The Kid From Missouri

Book: Rawhide Kid

Issue No.: 148

Published: August 15, 1978

Title: “The Kid From Missouri” (reprint of Rawhide Kid issue no. 96) plus one other story

Cover Price: 35¢

Format: Digital scan

As I’ve mentioned before, Marvel’s western comics were on their last legs in 1978. They were only publishing two western books at that point, Rawhide Kid and Kid Colt Outlaw, and both of those books were reprints only. And looking ahead a bit (thanks to the Fandom.com Marvel wiki), both books would be canceled in early 1979.

Based on my limited exposure to these western books, I sometimes think every major character in them is a Kid. Just in this issue we have the titular Rawhide Kid, the Missouri Kid, and the Outlaw Kid, who appears in the B-story. The Missouri Kid is actually an older guy, but he got his “Kid” moniker in his younger days.

The Missouri Kid is an outlaw like the Rawhide Kid, so he is surprised when the Rawhide Kid wants to turn him in to the authorities. Because the Rawhide Kid is an outlaw of the wrongly-accused variety, and he still believes in the law. I would think being wrongly accused would make one cynical about the law, but I guess that’s just me.

A lot of this story is about the Missouri Kid’s origin. We find out that the Missouri Kid killed the railroad baron that murdered his father over a piece of real estate. This was a long time ago. The Missouri Kid is on the lam now after serving decades in prison. I’m not a fan of revenge killings, but I’m not a fan of excessive prison sentences, either. I’m not sure exactly where the Rawhide Kid comes down on those criminal justice issues, but he eventually lets the Missouri Kid go after the Missouri Kid saves his life twice.

The second story in this book is brief, but it’s right up my alley. The Outlaw Kid (unlike Rawhide Kid and Kid Colt, the Outlaw Kid disguises himself by hiding his nose and mouth with a bandana) saves a puma from a pack of wolves, just because he doesn’t like an unfair fight, even if said fight involves a bunch of wild animals. A while later, when a bad guy is about to shoot the Outlaw Kid, the puma shows up and saves the Kid. The puma is a wild animal, sure, but it apparently has a code of honor. As the Outlaw Kid says at the story’s end, “I reckon he doesn’t want to be in debt to anyone!”

Next time — Thor tries to hold off Ragnarok!