Ride into a new town with your fellow Extraordinary Blogger Rangers.  This week our Sheriff, Brian over at Cool and Collected, has rustled us up a new question.  The whole posse answered this one.  Sheriff Brian is a man of few words.  In fact, for this week’s assignment he only gave us one:

“Cowboys.”

http://coolandcollected.com/this-weeks-assignment-from-the-league-cowboys/

 

Alright, that’s enough silliness from me.  I’ve always wanted to get into the Western genre.  From a fascination with pulps to a love of old television, yet its never quite clicked into a thing I’m really into.  If anything the space western genre has come close.  Han Solo, Firefly, Bravestarr and so on.  All this is to say that I don’t have the love some other League members do, but there are a few things I can write about.

Maybe because my first experience with cowboys showed me that the good guys aren’t always good, and it doesn’t matter who wears white either.  See, the first cowboy I ever read about was the Phantom Rider right in the middle of his plot to drug and seduce the time displaced West Coast Avenger, Mockingbird.

Yes, drug, and manipulate, and have intimate off panel relations with while the woman is in an altered state.  Oh sure, some people would call that something else.  And they would be right.  But this was 1987 Marvel Comics and certain things just couldn’t be said.  Greatly implied, but not flat out said.

It was a great story which really explored issues of heroism, boundaries, vengeance, and more.  However, none of that takes away from the fact that the Phantom Rider is a piece of shit in this book.  When a child tries a new food and its bad, it will be years if ever before he tries that food again.  Same with heroes.  Phantom Rider was a dick.  Why would I want to read about more cowboys?

Looking back upon this as an adult, I wonder if it was trying to say something deeper.  Not just about the strength of women, that’s obvious.  But was there also a tale about the death of the Western and the rise of super heroes below the surface?

If anyone is looking for a great Western though, look to the East and to the stars.  Outlaw Star, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop are all great anime westerns.

Speaking of other great cowboy tales, what does the rest of the League have for us this week?

Fortune and Glory Days

http://fortuneandglorydays.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-league-has-spoken-cowboys.html

 

Shezcrafti

http://shezcrafti.com/oh-a-cowboy-needs-a-horse-needs-a-horse-needs-a-horse/

 

Branded in the 80s

http://brandedinthe80s.com/getting-back-in-the-saddle-with-the-league

 

Monster Cafe

http://monstercafesaltillo.blogspot.mx/2013/01/league-assignment-cowboys.html

 

Goodwill Hunting 4 Geeks

http://goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com/2013/01/loeb-topic-cowboys-probably-least-macho.html

 

Rediscover the 80s

http://www.rediscoverthe80s.com/2012/07/80s-toons-cowboys-vs-aliens80s-style.html

 

Matt and Tim

http://mattandtimfunny.blogspot.com/2013/01/cowboy.html

 

That Figures

http://that-figures.blogspot.com/2013/01/feature-loeb-cowboys.html

 

Paxton Holley

http://blog.paxholley.net/2013/01/15/kenners-failed-western-toy-line-from-1980/

 

Cool and Collected

http://coolandcollected.com/vintage-pop-culture-from-the-old-west/

 

Double Dumbass on You

http://www.doubledumbassonyou.com/2013/01/15/a-tribute-to-silverhawk-colonel-bluegrass-the-original-space-cowboy/

 

CTupa

http://ctupa.com/blog/?p=1726

 

Toyriffic

http://toyriffic.blogspot.com/2013/01/loeb-cowboys.html

 

Random Nerdness

http://www.randomnerdness.blogspot.com/2013/01/league-assignment-cowboys.html