The western genre has been at the heart of American entertainment since the dawn of Hollywood and the comic book industry, with legends like Zorro, The Lone Ranger and The Man With No Name being created from it. In the comic book industry, the genre led to a series of brilliant titles, ranging from ongoing books from Marvel and DC to prestige miniseries and graphic novels.
Western comics aren’t as popular as they once were, but they continue to provide readers with a stream of entertaining stories—that is, when there’s a good series for them to buy. Although Marvel and DC rarely revisit the genre today, they, along with other publishers, have given readers decades of stories and series to choose from. From the adventures of gun-slinging outlaws to masked vigilantes who bring justice to the frontier, these stories are The best of what a western comic should be.
10
Marvel 1872
Gary Dugan and Nicole Virella
1872 Explore the Avengers in a western boom town named Timely, where Sheriff Steve Rogers keeps a watchful eye on the streets to maintain safety and justice. At odds with the town’s corrupt mayor, Wilson Fisk, Rogers enlists the help of drunken inventor Tony Stark, expert shooter Natasha Romanoff and Native American warrior Red Wolf. Together, they stand up to Fisk and his hired guns to liberate the city and deliver justice.
1872 is a great translation from the Marvel Universe to the Old WestBlending steampunk with frontier justice as the heroes protect the vulnerable. As part of the company’s Battleworlds universe, the story exists as a fun, self-contained Western reimagining of the Avengers, translating their history and characteristics to the limit.
9
The Rawhide Kid
Joe Manielli, Bob Brown, Dick Ayers, Ernie Batche, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Larry Lieber, Sol Brodsky and more
Marvel’s Rawhide child Takes place in the Wild West, documenting the adventures of Johnny Clay, an expert gunfighter who fights oppression and violence on the frontier. Originally depicted as a normal gunslinger, the character was revitalized by Stan Lee, who wrote his stories in line with his signature superhero formula. Not only did the character gain relatability and depth, but his villains became more creative, forcing him to use his wits to win the day.
Related
The Rawhide Kid Stands out as one of Marvel’s forgotten titles from the ’60sDespite the fact that it notably included one of the first collaborations between Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. For people who enjoy old school westerns like Gunsmoke And RawhideThis series delivers everything they could ask for and more.
8
Funny Western Tales
Cary Banes, John Albanon, Gerry Conway, Michael Fleisher, Neal Adams, Bernie Wrightson, Tony DeZuniga, Doug Wildey and more
Weird Western Tales was DC’s take on the Old West, and explored the adventures of a series of characters, mainly focusing on Jonah Hex. From bounty hunters to masked raiders and Native American warriors, the series brought readers non-stop action, morality plays and even horror stories. Unfortunately, due to both declining interest in Westerns and the DC implosion, the title was soon cancelled, although it remains one of the company’s most entertaining Bronze Age books.
Weird Western Tales gains an edge over other Western comics for its done-in-one style and revolving door of characters. While the series was once the main title for Jonah Hex until he got a solo bookIt explored other anti-heroes and villains of the Old West, such as El Diablo and Scalphunter.
7
Kill Whitey Donovan
Duncan Sidney, Natalie Barhona and Jason Pearson
Kill Whitey Donovan tells the story of two women; a white Southern woman, Anna Hoyt, and a black enslaved woman, Hattie Virgil. In a time of civil war, with racial punishment at its peak, the women are united in their hatred for one man: the cruel plantation owner, Jim “Whitey” Donovan. After overcoming their differences, the pair work together to kill their target, each motivated by wrongs committed against them and their families.
Kill Whitey Donovan Stands out as a brilliant revenge story, one that touches on race and class differencesAnd how they can be set aside for a common cause. For people who enjoy stories like Cool Bill or True Grit, the Dark Horse miniseries has everything they could want in a good western revenge tale.
6
That Texas blood
Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips
That Texas blood Focuses on Sheriff Joe Bob and his jurisdiction in Ambrose County, Texas, where he and his department are charged with solving a multitude of crimes. Beginning with a murder tied back to a family with a dark secret and leading into stories of serial killers, cults and more, this series stands out as one of the best mystery comics in print.
Marketed to readers like A mash-up of true detective And No country for old people, That Texas blood Delivers readers a fantastic blend of murder mystery and neo-western. By Joe Bob, this series has one of the most compelling protagonists in comics, and reminds readers that some of​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​best​​​​​​​​​​
Related
5
paste
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
paste Tells the story of Max Winters, a former outlaw of the Old West who draws on his history and writes pulp fiction in late 1930s New York. Now an elderly man in ill health, he was targeted by American Nazis for his writings against fascism. Deciding to pursue one last big score, he teams up with Mason, an old Pinkerton detective, forming a plan to rob a group of Nazis.
paste Stands as a combination of genre deconstruction and love letter to Westerns and the genre as a whole. Although the story is not strictly limited to the western genre, the flashbacks to Winters’ past combined with how the story laments the dying love for the frontier mythology makes a touching tale for readers to enjoy.
4
Old Man Logan
Mark Millar and Steve McNiven
“Old Man Logan” takes place in a distant future where a pacifist, regretful Logan lives with his new wife and son. Full of self-pity for being tricked by Mysterio into killing the X-Men, the hero reluctantly accepts a job from an elderly, blind Hawkeye to escort him across the US. it. To release a package. In a nation that has been swept by super-villains, the two heroes have treachery on their route, with the wrath of the Hulk gang challenging his commitment to non-violence.
“Old Man Logan” is the best example of the “Weird Western” genre in comics, blending elements of the Western with dystopia and action. Borrowing from iconic movies like UnforgivenThe story instantly achieved the status of being one of Wolverine’s all-time best stories – a well-earned reputation. To make things even better, this version of ​​the hero received a fifty-issue series in 2016.
3
Django/Zorro
Quentin Tarantino and Matt Wagner
Django/Zorro Acts as a movie sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s Django UnchainedPicking up Django Freeman’s story a few years after the events of the 2012 movie. While on the road, he meets Don Diego de la Vega, now of an advanced age and looking for a bodyguard. He trains the young bounty hunter in the art of swordplay, shaping him to be the hero the West deserves. When they learn that the Yaqui people are being forced into slavery, Django dons the Zorro mask and springs into action.
Django/Zorro Borrows elements from the 1998 Mask of Zorro movie and delivers a brilliant crossover adventureOne that honors Zorro’s past while exploring Django’s future. Made all the better by Wagner’s art, the miniseries serves as a brilliant sequel to the highest-grossing western of all time.
2
The Lone Ranger
Mark Russell, Brett Matthews, John Cassaday, Ande Parks, Sergio Cariello, Dean White, Esteve Polls, Bob Q, Mike Allred and more
The Lone Ranger was originally created as a serialized radio hero of the Old West. A masked avenger assisted by his Native American friend, Tonto, John Reed would ride through the West bringing justice to those who needed it. During the 2000s, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the license to publish the hero’s adventures, And has steadily produced some of his greatest adventures to date.
The Lone Ranger’s dynamite stories have included everything from a “year one” start in 2006 to an Open Range-inspired tale in its 2018 miniseries. Brought to readers by a series of talented creative teams, including people like John Cassaday, Mark Russell and Ande Parks, the company’s handling of the heroes shows that there is no shortage of brilliant western comics of the 21st century.
1
Jonah Hex
Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Luke Ross, Phil Nutto and Dylan Teague
Making his debut in the pages of All-Star West #10, Jonah Hex has slowly become the face of mainstream Wild West comics, even eclipsing the Lone Ranger himself. His various adventures cast him as a morally ambiguous, but fundamentally good bounty hunter, one charged with bringing down the biggest killers and outlaws in the West. Naturally, his activities put a target on his back on several occasions, planting him at the center of feuds with gangs and corrupt barons.
Few comics embody the Western genre as well as The Adventures of Jonah Hex. While his original Bronze Age series was excellent, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray’s tenure on the antihero is what made him a legend for modern readers. Together with his appearances in All-Star WestAnother excellent series, everything from his beginnings as a former Confederate to his team-ups with heroes of the future made him the king of western comics. In essence, the series is one big love letter to spaghetti westerns.