Weird Western Tales #68 "Night Train to Nowhere"

 Weird Western Tales #68 June 1980

"Night Train to Nowhere"

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

Just hours since last issue Scalphunter comes strolling into the hotel in the midst of a sudden February snow storm. The huge sack of gold hoisted upon his shoulder, he startles the folks inside who are stoking the fire in the pot-belly stove. A man with a pistol quickly turns and draws his weapon, telling the others to stay back. He tells Scalphunter to stand still or he'll blast him to heathen hell. Scalphunter stares into his eyes and starts to snarl when Nancy Wilson comes from the back room, saying that Ke-Woh-No-Tay works for her husband. 

Ke-Woh-No-Tey slowly smiles and says that he does, indeed, work there. Nancy looks at him and says that she needs his help...in the kitchen. Scalphunter walks past the others (Benson, the man with the gun; Doc; Kantor; David and his wife; a young girl, and a servant, Luella.). The others converse about their current state affairs, how the engineer put them onto the wrong track onto this dead end spur and then the freak snowstorm whips up, and now this crazy woman and an Indian. But, no matter what, they are stuck there.

In the kitchen Nancy asks Scalphunter if Wilson, the fat pig, is dead. He doesn't answer verbally but only nods. She asks "What about....?" and Scalphunter empties the bag of gold onto the kitchen table. She stands there aghast, plunges her hands into the coins and then breaks down weeping. After all the years of her hating him, he beating her and the abuse, now he is gone and here is all of the gold. She asks if he is going to steal it, is some of it actually hers? Scalphunter shrugs, the question ot worthy of an answer and she breaks into laughter, the relief bursting like a dam.

Scalphunter starts to go back into the lobby and knows he has no use for the people there either so he steps outside into the screaming storm. He sees lights in the caboose indicating the engineer and the conductor are there. He looks down at the graves he help dig just the day prior of the two robbers who had brought with them the story of the gold. He hears the sound of snow crunching under horses hooves and sees mounted men approaching through the storm. He ducks behind a wood pile and he overhears them talking. They are Confederate soldiers who are supposed to meet their agent here in order to steal the Union locomotive. 

It was all part of the plan, a broken signal-switch, a brand new engine stuck on a dead end spur and all they have to do is kill everyone and pretend to be Yankees and steal the train. Suddenly one of the soldiers think they see someone and the whole of them gallop off as Scalphunter steals past them in the blinding storm. He enters the hotel and tells the others of the soldiers and their plan to kill everyone and steal the train. The darkness is broken by screams and Scalphunter says that was probably the engineer or the conductor.  Benson says he'll get to the bottom of things and opens the hotel door. 

He stands their, outlined by the interior light, and sees two men carrying the dead conductor. They quickly drop the body and open fire, just as Scalphunter grabs Benson back into the hotel. But not before he is struck in the shoulder by a bullet. Scalphunter tells everyone to barricade the doors and windows. Just then Nancy comes out of the kitchen worried that the gunfire means folks are coming to steal her gold. She yells out the window for everyone to go away. She is quickly gunned down.

Outside the Confederate Lt. tells his men to quit firing at shadows at the windows, but inside, Nancy lies dead at Scalphunter's feet. The Captain is on the locomotive and chastises the Lt. for the gunfire. He says the Sergeant is working on getting the engine up to steam which should take about thirty minutes. He says they should be ready to leave by then. The Lt. understands and starts on the mission to kill everyone.

Inside the hotel, folks are starting to panic, the young girl says that her daddy is a Southern gentleman and she breaks away from Luella and heads for the door. Doc grabs her and administers several swats to her bottom, saying that he had to give her a 'sedative' with a big grin on his face. David breaks down, saying they are all dead. His wife reminds him that he said he wouldn't go to pieces anymore but he says it is no use. Scalphunter tells him to be quiet, tears are for woman.

The Confederates fan out and surround the hotel while Scalphunter sneaks out of an upstairs window. Doc asks if he wants Benson's pistols and Scalphunter says that guns make noise and he must be a silent as the night. He drops to ground and runs to the caboose. He throws open the door suprising the soldier there and just as quickly, buries a knife in the man's chest. The dead soldier falls backward onto the dead engineer that he had killed earlier. Scalphunter fills a metal pail with coals from the stove in the caboose.

Back at the hotel, Doc and the woman are toppling the kitchen stove and David protests, saying it will burn down the hotel. In the lobby Luella knocks over the pot belly stove and as fire eats away at the hotel, everyone rushes up the stairs away from the flames. Outside, the soldiers are astounded to see the hotel burst into flames. The Lt. tells his men to cover the back, since this is a distraction for everyone's escape. They all run around the hotel, leaving the captain as the lone soldier between the hotel and the train.

We see Scalphunter running across the tops of the box cars and just then we see the people in the hotel knock out an upper window and make their way onto the roof, much to the surprise of the Captain.

 

Scalphunter jumps into the locomotive, throws the hot coals onto the soldiers there, lighting them ablaze.  They jump off the train trying to put out the flames in the snow. The Captain draws his pistol when Luella punches him in the back of the head, knocking him out.

They all jump aboard the train and start backing out of town. By the time the soldiers get back around the hotel, the train is out of range so they mount up and head home. On board the train Doc is talking to Scalphunter and says it looks like they are in the clear, but what about the agent the soldiers were talking about. Just then Benson steps forward and says that he is going to earn his pay and HE is taking the locomotive to the Rebels like he was paid to do. Just then David steps forward and shoves Benson off the train. His wife is overjoyed that he took action.

Doc says that it looks like David left his cowardice back at the hotel, and maybe Doc left a bad part of himself there as well. He asks Scalphunter if HE left anything there and Scalphunter replies that he left nothing of value, nothing of importance (as we see the gold melting in the inferno of the hotel).

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - One and burned two soldiers severely, but we can't count those as deaths

Running Total - 129

Compared to Jonah Hex - 28th appearance and Scalphunter has 129 vs Jonah's 110 (in JH #1)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None

Timeline -  This probably covers an hour to ninety minutes

This issue was dedicated to the films of John Ford and while it doesn't conjure one particular film, it reads just like one of his tales. The varied folks trapped in a location, each person dealing with their own inner demons and each having their own personalities. Of course, in a two hour film, everyone would have been fleshed out in a much better fashion but having 17 pages Gerry Conway can only do so much. I liked this one quite a bit, always enjoying snow storms as a plot device and huge fires as well. The cover was top-notch, even though the train wasn't moving when Scalphunter burned those two guys.

Ads included:

Batman, Robin and Hostess cupcakes defeating Catman on the Prowl!!

The winners of the Wonder Woman contest (It was Orlando Watkins of Detroit, Michigan) who got a Wonder Woman Weekend in New York along with an afternoon at DC Comics. 25 folks won watches, 50 people got sleeping bags, and 100 folks got lunchboxes.

A bunch of in-house ads

A Spalding ad drawn by Jack Davis featuring Rick Barry and Julius Irving.

Next Issue: A really good story with the main secret revealed on the cover! Sheesh!

Weird Western Tales #67 "The Treasure of St. Mary's"

 Weird Western Tales #67 May 1980

"The Treasure of St. Mary's"

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

We open upon a sweaty shirtless Ke-Woh-No-Tay who is splitting wood in St Mary's Church, Pennsylvania. (Hopefully, Sally will count this as a Christmas present). He is at the local hotel and a man named Travers is sitting nearby talking to the Kiowa brave. Travers says that he is a good judge of character and it is obvious that Ke-Woh-No-Tey has a lot of internal pain since he showed up here a month ago. Travers also cites the fact that Scalphunter is dressed as an Indian but really isn't and he postulates that the trouble in the brave's heart is a squaw has left him broken hearted.

As the two walk into the hotel, Ke-Woh-No-Tey tells Travers that he talks too much. They deliver the firewood to the lobby and as they leave three men walk in. The manager asks what he can help them with and one man produces a pistol and demands all the money. Just then Scalphunter bursts back, wielding the axe he was using earlier. He tells them to leave but Henry, the man with the pistol, gets several shots off but none of them find their target. Scalphunter swings the axe and suddenly we are in the Mos Eisley cantina as there is a severed arm on the floor. 

A second man whips out a shotgun and as he takes aim, Scalphunter kicks upwards hitting the barrel, driving the weapon up under the man's jaw just as he pulls the trigger (Not unlike Buster Scruggs several years later). The third man starts begging for his life, saying that there wasn't supposed to be any firearms. Scalphunter turns on him, raises the axe and buries it in the wall next the man's head. Travers has witnessed the whole thing and talking to the clerk, he asks what are they going to do with the remaining robber. 

In a panic the man starts stammering, saying that he'll do anything, even tell them about the treasure.

In the silence you could hear a pin drop and the clerk replies "Did you say.... treasure?"

The man explains that Henry had told him of the Massacre of St. Mary's from about a hundred years ago. At a British fort on the Ohio river French trappers arrived to sell their furs. The Fort's captain, a British Lord promised to buy the furs for gold and he did just that. But when the trappers left the fort, the Captain sent local Indians that had given liquor and guns to follow the trappers, kill them and bring back the gold.

The French trappers realized they were being chased and took to the river and eventually had to abandon their canoes and head across country on foot. The French are killed one by one, with the remaining trappers picking up the dropped gold and continuing onward. Eventually they make a stand and confront the Indians and in the end only one trapper lived and managed to drag himself miles to a nearby road. There he was found by a Quaker before he passed away. The man told the Quaker of the gold and the Quaker had written down everything and passed that information on to his children. Finally, Henry discovered the book while robbing the house and the plan was to rob the hotel to get enough money to buy supplies to dig up the gold.

Travers asks the man if he could lead them to the gold and the man says that he could. The manager decides they could celebrate with a drink.

The next morning, the two dead robbers are buried, Scalphunter, Travers, the manager Wilson and Hodds the robber take their leave while a woman who has seen and heard everything stays behind. The four men travel through the woods in a wagon and during the ride Wilson whispers to Travers that he doesn't understand why they brought the Indian because what does an Indian need with gold? Travers replies that they will decide on that after Ke-Woh-No-Tay helps them dig up the gold. 

As they continue to ride along in the February cold, the sun sets and the moon eventually rises. Hodds shouts that they have arrived, he recognizes a nearby hill that was described in the book. He jumps out of the wagon, grabs a pick-axe and starts digging. He kneels in the hole, unearthing human bones and throwing dirt to the side. He finally comes across a bag of gold and he reaches into the hole and pulls out the coins. He starts laughing and says he wishes that Henry could see him now.

Just then Wilson walks up and says that can be arranged as he crushes Hodds skull with a shovel. 

Travers turns and realizes that Scalphunter is gone! Wilson and Travers continue to dig, pulling up more bags of gold and load everything into the wagon. Scalphunter is in the nearby woods, watching everything. The horse are acting skittish and Wilson and Travers climb aboard the wagon and take off. As they ride along, each man keeps eyeing the other until finally Travers pulls a pistol and shoots Wilson dead.

Wilson falls off the wagon, dropping the reins. Travers can't recover them and the horse are now running wild. Suddenly a pack of wolves erupt from the forest, attacking the horses. The wagon topples, throwing Travers and the gold far afield. An arrow strikes a wolf dead and the rest of the pack runs away. Ke-Woh-No-Tey arrives on the scene, surveying the body of Travers. He gathers the gold, places it into a bag and hefts it upon his shoulder and walks off into the emerging dawn.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - Two robbers get killed and one gets disarmed (hyuk hyuk!!)

Running Total - 128

Compared to Jonah Hex - 27th appearance and Scalphunter has 128 vs Jonah's 119 (in WWT #38)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None

Timeline -  Even though this one occurs over a month since last issue, it only covers one day.

This issue has a dedication to the films of John Huston, and I think it is an allusion to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, a very nice film of folks trying to locate a mysterious treasure. I liked this one a lot with the axe tossing Scalphunter, the normal townsfolk turning on one another in their greed for gold and the finale where Travers is eventually undone by his own greed and the teeth of wolves.

Ads in this issue included:

Green Arrow and Fruit Pies rescuing folks in a cable car in "An Arrow in Time"

An In House ad for Jonah Hex and Weird Western

O.J. Simpson in an ad for Spot-bilt shoes

Next Issue: We learn what happens to the gold, a train and a conflagration.

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!!

 I ran this one back in 2009 and it is still just as funny, to me, as it was then

Weird Western Tales #66 "The Devil's Pay"

 Weird Western Tales #66 Apr 1980

"The Devil's Pay"

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

Pittsburgh, Mid-December, 1862

Scalphunter, wounded in the left thigh by the crazy Confederates and racked with fever, makes his way through the streets hoping to find some sort of help. Three Neer-do-wells (How do you do well? Neer!) observe his compromised state and figure him for easy pickings. They follow him as he staggers into an alley way and smite him with a blackjack, knocking him to the ground. As the first of the ruffians approaches to search the body for loot, all he obtains is a warrior's knife between his ribs as Scalphunter lunges upwards with the weapon.

Scalphunter makes his way to his feet and engages in battle against the three men when suddenly a shot pierces the day and the first ruffians right arm. A red-haired woman leans out of a window, smoking pistol in hand and in her best Scottish accent warns them all to leave of she'll ventilate them to nobody's liking. As they leave Scalphunter collapses and she rushes downstairs and into the alley.

Some time later, Scalphunter vaguely awakens to find himself on a cot in her home, a local doctor assessing his wound and it is not good news. The bullet has brought with it infection and it must be removed. Candace states that she has every confidence in the doctor, along with her four siblings, but when the physician produces his scalpel, Scalphunter grabs his arm and tells him not to cut. Even though he is weak with fever, Scalphunter's grip on the doctor's arm cannot be broken. Candace comes over to him and gently reassures Scalphunter that Dr. MacGregor is skilled and Scalphunter must be brave and trust them. Finally Scalphunter relents and gives permission with a silent nod.

During the surgery, held under lamplight, and with Candace holding him down, Scalphunter's screams echo throughout the neighborhood. An unknown time later, he awakens to a small girl asking if he is hungry. She slides a chair over to the pot-bellied stove and takes down a large pot of soup, serving it up for the warrior. As the Kiowa brave and the small girl talk, he learns that there is hardly enough food for the family and at night Candace cries well into the night. Scalphunter asks where the others are and she says they are at the factory, they left hours before dawn. Scalphunter starts to stand and she says he has to stay in bed, but Scalphunter pays her no heed and gets out of bed, only to collapse in pain.

Much later he awakens to Candace gently telling him that he almost undid the the good work of the doctor and he has to stay in bed for now. She gets the others fed and into bed and Scalphunter watches her intently, her gentleness and her strength. Her compassion in taking care of others and her bravery in facing adversity and as he lies there, she takes a moment and stares into his eyes and then she decides to take care of ALL of his needs!!!!

The next few days eventually finds Scalphunter on his feet and walking with the family. They walk through the town and he sees the filthy smoke pouring out of the factories, a stark contrast to the December snow that tries to blanket everything in white. Scalphunter says that he wishes to repay her for her kindness but Candace says she has not asked for anything, he cannot repay something that is not owed. Her life has been incredibly lonely but now that she has found Ke-Woh-No-Tey, she is no longer and that is all the payment she could ever expect. They embrace and kiss and the Kiowa brave allows a smile to come across his face.

Less than a week later, Scalphunter catches up to Candace as she and the others head to work. He states that he wanting to work to repay her family for the food he has eaten and he joins them in lining up for the entrance to the foundry. Candace introduces him to Mr. Tyson who agrees to hire him at the rate of five cents a day (or about $1.60 in 2025).

Scalphunter starts working and sees men maimed with splashing molten steel, almost crushed by falling equipment and through all of that, there is no concern amongst the factory owners, for labor is cheap and life is cheaper. After a ten minute lunch break they are all back to work and after several more hours, Scalphunter witnesses Candace stumble and accidentally splash a bucket of water on Mr. Tyson.

Tyson reacts with a slur and the back of his hand and Scalphunter reacts as a true man should, grabbing a rope and climbing up to the catwalk where the altercation is taking place. Tyson produces a blackjack and Scalphunter grabs him and throws him over the railing to his death on the concrete floor below. Several workers are ordered to bring Scalphunter down. As they climd the ladders, Scalphunter grabs Candace and begs her to leave with him, they will run far from this evil and live free.

She says that she can't, her siblings will starve and Scalphunter asks if the war is being fought to free the slaves why are they still treating people as if they will forever be enslaved to the factory? She says that he doesn't understand and he agrees. By that time the workers have gotten up to their level and Scalphunter leaps into them like a caged animal, finally grabbing a rope and swinging to safety, knocking the factory owner to the floor before he dashes out the exit and into the city streets.

Tears fill his eyes as he thinks not of what he has lost but how is also abandoning those he has come to cherish. Finally, he stands atop a nearby hill, overlooking the smoke and terror of the town and the factories below.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - Just one, Mr. Tyson whose skull was crushed in the fall

Running Total - 126

Compared to Jonah Hex - 27th appearance and Scalphunter has 126 vs Jonah's 111 (in WWT #37)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - Shot in the calf.

Timeline -  This issue covers a few weeks.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit given that Scalphunter was depicted as having actual fear knowing what a surgeon could possibly do to a man (probably from having seen the butchers on the battlefield hospitals) as well as the love and compassion that he displayed towards Candace (and not just for the, eh-hem, OBVIOUS reasons). Man's inhumanity to man was on full display, a stark contrast to the grace and generosity of Candace and her siblings. The cover was top notch with the colors knocking it out of the park.

Ads in this issue were:

Wonder Woman and Twinkies catch The Borrower

An in house ad for a digest for Top 10 Stories of 1979 (with Jonah and Scalphunter on the cover) known as Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #5 with the story Minister of the Lord from Jonah Hex #25  

Next Issue: Gerry Conway pays homage to John Huston as we all go on a treasure hunt.

Weird Western Tales #65 "Children of the Storm"

 Weird Western Tales #65 Mar 1980

"Children of the Storm"

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

Late November, 1862. Northern Virginia and Scalphunter is driving his horse headlong through a driving rain as mounted Confederates give chase, guns ablazing. His mind flashes back a few hours ago when he parted ways with Bat Lash and Kitty, as they headed for Chicago and Scalphunter decided to return to Washington D.C. and reunite with President Lincoln. However, he crossed paths with a Confederate patrol and everything went South, as it were.

As he makes his way down the road he finally comes to a cliff with a destroyed bridge. He reigns his horse to a stop and realizes he has a split second to make a decision, either surrender or try to jump the chasm. Of course, this is not really a choice for a Kiowa brave. He kicks his pony into full gear and they both sail across the 15-20 foot space. Two of the Confederates and their horses tumble headlong to their deaths (I won't credit Scalphunter with these deaths since the damn fool soldiers did it of their own accord).

On the edge of the bridge in the pounding rain, Sgt Rawlins and Lt Heeley consider their future options. Rawlins suggests they turn back since the boundary of the their patrol area was half a mile back. Heeley, however invokes a code of honor and that the deaths of their comrades must be avenged. Rawlins said their orders are to patrol and report, but Heeley says they can ford the river about a half mile down stream and if he hears another word out of Rawlins, he'll be shot for insubordination. Rawlins caves but realizes something is very very wrong.

Scalphunter continues down the road and encounters and approaching wagon filled with an entire life of possessions and driven by an old man and his grandson. Scalphunter sees in their eyes they are refugees of the war. The old man asks if Scalphunter is heading north. He explains the boy's mother is dead, but she has family up in Pennsylvania and he is taking the boy there. The boy's father is off fighting the war and a Unions patrol burned down their farm last week. He thinks they should be getting out while they can and asks if Scalphunter will ride with them for a bit. 

Ke-Woh-No-Tey considers for a bit, with the old man saying that he nor the boy would be worth anything in a fight. Ke-Woh-No-Tey says that he cannot ride with them, he has his own ghosts and he kicks his horse onward, leaving the wagon behind. He hasn't traveled yet a hundred yards before he hears the crack of a rifle and he horse crashes into the mud. He lies in the mud as the gunfire, delivered by Heeley, continues to pierce the rain. Then Scalphunter hears the wagon coming and the old man is driving the horse for all it is worth and as they pass Scalphunter, the old man reaches down and grabs Scalphunter up into the wagon. The Confederates see this, Heeley is seething and Rawlins smiles.

As the wagon continues off into the storm, the old man makes introductions. He is Jericho Jenkins and the boy is Jesse. Scalphunter introduces himself as Ke-Woh-No-Tey, a Kiowa. Back with the Confederates, Rawlins is saying they must turn back but Heeley says that everything is clear to him. The Indian is a Yankee spy and they have to make sure he doesn't get back to his camp alive. 

The three in the wagon turn off the main road to take an overgrown path that leads them to a derelict farmhouse. Jericho thinks they can hide the wagon inside and the rain will wash away their tracks. The horse shies at entering the house, but Scalphunter calms it with one word. Jesse asks his grandpa why are they trusting the Indian. If the soldiers want him, why not just turn him over? Jericho says that the soldiers tried to kill Scalphunter. Jesse says maybe he's a Yankee and all Yankees are scum.

Jericho strikes that talk right out of Jesses' mouth. He tells the boy that talk like that is a sickness, just like this war. People are people, no matter where they are from, and you don't kill people, even in a war. War has destroyed their home, their farm, their lives and he doesn't want any more hate.. just then a bullet crashes through the window and shatters the kerosene lamp. Scalphunter knocks them to the floor and tells them to stay put while he distracts the soldiers.

Scalphunter makes his way out the back of the house and comes up behind the soldiers. The pouring rain has turned into a deluge and the Confederates don't hear him cutting their horses loose until he stampedes the horses straight into the soldiers. In fear several soldiers open fire, killing two of their own, Carpenter and Stone. Stone was trampled and his rifle discharged into Carpenter's throat. 

Heeley tells hism to never mind the men, they have to catch the Indian. Rawlins is appalled at that statement and blames Heeley for the men's deaths. Rawlins gets the butt of Heeley's rifle right in the chops for his voiced concern. With their entire patrol dead, Heeley tells Rawlins to get to his feet and follow him or he'll be hung as a coward and a traitor. They give chase through the darkening storm and Heeley fires one round stroking Scalphunter in the right calf.

Scalphunter topples into the mud as the two soldiers close in. Heeley raises his rifle to take aim when suddenly Jericho bursts forth through the rain, taking Heeley by surprise. The Lt and the old man grapple in the rain, the thunder punctuating their struggle until another burst of thunder comes forth. Heeley's rifle goes off, striking Jericho in the head and Jesse screams for his grandpa.

Jesse, consumed by rage, rushes at Heeley and Heeley spins, leveling his rifle. He doesn't care who he shoots, be it boy, old man, or Indian, they are all Yankees and worthy of his wrath. And then, the wrath of another is displayed as an errant bolt of lightning races from the clouds and makes contact with the firing pin in Heeley's rifle. 

A clap of thunder and the smell of burning flesh and Heeley drops to the ground, dead. Jesse kneels by his grandpa, saying that he was right, war does make everyone crazy.

Rawlins raises his rifle, takes aim at Scalphunter. Ke-Woh-No-Tey stares at him through the pelting storm and Rawlins turns his head, casts his rifle into the mud and walks off. Scalphunter walks over to Jesse and tells him "No, boy. Not everyone..."

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 1. I'm only giving Scalphunter the death of Stone, who was trampled. The other deaths were either accidents, foolishness, or an act of God.

Running Total - 125

Compared to Jonah Hex - 26th appearance and Scalphunter has 124 vs Jonah's 103 (in WWT #37)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - Shot in the calf.

Timeline -  This issue covers just a few hours.

I really enjoyed this one. Heeley's descent into madness in direct contrast to Jericho's willingness to turn against all war and realize people are worth saving was very well done. Nobody draws the eyes of madness better than Romeo, he worked on the horror/mystery books for years and he can expertly place darkness around the eyes, making the eyes seem that much more crazed and Heeley had that in spades. Also, the brutal murder of Jericho was something out of an old EC book (that is twice in two issues that we have encountered very brutal deaths). I also enjoyed the pounding rain and the storm until it became a force unto itself.

All in all a great issue.

Ads for this month included 1941 (the movie)

Sea-Monkeys

Hawkman and saving a skydiver and Hotess cup-cakes

and a great in house ad for the Super-Star Holiday Spectacular!

Next Issue: It's a hot time (in more ways than one) in the old town tonight as Scalphunter arrives in Pittsburgh.

Weird Western Tales #64 "With Friends Like These..."

 Weird Western Tales #64 Feb 1980

"With Friends Like These..."

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

Our tale starts immediately after the prior issue, with Bat Lash turning his friend, Ke-Woh-No-Tey, over to the Confederate court. Scalphunter quickly starts battling his way to freedom but Willie Wilson draws his pistol and puts a slug into Scalphunter's shoulder. He prepares to fire again but Bat steps in front of him. Willie realizes that they are all fair men, so the Indian will get his trial before he hangs.

Later that night, in the cold November Richmond darkness, Bat is rolling dice and taking names at a gambling house and he is living large. He notices an older man head upstairs with a fair lady, spies which room they slip into and then he clambers up the outside of the building and drops in on the couple via an open window.

The next day, the old man, Judge Clammerhorn, makes his way to the courthouse to witness Scalphunter's trial. He sees that the verdict is Guilty and Scalphunter is led away, to be executed at dawn. Later that day, the judge pays a visit to the jail and is allowed entrance into Scalphunter's cell. The guard leaves them and the judge removes his wig and glasses, revealing himself to be BAT LASH!!!!!

Scalphunter lunges at Lash and grabs him around the neck but Bat quickly explains  that having Scalphunter arrested was the only way to save his own skin. He knew that he couldn't get himself out of prison, but of course, he would be able to free Scalphunter. Bat explains the ruse of pretending to be the judge in order to scope out the prison and sadly, there is no way out, but Bat being who he is, is working on an effective plan B. Bat whispers some directions to Scalphunter and then leaves, once again disguised as the judge.

Walking down the street, he is greeted by Lt Willie Wilson, with whom he had spoken with earlier in the day at the trial. Wilson pulls a pistol and reveals that he knows the judge is an imposter and guides Bat into a nearby garment mill. Once inside, Wilson explains that he knows the judge had no interest in military justice, only wine and women, then demands to know who the judge really is.

Bat quickly strikes out at Wilson with his cane and the two men engage in hand to hand combat in the machine area of the millery. Lash grabs a bolt of cloth, entangling Wilson in it and as they fight tooth and nail, Lash falls backward, grabbing Wilson and throwing him overhead, right into a huge fabric folding machine! The times being what they are, there are no safety measures on the machine and it starts up, steaming and folding the poor man.

That night, Bat Lash is resting in the 'business' of Kitty, the woman that runs the gambling establishment, among other things. Bat asks her for some help against the Confederate army and she says she would gladly help with anything that goes against men who think more highly of their horses than of their women.

The next morning, Scalphunter is bound to a post in the courtyard of a fort. The firing squad is assembling before the Captain of the fort and Lt Wilson is on hand. The sun rises over the wall of the fort, blazing into Scalphunter's eyes. He thinks of the many times he has been warmed by the sun, first in the Missouri hills and then across the rest of the country, through the wilderness and the cities and then he nods farewell to the sun. Then, as the command is given to open fire, Kitty and her girls hurl large bolts of cloth off the fort walls down onto the firing squad, tossing them into turmoil and spoiling their aim.

Just then, Lt Wilson doffs his hat to reveal Bat Lash to the astonishment of the Captain. Bat punches the Captain and frees Scalphunter. Then the Indian, the Gambler and Kitty and the girls load up and head out. Later on the road heading north out of Richmond, they stop for a moment of rest. Kitty suggests they head much further north, perhaps to Chicago. Bat agrees and asks if Scalphunter is angry about all of this. Brian thinks for a moment and then smiles. Bat quips now he knows why Brian Savage rarely smiles.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 0

Running Total - 124

Compared to Jonah Hex - 25th appearance and Scalphunter has 124 vs Jonah's 97 (in WWT #36)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - Shot in the shoulder.

Timeline -  This issue covers two days.

This one wasn't a great one. Bat Lash had a mediocre plan to save his own skin and really put Scalphunter's life in danger. This was much more of a Bat Lash story than a Scalphunter tale, but the title of the book is Weird Western Tales, not SCALPHUNTER. The highlight of the story was the absolute horrible death suffered by Wilson, it was something out of either an E.C. comic or a Stephen King short story. Artwork was good, the cover was not very inspiring.

Ads in this issue included

Start Trek the Motion Picture

Batman and Twinkies take on Professor Plutonium (Man I would LOVE for someone to revive all these Hostess villains as actual threats!)

Timewarp #3

and a two page spread for 1941

Next Issue: More crazed Confederates, an old man and his grandson, plus the wrath of God

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!!