Lone Heroes and the Myth of the American West in Comic Books, 1945-1962

verfasst von: Dr. David Huxley

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buchreihe : Palgrave Studies in Comics and Graphic Novels

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This book examines the role of comics in the perpetuation of the myth of the American West. In particular, it looks at the ways in which lone central characters, and their acts of violence, are posited as heroic. In doing so, the book raises questions both about the role of women in a supposedly male space, in addition to the portrayal of Native Americans within the context of this violence. Various adaptations of historical figures, such as Buffalo Bill and Billy the Kid, as well as film and television stars such as The Lone Ranger and Dale Evans are examined in detail. Although concentrating on American comics, examples both from Britain and France are also analyzed.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Introduction

Abstract

The nature and definition of the lone hero and the ways in which the West has generated various myths have a complex history. There are ways in which existing theories about the hero and myth in Western films can be applied to comics. Many of these comics feature Native American characters, which gives rise to problematic issues about the naming of the “Indian”.

David Huxley

Chapter 2. Inventing and Selling “Buffalo Bill” in Comic Books, 1949–1957

Abstract

“Buffalo Bill” Cody’s fame moved from his “show” to dime novels and comics with a clear fixed image. He appeared in three comic series in the 1950s American Youthful magazines, British Buffalo Bill Annuals of Denis McLoughlin and Brantonne and Fronval’s French Buffalo Bill of 1949. All of these center on Cody’s relationship with Native Americans, combining both the motif of the “duel” with different levels of racism in the portrayals of Cody’s enemies.

David Huxley

Chapter 3. Billy the Kid: The Outlaw as Lone Hero, 1952–1958

Abstract

The trope of the lone hero is so entrenched by the 1950s that Billy the Kid regularly, and quite simply, is turned into a hero in three different versions—in the American Toby/Minoan series (1950–), Charlton comics (1957–), and the British comic The Sun (1952–). Although this is achieved in slightly different ways (e.g. he may be mistakenly believed to be an outlaw but is in reality a vigilante with his own code of honor), there is a remarkably similar trope where as a lone figure, partially outside society, he can right wrongs, often without any clear reward or approbation. Several key stories establish to what extent the reputation as an outlaw increases Bonney’s isolation and his relation to violence.

David Huxley

Chapter 4. Roping n’ Riding: Selling Western Stars, 1946–1962

Abstract

The Hollywood studios of the 1950s and 1960s, in both film and television, used intense intertextual marketing. This applied not only to the major stars such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry—even “sidekicks”, like Gabby Hayes, could feature in their own comics. Several key figures such as Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Lash LaRue, and the Lone Ranger demonstrate that there are different ways to be a Western hero. Television-based comics continue this trend with perhaps a more enlightened attitude toward Native Americans. The way in which the sidekick is woven into the narrative and how it affects the status of the hero is examined in several different cases. Dell’s Annie Oakley comic also demonstrates that the Western comic provided a space for a woman to be just as heroic as a man.

David Huxley

Chapter 5. Conclusion

Abstract

Comics have been important in perpetuating and informing the myth of the lone Western hero. The comic book can bring specific qualities to the creation of the hero and they can fix the visual image of given characters. Historical figures are retrospectively imagined as heroes in the traditional mold in comic book recreation of figures such as Billy the Kid. The figure of the lone hero, the nature of his actions, and how these change in different tiles and across time are examined. The comics under consideration led to a simplification and slow decline of the figure that lead, in later decades, to a new kind of more ambiguous Western hero.

David Huxley

Backmatter

Titel: Lone Heroes and the Myth of the American West in Comic Books, 1945-1962
verfasst von: Dr. David Huxley
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-93085-5
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-93084-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93085-5