Appearing in "The Legend of the Black Rider"
Featured Characters:
- Black Rider (Matthew Masters) (Main story and flashback)
Supporting Characters:
- Satan (Ichabod) (Main story and flashback)
- Jim Lathrop (Main story and flashback)
- Bobby Lathrop
Antagonists:
- Joe Burton's gang
- Joe Burton (Death)
- Tucker (Death)
- Luke Davis (Only in flashback)
- Blast Burrows (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- Matthew Master's Father (Corpse, skeleton or other remains) (Only in flashback)
- Marie Lathrop (Only in flashback)
- Charlie Maddock (Death) (Only in flashback)
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Legend of the Black Rider"
The narrator explained that the Black Rider played a dominant role in the development of the American West.
The Black Rider quickly went to help some ranchers of Leadville(including Jim and Bobby Lathrop), a shoot a band of attacking outlaws. As the outlaws fled, Jim told the Rider that he had caught them stealing his cattle, and then the shooting began. As Jim went attend his herd, the Black Rider and Bobby began to talk. Bobby told him that he always wanted to know as Doc Masters became the Black Rider. So, the Rider began to tell him his backstory.
As the Black Rider ended his story, he hoped that someday Marie Lathrop would have as much praise of Doc Masters as she had of the Black Rider. Bobby reafirmed his commitment to keep Doc Masters' secret and the Rider reafirmed that as long his secret was safe, he would serve the West with his two identities.
Appearing in "The Race"
Featured Characters:
- Jed Waram
Supporting Characters:
- Joe Ballard
- Ken Watkins
- Si Watkins
- Bill Stevens
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
- Wyoming
- Larspur
Items:
Vehicles:
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Synopsis for "The Race"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "Duel at Dawn!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Barnett
- Durand
Other Characters:
- Sheriff of Leadville (mentioned)
- Townspeople of Leadville
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
Synopsis for "Duel at Dawn!"
The Black Rider was ambushed a mysterious horseman in the middle of the desert, at dawn time. The Rider quíckly shoot the horseman, who fleed.The Black Rider remembered that he had been ambushed two times already in the last two weeks. He returned to his office as Doctor Masters.Someone called to his door: a man named Barnett, who had a bullet injury in the arm. So he suspected that Barnett was the mysterious ambusher. Doc Masters cured the injured of Barnett and told him that it was not necessary to pay him, that Barnett could return the favor one day.
In the night, the Black Rider went to Barnett's house, to surprise him and get the truth from him. Afraid by the sudden appareance of the Rider, Barnett told him that someone had paied five hundred dollars to him to kill the Rider. He was shoot before he could say the name of the contracting party. Doc Masters easily retired the bullet from Barnett, but he denied t know nothing about the mastermind. So, Masters decided to report the incident to the local sheriff.
The next day, the news of the attack on Barnett was public knowledge. Marie Lathrop was helping Doc Masters with the care of the injured man. In the evening, when Marie was watching over Barnett, she saw a menacing shadow approaching him, a man who terrified Barnett and tried to shoot him and Marie. At this moment the Black Rider appeared, shouting the name of the criminal,Durand. The Rider quicky disarmed him with his colts and hit him with his fists. The Black Rider explained that Durand wanted to turn Leadville into a gambling town for profit, and that Barnett shouldn't fear for his life anymore in the future trial of Durand.
Later, Doc Masters was talking with Marie Lathrop, who was fascinated by the Rider handling of the situation, with the good Doctor reminding her that "he and the Black Rider were about as different as two people can be".
Appearing in "The Empty Saddle!"
Featured Characters:
- Cavalry
- Captain Mears
- Captain Mears
Supporting Characters:
- Hal
Antagonists:
- Duke Hollister
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
- Fort Dubusque
Synopsis for "The Empty Saddle!"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "Treachery at Hangman's Bridge!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Parrish's Gang
- Parrish
- Larkin
Other Characters:
- Sheriff of Leadville
Races and Species:
Realities:
Locations:
Synopsis for "Treachery at Hangman's Bridge!"
The Black Rider was riding Satan in the night, watching over the surrondings of Leadville.Suddenly he heard some hoofbeats of the midnight stagecoach. He expected it to cross Hangman's bridge without problem,when he saw a explosion hitting the passing stagecoach. He quickly went to the place of the explosion, finding the stage completly destroyed,and looked for injured. The Black Rider returned to Leadville to warn the sheriff and quickly changed into Doc Masters to treat the injured.
Half an hour later the sherrif arrived with some people. One of the newcomers told the sheriff that he and his boys had no responsiblity in the incident. The sherriff told Masters that the gold of the stage was gone, and without proof, he had to freed the suspects, since that being in the vicinity was no proof of guilt. Masters still decided to watch them over as the Black Rider.
Two days later, Doc Masters noted that one of the men of Parrish was buying supplies, possibly to remain in town. He also wondeered if they had got the gold. He followed the man with his horse Ichabod, but he was ambushed by him in the middle of the desert. Masters told him thaat he was only following a house call of a patient. The man prevent him form following him, so Masters changed into the Black Rider to follow him.
In a hideout, some outlaws led by a man called Parrish decided to "finish the business". Parrish ordered one of his men, Larkin to keep an eye in the horses.However, soon the Black Rider attacked the watcher and incapacitated him. Then he went to the hideout and surprised the outlaws. The Rider was faster than them using his guns. He finally hit the ones that tried to escape.
The next day, the Black Rider talked with the Sheriff of Leadville,telling him that the stolen gold was at the bottom of the river, and that he suspect it because Parrish's gang was hanging around it, and that Masters "tIpped" him of the buying of hip-lenght rubber boots by one of the outlaws..
Notes
- This series intended to soft reboot the Black Rider character, making use a domino mask. The series was cut short by the Atlas Implosion of 1957, but material for issue #2 and more were used in the next years as inventory stories by Atlas in different series. One of them only was published in Austalia in The Fast Gun Vol 1 9.
Trivia
- This issue was not renewed for copyright after 28 years, effectively making its debut stories and characters public domain under United States law.