The Demon and Two-Gun Kid

 

Time for another All-Kirby classic!  In addition to his superhero and monster comics, Jack Kirby also made quite an impression with his western heroes.  

Scalphunter and Two-Gun Kid

 

I think the main reason that I have always liked Scalphunter is because of the strong impression that the first story I read featuring him had on me.  It was his appearance in The Brave and the Bold, and the amazing JL Garcia Lopez artwork in that issue blew me away.  I liked when the western heroes would cross over with DC's superheroes.  The above Scalphunter image was taken from when he, Bat Lash, Jonah Hex and Cinnamon showed in a couple of Justice League of America issues, another fun story.

Jonah Hex meets Rawhide Kid, Two-Gun Kid and Kid Colt

DC and Marvel wisely made sure that their western heroes had crossover appeal to superhero fans like me.  They all seemed to have trademark outfits that they always wore, just like costumed crimefighters should.  Plus, in addition to their more down to Earth adventures, they would from time to time get involved in the goings on of the present-day heroes.  I am glad they got me interested in these cowboys, because their titles featured some of the best artwork around.

Batman and Two-Gun Kid

My first exposure to Two Gun Kid was when he traveled to the present in the pages of The Avengers.  I liked his friendship with Hawkeye  and I always enjoy man-out-of-time stories.  I thought he had returned to the old west at some point but he showed up in the pages of Dan Slott's She-Hulk series a few years back so I guess he never made it back home.  Y'know, I made this cover some time after I had done the Rawhide Kid cover and I just noticed that both have Batman being shot by his co-stars... he just does not get along with Marvel cowboys!