Western Kid

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caption = "The Western Kid" #1 ((Nov. 1954). Cover art by John Romita Sr.
character_name = The Western Kid
publisher = Atlas Comics / Marvel Comics
debut = "The Western Kid" #1 ((Nov. 1954)
creators = John Romita Sr. (art)
alter_ego = Tex Dawson
full_name =The Western Kid is a fictional Old West character in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe, and the star of Western feature published by Marvel's 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics.

Publication history

Tex Dawson, the Western Kid, debuted in Atlas Comics' "Western Kid" #1 (Nov. 1954), created by an unknown writer and penciler-inker John Romita Sr., who the following decade would become one of Spider-Man's signature artists. The feature, drawn exclusively by Romita, ran through issue #17 (Aug. 1957), with cover art by Romita, Joe Maneely, John Severin, and, for one cover each, Carl Burgos, Russ Heath, and Syd Shores.

The character resurfaced as the lead feature of the omnibus title "Gunsmoke Western" #51 (March 1959), in a story written by Atlas/Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee and drawn by Dick Ayers.

Western Kid reprints appeared in Marvel's 1970s omnibus series "Western Gunfighters" #3-6 and 17-33 ((Dec.1970 - Sept. 1971, Sept. 1973 - Nov. 1975). In-between, the character starred in the reprint series "The Western Kid" vol. 2, #1-5 (Dec. 1971 - Aug. 1972) — the first issue of which sported a new cover by original artist Romita — and in "Rawhide Kid" #105 (Nov. 1972) and "Gun-Slinger" #1-3 (Jan.-June 1973), a series reflecting the character's temporary new name. The first issue, with a cover drawn by industry legend Jim Steranko, was titled "Tex Dawson, Gun-Slinger".

Fictional character biography

Tex Dawson, a.k.a. the Western Kid, was a clean-cut Old West cowboy with a stallion named Whirlwind and a white German shepherd dog named Lightning. Unlike such fellow Atlas Western stars as Kid Colt and the Rawhide Kid, he was not hunted by the law for a perceived crime, and unlike the Two-Gun Kid or the Outlaw Kid, he wore no mask. Wandering the range as a do-gooder adventurer, the Western Kid was respected by sheriffs and marshals, whom he often helped, and idolized by children.

References

* [http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?type=character&query=western+kid&sort=chrono&Submit=Search/ The Grand Comic Book Database: The Western Kid]
* [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/ The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators]
* [http://www.atlastales.com Atlas Tales]
* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/w/westernkid.htm International Heroes: Western Kid]

Further reading

*"Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files" (June 2006)