Rawhide Kid - The Sensational Seven - Zimmerman/Chaykin

 

Considering that I'm an extreme pacifist, it is rather ironic that I am a huge comic book fan, including super-hero, horror, war and western themes. But, I suppose that it is because there is so much injustice in the real world and in comics generally that the good guys defeat evil, the outcasts and freaks can be heroes and can actually win and, in the case of the western gunslingers, I also appreciate the sharp-shooter angle. (I think in the case of the superheroes, I can appreciate the skill and training, as well.)

This collection of a 2010 remake of the Rawhide Kid, a 60's Marvel Western hero, brings writer Ron Zimmerman together with an 80's fave of mine, Howard Chaykin, to reimagine the Kid as a gay hero, whose macho dad denied Kid the chance to explore his true loves - art and poetry - and caused him to become an expert with his guns as well as hand-to-hand combat.

In this adventure, the Kid sets out to rescue Wyatt Earp, who has been captured with his brother and held at a fort by a villainess crew. So, Kid assembles his own crew of some of Marvel's famous names, along with true-to-life Western icons - with new twists, of course.

Annie Oakley is a sexy siren - because Chaykin liked to draw sexy women - Doc Holliday is Annie's beau and helps keep the troops in line, Billy the Kid is a psychopath, Kid Colt is a sex-crazed maniac, the Native American Red Wolf is actually treated fairly traditionally but the Two-Gun Kid is inept and hopelessly out of his league, but they bring him along anyway so complete the Sensational Seven.  (Funnily, Two-Gun also references an "actual" - in the Marvel universe - time-travel adventure where he meets the Avengers - nice touch!) At the fort, they fight even more outrageous counterparts before winning the day, of course! Oh yeah, even the original (Western) Ghost Rider makes a brief appearance!

It's a fun, silly, over the top tale, and totally enjoyable! Also included in this package is the original 60's team up of Rawhide, Kid Colt and the Two-Gun Kid in an adventure of mistaken identity (heroes were often mistaken for villains in the 60's Marvel Universe), which is fun to revisit, even if the artwork was not top-notch.

A worthy purchase and a nice diversion from some of the overly serious tales of today.