Showing posts with label Hank Roper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hank Roper. Show all posts

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Space Hero Saturdays SPACE WESTERN COMICS "Spurs Jackson and His Space Vigilantes in The Saucer Men"

When you think of "Space Heroes", cowboys and Indians aren't the first people who pop into your head!
Why not?
BTW, Isn't it amazing how these guys (of all people) take the whole idea of outer-space aliens in stride?

  

Just over 70 years ago, Charlton introduced Space Western Comics in 1952, starting with #40.
Though the numbering was a continuation of already-ongoing "parent" title Cowboy Western Comics, none of the previous strips were carried over or revamped, as so often happened when comic titles were altered!
Instead, a new series, set in the present (1952), was launched starring Spurs Jackson who was both a cowboy and electronics expert!

He was also a Federal government contactor, so when he needed backup, the military tended to come a-running (and a-shooting).
Good thing, since his ranch became a magnet for alien invaders during the series' run.

The so-called "Space Vigilantes" consisted of Spurs' ranch hands including Hank Roper and Strong Bow, both of whom had backup strips in the book where they also showed their solo alien-buttkicking talents.
An infrequent supporting cast member was Queen Thula of Mars, whom Spurs met in the story above.
Whenever a tale took place on Mars, or Spurs needed some really advanced tech, she appeared and livened up the usually all-male ensemble considerably.

BTW, if you think that this short story covers a helluva lot of ground in just eight pages, you'd be right.
Today this tale alone would be a six-issue miniseries (with a couple of tie-ins to other titles)
It shouldn't surprise you to learn the writer who penned it was Walter Gibson, aka Maxwell Grant, biographer of the pulp hero The Shadow.
If there was anyone who knew how to cram a narrative with both plot and action, it was him!

Besides aliens from a number of worlds, Spurs and friends battled Commie spies (Hey, it was 1952! "Reds" were EVERYWHERE!), ancient Aztecs, and space-going Nazis!
It was weird!
It was wild!
Sometimes it was dumb!
But it was never dull!
And it only lasted six issues.
After #45, the title reverted to Cowboy Western Comics, and Spurs put in a final appearance in a one-page filler.
He was forgotten.
Until now.
We'll be re-presenting Spurs' never-reprinted battle against Those Who Threaten the American Way of Life here in Space Hero Saturdays.
And we're offering a line of Space Western collectibles...perfect for summer wear at the beach!

Check out the

Monday, July 11, 2011

Reading Room: SPURS JACKSON "Spurs Sees RED!"

Space Western Comics (the ORIGINAL Cowboys vs Aliens) returns...
...but this time, the threat is Commies with a flying saucer!
(Hey it was the 1950s!)
Sadly, the Reds haven't even salvaged a crashed alien ship and retro-engineered it's tech.
It's just a disguised Flying Wing, which both we and they were working on at the time.
(We were also working on our own flying saucers, but don't tell the Russkies!)
Art on this tale was by John Belfi.
There's more Space Western Comics fun to come!

We're offering a line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Reading Room: SPACE WESTERN Strong Bow in "Return of the Aztecs"

One of the "Space Vigilantes" takes center stage...
Click on art to enlarge
...as Strong Bow meets up with Aztecs from the stars in this tale from Space Western Comics #42 that could've inspired Chariots of the Gods!
Like Doc Savage's or The Shadow's aides, Spurs' associates can certainly handle themselves against aliens, or Commies, or any other threat when the boss is out of town!
Penciled and inked by versatile artist John Belfi, who did a little of everything for almost every comic publisher in the 40s-50s before moving over to newspaper syndicate work both on strips and editorial illustration.

There's more Space Western Comics action to come as we lead-up to the opening of the summer flick Cowboys & Aliens.
We're offering a line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Reading Room: SPURS JACKSON "Outlaws of Mars"

You just can't get enough of Space Western Comics...
...so here's another tale from #42, featuring the return of Queen Thula and the Martians!
Politics is the same, no matter what planet you're on...
While the writer is unknown, the artist is Stan Campbell, who did almost all the stories (both Spurs' and his Space Vigilantes' solo tales).

We'll be presenting more of these tales during the lead-up to the opening of the summer flick Cowboys & Aliens.

We're offering a line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Reading Room: SPACE WESTERN "Hank Roper and the Riddle of Skull Valley"

One of Spurs Jackson's Space Vigilantes gets a solo tale...
...in Space Western Comics #42.
Good thing there were enough aliens to go around...
Let's just say scientific accuracy was not a priority to the writers of this book.
While we don't know who the writer was, the art was by Stan Campbell, who did most of the stories in Space Western.
Both of Spurs' aides, Hank and Strong Bow, had solo backup stories during the title's run.
They didn't always fight interplanetary invaders, there were Commie spies to be dealt with as well!
We'll be presenting more of these solo tales during the lead-up to the opening of the summer flick Cowboys & Aliens.

We're offering a line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Reading Room: SPURS JACKSON "Sun Masters"

Once more we return to the really weird pages of Space Western Comics, where both stagecoaches and spacecraft are accepted forms of transportation!
We don't know who the writer was, but Stan Campbell did both pencils and inks on the art.

We're offering a new line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Reading Room: SPURS JACKSON in "Death from U-235"

 As we promised earlier,  here's another exciting, never-reprinted adventure featuring cowboys and aliens from Space Western Comics #40.
Ah, for the days when a cowboy's devotion to the good 'ol USA overrode living in luxury on another world with a beautiful space princess...
(Never thought you'd read that sentence on the 'Net in 2011, eh?)
Don't worry, owlhoot.
There's lots more space-spanning, six-shooting action to come, so keep us bookmarked!


We're offering a new line of Space Western collectibles, perfect for summer wear at the beach, or the movie theatre when you go see Cowboys & Aliens. (C'mon, you know you're going!)
and have a look below at some Cowboys and Aliens movie tie-ins from Amazon!