BILL BOYD WESTERN #1 (FEBRUARY 1950)

Fawcett Publications thought it would be a good idea to have a spin-off from their Hopalong Cassidy comic books so the gave the man behind the Cassidy persona his own title.  Bill Boyd Western lasted for nearly two years (23 monthly issues) compared to the sixteen year run that Hopalong Cassidy had.  The relatively short run may be due to the comic calling calling Boyd "Bill" instead of "William," or it may be due to the fact that kids were more interested in Hoppy than in Boyd..

The comic book took Boyd out of his usual black Hopalong Cassidy outfit and -- to be sure there ws no confusion with Hoppy -- gave him a black horse named Midnight instead of Hoppy's white Topper.  The comic book also placed Bill Boyd in the Old West, giving him all the fine moral traits that the film and television Hoppy had.  Boyd as a comic book character speaks perfect unaccented English, unlike every other character -- good or bad -- in this first issue.

Bill Boyd Western #1 contains one long story, "The Bullion Bandits."  The rest of the issue is filled with gag comics featuring such characters as Brainy Buster, Hammerhead Hank, and Windy Whopper.

"Out of the West he came -- his skin tanned, his body sinewy and his shooting arm steady!  Bill Boyd, western hero, the very symbol of law and order!  But pitted against him, on the other side of the law are four of the deadliest killers in the whole West!

"When these two forces clash, the air is filled with an ominous cloud of death, kicked up by blazing six-shooters!"

Thus starts this action-filled adventure where Hoppy Bill takes on the bad guys.  And just so you don't forget they are the bad guys, their names are Sneaky, Greasy, Bullets, and Cactus.  The story ends with SPOILER ALERT! Bill victorious and riding off in to the sunset, saying, "I don't aim to settle down i one town yet.  I'll just ride along...I don't go looking for trouble, but if it ever comes my way, you'll always find me fighting on the side of law and order."

Enjoy this blast from the past that never was but really should have been.


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