Blazing Showdown-Tom Sutton/Bill Everett-1967

Finishing out unofficial Westerns week here at 4CS, we have  treat. Earlier we ran a western drawn by Tom Sutton. Then we ran a western inked by Bill Everett. Well, from 1967, here's a western drawn  by Tom Sutton AND inked by Bill Everett! An odd combination that gives a real odd feel to the whole thing.

Vigilante-Mort Meskin-1941

Well, he's a cowboy but this is hardly a western. Here's the very first story of The Vigilante, created by Mort Weisiger and drawn by the great and tragic Mort Meskin who worked with Robinson and Kirby and influenced many including Kubert and Ditko!

The Kid From Texas-Joe Sinnott-1957

Always fun to see pencils AND inks from Joe Sinnott. Note the bizarre glitch in the next to last panel, though. Must have happened early on because the colorist actually colered over it!

Two-Gun Kid-Dick Ayers/Bill Everett-1966

We continue our undeclared Westerns week with the Two-Gun Kid at his most Marvelesque. With an enjoyable early plot from FB friend Steve Skeates, the real attraction here is the art from regular Dick Ayers, inked by Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett. For some reason Bill chose to use his "Bill Roman" pseudonym. "Roman," of course, is "Namor" backwards! It's a mixed bag with some pages looking great, some rushed, and a couple looking to me like they were completely redrawn by Everett!

Blood Is Thicker-Tom Sutton-1967

Never  household name, Tom Sutton is best remembered today by Charlton fans for his increasingly bizarre horror art in the seventies. He was also the first artist on VAMPIRELLA. Here, though, we see Tom in a very early phase trying hard to be mainstream in a back-up Marvel western from 1967.

Lightnin' and the Lone Rider-Lance (Jack) Kirby-1939

Sorry we don't have more but this 2 page continued story introducing yet another Lone Ranger ripoff is one of the very earliest comics works by Jack Kirby! Note that the horse gets top billing. 

Sandman-Pen Shumaker-1942

It's a little known fact that the colorfully costumed version of DC's Sandman was NOT created by Simon and Kirby. ( http://fourcolorshadows.blogspot.com/2011/01/sandman-and-sandy-paul-norris-1941.html ) It is equally a little known fact that it didn't end with their departure either, continuing on for some months by a very young Gil Kane but also, here, by one Pen Shumaker.