Weird Western Tales #70 "A Cold Way to Die!"

Weird Western Tales #70 August 1980

"A Cold Way to Die!"

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

Immediately after last issue is where we are and Scalphunter is fighting with Wilks for the past thirty minutes. The two men grapple and fall to the ground, knocking over a huge pot of stew that is cooking over a pit filled with coals and a blazing fire. The soldiers stand around, making wagers on who will win while Jase is aghast over this fight that started over her.

Wilks gains the upper hand atop Scalphunter and is holding the warrior's head closer and closer to the flames. Finally Scalphunter executes a maneuver and flips Wilks end over end, landing Wilks hand first into the flames. Wilks starts screaming and Scalphunter takes advantage of the chaos to grab Jase and make for the corral. Scalphunter starts to liberate two horses when a pair of guards try to stop them. Scalphunter grabs one of their rifles and knocks both men out. He and Jase mount up and ride off.

Back at the camp Saunders tells the men to get a surgeon but Wilks shrugs it off, wrapping his hand in a bandage. Saunders learns that Scalphunter and Jase have escaped and says to let them go, since the camp is only a mile from the Rebel line. Wilks, however, says that he'd rather meet the Devil in Hell than let them escape.

Scalphunter and Jase ride through the night, the snow falling around them. They ride in silence until Jase speaks out, saying they are now both deserters. She wanted to join the war to honor her brother who died fighting, but now she realizes that war is senseless and cruel and she way ready to abandon her post as it was. She asks Scalphunter where he will go but the Kiowa doesn't answer. Instead he listens because he had just heard the snap of a branch behind them.

The soldiers are about a mile away, but the cold morning air carries their voices to Scalphunter's ears. Saunders says they should turn back but Wilks has taken control of the men and their fury now and he urges the patrol onward.

Scalphunter and Jase arrive at a frozen lake and on the shore is an ice house. They make their way inside and hide. The soldiers are only five minutes behind them and when they arrive at the ice house they dismount and approach on foot. As they draw closer two of the soldiers foolishly walk in front of the sluice and two massive blocks of ice come careening down the chute. The men try to dodge them but are crushed and injuries by the frozen weapons. Jase asks if those men are dead and Scalphunter cites that they may be, but the others are alive and the two of them must hide. He grabs a pair of ice tongs and they head into the darkness.

The soldiers regroup and make their way into the cold structure and the four of them split up. A creaking board overhead draws Wilks' attention and he climbs the ladder to the second floor. Scalphunter drops on him from above, binding him with the tongs around Wilks chest and the two men slam forward to the first floor. Two other soldiers hear the war cry of Scalphunter and head for the exit, but the are quickly engulfed by falling ice that Jase has toppled onto them, using a long pole for leverage.

Meanwhile Wilks is trying to manipulate his rifle to get a shot at his captor but Scalphunter continues squeezing the tongs until there is a loud snap when Wilks' spine gives way and he falls forward, dead.

 

The last soldier has finally found Jase and he is closing in menacingly. He is one that was hit by the ice outside and he says that his arm hurts horribly, but Jase COULD make it allllll better. As he steps closer a trap door in the floor gives way and he falls onto the frozen lake. The ice breaks and he is pulled under the surface.

Jase stands there, scared and trembling as Scalphunter walks up and they leave the building. Later as the sun is setting she tells Scalphunter that if he stays in the North he'll be hunted as a deserter. He replies that he is heading west, back to his home in the plains. Jase agrees and says she will also go home, even though she feels so lost. Ke-Woh-No-Tey says that she will find her way and she wishes she had his confidence. They briefly hold hands and the Kiowa brave rides off into the night.

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - I'm giving Scalphunter one kill, Wilks. We don't know how many soldiers were chasing them, but I think the two hit by ice were only injured. Jase, managed to kill two herself.

Running Total - 130

Compared to Jonah Hex - 30th appearance and Scalphunter has 130 vs Jonah's 115 (in JH #2) (I made a miscount somewhere along the line and I'll have to correct Jonah's stats at a later date)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None

Timeline -  One evening and the next day.

This one was pretty good, a lot of action, the bad guys getting what they deserved and I'm always ALWAYS a sucker for winter westerns (The Hateful Eight is a gem in my eyes). This was a very nice end to Weird Western, it went out while still on a monthly status and Scalphunter did get a backup spot in Jonah's new book.

And I liked the idea of Ke-Woh-No-Tey heading back home to the plains once more. Gerry Conway had a wonderful run on this book, took the character places we thought we would never see him go and built a nice supporting cast along the way with some great story arcs as well. Big kudos for him and having a consistent timeline.

Ads this issue include:

Green Lantern and Twinkies rescue the Bobsled Run

House ad for a new book by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, called The New Teen Titans.

Two page house ad for the new Jonah Hex book

The new Superman/Spider-man teamup book with Hulk and Wonder Woman gets a nice ad

Next time: We get back regular reviews of Jonah Hex but I'll be revisiting the other appearances of Scalphunter in Jonah's book as well as in the Super Spectacular!

Weird Western Tales #69 "Lady in Blue"

Weird Western Tales #69 July 1980

"Lady in Blue"
Gerry Conway, story - Dick Ayers & Romeo Tanghal, art - Luis Dominguez, cover 

March, 1983, Pennsylvania. It is night and we are witness to a small farm, the entire area covered in snow when slowly an entire snow drift stands up to reveal Scalphunter. Clad in a heavy bearskin robe, he lifts his hand and points towards the farmhouse and then several Union troops come on horseback from the nearby forest behind him. Scalphunter has no love for the men he works for.

He has disdain for Lieutenant Sanders, disgust for Sergeant Wilks, contempt for Dick Lansing, and some friendship for Jase Garson. Sanders says he doesn't like the look of things, the farmhouse could be a Rebel trap but Wilks states that is what they have the Injun for. Lansing asks Jase if he is scared and Wilks kicks Jase's horse who starts and then takes off in a fearful gallop. Jase is unable to control the horse as it heads off into the darkness. Scalphunter hears the horse behind him and reacts on instinct, grabbing the reins, planting his feet and halts the horse on a dime. Jase, however does NOT stop and flies head over saddlehorn, landing into a snowbank. 

Scalphunter walks up, thinking the war is crazy to send children instead of men to fight their battles but he is amazed as Jase rises from the snow and Jase is a woman!!! Jase tucks her hair under he snowcap and begs Scalphunter to not give away her secret. The others arrive shortly and ask if Jase and Scalphunter are ready to head to the farmhouse. They both state they are and the soldiers make their way quietly through the snow.

In the farmhouse the Schillerhorn brothers, all four, have been holed up for three days waiting for a Confederate supply patrol. They don't know the patrol was intercepted the prior night and the captured soldiers told of the stolen beef stored in this valley. They think they hear a noise outside and when one of them goes to the door, it is suddenly kicked in by Wilks who quickly shoves a bayonet into one. 

Scalphunter tries to intervene since there is no honor is slaying foes who are greatly outnumbered. Wilks throws a fist into Scalphunter's jaw and then shoots two more of the Rebels. Lansing guns down the fourth much to the horror of Jase. Wilks tells Lansing to tell Sanders that the Rebs resisted and that is why they had to be killed. Jase suddenly throws her hands over her mouth and rushes outside to vomit. 

Wilks is unfazed and kicks logs out of the fireplace and sets fire to the cabin. One of the soldiers asks if they should drag the bodies outside and Wilks asks if they are gonna complain about the heat and laughs about it. The soldiers run out and the entire cabin is shortly engulfed as the soldiers watch the fire consume everything in the cold winter night. Scalphunter holds his tongue and makes it a point to remember, the fire, the smoke, the men and the smell of roasting flesh.

Next morning the Union soldiers are riding into their camp, escorting several head of cattle. Sanders tells Wilks that what happened at the cabin is better left untold. At the camp Scalphunter goes into his tent and starts to wash away the smell of the night before. With water in his eyes he reaches for a towel and it is handed to him by Jase. She came to thank him for keeping her secret. He says it was not his to tell, even a squaw must have a reason for doing what she does.

Jase is slightly put out and then recounts how she is able to defend herself. She was raised in upper New York state and her father taught her how to use a rifle, ride a horse and fight with fists or weapons. When the war broke out her brothers went off to war but came back in boxes. She was determined to take their place so she cut her hair, put on one of her brother's suits and enlisted. She said she did it to free the slaves and preserve the Union. Those are good reasons, but if those are good reasons, why does war attract such bad men?

Scalphunter has no answer for her and they leave the tent. As they walk away Jase bumps into Wilks who drops the steak he was eating. Wilks looks at the steak in the snow and pronounces it ruined and lashes out at Jase. Scalphunter intervenes and a fight breaks out between the two men. Shortly the entire camp coms running and Sanders orders Wilks to stand down. Wilks is having none of it and knocks Scalphunter backwards into a tent.

The tent collapses and the two man battle it out under the weight of the wet canvas. Wilks gets his hands around Scalphunter's neck and starts choking the life out of him. Jase leaps forward and pulls at Wilks' hair trying to break his hold on Scalphunter. Wilks rises up and shrugs like a bull, tossing Jase backwards off of him. Jase's hat comes off exposing her hair and revealing her true identity. Wilks starts laughing, saying NOW he understands why the Indian was protective of Jase, he was keeping her for himself. Wilks moves toward her saying that all of that is about to change!!!

Statistics for this issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - None!s

Running Total - 129

Compared to Jonah Hex - 29th appearance and Scalphunter has 129 vs Jonah's 115 (in JH #2)

Scalps Taken - 0

Running Total - 20

Injuries - None

Timeline -  One evening and the next day.

I enjoyed this one even though the 'surprise' was not really a surprise, even without the cover and the title giving it away. Not a lot of originality in this story, mean soldiers, Scalphunter disgusted with war, etc etc but I still enjoyed it. Not in the top ten but not the bottom of the barrel either. My one gripe was that a man like Wilks would not let a steak hitting the ground dissuade him from eating it. I can see it being COLD, rather than piping hot, but come ON! He was walking around gnawing on it like a beast!

And I just love this panel:

Ads for this issue included the second Superman/Spider-Man teamup where they fight the Parasite and Dr. Doom.

O.J. Simpson once again hawks some running shoes as well as Dingo boots.

The Flash and Twinkies are a Flash in the Dam against the Destroyer.

House ad for all the backup features in the DC Implosion (Scalphunter moves to Jonah Hex)

The letters page indicates that Weird Western Tales is about to be canceled.

Next Issue: We got some fire, we got some ice and we have a conclusion!

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.