Kid Colt
A Review by Ron Fortier
Marvel Comics One Shot
Script by Tom DeFalco
Art by Rick Burchett
Edited by Stephen Wacker
A Review for Comic Related
By Ron Fortier
Sometimes when you least expect, life turns around and hands you a truly remarkable surprise. Such was the case the other day when, just a week from 63rd birthday, I picked up a copy of Marvel's western one-shot comic, KID COLT. Why the exaggerated intro? Easy enough to answer, you see, the very first comic book I ever held in my hands was a Kid Colt Outlaw western. At the time it was published by Timely Comics, before they evolved into Marvel.
Now some of you may forget the first time you ever spoke on the telephone, the first time you ever rode a bicycle, but if you have spent the majority of your life in love with comics, then it's a good bet you still remember that very first comic. So it's no surprise that as I grew up, the character of this fictional cowboy outlaw would hold a special place in my comic-loving heart.
Growing up in the 50s, there were literally dozens of great western comics on the newsstands every single week. From the fictional kind to those titles paying homage to real life heroes like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. But as time went on, the media began to focus strictly on the super-hero genre and all too quickly there were no more war, no more mystery , no more romance and most tragic of all, no more western comics. Oh sure, DC tried to keep the flame burning by adding a supernatural twist, ala their darker sage brush sagas like El Diablo and the still going Jonah Hex. But the simple, plain old fashion western was gone off into the sunset.
Of course every so often it does rear its head again, but always with some kind of added twist, ala Dynamite's current LONE RANGER, turning him into an angst Batman on horseback figure. Not that I don't enjoy the series, I do. But where are the old fashion shoot'em ups most of us learned to read with?
Well, I'm here to tip my ten gallon Stetson to the gang at Marvel for bringing forth this truly beautiful one-shot rebirth of KID COLT. By the way the book is divided into chapters, I've a good hunch this was intended for some other format, my guess being an anthology that didn't work out. So it was turned into a regular, one-shot comic. Here's hoping the powers that be at Marvel rethink that one-shot thing, because this comic rocks!!! The story by Tom DeFalco is classic in introducing a very young Blaine Cole, a teenage boy who sees his family gunned by land pirates and knowing the law is of no help, must seek out his own justice. In the process he is himself branded an outlaw and now on the run to clear his name. The action is fast-paced, the dialog perfection and the ending had me wanting more, so much more. Whereas Rich Burchett's art is brilliant here, and he captures ever panel with a deft, sure eye for authentic detailing. KID COLT is nothing less than a comic throw-back gem to a day and time when westerns ruled the comic racks and all us readers dreamed of riding the range with our six-gun heroes.
So thanks, Marvel, for this unintended birthday gift and instant trip down memory lane for this old duffer. But please, if you really care about producing good, quality comics, give us more KID COLT. We've waited long enough between issues, don't make us wait another thirty years.
Lets Take A Look Inside
Reviewer Bio
Ron Fortier
(ron@comicrelated.com) / Writer, Creator and Imagineer
Ron Fortier has been a professional writer for over 25 years working on comic book projects such as The Hulk, Popeye, Rambo and Peter Pan, his two most popular comic series being The Green Hornet and The Terminator (with Alex Ross). With Ardath Mayhar he's penned two TSR fantasy novels, and in 2001 he had his first play produced. Ron is a constant supporter of the site, writes for it from time to time and shepards our forums. Learn more about Ron at Airship27.
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