the mostly reprint revival of the title, in No. 103 (March 1972), and penciled a nine-page backup story, "Invitation to a Gunfight", by writer Marv Wolfman, in the following issue (May 1972), marking his last known comics work. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rawhide Kid</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

The Rawhide Kid is a fictional Old West cowboy appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A heroic gunfighter of the 19th-century American West who was unjustly wanted as an outlaw, he is one of Marvel's most prolific Western characters. He and other Marvel western heroes have on rare occasions guest-starred through time travel in such contemporary titles as The Avengers and West Coast Avengers. In two mature-audience miniseries, in 2003 and 2010, he is depicted as gay.

Amazing Adventures is the name of several anthology comic book series, all but one published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apache Kid (comics)</span>

The Apache Kid (Alan Krandal) is a fictional Old West character in the Marvel Comics universe, mostly seen in stories from Marvel's 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics. This character was named after, but is unrelated to, the real-life Native American man known as The Apache Kid (Haskay-bay-nay-natyl).

<i>Marvel Mystery Comics</i> American comic book series

Marvel Mystery Comics is an American comic book series published during the 1930s–1940s period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. It was the first publication of Marvel Comics' predecessor, Timely Comics, a division of Timely Publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-Gun Kid</span> Fictional character in Marvel Comics

The Two-Gun Kid is the name of two Western fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first, Clay Harder, was introduced in a 1948 comic from Marvel predecessor Timely Comics. The second, Matt Hawk a.k.a. Matthew J. Hawkins, was introduced in 1962 and has continued to appear into the 2010s. The latter Kid is better known, thanks primarily to his connection with, and later full integration into, the shared continuity of Marvel Comics known as the Marvel Universe, but the Clay Harder Kid enjoyed a 14-year span in comics.

Kid Colt is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first is a cowboy whose adventures have taken place in numerous western-themed comic book series published by Marvel. The second is a cowboy-themed horse-like superhero. The character's first appearance was in Kid Colt #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All-Winners Squad</span> Group of fictional characters

The All-Winners Squad is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The company's first such team, it first appeared in All Winners Comics #19, published by Marvel predecessor Timely Comics during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlas Comics (1950s)</span> USA comic book publisher (1951–1957)

Atlas Comics was the 1950s comic-book publishing label that evolved into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic-book division during this time. Atlas evolved out of Goodman's 1940s comic-book division, Timely Comics, and was located on the 14th floor of the Empire State Building. This company is distinct from the 1970s comic-book company, also founded by Goodman, that is known as Atlas/Seaboard Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringo Kid</span>

The Ringo Kid is a fictional Western appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. His comic book series was originally released by the company's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. A lesser-known character than the company's Kid Colt, Rawhide Kid, or Two-Gun Kid, he also appeared in a reprint series in the 1970s.

<i>All Winners Comics</i>

All Winners Comics was the name of two American comic book series of the 1940s, both published by Marvel Comics' predecessor, Timely Comics, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. A superhero anthology comic in both cases, they variously featured such star characters as Captain America, the original Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner. All Winners Comics was also the venue for two full-length stories of Marvel's first superhero team, the (hyphenated) All-Winners Squad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powerhouse Pepper</span> Comics character

Powerhouse Pepper is a character in American humor comic books published in the 1940s by Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Basil Wolverton, the character was a dim-witted but big-hearted boxer with superhuman strength, who appeared in slapstick adventures. His titular feature debuted in the humor anthology Joker Comics #1 and would appear in many anthology titles in the 1940s. His final appearance came in Spring 1948.

<i>Astonishing Tales</i> Comic book series published by Marvel Comics

Astonishing Tales is an American anthology comic book series originally published by Marvel Comics from 1970 to 1976. Its sister publication was Amazing Adventures.

<i>Kid Colt, Outlaw</i>

Kid Colt, Outlaw is a comic book title featuring the character Kid Colt originally published by Atlas Comics beginning in 1948 and later Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogden Whitney</span> American comics creator

John Ogden Whitney was an American comic-book artist and sometime writer active from the 1930s–1940s Golden Age of comics through the 1960s Silver Age. He is best known as co-creator of the aviator hero Skyman and of the superpowered novelty character Herbie Popnecker and his alter ego, the satiric superhero the Fat Fury. Whitney as well had long runs on characters as diverse as the Western masked crime-fighter the Two-Gun Kid, and the career-girl character Millie the Model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Kid</span> Fictional character

The Western Kid is a fictional Old West character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was the star of Western feature published by Marvel's 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics.

<i>Boys Ranch</i> Comic book series

Boys' Ranch was a six-issue American comic book series created by the veteran writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for Harvey Comics in 1950. A Western in the then-prevalent "kid gang" vein popularized by such film series as "Our Gang" and "The Dead End Kids", the series starred three adolescents—Dandy, Wabash, and Angel—who operate a ranch that was bequeathed to them, under the adult supervision of frontiersman Clay Duncan. Supporting characters included Palomino Sue, Wee Willie Weehawken, citizens of the town Four Massacres, and various Native Americans, including a fictional version of the real-life Geronimo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western comics</span> Comic genre

Western comics is a comics genre usually depicting the American Old West frontier and typically set during the late nineteenth century. The term is generally associated with an American comic books genre published from the late 1940s through the 1950s. Western comics of the period typically featured dramatic scripts about cowboys, gunfighters, lawmen, bounty hunters, outlaws, and Native Americans. Accompanying artwork depicted a rural America populated with such iconic images as guns, cowboy hats, vests, horses, saloons, ranches, and deserts, contemporaneous with the setting.

<i>Gunsmoke Western</i> American comic book series

Gunsmoke Western was an American comic book series published initially by Atlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics, and then into the 1960s by Marvel. A Western anthology that ran 46 issues, it featured early stories of the Marvel Old West heroes Kid Colt and the Two-Gun Kid, and work by such artists as Jack Kirby, John Severin, Joe Maneely, Doug Wildey, and many others.

<i>Western Comics</i>

Western Comics was a Western comic book series published by DC Comics. DC's longest-running Western title, it published 85 issues from 1948 to 1961. Western Comics was an anthology series, featuring such characters as the wandering cowboy the Wyoming Kid, the Native American lawman Pow Wow Smith, the Cowboy Marshal, Jim Sawyer, showman Rodeo Rick, and Matt Savage, Trail Boss. The masked Vigilante Greg Saunders appeared in the first four issues of the title, but was soon replaced by itinerant fix-it man Nighthawk.

Rawhide Kid is the name of several comic book titles featuring the character Rawhide Kid originally published by Atlas Comics, beginning with the original Rawhide Kid comic book series which debuted in 1955, and later Marvel Comics.

References

  1. ↑ Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 39. ISBN   978-1465455505.
  2. ↑ Two-Gun Kid (Marvel 1948 series) at the Grand Comics Database
  3. ↑ Masked Raider at the Grand Comics Database
  4. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Two-Gun Kid," Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Accessed Dec. 19, 2011.
  5. ↑ Heath interview, Alter Ego, p. 23
  6. ↑ Russ Heath at the Grand Comics Database
  7. ↑ Cronin, Brian (2023-04-01). "Why Did Marvel Introduce a Brand-New Two-Gun Kid?". CBR. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Stan (2018-11-18). "Looking for the Awesome – 18. New Beginnings". The Kirby Effect. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  9. ↑ Buttery, Jarrod (August 2010). "Two-Gun Kid: Right Between the Eons". Back Issue. Vol. 1, no. 42. pp. 23–24 – via Issuu.
  10. ↑ Brevoort, Tom (2022-01-16). "The Last Two-Gun Kid Story". The Tom Brevoort Experience. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  11. ↑ Ogden Whitney at the Grand Comics Database.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.