All-Star Western and American Vampire

The way things are going you really get the impression that DC Comics hates westerns.  All-Star Western continues to slog along as a prequel to the Batman comics, with this week’s issue #5 set in, of all places, the Batcave.  Now the Batcave in this instance is also inhabited by a tribe of bat worshiping savage barbarians, hard to really figure when you consider that this is in effect the DC version of New York City in the late 19^th century.  It’s hard to care anymore,as moving from the amazing run of Jonah Hex to this disappointment is enough to put one off DC’s attempts at westerns for good.

Except they also publish American Vampire through their Vertigo imprint.  This fascinating horror comic features Skinner Sweet, a wild west outlaw turned vampire, who surfaces in 1920’s Hollywood and keeps moving forward in time.  DC recently ran a three part series called "The Beast in the Cave" in American Vampire, starting with issue #19, about Skinner’s pre-vampire time as a cavalry soldier in haunted Apache country.  The story by series writer Scott Snyder was excellent, and art by Jordi Bernet (the best of the rotating Jonah Hex artists) was a hit.  Dang, DC, you can make a good western comic.  But it sure as shit isn’t All-Star Western.

Joey Garza- Heartless Killer or Romantic Hero?

While yet again exploring the interwebs (instead of working on my long-neglected novel) I found an artist that has painted a few romantic pieces about Joey Garza from Larry McMurtry’s Streets of Laredo.  Garza is a remorseless teenage killer and rifleman, not someone that you think would be overly romanticized.  Heck, who am I kidding, this is the same genre that romanticizes Billy the Kid.  So what do you think, McMurtry fans- is Joey Garza a heartless killer or a romantic hero?

For more from the same artist, check out her Deviant Art site: http://fuchsiart.deviantart.com

The Search For Bad Ass Native Chicks

One thing that I love about having a blog is looking through the web metrics and seeing just how people get to your site. One of the more interesting ones lately was a series of searches for “bad ass native chick”.  I tried searching those terms in Google myself and, while I couldn’t get my site, I did find several “bad ass native chicks”.  Frankly, I don't think that any of them are actually Native American, and most are just white chicks wearing Pocahontas stripper outfits.  I was going to put some of the pictures here, but I just took a better look and offended myself.

If you did come here looking for something about real badass natives, you may enjoy reading the Badass of the Week article on Running Eagle, “the Piegan Blackfoot Indian asskicking warrior-princess who routinely led war parties screaming into battle and once moked out two badass-as-fuck Crow warriors by riding full-throttle towards them on horseback with one rifle under each arm, guns blazing, until all that was left was a vapor trail of blood and an oil-slick of bullet-riddled human entrails where her dipshit enemies once dared to stand against her.”

Quickshots- Reed Gunter Back to Form in Issue #7

Reed Gunter, the all ages cowboy comic from Shane & Chris Houghton, is back to being in my top three comic books.  The series started off with a bang, with a short, simple story of wandering cowboy, his grizzly bear buddy Sterling, and his gal pal Starla. The first couple of issues were action packed westerns, funny, and innocent enough to entertain both pre-teens and jaded Gen-Xers like me.   

The series quickly moved on to longer arcs, changed the setting to the East Coast, and got into supernatural conspiracy.  Not fun at all, and all too reminiscent of DC’s ridiculous decision to move Jonah Hex to Gotham City.  

Reed Gunter is now well back on track with issue #7, which features a one-shot story that starts off funny, turns scary, and comes to a heartwarming conclusion that will make you remember fondly ever cuddly pet you’ve ever known.  If you are a Western reader who is looking to get your kids into the genre, this is a great place to start.  Thanks, Shane & Chris, for bringing the western fun back to your great comic.