The werewolf western is a wild hybrid all its own, and who knew that one of the better Golden Age comic examples of this tale would not come from a precode horror title, but instead the rip-roarin' final issue from Youthful's rabid run of Gunsmoke, --aka the January 1952 issue of Gunsmoke #16, to be sure! Some really nice 'n early Doug Wildey action art highlighted with splashes of drippin' red stuff-- even some surprising, bare lady flesh, --not to mention one of the all-time great climactic sharp-shootin' ways of takin' a werewolf down! Hold onto yer ponies, my Mahonies, it's time to ride...
7 comments:
Another story from this issue up next too FYI. So who'll be the first to comment about the returning yellow dress transformation? It'll probably be Brian...
I'll admit, I was so certain that it was going to go the classic "evil uncle" trope that I didn't see the twist coming at all that the werewolf would end up being Sally. Especially since the werewolf looks about as masculine as one could come. Probably to throw more of a red herring into the works. The yellow dress returning was the first thing I noticed, which is weird because the werewolf was clearly wearing torn green pants. After being shot,Sally is completely naked--if anything, she should at least be still wearing the pants after turning back. So,does that mean the uncle really did get that scratch on some nails after all? Also, Pedro's accent is pretty jarring on paper. I don't mind accents that much in comics, but this one comes off pretty stereotypical with all the "EETs" in his dialogue.
Ha ha, I was definitely going to point out the green pants. I like to think that a sundress transforming into a cut-off pair of work cords is still a lot more physically likely than a woman turning into a hairy wolf beast. Not that I'm some kind of tailor or whatever. Haberdasher.
Loved this story. The reverse Scooby-Doo dismount is especially fresh in a western spooker. It's also nice to see The Thing from Another World already influencing main titles design in comics just a year after it opened. I wholeheartedly approve. I've drawn that poster before myself, Doug Wildey!
So I'm calling a bit of shenanigans on this one. The very male -- and pants wearing -- werewolf is really an unfair trick, but it makes me wonder if the artist was drawing this without reading the entire script first and then going "oops!" Also, note that Sally appears after the killing -- WHILE the moon is still out -- WITH another guy.
Well, I wasn't first with the yellow dress but how about the yellow BOOTS?
All that said, this is a great bit of western horror. I love the first panel on the last page; that's a really, really clever trick. First off, trick shooting coins is very much a sharpshooter tradition so it doesn't come out of nowhere, and it certain fits in with the motif. Bravo on that.
I also love that they are completely and utterly outmatched, and still thinking "guy in a suit" up until the thing starts tossing them around. The clever trap is just a dud!
BTW: I love all the werewolf drool.
Also: Hey uncle, all that death is *on* you. Open your mouth next time, "no one would have believed you" would pass pretty quickly after the first couple deaths!
Uhm, without the lipstick, I'm not sure I can tell the difference between a boy wolf and a girl wolf, you know? Literally the only thing I can't stand about The Howling is that they felt like they had to create some wimpy, pulsing were-girl. I'm not into it.
Went into this expecting Marshal Dillon, but apparently this Gunsmoke issue predates the radio show (though not the character) by several months.
Marshal Dillon versus a werewolf would still be something to hear. Or see.
I kind of wish more of a romance had been set up for Gunsmoke and Sally, so there'd be more of a sad WOLF MAN / WEREWOLF OF LONDON kind of ending. But that's about my only complaint.
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