Number 1046
Origin of the Lone Ranger
Lone Ranger fans got their 25¢ worth from the Lone Ranger Western Treasury #1 in 1953. One hundred pages, with origin stories of the Lone Ranger, Tonto and Silver!
By 1953 the Lone Ranger had been around as a character for 20 years, created in 1933 for radio. A very popular hero, the Lone Ranger appeared in books, comic strips, comic books and a television show, even a few appearances on movie screens. The story in the Western Treasury sticks to the origin told on radio and on television, of six Texas Rangers ambushed by the Butch Cavendish gang. The Lone Ranger's origin was as well known as Superman's to the kids (like me) who followed both television shows.
The comic book Lone Ranger, drawn since Lone Ranger #38 in 1950 by Tom Gill, used Clayton Moore and his television costume as the basis for his image of the masked man. Gill had a solid cartooning style, which conveyed the feeling of the Old West.
I showed Gill's first Lone Ranger story in Pappy's #754, where you can read more about the artist.
6 comments:
For so many atomic age comic book kids, Tom Gill's Ranger was THE Lone Ranger. So many perfect examples of why are in this story. Ramrod straight (without looking stiff) and solid as a rock. Noble.
And the Ranger's words during Gill's great run all came from writer Paul S. Newman. Great team, great comic.
And great post! Thanks.
Mykal, thanks for reminding me that Paul S. Newman wrote the scripts. I should have mentioned it.
I really enjoyed this comic about the origin of the Lone Ranger. I have been reading your classic comics for a while now, just wanted to thank you. It's great.
Pryorguy, thanks for your note, and you're welcome.
I read a truncated version of that comic, as an insert in the packaging of the Lone Ranger doll my parents bought me as a child. It's great to read it full all these years later. Thank you Pappy for posting that.
Thanks very much for this post. I am an artist and Tom Gill's art has been a great influence (and still is) on me this last fifty years. I may even think about it when I am dying.
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