Western Gunfighters | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Standard |
Publication date | (1st series) June 1956 - August 1957 (2nd series) Aug. 1970 - Nov. 1975 |
No. of issues | (1st series) 8 (2nd series) 33 |
Creative team | |
Written by | Stan Lee, Jerry Siegel, Gary Friedrich |
Penciller(s) | (1st series) Gene Colan, Joe Maneely, John Severin (2nd series) Dick Ayers, Gil Kane, Severin |
Western Gunfighters is the name of two American Western-anthology comic book series published by Marvel Comics and its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics.
The initial Atlas series ran eight issues, from 1956 to 1957, and featured artists including Gene Colan, Reed Crandall, Joe Maneely, John Severin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, and Wally Wood, with many stories written by Stan Lee.
Volume two, published by Marvel from 1970 to 1975, consisted mostly of Western reprints but also featured new material, including stories of the masked Old West hero Ghost Rider and the introductions of such short-lived Western features as "Gunhawk" and "Renegades", by writers including Gary Friedrich and Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, and artists including Dick Ayers and Tom Sutton.
Marvel Comics' first comic book titled Western Gunfighters was an anthology series published by the company's 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics. It premiered with issue #20 (cover-dated June 1956), taking over the numbering of a previous Atlas series, Apache Kid , the star of which did not go on to appear in the revamped book. Atlas editor-in-chief Stan Lee wrote many of the stories, generally signing them. The artwork included at least two stories each by Dave Berg, Vic Carrabotta, Gene Colan, and Don Heck, and one story each from Reed Crandall, Russ Heath. Angelo Torres, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, and George Woodbridge. Most covers were by John Severin or Joe Maneely. It ran through issue #27 (Aug. 1957). [1]
The series was one of several Atlas Western anthologies that included Frontier Western, Gunsmoke Western , Western Thrillers, and Wild Western ; and two successor series that took over its numbering, Cowboy Action and Quick-Trigger Western.
Marvel's second series of that name was a Western anthology that ran 33 issues (Aug. 1970 - Nov. 1975) and used an almost identical cover logo. Primarily consisting of reprints of Atlas / Marvel Western stories, it also ran new material through issue #7 (Jan. 1972), with the feature "Ghost Rider", a continuation of Marvel's 1967 series, headlining. These first seven issues were 68- or 52-page, 25¢ "giants", relative to the typical 15¢ comics of the times, with #8-on published as standard 36-page comics at the prevailing price of 20¢, rising to 25¢ by the time it ended publication. [2] The premiere issue featured a 10-page Ghost Rider story by the character's 1960s team of writer Gary Friedrich and penciler Dick Ayers, and introduced three new features:
In issue #6, Marvel's original Western Ghost Rider, Carter Slade, was killed saving his brother Lincoln, a U.S. marshal. In the following issue, his place was taken by his young friend and sidekick, Jaime Jacobs, who was almost immediately killed in action. In that same story, Lincoln Slade became the third Ghost Rider. [10]
Reprinted backup features in the first seven issues variously starred the Apache Kid, the Western Kid, Wyatt Earp, and the Black Rider (renamed Black Mask). The series thereafter became all-reprint. Issues #8-9 featured Black Mask as the lead feature, plus the Apache Kid and the Outlaw Kid. Issues #10-15 swapped gunfighter Matt Slade for the Outlaw Kid. From #16 through the final issue, #33, the lineup was Kid Colt as the starring feature, plus the Apache Kid and the Western Kid, the latter dropping that handle and going by his regular name, Tex Dawson, in a feature called "Gun-Slinger". [2]
Herb Trimpe penciled most of the initial seven issues' covers, with Ayers supplying two and John Severin one. The bulk of the reprint issues' covers were by Gil Kane, with Severin drawing #8-10. The remainder were by a smattering of artists, including Jim Steranko (#14, March 1973). [2]
Phantom Rider is the name of several Old West heroic gunfighter characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was originally called Ghost Rider, and was renamed following the introduction of Marvel's motorcycle-riding character of the same name.
The Apache Kid (Alan Krandal) is a fictional Old West character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been 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).
John Powers Severin was an American comics artist noted for his distinctive work with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat; for Marvel Comics, especially its war and Western comics; and for his 45-year stint with the satiric magazine Cracked. He was one of the founding cartoonists of Mad in 1952.
Blaze of Glory: The Last Ride of the Western Heroes is a four-issue comic book limited series published in 2000 by Marvel Comics. It was written by John Ostrander and drawn by Leonardo Manco.
Richard Bache Ayers was an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of Jack Kirby's inkers during the late-1950s and 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comics, including on some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four. He is the signature penciler of Marvel's World War II comic Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, drawing it for a 10-year run, and he co-created Magazine Enterprises' 1950s Western-horror character the Ghost Rider, a version of which he would draw for Marvel in the 1960s.
The Outlaw Kid is a fictional Western hero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character originally appeared in the company's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics. A lesser-known character than the company's Kid Colt, Rawhide Kid or Two-Gun Kid, he also starred in a reprint series in the 1970s and a short-lived revival.
Sydney Shores was an American comic book artist known for his work on Captain America both during the 1940s, in what fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books, and during the 1960s Silver Age of comic books.
Skywald Publications was an American publisher of black-and-white comics magazines, primarily the horror anthologies Nightmare, Psycho, and Scream. It also published a small line of comic books and other genre magazines. Skywald's original comics were similar in appearance and quality to rival black-and-white publisher Warren Publishing, and even employed many of the same creators. Skywald operated from 1970 to 1975.
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.
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.
Gary Friedrich was an American comic book writer best known for his Silver Age stories for Marvel Comics' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos and in the following era, the series The Monster of Frankenstein, as well as for cocreating the supernatural motorcyclist Ghost Rider and the supernatural hero the Son of Satan.
The Gunhawks is the name of a pair of fictional comic book characters in the Western genre that first appeared in a self-titled series published by Marvel Comics.
Magazine Enterprises was an American comic book company lasting from 1943 to 1958, which published primarily Western, humor, crime, adventure, and children's comics, with virtually no superheroes. It was founded by Vin Sullivan, an editor at Columbia Comics and before that the editor at National Allied Publications, the future DC Comics.
Red Wolf is a superhero identity used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Those who assume the identity are Native American heroes with mystical powers and a trusted wolf companion named Lobo.
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.
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.
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.
Gunsmoke Western is an American comic book series that was 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.
The Mighty Marvel Western is an American comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. A Western anthology that ran 46 issues, it consisted of reprint stories of the Marvel Old West heroes the Rawhide Kid, Kid Colt, the Two-Gun Kid, and Matt Slade, featuring much art by Jack Kirby, Jack Keller, and others. New covers, on all but three issues, were by Herb Trimpe, John Severin and Gil Kane, among others.
Wild Western is a Western comic book series that was published by Atlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics. The anthology series published 57 issues from 1948 to 1957. Kid Colt stories were usually the lead feature and a prominent cover element throughout the series' run, while most issues also featured the Two-Gun Kid and the Black Rider. Other recurring characters included Tex Taylor, Arizona Annie, the Apache Kid, and the Ringo Kid.
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