Number 2134: “More'n one way ta skin a catamount!”

For those of you wondering, a catamount is a medium-sized wild cat, especially a cougar. But Texas Ranger Dallas Boone is also making a pun, substituting “catamount” for “cat” as in more than one way to...ah, forget it.

All I need to say about this tale of a Texas Ranger riding to the rescue of a pretty girl ranch owner is that it is drawn by Graham Ingels, before his “Ghastly” horror comics days. Before specializing in said horror comics during his time at EC Comics, he had a background illustrating various genres of comic book stories: science fiction, crime, love, and Western, such as this story from Outlaws #2 (1948).

Number 1822: The Outlaw Frazetta

Frank Frazetta did this Western crime story for Outlaws #9 (1949). The artwork is not up to the standards he achieved later, yet is interesting as much for what is wrong as what is right. I am looking at the hat on Boone Marlow in the splash panel, which is perched awkwardly on his head. I am also aware of what a prairie looks like (as in “Prairie Jinx,” the story’s title), and yet the drawings in this story are set in the mountains. Maybe Frazetta, being a Brooklyn boy, didn’t have first-hand knowledge of the difference.

Boone, the bad man, is a psychopath who has allegiance to no one, including his own brothers. He also doesn’t know his right from his left, which is probably why he is a “jinx.” He is bad luck for the rest of the gang. Dumb people will do that to others engaged in a criminal enterprise.

Born in 1928, Frazetta was about 20 or 21 when he drew it. As we all know, he got much better over his distinguished career.