Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Number 2275: Mix-ing reality with fantasy

Tom Mix was a Western star of silent movies. He made dozens of movies, but only nine after the silent era was over and sound came in. He made a lot of money and spent it. He died in a car wreck in 1940, age 60. Interestingly, he lived on after death in radio programs, performed by other actors, and in comic books. One comic book was a premium from the cereal company Ralston-Purina, and then a 10¢ series from Fawcett Publications which lasted until 1953.

He looked great in a cowboy hat. Not every man can wear a hat like Tom Mix.

I mention it because in the 9-page story Mix is shown in his trademark 10-gallon hat in only two panels.

Fawcett had a bunch of B-movie Western stars under contract for their line of B-movie Western comic books. William “Hopalong Cassidy” Boyd got two comics, one as Hopalong, the other as Bill Boyd. Unlike Tom Mix, I don’t believe any of the other comic book cowboys from Fawcett comics at that time were deceased. I probably need not say they are now.

“The Deal of Death” is from Tom Mix Western #17 (1949). The cover was painted by illustrator Norm Saunders. Artwork for the story is by Carl Pfeufer.











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2 comments:

  1. Daniel [oeconomist.com]12:24 AM

    W—wait…! Bill Boyd is dead? Why'd ya hafta go an' tell me a thin' like that, Pappy? Why'd ya hafta say a thin' like that?

    Now this whole day gonna be sad….

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  2. Pappy3:37 PM

    Dan'l, dry yore tears, hombre. Bill Boyd may not be hopping-along anymore, but I seen him on th' teevee a few weeks ago. This ranny was tryin' to shoot Hoppy. Hoppy was way up on a ridgeline, and from the bad guy's line o'sight looked to be about 2" tall. Yet Hoppy pulled out his shootin' arn and shot the gun outen the baddy's hand. That kinda skill kept him alive a long time, and even longer in our mem'ry.

    ReplyDelete

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