Monday, November 26, 2012

RIFLEMAN "Score to Settle" Conclusion

Cover for Four Color #1009. The caption refers to the other story in the issue.
The rambunctious Reagan family blames Lucas McCain for crippling their father in an incident that the Regans themselves caused!
One son has already been wounded attempting to out-draw The RifleMan, but the others have sworn vengeance...
The script for this tale from Four Color Comics #1009 (1959) was penned by Eric Freiwald and Robert Schaefer, while the art was provided by Dan Spiegle, one of the primary illustrators for Dell (and later, Gold Key) movie/tv adaptations due to his knack for rendering likenesses of actors.

After this appearance, The RifleMan received his own comic book, which had an 19-issue run beginning with #2, for a total of 20 issues.
(The Four Color issue was considered to be #1.)
After #12 was published, Dell Publishing ended it's contract with Western Publishing, who handled the editorial (writing and illustrating) duties on Dell Comics, while Dell handled newsstand and store distribution.
Western created Gold Key Comics, which continued to publish the already-existing movie and tv comics,while Dell maintained the Dell Comics name with a new line of comics featuring original characters (including Lobo) and newly-licensed movie/tv/newspaper strip series.
The RifleMan continued from #13 to #20 at Gold Key, with the same writers and artists who did the earlier stories.

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1 comment:

  1. www.archive.net has some Four Color Comics -- Laredo, Lawman, The Rebel, Wagon Train and Laramie. They're download-able.

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