The Tall Stranger by Louis L'amour

Yes, I read Westerns. Mostly in comic book form. But I have been known to enjoy them in paperback format. Louis L'Amour is my favorite. Probably because of my grandfather who probably owned a copy of every work the American author ever wrote.

It's been a very long time since I read one of L'Amour's works. At least 25 years, I'd say. The Iron Marshall, the first work of his I read is still my favorite. With me being on Summer break and a desiring some literary comfort foods, I ordered this book with the intention of reading it while at the beach. However, the novel I started right before I went on vacation took me a bit longer to read than I expected. So The Tall Stranger would have to wait a bit.

The book is about a drifter named Rock Bannon. A wagon train heading to the Oregon trail found Rock dying from a gunshot wound. Nursed back to health, he's caught the eye of the girl who cared for him. But for the other single fellas hoping to make their play with the girl, they despise Rock as an interloper.

During a rest stop right before the beginning of the Oregon split, a smooth talking gentleman named Mort Harper persuades the train to veer South through Utah territory with promises of the lushest valley ever seen this far West. Rock knows that this land has already been claimed by a cattle rancher named Hardy Bishop. But no matter what Rock says, the men of the wagon train will not listen to him. 

Bannon also knows that their presence in Bishop's Canyon could start a land war. Deep down, Rock suspects that Mort is going to make a play for the valley as the legality of land ownership rights at this point in American history is more about who's settled on the land than who in fact owns the title deed.

Rock is torn. Should he help the wagon train settlers and hopefully win the heart of the girl once and for all? Or does Bannon respect the bond of blood, because Hardy Bishop is in reality Rock's father?

The Tall Stranger was written in 1957. L'amour's first novel, Hondo, was written 4 years earlier. So this is early in the author's career. There are still some rough spots in L'Amour's writings that will be polished up by the time he writes The Iron Marshall in 1979. Take the names for example Rock Bannon? Mort? Clearly, the author was basing some of dashing matinee idol Rock Hudson in the moniker and description of the protagonist. But never in the history of the world had a bad guy ever gone by the name Mort? (Although, morte is French for death and dying and everywhere Mort goes, the Geim Reaper surely follows. So maybe his name is a pun.)

Another issue is that Louis L'Amour rambles. Despite a page count of only 150 pages, this book could have been 15-20 pages less if the author wouldn't wander off topic to present to the reader interesting facts and mysteries about the old West which have nothing to do with the plot. When if comes to painting a picture of the scenery or interior of one of the settler's cabins, there's no equal to the author, even at this early stage of his career. But  writer for the Western edition of Ripley's Believe It or Not, L'Armour is not

Lastly, I'm left to ponder the subject of this book's title. The Tall Stranger; who is it that the author is referring to? At first, you'd think it's Rock, having been involuntarily integrated into the wagon train by being saved from the nearly fatal gunshot wound? Or is it the Snidely Whiplash of the story, Mort, who joins the caravan after he makes his pitch for heading further south? I guess it's left up to the reader to decide? Personally, I think it refers to Mort, the fork-tongued con man who's planning on literally enslaving the settlers so that he can become the next cattle baron of Bishop's canyon. 

I enjoyed the book. It was a short read that I wouldn't exactly call a quick read. But it's close. Flawed? Yes. But it's still quintessential Louis L'Amour. I might go for another of his works. Just not right at the moment as I have several mysteries and a food journal on my to-read pile at the moment.

Worth Consuming!

Rating; 7 out of 10 stars.

Gunmaster (Gwandanaland Comics #684)

This collection of Charlton Comics Westerns comes from Gwandanaland Comics. It collects the 10 issues of the solo titled Gunmaster series. Published in stunning full color, there's also another collection of the character's adventures from the pages of the anthology series Six-Gun Heroes. I don't have that book, which is perfectly fine. Almost every story in this book is a standalone tale that doesn't require any prior knowledge about Gunmaster or his teen sidekick Bullet Boy. The only thing that seems to be missing here is any sort of an origin story about the main character and/or how he met Bullet Boy. But for all I know, there might not even be a origin story. Though that does seem unlikely.

Our hero is a talented gun smith, Clay Boone He's a man that abhors violence. To many, he's a yellow bellied coward. But secretly, he's a vigilante masked man who uses a stunning array of handmade weapons and gadgets to bring in outlaws with no fear of the men who wear the badge. 

Gunmaster's sidekick has got to have the most transparent secret identity in all of comicdom. If you thought Clark Kent just wearing glasses was see through, you haven't read anything yet. Bullet Boy's real name is Bob Tellub. That's Bullet Bob backwards! The kid is basically 1 letter away from a super villain with a mirror figuring out who these armed vigilantes really are. And if you ask me, I am pretty sure that the local authorities know that Clay and Bob are Gunmaster and his ward and the law men are just playing along because the masked heroes are the ones sticking their necks out in pursuit of justice.

This series reads like the Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly classic Western High Noon, only with hi-tech and gadgets. Gunmaster might have invented a lot of weapons. But he surely had nothing to do with Chekov's gun which is essentially a literary rule that states that if a gun appears in act one, it must be used in act 2. We witness Cooper creating a lot of gadgets to use in his war on crime at the beginning of every story that never gets used nor mentioned ever again by story's end.

One aspect that I did think that this series was rather superior at was it's villains. There's some varmints with gimmicks that rival those of Jonah Hex. There's the snake oil salesman with the hypnotic eyes. A fat guy who's the brains behind some impossible hold ups. Not to mention a Native American with supernatural connections to the predatory hawk and a tough guy who's charisma intimidates the heck out of Gunmaster. Having several of them return for a showdown against this Western pair of do-gooders was an exciting way to end the series.

That's not to say that they were all Professor Moriartys. The guy who thought he was the new king of a region of Mexico was a major wuss. And several outlaws were drawn so goofy-looking like they were the ancestors of some of the gangsters that Dick Tracy will one day face.

Various artists worked on this series that ran from 1965-67. There were varying degrees of success. But the real masterpieces were the covers dynamically illustrated off and on by Dick Giordano and Rocke Mastroserio. I never could figure out who wrote the stories with the exception of Joe Gill. For some reason, only they were given a writing credit in the last issue.

An interesting read with some strange and rather bizarre storylines. It wasn't always pretty. Far from it. .But I can see where this book might have influenced DC's Weird Western Tales.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Sky' & Ty, Book 1: Howdy, Partner (Family Comic Friday)

If you are a fan of the Old West you've probably heard of the Pony Express. It was a short-lived delivery system that was a network of young men astride super fast horses that provided mail to far away outposts and burgeoning towns. But have you heard of the Tyrannosaurus Rex-press? Okay, I made that name up. But creator Steve Breen took inspiration from a picture drawn by his son to craft this fantasy Western graphic novel for readers ages 6-9.

Sky lives on a farm with her grandmother. It's been her birthday wish for a while now to have her very own dinosaur to ride. Not a pony, but a living breathy thunder lizard with a terrifying face and a mighty roar.

One day while exploring the desert outside of the range of her family farm, Sky comes across a cave she's never encountered before. Whoa and behold, there's a dinosaur inside. A T-Rex to be exact; named Ty. It's Sky's dream come true. Only Ty is gentle, with a kind face and is a lovely shade of orange. And he's got some serious dance moves that can outlast the fiercest of grizzly bears!

Immediately a friendship is forged between a girl and her dinosaur and on one fateful day, a new business is forged! Mr. Rigby is struggling to get an important package to faraway Huckleberry Park. Big Earl needs what's inside the box by 4 o'clock and there's no way Mr. Rigby is going to get it to him in time. With Ty's speed and Sky's ability to hold onto the box, there's a good chance Big Earl will get his delivery on time. But first Sky and Ty have to come up with a great motto for their new business venture!

I loved this book. I'm hoping it's setting up a whole like of books because I didn't want this book to end. The artwork of Sky and Ty has elements of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur series. The characters are unique with distinctive voices and there's Easter eggs and humorous quips throughout the book along with an assortment of enjoyable extras!

I also liked that Sky and Ty was a family collaboration. Breen took inspiration from his son Matt when the boy drew a picture of a cowboy atop a giant T-Rex. While I don't think Matt Breen is giving his pop plot ideas like little brother Malachai gave to Ethan while creating Axe Cop, I still appreciate how family is at the center of the heart of this book. 

Parents and guardians are going to love this book. Remember what I said about there being a mean grizzly bear? Well, in the book, the bear is threatening a tiny bunny. Instead of fighting him, Ty challenges him to a dance off. All of a sudden, Sky's playing DJ with a full set. It's the kind of unexpected humor that zigs when you expect the plot to zag. It was hilarious. And that's the sort of humor that you get when parents and children get together and brainstorm. Maybe this book will inspire the young reader in your life to help you create the next classic in children's graphic novel lit!

One thing is for sure, Sky and Ty: Howdy, Partner is going to fill your house with a bunch of laughs!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Western Gunfighters #33 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Marvel's anthology series Western Gunfighters, which ran from 1970-75, was the second series to be published by that name. From 1956-57, Marvel, when they operated as Atlas, produced a series that spawned only 8 issues. The series began with issue #20, taking over the numbering from another Western title, Apache Kid. With issue #27, two other Western anthologies took over the numbering from Western Gunfighters.

The second volume lasted almost 4 times longer than it's predecessor, going for 33 issues. The first 7 issues contained a mix of all-new material and reprints, before switching entirely to previously published material with issue #8. The cowboy Ghost Rider was the main feature in those first few issues. Other new characters introduced in Western Gunfighters volume 2 included Jerry Siegel's Gunhawk and Roy Thomas and Mike Fredrich's short-lived and seldom remembered Renegades.

Referring back to the title's origins, reprints of the Native American hero Apache Kid were a frequent back-up feature since issue #1. In this issue, the Apache Kid, who poses as a white teenaged cowpuncher in order to infiltrate desperadoes who want to harm his tribe, joins a gang of white men who dress up as Apaches with hopes of causing a war with the US Calvary. Once the Army wipes out the Apaches, the gang hopes to lay claim to the tribe's valuable land and resources. The story featuring art by Werner Roth features two of the fastest quick-changes in the history of comics to a point, they make both Superman and any version of the Flash look slow. 

The cover story reprints a classic tale of Kid Colt. Written by Denny O'Neil, the Kid is given the chance at a pardon after he saves the governor of an unnamed Western state from train robbers. Sadly, Kid Colt must continue to live his days as a wanted man when he traded his chance at freedom in order to save the politician from assassins. Once more, the artwork is by Werner Roth.

Lastly, a loner named Gun-Slinger, along with his dog Lightning come across a prospector with aim to kill the pooch. A pack of wolves caused the prospector to lose a wealthy claim and now he's ready to kill anything that comes his way looking like a lupine. It's a story about redemption and forgiveness featuring art by John Romita, Sr.

Issue #33 would be the final issue of the series. It's demise was brought about by shrinkflation. When the reboot first debuted, it was a 52-page plus special for all of 15 cents. As the page count shrunk and the all-new material disappeared, the price rose to 20 cents and then 25 cents before Marvel let the title out to pasture.

Gil Kane was the cover artist for this issue.

Completing this review completes Task #47 (An Anthology) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders #5 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

12 year old Bobby Benson debuted on the radio airwaves in 1932. After the death of his parents, Bobby inherited the B-Bar-B Ranch, becoming the boss to a rag tag bunch of cow hands. In between dramatic stories of cattle rustlers, thieving bandits and angry Native American Indians, the tension was eased with campfire sing-alongs and tall tales told by the ranch's handyman, Windy. 

Though the stories were set in Texas and the fact that Bobby and his crew faced more than their fair share of desperadoes, there was a modern element to the adventures. In this issue, ranchers chase after a band of aspiring train robbers by commandeering a tour bus to catch the criminals. Then foreman Tex Mason in disguise as the vigilante, the Lemonade Kid, goes after a gang of bank robbers that use a helicopter to make their getaways.  Both stories are rather creative mixing Old Western action with mid-twentieth century technology. Though can anyone explain how those helicoptering baddies managed to get a hideout atop an inaccessible mesa?

Later, Windy regales some of the B-Bar-B's juvenile visitors to a story of the time the ranch was invaded by giant ants. Then there's a prose tale about a Texas Ranger outfoxing a wanted killer before Bobby Benson is kidnapped by horse rustlers in the closing story.

The 20 issue series produced by Magazine Enterprises under its Parkway Publishing Company banner. was the first all-new comic appearance by Bobby Benson. In the 1930s, ME released a pair of comics that collected stories from the short-lived newspaper strips based on the adventures at the B-Bar-B Ranch. Both books were radio giveaways issued by cereal producer, the Hecker-H-O Company, who sponsored the radio show for a time.

The first Bobby Benson program ran from 1932-1936 on CBS. A revival on the Mutual Broadcasting System debuted in 1949. A year later, Bobby made the jump to television in a  live action series. In response to the show, ME published a comic book series. Bobby Benson actually makes a reference to filming the TV show in the last story of this issue. The comic outlived the television show by about a year before being cancelled in 1953. Bobby Benson and His B-Bar-B Riders aired its last radio program in 1955. A number of child actors played the role of Bobby over the show's cumulative 10 year run including future Dead End Kid, Billy Halop. Other stars of note to work regularly on the radio series included Don Knotts, Tex Ritter and Billy's sister Florence Halop who was most well known for her brief role as Flo the Baliff on NBC's Night Court.

Bob Powell is credited with having penciled the cover and at least one of the 4 stories in this issue. Raymond C. Krank edited and is believed to have written the prose 2-pager, 'Job For A Ranger.'

Completing this review completes Task #1 (Comic from the Golden Age (1938-1955)) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Weird Western Tales #46 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Bat Lash. Gambler. Ladies man. Smuggler and swindler. He's a gentleman with a roguish streak. He claims that he abhors violence. However, he's not afraid to use a firearm or stick of dynamite when the chips are down. You could almost say that Bat Lash is an old West inspiration for Han Solo.

The character was created in 1968. He was one of the first figures developed by Carmine Infantino after he was named editorial director for DC Comics. Fellow editor Joe Orlando assisted in Bay Lash's development before Sheldon Mayer and Sergio Aragones were tasked with bringing the antihero to life 

Bat Lash first debuted in issue #76 of Showcase. He soon started in his own self-titled solo series with Aragones now joined by Denny O'Neil as scribe. Despite winning a pair of Alley Awards for Best Western series and being significantly popular in Europe, Bat Lash was cancelled after only 7 issues.

In 1972, capitalizing off of the easing of restrictions on horror comics by the Comics Code as well as the new found popularity of titles like The House of Secrets, DC commissioned a western anthology series that specialized in the strange and macabre. Weird Western Tales debuted in the summer of '72. The breakout star of the title was the Confederate bounty hunter Jonah Hex. His popularity spun off into his own solo series in 1977. 

After Hex departed Weird Western Tales, the character of Scalphunter was made the feature. Created by Aragones and Orlando, Scalphunter was a young white child named Brian Savage. After his parents are slaughtered, Brian is raised by his family's killers, the people of the Kiowa tribe. Though despised by the Kiowa, Brian is trained to become a fierce warrior. Eventually Savage leaves the tribe in hopes of finding his baby sister who may have survived the massacre of his family.

Assuming the name of Scalphunter, Savage is a man of two cultures; both of which refuse to claim him. In his search for his sister, Scalphunter encounters a number of characters from DC's Old West lineup, including Bat Lash. No stranger to Weird Western Tales, Lash teamed with Scalphunter in the previous issues, agreeing to steal an experimental piece of artillery that very well could change the course of the Civil War.

Bat Lash and Scalphunter were supposed to sell the gun to the highest bidder. However, Lash betrayed his partner leaving him for dead. Enraged, Scalphunter has tracked Bat Lash to Saint Louis where the scoundrel is to meet with representatives from both the North and the South in a high stakes auction. While Lash plans for the Union to win the weapon, the Southern conspirators recruit Scalphunter into an ambush. Seeing a chance for revenge, Scalphunter agrees. Now with the South in possession of the automatic weapon, Bat Lash must convince his new foe that his intentions were pure and work together to save an entire Union regiment from being slaughtered.

Definitely a Western tale. But light on the weird. 

Written by Gerry Conway. Art by Dick Ayers and George Evans.

Completing this review completes Task #25 (A Western) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Bonanza #13

How was the West won? It's a question I once asked my grandpa to which he responded 'You know, that's a very good question.' So good, that he never answered me. Well, if you are to believe this issue of Gold Key's adaptation of the hit Western TV series Bonanza, the West was won thanks to the use of bicycles!

Thieves steal the horses of all 4 Cartwright men: Pa, Hoss, Little Joe and Adam! The only way to get after these varmints is to use this new contraption called a bicycle! But we're not talking about a single bike or even a two-seater. Oh, no! Instead, they all mount up on a 4-person tandem bike!

This has got to be the goofiest Bonanza story of all-time. The family can't use their 2-horse wagon as the animals are too tired. Got to use a bike instead! The Cartwrights at one point rode the bike across an icy pond. One of the sons decides it's faster to use roller skates, but falls through the ice because clearly he's too heavy than a bike with 3 people on it! And for some reason, you have to show how stupid the Indians are and include a scene of the Native people thinking a bicycle is some force of white man magic. 

I'm not making any of this up folks. This all really happened in a title story dated from 1965. 

There are two follow-up stories included in this issue. The middle story doesn't appear to have any characters from the TV show that I recognize. Instead it stars a weary prospector called Bedrock Barnes. Is he like a recurring character? Was he regular filler in the Bonanza books? Not sure. All I know is that Bedrock finds a wrecked ship in the middle of the desert; a ship that contains a valuable lost shipment of gold. Only when he brings help to bring back more gold, it appears that the desert has reclaimed the fabled relic. 

Story #3 does have the Cartwrights in it. It's a very unusual tale about a Mexican grandma who packs heat. It's not as silly as the bicycle story. History has produced some bad ass grannies. I find the story more confusing as the lady is trying to fund a revolution down in Mexico and yet when she reaches her family (which might just be members of her gang), it seems like the Abuela's intentions are a lot more selfish. 

And where do the Cartwrights fit into all this? Adam Cartwright just happens to be on a stagecoach that the old lady robbed. Now she's got him at gun point, forced to carry the gold back to her hideout. Naturally, instead of calling for the Sheriff or US Marshalls, the rest of the Cartwright clan decide to take vigilante justice into their own hands. 

37 issues of Bonanza were released by Gold Key from 1962-1970. While there are some much more attractive covers out there, perhaps filled with less far-fetched stories in them, I found this book in a bargain bin for only a dollar. A sucker for Dell/Gold Key/Whitman comics based on old TV shows, I could not pass this one up. It will stay a part of my collection. This book will also be listed as containing one of the weirdest, wildest, implausible Western tales of all time.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather

Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather is Ron Zimmerman's 2003 retooling of the Rawhide Kid legend. The big controversy behind this book was that through all the thinly veiled hints and innuendo, it's supposed to be implied that the Rawhide Kid was gay. Here's the thing, I don't think Rawhide is really gay. I think it's one big joke that fans of Marvel Westerns are in on and the prank was pulled on the House of Ideas.

The late Ron Zimmerman was among things besides a comic book writer, he was also a stand-up comedian and satirist. I think Zimmerman took the idea of homo-eroticism in Western lore, especially with cowboys, got Marvel on board and took a chance to make his version of Blazing Saddles. 

The entire story was a comedic farce. There's absolutely nothing serious here. The mayor of the town is an ancestor of the Bush family (He looks like W too!). There are also ancestors of some of your favorite funny men from 60s and 70s sitcoms. Icons of the classic TV Westerns such as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Cartwrights of Bonanza and many more guest star as well. Only the spelling of the characters is changed slightly; probably to avoid copyright issues. Slap Leather is satire. Slap Leather is parody. 

The addition of comic book legend John Severin on artwork added some gravitas to this project. It's probably why Marvel to this day still claims the Rawhide Kid as an LGBTQ+ icon. Severin was an artist on the original Rawhide Kid series. Yet I am telling you, this 5 issue miniseries is anything but serious. If this book was published in the 70s or 80s, today's readers would probably criticize it today as being unsympathetic or homophobic. But Zimmerman pulled the wool over everybody's eyes and was able to take a whole lot of stereotype and humor about gays and somehow fooled everyone into thinking that this was a book full of pride. But I think it's really a secret thumb-nose to any and everyone on both sides of the issue. 

That's not to say that this wasn't a funny read. The gang of outlaws who seek to 'rape and pillage the town' of Wells Junction are hilarious. They're totally incompetent and yet their wordplay is so clever. Catastrophe Jen is one of the best Western comics characters to be introduced in the past 40 years!  The banter between the inept Sheriff and his son who is embarrassed by the lawman's lily-liver was so brilliant. I thought Rawhide was great too in how he interacted with the Sheriff's bratty child. The scene where the Kid wants the townsfolk to leave before high noon and they all get insulted by not being recruited to help save their homes. Such great irony! I just felt that the part that everyone circles the wagons around, Rawhide's sexuality, was actually the joke and not some big step in helping the homosexual community become less marginalized.

If you are a fan of Westerns. If you can overlook the change to Marvel canon. If you can laugh at humor that is far from P.C., you will like this book. You might think I am wrong and decide that Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather really is pro-LGBTQ+. That's okay if you do. Just as it's appropriate for me to think that the joke is on you!

No matter what, this is an essential classic of modern comics. It's just up to the reader to decide what merits of this work make it a paradigm of sequential art.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Weird Western Tales #50 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Weird Western Tales actually started out as the second volume of the fan favorite anthology series All-Star Western. The first issues featured some basic historical characters like Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill, and Davy Crockett. DC creations such as Pow Wow Smith and Bat Lash made appearances as well as the demon possessed gunslinger known as El Diablo. In issue #10, readers were introduced to the mysterious bounty hunter, Jonah Hex.                                             

A former Confederate soldier turned bounty hunter, Hex's visage was disfigured by a Native American shaman for allegedly violating rules of combat. This brand was called the 'mark of the demon'. While Hex didn't have any supernatural powers, his stories tended to have an element of the strange and macabre due the nature of his facial injury. 

During this time period, the Comics Code was lessening its rules on horror tales. As a result, DC Comics created the wildly popular Weird War Tales in 1971. Seeing dollar signs, the editors at DC and publisher Carmine Infantino made the call to switch All-Star Western's format and title. The book was renamed Weird Western Tales with issue #12 (June, 1972). 

For the first half dozen issues El Diablo and Jonah Hex rotated as the star of Weird Western Tales. Assorted Western themed horror tales rounded out the issue. Issue #17 saw Jonah Hex becoming the main feature of the series and within another dozen issues, Weird Western Tales dropped the back-up features. Hex's last appearance in the series was in issue #38. Readers fell in love with the character and by April of 1977, Jonah Hex was starring in his own self-titled issue. 

Issue #39 saw the character of Scalphunter becoming the star of Weird Western Tales. In his debut we learn that the Scalphunter was a white man named Brian Savage. Abducted by the Kiowa Indians as a child, the Native Americans raised Brian under the name Ke-Wok-No-Tay, meaning 'He Who Is Less Than Human'. Skilled at combat, Brian left the tribe going by the name of Scalphunter. 

Scalphunter eventually learned that he had a little sister and that's where this issue picks up. Heading over to Atlanta, Scalphunter follows up on a tip that takes him to a Confederate Army occupied mansion. Inside, he finds numerous members of a prominent family placed under house arrest under suspicion of being a spy for the North; including a pair of criminal who tried to kill Scalphunter previous in New Orleans and his baby sister, Samantha Savage!

Featuring artwork by Dick Ayers (Rawhide Kid), the script was written by Gerry Conway (Superman). Cover artwork by Ross Andru and Marvel Fanfare's  Al Milgrom.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #47 (A Western) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Weird Western Tales #15

Up until issue #36, the former Confederate bounty hunter, Jonah Hex was the star of this Western anthology series that delved into the realm of the bizarre. But for some reason, Jonah Hex is absent from the ranks of the trio of stories that comprise this issue, #15. 

Instead, the star of this issue is a character known as El Diablo. The first DC Character to bear the moniker, El Diablo was Lazarus Lane. It's a suitable name as a lightning strike causes Lazarus to exist in a vegetative state. Brought back to life by a Native American shaman, Lazarus' body is now home to a demonic 'spirit of vengeance' (similar to The Spectre), known as El Diablo- The Devil.

In El Diablo's tale, Lazarus witnesses a lawman shot down in cold blood. He too is about to be killed when his Indian caretaker, Wise Owl, rescues him. As a result, the bad men flee. Later that night, Lane's body is over come by the spirit within him and El Diablo rides to bring this gang of murderers to justice.

The second story is about a man who kills his employer. Facing the hangman, the murderer beats the rap. Later that night at the local saloon, he confesses to the crime! Unable to retry the killer due to double jeopardy laws, the judge that presided over the case seeks a way to bring about justice. Ultimately, the stress of such a task kills the judge. However, a guilty conscience over the whole matter is now causing the outlaw to have visions of the magistrate's ghost coming to after him with a noose. 

Great twist ending.

And then we have the last story. I HATED IT! It's about a twisted travelling preacher calling himself 'Doc Satan.' The satanic minister comes to town offering not salvation but damnation! The townspeople have until midnight to make the ultimate decision: allow Doc Satan to buy their souls or suffer in eternal torment. Needless to say, the citizenry are none too happy about this threat and try to fight back. Unfortunately, the flames of hell win this battle.

I like horror stories. Monsters, ghosts, slashers and madmen. All things I can deal with. But I do not like stories involving demons and those who worship such beings. The El Diablo story wasn't my cup of tea, based on the source of where the character gets his powers. Yet, Lazarus Lane reminds me a lot of Johnny Blaze in that his role as a spirit of vengeance to the devil is unwanted. Thus, there's a bit of a moral dilemma in which the character is trying to redeem his soul. So I can tolerate such a narrative. But story number 3 was just evil, evil, evil and I did not like it!

In fact, after I completed this comic, I promptly went outside and put this book in the recycling bin. I couldn't trash it as I feel like books don't deserve to go to rot. But I also didn't want to keep this book in my house any longer than I had to!. I could have sold this book. But again, that would mean keeping the book on my premises any longer than I had to. And I did not want to gain from the profits of such a dreadful read. If you are interested in a free comic book, you've got until 10am tomorrow before the recycling truck makes it's weekly run.

By the way- I can't tell you who wrote and/or illustrated that story as there aren't any credits listed. It seems like whomever created that demonic fable didn't want to be associated with it in any way. 

As for the other contributors to this issue. Cary Bates wrote the El Diablo tale with amazing art by the late, great Neal Adams. However, that between legs from behind scene was absurd. And I don't think the physiology was right either. Gil Kane story number 2 with script by Jack Oleck (The House of Secrets).

I'm open to getting my hands on further issues from this series. They just better not have any stories that are as evil as that anonymous one or they'll end up in recycling as well!

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars

Classics Illustrated #62: Bret Harte's Western Stories (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

I think it's an unwritten rule amongst established comic book collectors- if you find an original issue of Classics Illustrated and you can afford it; YOU BUY IT! Even if you have no idea who the author is, as was the case with me and this issue.

Bret Harte isn't a former professional wrestler. Instead, he's a rather obscure writer of Westerns; in particular tales about mining towns and the drunks, gamblers and outlaws that occupy them. A New Yorker, Harte went west to California in the 1850s. After a couple of years trying his hand at mining, Harte took his experiences and wrote a romanticized version of the West that gained immediate popularity. 

In between jobs as an educator, journalist and even the secretary of the San Francisco Mint, Bret Harte penned a number of short stories with tragic endings. 'The Luck of Roaring Camp' and 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat', both of which are collected in this 1949 issue are no exception. All of the main characters die tragically, despite amazing tales that bring the reader into an almost awe of the surroundings and events. 

Unlike the characters he created, Bret Harte returned back east in 1871. Having found his fame and fortune, Harte did something unusual on his return home, he stopped writing about life out west. Instead, Harte began writing historical romances about aristocrats. Almost immediately, the writer lost his audience and later attempts to recapture that lightning in a bottle came to naught as interest in stories about the gold rush had become passe, replaced by the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Poe and the science fiction fantasies of H.G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Harte died in 1901 and would have faded into near obscurity if not for the Golden Age of Hollywood. In 1919, John Ford directed the first of at least 5 adaptations of The Outcasts of Poker Flat which tells of a group of settlers run out of town only to get snowed in at a makeshift camp in the harsh Sierra Nevada. Over the years, Harte's body of work has been captured on celluloid including 1955's Tennessee's Partner starring Ronald Reagan, an acclaimed musical, a spaghetti Western; even a Soviet era cowboy flick!

Classics Illustrated #62: Bret Harte's Western Stories were reprinted 9 times with the last edition debuting in 1968. The artwork was by Henry C. Kiefer, a student of such studios as the Iger Shop and Funnies Inc. Along with a biography of Mr. Harte, this issue contains prose articles on the opera Pagliacci, the discovery of the magnetic south pole and a popular breed of dog. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #1 (Comic from the Golden Age (1938-1956) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Marvel Comics Presents #102

One of the stories in this issue involves a character from the Old West. He wears all white and rides a devilish white pony named Banshee. When I was young, he was called Ghost Rider. But in this issue, he's referred to as the Phantom Rider. When the heck did that happen?

It does turn out that this version of the hero is from the 1990s. But even according to the story by Howard Mackie (Gambit), all previous ancestors of the modern horseman were called Phantom Riders as well. Again, when did this transitional name change happen? 

That story is the only single issue tale. In the chapter tales, Wolverine and Nightcrawler investigate a town that may be harboring anti-mutant radicals, the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider and Doctor Strange protect the sanctum sanctorum from an ancient evil, and a diverse group of Celestial sponsored heroes travel the globe to prevent a series of events from unleashing an ancient horror upon the world. 

A very supernatural heavy issue. It felt very 1970s Marvel. I liked it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Desperadoes: Epidemic!

Back before the pandemic shut everything down, I used to go to a few $1-only used bookstores. I'd work for a 2-4 hour shift, earn some trade credit and come home with a slew of books. That's where I got this DC/Wildstorm graphic novel. If I could get a comic book or graphic novel or trade for just a few minutes worth of organizing and shelving, I was all for it.

The pandemic is also why I held off on reading this book. Now I know that the pandemic isn't over. But in the midst of COVID being at its peak, I just didn't feel like reading a book called 'Epidemic.' 

The book takes place during the time of the Old West. A quartet of fugitives on the run for a crime they didn't commit, wind up in a quiet New Mexico town. Winter storms are blowing through making it to where these desperadoes can't quite see the warning signs to stay away. 

See, this town is in the midst of an influenza epidemic. Now under quarantine, the main characters of this book will have to make due until warmer weather comes and hopefully this outbreak will subside. One decides to help the local doc. Another decides to help rebuild the town church. The rest decide to help by hunting and gathering. Only, underneath all this death and attempts at normalcy, there's something sinister afoot. Something ancient. Something evil. And it's about to reawaken...

I was rather disappointed at this horror western. I enjoyed the western aspects of this Jeff Mariotte (Zombie Cop) and John Cassaday (Planetary) creation. I Was sorely put-off by the sinister horror sections towards the end of it. 

Some of this is my fault, based on the green thing on the cover, I was expecting the antagonists to be aliens. Not some kind of occult evil. See, demons and devils aren't really my thing. I like horror when it's monsters or madmen. But the supernatural isn't really my bag. 

I realize that I read Doctor Strange and Hellboy. I enjoy the 70s horror anthologies of DC and Marvel. But when you start getting into an area like Amityville Horror or The Exocist with demonic possession or deals with the devil, I just don't like that stuff. And that's what Desperadoes: Epidemic! morphs into. You start with a Doctor Quinn: Medicine Woman type adventures and wind up with Linda Blair and pea soup.

I think had I known that this story was not about little green men but big lime-colored demons, I probably would have passed. 

Cowboys Vs. Aliens this is not!

Not Worth Consuming!

Rsating: 3 out of 10 stars.

John Wayne Movie Comics (Gwandanaland Comics #133)

Gwandanaland Comics presents a quartet of John Wayne movie adaptations that have lingered in the public domain. From the legendary Dell 4 Color series, these books have never been reprinted nor collected before. And since Dell and in the case of 2 of the films, the production companies don't exist anymore, you probably will never see these comics reissued.

First up is 1956's The Conqueror. Here, a very American John Wayne is portraying mighty Mongol Genghis Khan. Actually, there's no Genghis Khan. The film begins with the historical figure as just your everyday tribal chief named Temujin. Bent on revenge at the death of his father, Temujin seeks assistance from fellow tribal ally Wang Khan against the Tartars. But treachery is afoot as the Khan's shaman is scheming to overthrow his great leader in hopes of arising from the ashes of total war. 

Clearly, Temujin would run afoul of this plan. But the daughter of Tartar's chief has stolen his heart. The New York Times called this film an 'Oriental Western.' I call it schmaltz. Very uneven story and it's just weird trying to imagine all of the characters as Asia when they're all played by white Hollywood actors. 

Rating- 4 out of 10 stars.

Next up was an adaptation of 1959's Horse Soldiers. I reviewed this film separately as part of my 2022 reading challenge. It has John Wayne as a Union Soldier on a mission into deep Southern territory to ransack a supply depot and to destroy the railroad. William Holden and tennis legend Althea Gibson co-starred. 

A thrilling adventure that was also a bit uneven. The opening scene is about 18 pages long. The climatic final battle clocks in at just 2. But the story is nowhere as melodramatic as The Conqueror.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Then we have the western comedy North To Alaska. Wayne plays a prospector who goes into Seattle for supplies and to pick up his partner's fiance while the lover builds a honeymoon cottage on their claim. Well, fiancee decided that 2 years was too long to wait and went and got herself hitched to some other dude. 

So Wayne's character returns with another gal, a saloon hostess in hopes that she'll fall in love with the guy staying in Alaska. But she's in love with Big John. Meanwhile, claim jumpers are causing trouble all over the town. The Union had gotten involved and commandeered everybody's property. But like they say 'Hell Hath No Fury Like a John Wayne Scorned!'

Legendary comic and late night pioneer Ernie Kovacs played one of the swindlers. I'm a big fan of his and though this book is missing his wit and wry sense of humor, I really enjoyed this gold fever farce. I think I might actually seek this out if the movie ever hits AMC or TCM.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

1961's Comancheros is the featured adaptation on the cover. This is the book that really captured my interest. Sadly, it's the weakest of all the books. It's not Dell's fault though. 

The first half of the story has John Wayne playing a Texas Ranger who keeps getting the slip from a Louisianan card sharp on the lame for killing a man in a duel. That part is really good. But when the ranger and the rogue join forces to infiltrate gun runners to the violent Comanches, things get confusing. There's double-crosses. Wayne going undercover as one of the black marketeers just doesn't make sense because I feel that the guy who is his contact should have known who he said he was wasn't the guy. Plus, the whole dynamic of the family of gun runners that John Wayne finally meets is just off. Really, nothing made sense.

I've grown over the years to appreciate the films my dad and grandpa used to watch together. But if this was the first Western I'd give a try to, I wouldn't have the new found fondness. I'd stick with my original opinion as a tyke- Boring and jumbled!

Rating: 2 out of 10 stars.

The collection itself was a Gawndanaland Comics triumph. The images were colorful and crisp. Great color printing. I loved it. The subject mater varied in quality. Some of it is uneven and I put that blame on Dell for focusing too much on unimportant parts of films. Some of it is clumsy. I put that blame on the movies for not being all that well made. John Wayne might be an American icon much like Joe DiMaggio. But DiMaggio only batted .325. 

Face it- some of these films were duds.

Rating of the quality of the volume: 10 of 10 stars.

Overall Rating: Worth Consuming
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Jinny Hex Special #1 (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Challenge)

The story of Jonah Hex continues in the pages of this one-shot special.

Virginia Heck, AKA Jinny Hex, is the great-great granddaughter of the notorious Old West bounty hunter. Jinny's mother has recently passed away. As a result, Jinny has inherited two things: her family's auto body shop and a mysterious chest full of 19th century guns, weapons and futuristic gadgets.

Just as Jinny is about to open the doors to the shop for the very first time, a man moseys in claiming to be an old flame of her mother's. If you do the math, he might also be Jinny's father. While Jinny is longing to fill the gap brought upon by a deceased parent, Jinny's friends are getting bad vibes from this guy. It appears that Jonah Hex's ability to read people is not one of the gifts Jinny inherited from her family. 

I haven't really dove into the Brian Michael Bendis curated Wonder Comics imprint. But as a fan of DC's Western titles, I was interested in learning more about the progeny of Jonah Hex. Though he created Jinny Hex in the pages of Young Justice, Bendis didn't write this story. Eternity Girl's Magdalene Visaggio pens this over-sized special. I appreciated how the writer didn't just focus on the 2020s. Instead, this story goes back to the 1880s and ties in Jonah Hex's legacy with both the character and the plot.

The editors really got me with a clever 'prank.' On one page, Jinny talks about needing to get the Justice League involved. You then turn the page and there's a 2-page scene in which Batman, Black Lightning and Katana are assisting with a brownstone fire. I was really hyped to have these characters taking a role in this special. Unfortunately, it just turned out to be a Snickers ad. No lie! Yup- you fooled me!

Speaking of ads, being an early 2021 DC book, there are a ton for the Future State storyline. I must say I have zero interest in that massive cross-over. I think this is a first for me. The art looks weak. The ideas seem borrowed. And $4.99 per issue is just too rich for my blood. 

A good story with decent art. It does a great job moving forward the Hex family tree. I'm just not sure if Jinny Hex is strong enough of a character to do it on her own.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #16 of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 'Read a book with a female protagonist.'

Essential Rawhide Kid, Volume 1

Though I am very much a bit of a city mouse, I do have some down-home roots. I spent many a summer working on my grandparents' farm. I've run barefoot in fields and creeks. And I have a fondness for a good country western story. 

Legendary writer Louis L'amour is a good go-to for such a need. But when you don't have time to sit down and read a lengthy adventure tale, you can't go wrong with the Western comics of Marvel! 

This volume collects issues #17-35 of the Silver Age adventures of the Rawhide Kid. Retooled from a fledgling 1950s cowpoke who was pretty forgettable, this iteration of the character is a rough-and-tumble loner who's not quite a teen anymore but barely a man. 

After the death of his adoptive father-figure, the Rawhide Kid travels the Old West in search of peace and quiet. But more often than not, the Kid runs afoul of varmints, Indians and gunslingers looking to make a name for themselves. As the Rawhide Kid leaves his mark of Justice and fairness on the cities and towns of the Western frontier, his legend grows...

These stories were crafted by a group of legends in their own right. Stan Lee crafted all of the tales in this book. Jack Kirby penciled all except the last 2 or 3 issues of this book. His work is adeptly inked by Dick Ayers. Finishing out this volume is Jack Davis. Known for his work on the EC Comics of the 1950s, Davis adds a whimsical flare to the Rawhide Kid.

Each reprinted issue features an extra Western tale that often ends with an EC Comics style twist ending. More often than not, the hero's of these adventures turn out to be legends such as Doc Holiday, or----uh,uh,uh! SPOILERS!

These issues also had a prose story. These 2-pagers were early 60's postal requirements for comic books to maintain their status as first-rate mail. They're actually pretty good reads but they're anonymous. Stan Lee got his chops in the comic book industry penning such tales in the pages of Captain America in the 1940s. He might have wrote some of these epics. Or someone else might have got their unsung start writing them. I just don't know.

On at least 3 occasions, stories are retold. It's interesting seeing Stan and Jack remake their own works. (Davis retools one Rawhide yarn as well with Stan's able pen.) But where Western stories that hard to think up? Obviously, this wasn't one of Stan Lee's most verbose titles as the words 'owlhoot' and 'hombre' were used to mind-numbing effect and there's quite a bit of poor vocabulary and grammar spoken on the rustic plains.

With the Rawhide Kid just wanting to be left alone, I'm wondering if this comic book was the inspiration for another Marvel creation- the Incredible Hulk! Coincidentally, the first appearances of the Hulk are advertised frequently in the pages of this book. Should the Rawhide Kid have been a forefather to the big green machine, it would add all that much more to the mystique of that all encompassing world known as the Marvel Universe that was brilliantly brought to use by Stan the Man and Jack the King!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars!

Sadly, only one volume was ever 

Rango #1

We lost a comedic legend yesterday with the passing of Tim Conway. I have fond memories of watching him crack up not only his fellow cast members on The Carol Burnett Show but my mom and Grandmama and the rest of my family. Thus, as a sort of tribute, I dug through my vast collection and decided to give this comic a read.

My mother used to always say that Tim Conway was the kiss of death to a TV show. True, the actor did guest star on the ill-fated sit show Turn On; perhaps the only show in history to be cancelled midway through it's debut airing. Yet, Conway was an integral part of many hit shows. Along with The Carol Burnett Show, Conway was on the long running McHale's Navy, costar of many beloved 1970s Disney pictures and the star of a series of very popular direct-to-video shorts about a tiny man named Dorf. Later in his career, Conway turned to voice acting, most notably as Barnacle Boy on SpongeBob Squarepants. 

Alas, Rango was not one of those timeless hits...

Tim Conway was the title star. As Rango, the worst Texas Ranger ever, Conway's character was prone to accidents, a yellow belly with dreams of bravery and not-too-smart. Rango was often assisted by an Indian named Pink Clouds; though the Native American was mostly helping the bumbling law man on the sly. Rango often got the bad guy but only through his own dumb luck.

Rango was western comedy that ran on the ABC network for less than a full season. While not considered one of Conway's hits, Rango is one of the few representations of a work of the comedians that became a comic book. I am a member of quite a few groups devoted to comics on Facebook and I saw quite a few fans posting pictures of their copy of Rango #1 as a memorial to Tim Conway. 

Dumb luck seems to also be how I found my copy of this book. A few years back, I was leaving a thrift store when I found this issue and several other Dell Comic gems in a display case. Being closing time, I negotiated a sweet deal. But for one reason or another, after bagging, tagging and adding to my database, I never got around to reading any of these books. I guess I was waiting for such an occasion as this to finally get around to it.

Rango: The Comic Book, only ran for 1 issue. The cover proclaims that it's a collector's issue and oddly enough for such an obscure property, I have seen this issue pop up a lot in collector's posts online. There's 4 stories in this issue. Each one has Rango starting out being overlooked for some sort of mission. But by sheer coincidence, the Ranger ends up running afoul of the villain. Somehow, Rango captures the baddie and becomes the hero.

One thing that was oddly absent from the book was a love interest. You would think that it would have been set up where both Rango and either the captain of his Ranger unit or another Texas Ranger would be vying for the affects of the town's most beautiful and eligible belle. Her name would be something like Annabelle or Clementine and she'd always wear some pink frilly thing with a bonnet. Then Rango and some rival for her affection would compete to see who'd win the chance to take the lass to the town dance or something by being the one to capture the bad man of the week. 

Yet, no such rivalry occurred and I think by not being so formulaic, it spelled disaster for the comedy. Something that wouldn't fly on today's TV is the portrayal of the Indian, Pink Clouds. The character was played by an Italian-American actor and not a Native American. Plus, while the Indian is the smartest character of the entire cast, he plays the fool for Rango's benefit. I think had Rango been on TV today, it would have been cancelled before the credits of the first episode ran.

The stories were sub-par but the art was pretty good. None of the characters look like the actors playing them. But I have learned recently that this was the case of most artists and writers only had a story bible to help them navigate how to craft the comic book. So, I can forgive. But I do wish I knew who did the artwork as for it's time when adaptation comics were considered hack work, this was pretty good western fare. 

An okay read that I wish I was reading for other circumstances that to pay tribute to the late Tim Conway. It's not the best thing I've ever come across. I'm glad it's a part of collection if only for the kitschy oddity of it all.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam Special #1

When prospector Yosemite Sam finally strikes it rich, it brings about the attention of some unsavory characters. Seeking protection, Sam hires the baddest bounty hunter in the Old West, Jonah Hex as his body guard. This usually isn't Hex's thing but he's got a week to kill before the fee for his latest capture gets delivered. 

Then in the second feature by Bill Matheny and Dave Alvarez, it's bear season and Sam and Hex reunite when their paths cross. Jonah is on the hunt for a renegade while Yosemite Sam is trying to catch a nasty bear that has become the stuff of legend for it's destruction of property. There's absolutely nothing that could link the two prey, is there?

The Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam Special was really good. It was another great DC/Looney Tunes crossover that got overlooked by the magnificence that was the Batman/Elmer Fudd Special. When I saw the preview cover, I noticed that Foghorn Leghorn was on the cover. He's a giant talking chicken! So, I couldn't figure out how they were going to explain him in this book. Thankfully, writer Jimmy Palmiotti  (Harley Quinn's) explains it as Leghorn is a circus freak with feather who doubles as a strongman. 

The interior art was great. I really like Mark Texeira's (Black Panther) style. It's quite gritty and rustic. But I didn't like the cover so much. Hex looks great. Foghorn's okay. But what is wrong with Yosemite Sam? Isn't he supposed to be bowlegged? Texeira makes him look too static for some reason. But man, doesn't Jonah look awesome? Okay- my favoring of the cover was 50/50.

A really good Western/cartoon crossover with just a small cover issue or two...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Varmints (Family Comic Friday)

Young Ned and his sister Opie are on the hunt for their Pa. Only Opie knows that their father is also the illusive criminal kingpin known as PA. As they search for their missing patriarch, the siblings undertake a number of exciting adventures involving giants, horse rustlers, and a thrilling cross-country race in which the winning gets an exclusive face-to-face meeting with PA!

This book was awesome. Science Comics' Andy Hirsch did such a magnificient job on this all-ages graphic novel by First Second. The story was excellent and very funny and yet poignant at all the appropriate times. Extremely original while mixing in iconic elements from the Old West, Varmints would have ranked on my top of 2016 list if I had found this book in time. But that's okay- better late than never.

The thing I loved the most about this book is the artwork. Back in the 80s and 90s, animator Don Bluth was killing it with such films like An American Tail and the Land Before Time. His flowing style of humor, heart, and song was all the rage in family animated features both with and without Disney.

Varmints feels like a Don Bluth film. In fact, if Bluth's studios with FOX Animation doesn't pick up this book and turn it into a movie, they missed out. Hirsch's artwork jumps off the page. Look at the cover, it appears that Ned and Opie are about to leap off the cover and land in the reader's lap. And there's dozens of amazing spreads just like this cover or even better.

I really am in love with this book. The characters are memorable, especially the animals, like Maggie the burro whom Ned is tricked into buying for the big race. I don't think I will ever forget this book and I hope you readers won't either. Plus, I would not be opposed to a sequel or two detailing more adventures of Ned and Opie. 

Top notch excitement that broken into small chapters for easy read and a very fast pace of action!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #28

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #28
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Art and Cover: Dario Brizuela
Published by DC Comics

I love Scooby-Doo Team-Up. The team of Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela pits the Mystery Inc gang with pillars of the DC Universe. It's tons of fun to see your favorite monster hunters rub elbows with the likes of Batman, Supergirl, and the Flash. But that latest issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up plays fast and loose with the concept.

The cover of issue #28 shows Scooby and the gang riding horses with the notorious bounty hunter Jonah Hex. Since Hex’s time period is the Old West, you would expect some sort of time warp. Either the Scoobies would venture to the 1880s or Jonah Hex jumps forward to 2017. However, that is not the case here at all. Instead, Fred recounts a time that his great-grandfather and his band of monster hunters teamed with Jonah.

I love how Dario Brizuela has Scooby-fied Jonah Hex and some other surprise Western guest stars.The monster is one of the best designed in this entire series. When it comes to those Old West detectives, you guessed it: Fred’s grand-pappy is drawn as Fred is western gear. Shaggy is now a funky prospector and everyone confuses redhead Daphne with the famous cowgirl Cinnamon. But this isn’t a Scooby-Doo Team-Up!

Lassoing In My Expectations

Don’t get me wrong- this was a very enjoyable story. While the writer, Sholly Fisch, masterfully taps into the rich history of DC Comics, he does get a little redundant. You can only make so many jokes about meddling kids and unmasking the bad guys. But this issue steers clear of a large majority of thse corny jokes.

Still, I expected the actual Scooby gang to team with Jonah Hex. Having Velma, Scooby, and the rest drawn as their ancestors just feels like a cheat to the concept of the series. I know t
hat the detectives have time-traveled before. In a two-part crossover, Scooby-Doo and friends went back in time to meet the Flintstones. They then jumped forward in time to assist the Jetsons. Maybe the writer didn’t want to reuse an old plot line. But I would have preferred that to having the Mystery Gang play roles like in a period play.

This is one of the best scripted stories in the series. However, it’s not what I expected when I went to my LCS to picked up my monthly fix of Scooby-Doo Team-Up!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.