Comic Book Resources

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 07:54 AM

When I think of really short-lived Silver & Bronze Age series from Marvel or DC -- i.e. no more than 2 ishes -- I tend to think of DC Implosion-related casualties like the 2-issue Man-Bat & 1-issue Sherlock Holmes (though off the top of my head, I seem to recall there may've also been a licensing issue involved in the latter case) ...

... which means I was a bit taken aback recently, while indulging my recentish interest in Marvel Westerns, to learn that the following --

-- from the summer of '73 was the only issue that ever came out.

I'm assuming the series was planned as a bimonthly (my most recent Mile High order included a copy, but I neglected to glance at the indicia while looking it over last night), which would mean the plug had to have been pulled before sales reports were in.

The final issue (#7) of The Gunhawks (retitled Reno Jones, Gunhawk, for that last go-round) came out the month before & ended with a promise that the title character would soon be showing up in Western Team-Up, but obviously that didn't happen. Clearly, the times were no longer right for Western non-reprints.

Cei-U! · 11-02-2009, 09:31 AM

... and another Marvel Western goes on my want list. Thanks a heap, Dan.

Cei-U!
I summon the six-shooter!

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 09:43 AM

Obviously, I know the feeling. I only learned about 10 days ago, after doing some double-checking upon reading an eBay mention, that Marvel had revived Wyatt Earp for 5 issues in '72-'73. Probaby that's how I learned about Western Team-Up as well.

RBishop · 11-02-2009, 09:48 AM

Very cool information on this. Never been much of a Marvel Western fan, but if I come across this, I might pick it up just for the unique factor.

When I saw the title of this thread, I immediate thought of the Strange Tales Blade series from the late '90s, which lasted all of 3 issues. Compared to the short life of this book, though, that Blade series is damn near Action Comics.

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 09:55 AM

I assume from the cover (I haven't read the comic yet) that this would've been the Western equivalent of Marvel Team-Up, with Rawhide in the Spidey role. I'm not sure how long they could've kept it going, considering the comparatively finite number of Western characters, but still ...

Red Oak Kid · 11-02-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan bailey

I assume from the cover (I haven't read the comic yet) that this would've been the Western equivalent of Marvel Team-Up, with Rawhide in the Spidey role. I'm not sure how long they could've kept it going, considering the comparatively finite number of Western characters, but still ...

I'm sure Marvel would have found a way to have Rawhide Kid teaming up with Conan and Howard the Duck.

Add me to the list of people who have never heard of this title. I want it also.

Did Night Nurse have her own title or was that in Marvel Spotlight or somesuch?

RBishop · 11-02-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Oak Kid

Did Night Nurse have her own title or was that in Marvel Spotlight or somesuch?

She did have her own book in 1972 and 1973. It lasted 4 issues.

Red Oak Kid · 11-02-2009, 10:32 AM

The only Once In A Lifetime Issue:

METAROG · 11-02-2009, 10:40 AM

I can think of a few 3 issue series like the first Ka-Zar, Gunslinger and Crazy. DC did have a one issue Laurel and Hardy series also but this might be the only Marvel that was not an intended one-shot. There were some magazine-sized Marvels such as Legion of Monsters that were cancelled after one issue but excluding those this might be the only one.

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by METAROG

I can think of a few 3 issue series like the first Ka-Zar, Gunslinger

Another one (or, I guess, three) for the Marvel Western want list ...

Though, y'know, conflate those & we could've had a pretty interesting series -- Ka-Zar: Gunslinger.

Scott Harris · 11-02-2009, 11:01 AM

It's always interesting to see obscure titles from Marvel that I haven't heard of; Western Team-Up certainly qualifies. I did a brief look through the internet and discovered a couple other Marvel titles I personally wasn't aware of, including kids titles like Peter the Little Pest (four issues) and Li'l Pals (five issues). But nothing post-FF seemed to quite match up with the one issue of Western Team-Up -- even the other duds like Crazy! and Spoof lasted longer than that.

obii · 11-02-2009, 11:06 AM

Would Druid from Warren Ellis count?
From an ongoing to a 6 parter and finished off in 4 parts.....

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 11:09 AM

And let us not forget (though it's pretty easy to do so ...) Groovy, which also somehow lasted 3 issues back in the first half of 1968. I bought one of them at the corner grocery in my hometown -- #3, I believe:

dan bailey · 11-02-2009, 11:15 AM

Makes me wonder what might be in a Marvel equivalent of Cancelled Comics Cavalcade. If memory serves, Ramona Fradon had done a fair amount of work on Claws of the Cat #5 when the axe came down on that series, though my memory could be lying about that ...

Red Oak Kid · 11-02-2009, 11:18 AM

I was wondering about Claws of the Cat also, yet I can't find it on the GCD. Was that the actual title?

11-02-2009, 07:54 AM	#1
dan bailey choke Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: montgomery al Posts: 3,973	Shortest-lived Marvel title? When I think of *really* short-lived Silver & Bronze Age series from Marvel or DC -- i.e. no more than 2 ishes -- I tend to think of DC Implosion-related casualties like the 2-issue Man-Bat & 1-issue Sherlock Holmes (though off the top of my head, I seem to recall there may've also been a licensing issue involved in the latter case) ... ... which means I was a bit taken aback recently, while indulging my recentish interest in Marvel Westerns, to learn that the following -- -- from the summer of '73 was the only issue that ever came out. I'm assuming the series was planned as a bimonthly (my most recent Mile High order included a copy, but I neglected to glance at the indicia while looking it over last night), which would mean the plug had to have been pulled before sales reports were in. The final issue (#7) of The Gunhawks (retitled Reno Jones, Gunhawk, for that last go-round) came out the month before & ended with a promise that the title character would soon be showing up in Western Team-Up, but obviously that didn't happen. Clearly, the times were no longer right for Western non-reprints. __________________ I tend to split superhero comics fans into "People who like Krypto" and "People who don't like Krypto." Basically, if you miss the wonder of a dog flying around in a little Superman cape, you're in the wrong hobby. -- Reptisaurus! Last edited by dan bailey; 11-02-2009 at 07:59 AM.

11-02-2009, 09:31 AM	#2
Cei-U! Frugal fanboy Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tacoma, Washington Posts: 3,946	... and another Marvel Western goes on my want list. Thanks a heap, Dan. Cei-U! I summon the six-shooter! __________________ There's a thin line between an open mind and an empty head.

11-02-2009, 09:48 AM	#4
RBishop Stone-Cold Killer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: It doesn't matter; once you see me, it's too late. Posts: 458	Very cool information on this. Never been much of a Marvel Western fan, but if I come across this, I might pick it up just for the unique factor. When I saw the title of this thread, I immediate thought of the Strange Tales Blade series from the late '90s, which lasted all of 3 issues. Compared to the short life of this book, though, that Blade series is damn near Action Comics. __________________ "I don't hate everybody. I think I'm better than everybody. It's completely different." Current Pull List: Astonishing X-Men, Captain America, Ms Marvel, New Avengers, Thor, Thunderbolts, Uncanny X-Men, Vengeance of the Moon Knight, X-Factor, X-Men: Legacy

11-02-2009, 10:40 AM	#9
METAROG Variant Hunter Join Date: May 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 195	I can think of a few 3 issue series like the first Ka-Zar, Gunslinger and Crazy. DC did have a one issue Laurel and Hardy series also but this might be the only Marvel that was not an intended one-shot. There were some magazine-sized Marvels such as Legion of Monsters that were cancelled after one issue but excluding those this might be the only one. __________________ 30 cent variant set finally finished!

11-02-2009, 11:01 AM	#11
Scott Harris New Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 51	It's always interesting to see obscure titles from Marvel that I haven't heard of; Western Team-Up certainly qualifies. I did a brief look through the internet and discovered a couple other Marvel titles I personally wasn't aware of, including kids titles like Peter the Little Pest (four issues) and Li'l Pals (five issues). But nothing post-FF seemed to quite match up with the one issue of Western Team-Up -- even the other duds like Crazy! and Spoof lasted longer than that. __________________ For reviews, essays and interviews with comic creators, check out my website at The Vault.

11-02-2009, 09:43 AM	#3
dan bailey choke Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: montgomery al Posts: 3,973	Obviously, I know the feeling. I only learned about 10 days ago, after doing some double-checking upon reading an eBay mention, that Marvel had revived Wyatt Earp for 5 issues in '72-'73. Probaby that's how I learned about Western Team-Up as well. __________________ I tend to split superhero comics fans into "People who like Krypto" and "People who don't like Krypto." Basically, if you miss the wonder of a dog flying around in a little Superman cape, you're in the wrong hobby. -- Reptisaurus!

11-02-2009, 09:55 AM	#5
dan bailey choke Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: montgomery al Posts: 3,973	I assume from the cover (I haven't read the comic yet) that this would've been the Western equivalent of Marvel Team-Up, with Rawhide in the Spidey role. I'm not sure how long they could've kept it going, considering the comparatively finite number of Western characters, but still ... __________________ I tend to split superhero comics fans into "People who like Krypto" and "People who don't like Krypto." Basically, if you miss the wonder of a dog flying around in a little Superman cape, you're in the wrong hobby. -- Reptisaurus!

11-02-2009, 10:32 AM	#8
Red Oak Kid Return of Ironfoot Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,221	The only Once In A Lifetime Issue:

11-02-2009, 11:06 AM	#12
obii New Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 63	Would Druid from Warren Ellis count? From an ongoing to a 6 parter and finished off in 4 parts.....

11-02-2009, 11:09 AM	#13
dan bailey choke Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: montgomery al Posts: 3,973	And let us not forget (though it's pretty easy to do so ...) Groovy, which also somehow lasted 3 issues back in the first half of 1968. I bought one of them at the corner grocery in my hometown -- #3, I believe: __________________ I tend to split superhero comics fans into "People who like Krypto" and "People who don't like Krypto." Basically, if you miss the wonder of a dog flying around in a little Superman cape, you're in the wrong hobby. -- Reptisaurus! Last edited by dan bailey; 11-02-2009 at 11:12 AM.

11-02-2009, 11:15 AM	#14
dan bailey choke Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: montgomery al Posts: 3,973	Makes me wonder what might be in a Marvel equivalent of Cancelled Comics Cavalcade. If memory serves, Ramona Fradon had done a fair amount of work on Claws of the Cat #5 when the axe came down on that series, though my memory could be lying about that ... __________________ I tend to split superhero comics fans into "People who like Krypto" and "People who don't like Krypto." Basically, if you miss the wonder of a dog flying around in a little Superman cape, you're in the wrong hobby. -- Reptisaurus!

11-02-2009, 11:18 AM	#15
Red Oak Kid Return of Ironfoot Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,221	I was wondering about Claws of the Cat also, yet I can't find it on the GCD. Was that the actual title?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode