Morgan Kane

This article is about the character. For the film adaptation, see Morgan Kane (film).

Morgan Kane is a fictional character created by Kjell Hallbing under the pseudonym Louis Masterson.

The Morgan Kane series has become the biggest success in modern Norwegian leisure reading literature. The 83 books in the series have sold 11 million copies in Norway alone, in addition to being published in ten other countries - totaling 20 million copies sold^[1].

The first book, Without Mercy, was published in 1966.

The Life of Morgan Kane

Morgan Kane was born in 1855, somewhere along the Santa Fe Trail. His parents, Brendan and Gwen Cairn were Irish immigrants - they were killed by an Indian attack when Morgan was two weeks old.

Only 16 years old, Kane kills for the first time when he stabs Walsh, a drifter who contributed to the death of his parents. In 1874, he became a scout for the cavalry and fought in the Indian wars. He left the Army and tried prospecting for gold in South Dakota without much luck and he enlisted in the cavalry again, serving under General Custer. He fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, where General Custer was killed. Soon after the Sioux victory at Little Big Horn, Kane left the cavalry and became a gunslinger, riding with Billy the Kid and his gang of outlaws.

By the end of the 1870s, Kane used the nickname “El Gringo”, as a gunfighter in the Arizona, New Mexico and Sonora, Mexico territories, where he joined up with a gang controlled by “El Coyote”. After a battle with El Coyote, he left the gang and in 1881 was recruited by the Texas Rangers. He joined the Texas Rangers, and in 1882, he met his future wife, Linda Swift, and was later appointed a U.S. Marshall.

After meeting Linda Swift again while on a mission, Kane eventually married her. He turned in his U.S. Marshall star and settled down to raise horses on his own ranch.

After two years of marriage, Linda was murdered - Kane and set out to find his wife’s killers. He returned to serve as a U.S. Marshall, fighting many historic gunslingers including the Clanton and Dalton Brothers and John Wesley Hardin. Kane's superiors worried about his use of extreme use violence, his excessive use of alcohol and at times, his uncontrolled rage. By the close of the 1890s, he was transferred to Alaska, and was later fired as a U.S. Marshall.

After being fired, Kane traveled the U.S., having many different jobs, including a job as a special agent and bodyguard for Theodore Roosevelt. Kane was also involved in the invasion of Cuba.

Kane's health began to decline, and in 1910 he supported and fought with Pancho Villa during the Mexican Civil War. It was here that he met his unknown son, “Diablito”, Paco Galàn. Together they traveled to Europe where Diablito became a famous matador. Later, Kane traveled back to America where he was again reinstated as U.S. Marshall.

In the last book Louis Masterson wrote, Kane was shot and killed by enemies in a deserted city on the Mexican border, facing overwhelming odds.

Characteristics

The books depict Morgan Kane as a womanizing character with sociopathic tendencies, with a star-shaped scar and damage to tendons which has paralyzed the ringfinger on his gun hand. The paralyzed finger is fixed to his middle finger with a leather strap.

• Born: Autumn 1855, somewhere along the Santa Fe Trail
• Height: 192 cm
• Weight: 75 kg
• Hair: Dark, a grey streak on right temple
• Eyes: Smoke grey
• His clothing was function and practicality before style or image
• Handsome with distinct features
• Unshaven and suntanned
• Wore a single gun holster.
• Draws his gun in 0.2 seconds.
• Weaknesses: women, alcohol and gambling.
• Weapons: Numerous, including the Colt Paterson, Walker Colt, .45 Colt Peacemaker, Smith & Wesson No. 3 Revolver, 1873 Winchester rifle and Krag-Jørgensen rifle.

eBooks

On November 6, 2011, Norway’s largest financial paper, Dagens Næringsliv, broke the story that WR Films had also acquired the Electronic book rights as part of a strategy to launch the franchise, and to familiarize American audiences with Morgan Kane. WR Films is in the process of releasing all 83 books electronically in the U.S., and the rest of the world, through Apple's iBookstore, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble^[2]. Each book features a high-end poster-like cover, and is marketed with video teasers^[3]. Within three weeks of release, the first ebooks held the top three best sellers on iTunes in Norway.

Film Adaptation

WR Films Entertainment Group acquired worldwide screen rights to do film adaptations of Morgan Kane, and announced in The Daily Variety on May 9, 2011, they will produce three major motion pictures based on the novels^[4]. The film will reportedly begin production in the spring of 2012 and will be released in 2013, with an anticipated R rating. While several western-bloggers have had access to the production set of WR Films’ eBook covers related to the introduction of the franchise, the same bloggers also report a high level of secrecy surrounding the project. No filmmakers involved have yet to be announced, including the screenwriter who has adapted the novels “El Gringo” and “El Gringo’s Revenge”

Notes

1. ^ Stavangeravisen.no
2. ^ Western Fiction Review
3. ^ Henry's Western Round-up
4. ^ McNary, Dave (2011-5-9). "WR saddles up for Kane Westerns". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118036570?refCatId=13. 

External links

Links to Norwegian web sites:

• «www.morgankane.no - Aller Forlag»
• «Paal Olstads Morgan Kane site»

Links to International web sites:

• Who Is Morgan Kane? - Official website for the upcoming Morgan Kane movie.
• «www.facebook.com/WhoIsMorganKane» The Morgan Kane Facebook page.