Two-Gun Kid #40
Man Without Guns!
The Two-Gun Kid rides into Nugget Rock unaware how close he was to getting gunned down by Fargo Dirk and Moose Larson who just narrowly took up the chance of shooting him in the back. The Kid meets with the sheriff who warns him that the two outlaws are gunning for him, but the Kid is not worried about them. Going to the local saloon and tells the sheriff that he originally help catch Dirk and Larson during a coach robbery but got time off for turning in states evidence against their cohorts, and swore revenge against the Two-Gun Kid for capturing them. However the Kid is confident that he can catch them.
Meanwhile elsewhere, the outlaws are plotting to get at the Two-Gun Kid, with Fargo suggesting that the Kid is only as good as his guns. That night the Kid struggles to sleep into his hotel room. When the Kid finally falls asleep for the night, Fargo and Moose sneak into his room and empty the bullets from his guns. The next morning they throw a rock into the Two-Gun Kid's room and goads him going down to the street for a draw. While the Kid outdraws Fargo, he soon realizes that his guns are empty. Two-Gun manages to dive down in time to avoid Fargo's shots. The bullets strike Larson instead, and while Larson is downed, the Kid grabs one of his guns and shoots Fargo as well. While the Kid has won out, he takes no joy in gunning the two men down when a more peaceful solution could have come about.
Recurring Characters
Two-Gun Kid
Cyclone
Continuity Notes
This story marks the first time that the Two-Gun Kid has killed anyone with his guns since the implementation of the Comics Code Authority. The last time he took a life was in Two-Gun Kid #23.
Two-Gun Kid
The Two-Gun Kid is out with his friend Dusty are picking up supplies in a town while out on a cattle run when he recognizes some men as part of a number of rustlers who tried to take their herd earlier, the Kid's shots send them packing. When the sheriff comes to see what the commotion is and they explain what happened. When describing that the gang's leader had an eye patch the lawman recognizes the description as belonging to Blink Carstairs.
Meanwhile elsewhere, a tribe of Native Americans cross back into the United States from the Mexican border with a herd of cattle, they are stopped by Blink Carstairs gang. They notice that the Natives herds are suffering from Hoof and Mouth Disease and convince the Natives to turn them over. The following morning the sheriff catches up with Two-Gun and Dusty on the trail to warn them of the infected herd. The Kid deduces that Blink Carstairs and his men might be trying to infect their herd in revenge. Sure enough Carstairs gang does just that and the Kid manages to divert the infected cattle before they can contaminate the herd. When they push forward they are stopped by a group that was tipped off that their cattle was "infected" and refuse to let them pass, telling them that they were informed by a man with an eyepatch.
The Two-Gun Kid tells Dusty to stay with the cattle while he rides into town. He then confronts Blink and his minions and rounds them up so they can confess to their entire ruse.
Recurring Characters
Two-Gun Kid
Cyclone
Blazing Colts!
While walking down a dark alley in Sioux City, the Two-Gun Kid is jumped by two men, but fights them off and they escape before he can stop them but manages to wing one of the outlaws. The Kid then is joined by the sheriff and a eastern photographer named Max Botley who has come to take pictures of famous gunslingers. The Kid informs them that he has been hired by the Wells Fargo company to investigate the stagecoach hold ups ever since they injured his friend Buff Harris was injured. When Bentley asks to take his picture, the Kid declines telling him he doesn't take very good pictures. He then meets with the Wells Fargo clerk, Fred Cotton. in town who asks the Kid to tell him if he hears anything about the outlaws robbing the coach. He also meets with Jim Dace who runs the general store in town. When the Kid watches Jim and Fred go to play Pinochle in the local saloon, the Kid asks what their relationship is and learns they play the card game all the time.
As the Two-Gun Kid and the sheriff puzzle out the mystery of the coach robberies, they are interrupted by Bentley who begs to let the Kid take his picture and shows off his photographs of when Sioux warriors came to town to trade. When the Kid takes a look at the photo he notices people leading Wells Fargo creates into Jim Dace's general store. Looking at the date on the back, he notes that it was taken on May 3, 1857 the night of the robbery. The Kid then rushes into the saloon and catches the men who jumped him earlier with Dace and Cotton. When they try to draw on the Kid, Bentley has set up his camera to take a photo of the scene and his flash powder blinds them enough for the Kid to shoot the guns out of their hands and rounds them all up.
Recurring Characters
Two-Gun Kid
Cyclone
Continuity Notes
This story states that it takes place in May of 1857. If Clay Harder was a real person this date works with the established timeline of Matt Hawk, who succeeded as the Two-Gun Kid in 1870 as seen in Two-Gun Kid #60.
Two-Gun Kid
In the town of Clayhorn, the Two-Gun Kid is pushed by a man in a saloon and the two men come to a draw with the Two-Gun Kid. A Native American who knows the Kid by his Native American named of "White Eagle" tells Two-Gun that the man who tried to pick a fight with him is a member of the Red Malloy gang who hide out in the Dakota Mountains. The Kid is then welcomed in by the other patrons and offered a beer on the house. He is told the elderly Native American man is an old Blackfoot named Charlie Beaver. The Kid is then interrupted by Major Carson the mayor in town who orders that the Kid leave, not wanting trouble with gunslinger that are attracted by his presence in their peaceful town. However the Major changes his tune when he realizes he is talking to the Two-Gun Kid and asks the Kid to help them out as they need a sheriff but cannot find a replacement. The Kid agrees to take the job just as moments when Red Malloy comes into town to see who wounded one of his men.
The Kid steps up and outshoots Red and sends him fleeing. The Kid then gathers a posse and with the help of Charlie Beaver, they find the location of the gang in the mountains. Along the way the Kid confides in Charlie telling him he wishes to settle down, but Charlie tells him to follow his heart. Although they manage to surround the cabin the outlaws are holed up inside and are unable to get close enough. Spotting a bee hive hanging from a nearby tree, the Kid borrows Charlie's bow and arrow and fires the beehive into the cabin forcing the outlaws to surrender while fleeing from a swarm of bees. Back in town the Major offers the Kid to live in town as their lawman permanently, but he recalls how the Major wanted a peaceful town and that if he stays people will constantly gun after him there and decides to resign from his post and leave.
Recurring Characters
Two-Gun Kid
Cyclone
