Kid Colt Outlaw #79
How Kid Colt Became an Outlaw!
In the town of Abiline, Wyoming the outlaw named Lash Laibee has such a firm grip on the town even his own henchmen are afraid for their lives. There is only one man who is willing to stand up to Lash, Dan Colt of the Flying-C Ranch where he lives with his son Blaine. One day, Blaine is rearing his new horse, named Steel. As Dan and Gabby — the ranch hand — watch, they figure that Blaine and Steel will be together for years. Dan is proud of his son except for the fact that he refuses to carry a gun.
Later that day, the Colts are in town and Lash Laribee tries to pick a fight with Dan. Blaine tries to intervene but Laribee pulls a gun, prompting Dan to suggest that he and his boy leave. On the way back home, Blaine can tell his father is disappointed in him. While Dan admits that he doesn’t want his son to become a gunslinger, he still insists that his boy wear a gun in order to defend himself. That night, Gabby has a private council with Blaine and he pleases with the young man to tell his father the real reason why he won’t carry guns. Blane’s problem is that he quickly became very proficient in using guns and soon became afraid he might turn into a killer.
The next morning, Blaine wakes up to learn that his father went into town alone. Remembering Lash’s threats, Blaine fears for his father’s safety. Heading into town, Blaine crosses paths with the sheriff who tells him that his father was murdered Lash Laribee. Furious, Blaine Colt rushes home and puts on his father’s guns. Ignoring Gabby’s request to accompany him, Blaine rides back into town. He then confronts Lash Laribee in the local saloon and challenges him to a draw. Lash and his men consider this a joke and he obliges. However, Laribee ends up eating those words and a belly full of lead when Blaine Colt manages to outdraw him and shoots to kill. Realizing how dangerous Colt is, Laribee’s men rush to the sheriff and claim that Blaine Colt murdered their boss in cold blood.
Fearing the law, Blaine Colt rides back home to say goodbye and discovers that the shock of his father’s death was too much of a strain on Gabby’s health. Bedridden and about to die, Gabby tries to convince Blaine to stay or he will be hunted by the law for the rest of his life. Blaine Colt ignores these pleas and rides out of Abiline, thus was the day Kid Colt was born.[1]
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Lash Laribee, Steel
Continuity Notes
This story recycles a lot of plot elements from the first Kid Colt origin told in Kid Colt: Hero of the West #1. However, there are a number of differences to that story and this one they are:
The original story takes place a town called Purgatory, in an unspecified state while this story is said to take place in Abiline, Wyoming. Additionally, the Colt ranch is called the Box C Line Camp.
In the original version of events, Kid Colt’s father (who isn’t identified by name) is sterner about his son’s reluctance to carry guns.
The inciting conflict in the original story was that Lash Laribee whipped both Gabby and Blaine in town. In the original version, Dan Colt doesn’t go to town to settle a score, but to avenge the humiliation done to the family by his son’s pacifism.
In the original story, Blaine explains his reasons for not carrying a gun after he uses one to kill a snake that is threatening Gabby.
Also different is that the sheriff originally goes to the Colt home to arrest Blaine for the murder of his father. Also in the original story, Sam Colt’s cause of death was from blunt force trauma to the head. Also the sheriff is super crooked in the original version of the story instead of a kindly lawman with some bad news.
Gabby doesn’t die due to frail health in the story but is shot by Lash Laribee.
Also, while Kid Colt does kill Lash Laribee in the original story, he does so by whipping him to death.
Publication wise, the reason for all of these changes was due to the censorship imposed by the Comics Code Authority at the time, they couldn’t tell the Kid Colt’s original origin as it was since the CAC wouldn’t allow it. In-universe, inconsistencies with Marvel’s old western stories are explained away by saying that many western stories (particularly westerns published in the golden and silver ages) aren’t true accounts but adaptations of dime-store novels that have greatly dramatized the exploits of famous outlaws. This concept was first utilized in Blaze of Glory #1.
The Threat
Kid Colt figures he’ll be safe in the town of Calamity, Wyoming because he has never been to the town before. Walking into the local saloon he is immediately approached by a man named Black Silas who recognizes who he is. Kid Colt tells him to get lost but when he leaves the saloon, Silas insists that he will tell everyone he is Kid Colt and get the law down on him. That is, unless Kid Colt agrees to help Silas rob a stagecoach that is bringing in a shipment of gold.
With no other choice, Kid Colt agrees but warns Silas that nobody is to get hurt. However, Black Silas ignores this by shooting the coach driver. This upsets the Kid who exposes their identities. Luckily, the coach driver survived getting shot and shoots Black Silas dead. When they ask if Kid Colt is still going to try and steal the gold he explains he was being forced to rob the coach, but now that Black Silas is dead Kid Colt rides off.
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Steel
The Man Who Was Faster Than The Kid!
When Kid Colt rides into town an gunfighter named Blackjack Craven rushes to confront him at the local saloon and challenge him to a duel. Everyone warns Kid Colt that Blackjack is a faster draw and the outlaw also shows off how quickly he can draw. Kid Colt agrees to the duel and while Blackjack Craven is a faster draw, he turns out to be a terrible shot and misses both times. When Kid Colt draws his weapons he shoots them out of Blackjack’s hands. Defeated, Craven begs Kid Colt to spare his life. Having shown everyone how much of a coward Blackjack is, Kid Colt is satisfied with the outcome.
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Steel
