Weird Western Tales #63 "The Trial of Bat Lash"

Weird Western Tales #63 Jan 1980

"The Trial of Bat Lash"

Gerry Conway, story - Dick Ayers & Romeo Tanghal, art - Luis Dominguez, cover 

Night in the city. Scalphunter lies in wait in a narrow alley. A man has been following him for sometime across the fog enshrouded rain drenched streets. Knife drawn, he is ready like a wolf to turn the tables on his hunter. The man, unaware, passes by Scalphunter who silently springs from the alley and knocks the man down and into the street.

As they are fighting for control of the knife a horse and carriage come speeding down the street. At the last instant the man grabs Scalphunter and rolls both of them onto the sidewalk out of harms way. The danger past, the man asks why Scalphunter jumped him. The Indian's hand moves closer to the fallen knife and the man asks him to not do anything foolish. Scalphunter relents, seeing as how the man saved his life. He asks why he was being followed.

The man relates that he has been tracking Scalphunter for three weeks at the request of a mutual friend, Bat Lash. Seems like Bat Lash is being tried for the death of General Beauregard Smith that occurred when Lash and Scalphunter stole the Gatling Gun. Bat wanted this man to bring Scalphunter back to testify to his innocence because they are friends. At dawn Scalphunter and the man ride out of town.

They finally arrive in Union City, New Jersey to catch a train south. While on the train the man's southern accent raises the eyebrows of the conductor who points him out to some Union soldiers. An officer and a soldier ask the man and Scalphunter to accompany them to the baggage car to exchange some words. In the baggage car the man introduces himself as Willie Wilson, and while he is from the Carolinas, he has lived in New Hampshire for nine years. 

The officer doesn't believe him and accuses him of being a Rebel spy. The officer pulls a pistol and Scalphunter quickly disarms him and punches his lights out. The soldier quickly shoulders his rifle and gets off two shots but not before Scalphunter has slammed him across the boxcar and into an open door. They wrestle over the weapon and Scalphunter grabs the soldier by the coat and tosses him off the train and into a waiting river far below.

When the train finally pulls into Washington D.C. Wilson and Scalphunter have tied, gagged, and stuffed the Union officer into a mail pouch to be later discovered by two other soldiers. (Dib-Doggled?!?!?)

They leave the train and steal two horses from a 'poorly guarded Army stable' and head off to Richmond. While on the ride, Wilson says he hopes that Bat can stall the tribunal and Scalphunter asks how Bat was captured.

Wilson relates the tale that Bat was playing poker outside of Richmond when the subject of Yankee manufacturing came up. One man says it isn't factories that win wars and Bat gently disagreed, stating he knew of a Gatling Gun that could mow down dozens of soldiers with ease. Bat then excuses himself and leaves with two women. About an hour later several soldiers burst into the room and Bat escapes by leaping out a second story into into a horse drawn cab on the street below. The cabbie takes off but quickly overturns the cab and Bat is captured.

That was three weeks ago and Wilson was sent to find Scalphunter. The Indian asks how Wilson knows Bat and he replies that they are childhood friends. With that, Scalphunter gives him the side-eye.

Much later the moon rises  and the two men hunker down along a  river. On the other side is a Union camp just five miles from the Confederate line. If they were to circumnavigate the camp they would lose a day or two, the only way forward is across the river right where the camp is. They mount up and cross the river but once they are halfway across, Union soldiers open fire. Wilson's horse goes down and he scrambles back to the other side of the river. 

Scalphunter, however, is a trained warrior and he rides low on his horse, fooling the soldiers into thinking he has fallen off. As the horse explodes onto the bank, the warrior of the plains lets lose with a Kiowa battlecry and leaps from the horse. One soldier fires wildly, killing a fellow soldier. With knife and hatchet, Scalphunter fights madly beneath the moon, swiftly killing the six remaining soldiers. Wilson, having crossed the river, says they have to hurry before the shots bring more soldiers down on them.

Later that day, the two men ride into Richmond on the remaining horse. When they make their way to the courthouse Wilson quietly talks to the guard outside and the both of them are ushered inside, followed by two soldiers. Scalphunter mentions that Wilson had told the officer on the train that he was from the Carolinas but Bat is from Louisiana, so how could they be childhood friends. Wilson says that it is simple.... he lied. 

Wilson throws open the doors to the courtroom and Bat stands up, hand scuffed in front of him. He greets Scalphunter and he says "There he is, your Honors, THAT'S THE MAN WHO REALLY KILLED GENERAL BEAUREGARD SMITH!!!" and the soldiers quickly disarm the astonished Indian.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 6. The soldier thrown off the train probably survived the fall into the river. Folks always survive things like that. 

Running Total - 124

Compared to Jonah Hex - 24th appearance and Scalphunter has 124 vs Jonah's 96 (in WWT #35)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None.

Timeline -  This issue covers two days.

This one digs deep into continuity, referencing the Gatling Gun adventure and the plot to kill Lincoln. Not a bad issue with Scalphunter dispatching a half dozen soldiers, there is intrigue and deception and a double cross. Pretty typical stuff for an issue with Bat Lash in it. Some folks in the letters column had started bemoaning the reliance of Bat Lash in the book, saying it has almost turned into a buddy-cop movie with the two men being so different but forced to work together. Oddly enough, the buddy-cop craze didn't start until 1982 with 48 Hrs. So maybe Gerry Conway is the father of buddy-cop movies?!?!?

As far as ads, there is a two pager for Kenner Star Wars toys including a radio controlled R2D2. (If you haven't watched it, you should look up The Toys That Made Us episode on Star Wars toys, crazy crazy stuff) There are house ads for the Mystery books, Green Lantern, Legion of Superheroes, Superboy, Adventure (With Starman and Plastic Man) and a Hostess ad with Superman in "The Rescue" where he saves aliens and kids give them Twinkies.

Also the cover on this one is great, with the framing, the colors, the bug-eyed craze of the attacker (much different from what actually happened) but most of all, the joy of the dog!

Next Issue: Bat Lash has had a plan all along!!

Weird Western Tales #62 "Images"

Weird Western Tales #62 Dec 1979

"Images"

Gerry Conway, story - Dick Ayers & Romeo Tanghal, art - Luis Dominguez, cover

New York City, October, 1862.

This issue starts immediately after last issue. Four members of the Camorra are chasing Scalphunter across the rooftops of the city. He is jumping from roof to roof and they are hot on his trail. Finally he gets some distance between himself and them and when they get onto his rooftop, Scalphunter is GONE!?!?!?!

But he has scaled a chimney and is looming above them. They turn and see him just as he jumps on them like a panther. He swiftly kills three of them and the remaining man, armed with a club embedded with nails starts to panic.

He drops the club and runs but Scalphunter picks it up and kills him with his own weapon.

Much later Scalphunter is walking the streets of New York and finds himself in front of the Matthew Brady Gallery. A crowd has gathered to look at the photographs of the carnage of Civil War battles. Scalphunter walks inside and watches everyone fascinated with the pictures and he fondly remembers the picture he has of his sister Samantha. But the photographs that are display are on massacred men, twisted in death and even in black and white the horror of war comes through.

He overhears a couple talking about how horrific the pictures are. The husband says that "Dying nobly on the battlefield" is a myth and then goes to buy a full set of photos to show his son in an attempt to turn him away from volunteering. Another man walks up and strikes up a conversation with Scalphunter. The man, Rawson by name, is also a photographer that was one of Matthew Brady's assistants but left after Brady started taking credit for the work of others. 

He has opened his own gallery but it is hard to compete with the Brady brand. He invites Scalphunter into his studio and offers to take a portrait of the man of two worlds.

Down the street in a seedy bar, three thugs are reading the newspaper article covering the opening of the Brady gallery. One of them, Digger, gets the bright idea of breaking in to the gallery and absconding with the plates and holding them for ransom.

Back at Rawson's studio, he sits Scalphunter in a chair and trains his camera on him. Igniting the flashpowder, he snaps the portrait. He then takes Scalphunter to the darkroom to develop the photo. Rawson is commenting on the fact that Scalphunter is obviously a white man but also an Indian. He is civilized and savage, a blend of both worlds. Rawson feels that folks will pay handsomely for such a portrait. In the darkroom, Rawson shows Scalphunter photos that he took of the 1st Battle of Bull Run, the only photos of that conflict. Rawson took the photos during the battle but Brady claimed that he had done so. Rawson left with the plates and plans to print up album cards to sell to the public.

He then shows Scalphunter his own portrait and the Indian cries out in terror that Rawson has stolen his soul. Rawson tries to explain to him that it is only a copy of what he looks like, but suddenly the door is kicked in and two of the three thugs come in demanding the plates. Rawson tries to resist and gets shot for his trouble. They start packing up the plates, holding Scalphunter at gunpoint. They quickly make their escape.

Rawson begs for Scalphunter to retrieve the plates and says that his clerk will fetch a surgeon for his wounds.

Rain has started pouring down but that does not deter the massive Indian. He clambers up a drainpipe and onto the roof and starts tracking the men like prey. He finds them in a warehouse where Digger is throwing a fit. Digger realizes that his men robbed the wrong gallery, none of this is Brady's work. In his anger Digger smashes a few of the plates but then stops when they hear a window break. They think they see someone atop the crates and open fire.

Suddenly a kerosene lantern that was hanging by a chain drops. Digger examines the chain and sees that it had been pried apart. One thug panics and starts firing wildly, breaking other lanterns. The warehouse is now on fire when Scalphunter drops from the rafters with the cry of a wild animal. The men bolt out the door but when Scalphunter turns to save the plates, the fire has thrown up a blazing wall, cutting him off. Scalphunter barely escapes with his life. 

Back at the galleryRawson understands and decides to give up but Scalphunter tells him that he should continue, people need to see the war. Rawson hands him an envelope with the portrait and goes inside. Scalphunter walks off into the rain covered city darkness.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 4

Running Total - 118

Compared to Jonah Hex - 23rd appearance and Scalphunter has 118 vs Jonah's 93 (in WWT #34)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None.

Timeline -  This issue takes place during one full day.

This was a pretty lackluster issue and pretty much a bridge between the last story and next issue. Not a whole lot to recommend this one.

The issue had a house ad for the Jonah Hex digest, Saturday morning cartoons (I wasted sooo much of my life in front of the TV), and the Flash used fruit pies to defeat The Stoney-Eyed Medusa!

Next Issue: An old friend returns, or is he a FOE?!?!?!

Jonah Hex V2 #53 "You'll Never Dance Again"

Jonah Hex V2 #53 May '10

"You'll Never Dance Again"

Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti - story, Billy Tucci - art and cover

Dance Hall Girl

Jonah is watching a dance hall show and he tells the manager he wants to speak with one of the girls after the show. She comes over to the table and Jonah says he needs a woman for an actress type job and it will pay more than the dance hall. She notices a couple of reward posters for the Hager brothers. He gives her an advance and says she doesn't have to do too much acting. She asks if she could get killed. Hex says about the same chance of getting run over by a wagon in the street. She says she'll take the job but she needs to finish another song and dance.

Day of the Big Show

Two men are holding up a station master. They tell him that when the train stops, he is supposed to tell the conductor that the train will need to stop for coal at Blue Mesa instead of the normal stop. They stay in the shadows as the train pulls up. The conductor comes up to the window and the station master does as the men directed him. When the train pulls out, they tie up the station master and they are happy they are done with their part of the plan and got paid up front. The Hager Brothers, the masterminds, aren't ones to be trusted.

The train continues up on the line and stops at the coaling station. The train guard is in the boxcar with the safe and knows that they stopped at the wrong place. He gets ready for whatever comes his way and two robbers pry open the door and shoot the guard dead. They ready the dynamite to blow the safe.

Meanwhile, the Hager Brothers (Jeb & Walt), along with the rest of the gang, have rounded up all of the passengers and are relieving them of their valuables. There is a loud BOOM as the dynamite goes off. Two other robbers are going through the cars to be sure nobody is hiding and come upon a boxcar all decked out like a funeral home. There is a casket and a grieving widow. She asks who they are and they explain they are robbing the train when one of them gets the idea to check the casket. He had heard of rich folks putting all their money in a casket to fool thieves. She begs them to leave her dead husband alone and gets slapped for her troubles.

Just then the lid opens up and Jonah hex sits up, shotgun across his lap and pistols drawn. The widow pulls off her veil and it is the showgirl from the dance hall.

Outside the Hagers hear two quick shots and run inside the train. They come upon a few of their gang and asks what is going on. They have no idea but say a couple of others went on down the train to check it out. One of the Hagers tells the man to go check it out. As he slowly walks into the last car he gets the top of his head blown clean off. Hex tells the Hagers and the other man to drop their weapons but the Hagers say he has shot both rounds and is out of shells. Hex replies that he had that shotgun made special and kills one of the Hagers. He draws his pistols and kills the other brother and the third man. 

Hex tells the showgirl to stay put and he proceeds to kill one, two, three, four, five more robbers. One surrenders and Hex ties him up. Hex helps some of the passengers load up all the bodies onto a wagon and tells them to get his and Lana's horses out of the livestock car. Lana asks  what Hex will do with his share of the reward and he tells her it's none of her business, she ain't THAT good. She is offended and sulks. The train leaves and Hex and Lana wait for the rangers to show up.

Come dawn three rangers appears and they toss Hex the bounty. One of the rangers reaches into his coat and Hex says his hand better come out empty. The ranger asks if Hex thinks he can stop all three of them. Hex replies that he can send them to where their brothers just went. Lana grabs a shovel and smashes Hex over the head from behind then says that Jethro sure took his sweet time. The other two rangers ask what is to be done with Hex since he killed Jethro's brothers. 

Jethro states that it is just as he and Lana planned. On top of that, the train is stopped about seven miles down because the rails have been blown up. Lana didn't know about the train but Jethro says that he was the mastermind for the first train robbery. Jethro and Lana start getting all lovey-dovey and Lana says her dance hall days are over. Just then Jethro's head explodes and Hex kills the other two rangers. 

Lana turns and runs. Hex touches the back of his head, sees the blood and takes aim, shooting Lana in the back.

She falls to the ground screaming that Hex crippled her. Hex stands over her telling her the next time she hits someone, better make sure he is dead. She swears she will kill Hex and he replies that she'll have a helluva time doing it from down there.

Statistics for This Issue
Men Killed by Jonah - Fourteen, a damn bloody story
Running Total - 878 (432 past, 55 future, 15 Vertigo, 376 V2)
Jonah's Injuries - Hit in the head with a shovel.
Timeline - Possibly two days.
Rape Percentage -  20% (11 of 55)

I don't normally like Tucci's artwork but there are a few panels here that really sell it and set the tone. All of the kills are bloody and graphic and quite shocking. The story was very good, I really like crosses and double crosses and double double crosses. Hex walking off into the sunrise (as opposed to the sunset) was a nice touch and I wish we would have encountered Lana again somewhere down the line.

About Jonah's 'custom' shotgun... it MIGHT have been a pump action shotgun that was first available in 1882 but that was a single barrel model. I couldn't find any such mention of a magazine loaded double barrel

Next Issue: It's the return of Victor Sono!