Tex Taylor (Earth-616)

As a young man, Tex lived with his father, who had a reputation as being the best cattleman in this state, on their ranch in Whisperin' Valley, near Wishbone, Texas. One day the head of the "Cattlemen's Protection League" attempted to extort protection money from Tex's father. His father refused and the head of the League rode off, threatening the man. Soon after, Tex joined the Army during the American Civil War. While away at war, Tex received a letter saying that his father had been killed and that he had sold the ranch to the League before his demise.

Tex returned to find that the head of the League had rigged an election and became Sheriff, afterwards forcing Tex's father to sign the ranch over to him, and then had him killed. Tex investigated matters and discovered that the town mayor was responsible for everything. The mayor was interested in the gold deposits on the ranch of Tex's father. Tex killed the mayor, and then vowed to spend his life crusading against the lawless. He travelled all over the American Frontier on his trusty horse Fury, righting wrongs wherever he found them^[1].

1860s[]

His first adventure following the death of his father came after his friend Jim Weston was gunned down by Mr. Weston a local rancher seeking to possess his Bar Z ranch. Tex came to the aid of Jim's widow, helping her pay off her mortgage and putting Mr. Weston to task for killing Jim^[2]. In a similar situation, Tex came to the aid of his friend Windy Wilson who was driven off his land by a man named Haggerty who sought to profit from the land by selling it to the local railroad so they could put a rail line through it. Tex ambushed Haggerty and his men wiping them out and returning the property to Windy^[3].

In the town of Plains City, Texas, Tex Taylor stumbled upon a plot by a local horse breeder named Cleg who was attempting to use shady means to win a horse race. Tex challenged Cleg to a race and beat him. When Cleg in turn tried to shoot Tex, Taylor was the faster draw. Tex next came to the aid of Pop Gordon whose Rafter G ranch was being used as a hideout for Slash Farren and his gang, wiping out the gang and rescuing the Gordon family. In the Monte De Cristo range, Tex Taylor aided locals whose cattle were being slaughtered by a grizzly bear. Along the way he met a local named Jed Coleman who was driven off his land by rancher Ned Klein. However, when Tex saved Klein's daughter by the grizzly, a grateful Klein returned the property to Coleman^[4]. While on the trail again, Tex was mistaken for a cattle rustler by Mr. Marsten whose cattle ranch had been targeted many times. Breaking free, Tex managed to expose Mason's ranch hand as the one responsible for the thefts, stealing the cattle and selling their beef to the highest bidder^[5].

Tex next rode into a town that was at the mercy of greedy Jeff Travis, who built a dam to prevent water from going into the town so he could profit from it. Tex was assisted by Jeff's step-father Bart in destroying the dam and dragging Jeff into town. Tex convinced the locals that instead of executing Jeff, it would serve him a better lesson to live in exile^[6]. In the town of Sagebrush, Tex Taylor got involved in protecting a local jewellery shop from the Black Raiders gang, and exposed their leader, Mr. Spruce who owned a local business. When Spruce attempted to shoot Tex in the back, the hero was a faster draw and gunned him down. In Wasatch Range, Utah, Tex came to the aid of locals who were terrorized by the Ketchum Gang, who refused to let them repair an old windmill and was trying to drive the locals off their property. The local were stuck as the windmill was supposedly haunted and nobody who entered into it was ever seen again. Discovering that the Ketchum's had put rattlers in the windmill, Tex purchased pigs and sent them into the windmill to eat the poison snakes. Tex then led a stand off between the locals and the Ketchum Gang, a stand off that none of the Ketchum Gang survived. Tex next tracked down and exposed the Argentinian coach robber the Gaucho, who had fled to the United States and obtained cover as a local sheriff^[7]. Tex next rescued Clem Williams who was framed for horse stealing, and exposed the real crook, Blackie Donovan who stole the horses, sold them to prospective buyers and denied it when the original owner accused the purchaser of stealing the horses^[8].

Next, Tex rode out to Dusty Roads, where he aided the West family in getting back their ranch from Craig Peters and Red Monroe. Later he was hired on to run cattle by a man named Sandy. When Sandy is gunned down by rustlers and the herd stolen, Tex went to nearby Wildwood to inform the sheriff. Instead of justice he learned that the sheriff was in with the rustlers and gunned them down, recovering the cattle and finishing their run so that Sandy's family could get the much needed money. After saving a boy from being trampled by a wild horse, he is invited home by the boys family. Once more Tex played the part of ranch rescuer when he prevented Simms and his gang from driving the family from their home^[9]. While looking for work, Tex encounter young Davey whose father was murdered and his ranch stolen by Luke Jennings who was using the property as the centre ground for his cattle rustling operations. Tex with the help of Davey and his late-father's farm hand Smilin' Dave, helped liberate the ranch from Jennings, gunning him down in the process^[10]. Riding into Abilene to visit his old friend Clem McGill, Taylor was dismayed to learn that he was murdered. When young Dick Jerris is framed for Clem's murder, Tex helped clear his name and catch the real killer, Nick Fallon^[11]. In the town of Somona, Tex helps coach drivers prevent a gold robbery by tricking the outlaws into stealing a lock box full of lead while he hid the gold in bags of oats^[12]. In Smokey Mountain, Tex Taylor got caught up in a plot by Pete Dalton to force blind gold prospector Blind Charlie to show the location of his recent gold find utilizing his seeing eye dog Wolf. Tex follows after Dalton and his gang until Dalton realized that Wolf led him in the wrong direction, and gunned Dalton down^[13].

Alkali Ike[]

In the town of Gloryville, Tex Taylor is run out of town by the local sheriff who suspects him of being the masked outlaw known as the Road Runner. Knocked out and set loose on his horse Fury, Tex came around in front of the Mystery Mine, an abandoned mine that was reported to be haunted. Investigating, Tex found what appeared to be a ghost who was trying to ward him off. As Tex went to leave the cave he was confronted by the Gloryville sheriff -- who revealed himself as the Roadrunner and was using the mine as a hiding place for his stolen loot. Before the sheriff could silence Tex the "ghost" distracted him long enough for Tex to apprehend him. The "ghost" revealed himself to be a gold prospector named Alkali Ike, who covered himself and his donkey Jenny with phosphorescent dust that make him appear ghostly so he could scare away any competition while he searched the mine for gold. In the aftermath of the Roadrunner incident, Alkali decided to travel with Tex on most of his travels providing his advice and knowledge of the west to assist in their travels^[13].

Briefly on his own, Tex travelled to Dry Wells and joined a posse on a manhunt for John Bascomb, a half Native-American who robbed banker Roderick for money he would not loan to Bascomb to send to pay for his wife's medical treatment. Tex soon became weary of Roderick who was prejudiced against Bascomb's mixed nationality and was insistent on killing him. However, when they finally cornered Bascomb in the home of a Native America, Tex and the others found that John was nursing a Native American man back to health. To their surprise they learned that the sick man was really Roderick's own father and that he too was of mixed race. With this revelation Roderick realized the errors of his ways and dropped charges against Bascomb^[13]. While investigating why people were fleeing the town of Deadwood City, Tex learned that the place was supposedly haunted. However he and Shakespearean actor Tennyson R. Barbell exposed a gang of outlaws who were posing as ghosts to scare the townspeople away so they could claim the rich gold deposit under the city. Tex and Tennyson wiped them out and the people returned to live in prosperity. Before the people could elect Tex as mayor he quietly rode out of town^[14].

Reunited with Alkali, Tex ride into the town of Yellow Valley where they stopped the Juggler from murdering his former mine partners for double crossing him years ago. Once more apart from Alkali, Tex then helped his old friend Bax Jeffrey rescue his kidnapped daughter from outlaws^[15]. Taking work on a ranch, Tex decided to spend his time off in peace and quiet in Haddon Forks. However this vacation was short lived as he was forced to stop the Brannigan Gang who were committing robberies in the area^[16]. Tex next rode into the town of Dry Gultch where he encountered local school teacher Howard Orkin. Orkin was ran out of town by Brad Davis, his competition for town alderman. Having a striking resemblance to Orkin, Tex posed as Howard to prevent Davis' crooked schemes to fix the election, helping Orkin win by a landslide^[17]. When Duke De La Vere, a man claiming to be a French nobleman, came into town Tex exposed him as a fraud attempting to steal the valuable jewels of banker Hunter^[18]. Once more riding with Alkali, the pair were hired by Professor Correl and his daughter Mavis to help search ancient Mayan ruins which they believed was home of a species of Mole People who evolved from the Mayan people. Instead they found outlaws who were posing as Mayans while on the run from the law after a robbery in Fargo City. Tex and Alkali defended the Correl's and fled the collapsing temple. Upon escape, they were convinced that the Mole People were a myth until Tex discovered strange talons caught in his clothing^[19]. With Alkali on another one of his absences, came to the aid of Walt Tompkins and nester Ben Johnson. As it turned out Walt's father Jeb was trying to run Johnson from his property. Tex defended the land until Walt was murdered by the men Jeb hired to force Ben off his land, making Jeb realize too late the errors of his ways. Reuniting with Alkali in Eagle City, the pair helped defend the retirement village for reformed outlaws from the machinations of Cat Thomas who was using it as a hideout. Even though the founder, former outlaw Doc Garde was crippled in the process, Tex and Alkali helped wipe out Thomas and his gang^[20]. Back on his own again, Tex helped a local sheriff try to capture a masked criminal who posted phony wanted posters foretelling his next crimes. In the end Tex revealed the sheriff as the one responsible and brought him to justice^[21].

In one of their more bizarre adventures, Tex and Alkali came across a cavern with a rich vein of gold. When making their discovery, Alkali confided in Tex that he believes Taylor to be the most honest man he knew and if that trust was ever betrayed he would have no will to live. When Tex went off to the nearest town to register their claim he was observed by two outlaws named Danny Sawtell and Creepy. They both followed after Tex to try and take the claim from him and ended up creasing Tex's head with a bullet. They then convinced Tex that he was their ally and that Alkali was trying to claim "their" mine for himself. Tex was then sent to kill Alkali. When confronted with his greatest fear, Alkali was driven to the suicidal action then set off TNT to bring the cave down and kill them both. The blast had two unexpected and unforeseen results: First, the blast restored Tex's memories, and second it uncovered a tunnel to an underground jungle where Dinosaurs still roamed. With the situation cleared up and Sawtell and his posse closing in on them, Tex and Alkali fled into the prehistoric jungle, luring their pursuers along with them. The pair then lured their attackers into the path of a hungry Dinosaur and then fled, blowing up the cavern, burying the gold and the lost valley beneath^[22]. In Mesquite Valley, the pair got involved in a murder mystery involving three outlaws and hidden loot. In investigating the circumstances they came to the aid of Beth Seton, whose father John was one of the original outlaws. John, remorseful of his involvement in the robbery had re-mortgaged his ranch and paid back his share of the stolen money before being murdered. Tex and Alkali then helped Beth recover the rest of the loot and gunned down the last surviving outlaw, now the sheriff, so that they could recover the money and save the ranch^[23].

Once more Tex and Alkali were thrust into a strange adventure when they were hired by an explorer named Quentin who was searching for his lost fiancée Jessica Sturgis and her father who were last seen around Devil-Tree Plateau searching for a previously undiscovered race of dwarf horses. Climbing the Plateau they were taken prisoner by the Dwarf Men of Devil-Tree Plateau, barbarians who lived at the top. They soon learned that Jessica suffered a blow to the head and was struck with amnesia. The locals, thinking she was a goddess then began arranging her to be married by the lone "giant" of their tribe, offering Tex and the others as a sacrifice and Tex's horse Fury as a gift. Tex and the others broke free and restored Jessica's memory before slaying the "giant" and fleeing back down the pass, which was then sealed up by an avalanche preventing further trespasses in the future^[24].

Riding solo along the Rio Grande, Tex Taylor was tricked by a group of cattle rustlers into helping them move their herd into Mexico. Tex is captured by local law enforcement, but manages to break free from his cell and ride into Mexico finding the man responsible for the rustling and forces him to return to the United States to face justice, clearing his name^[25]. Shortly after, Tex and Alkali were once more travelling along the Rio Grande when they were mistaken for human traffickers moving illegal immigrants from Mexico into the United States. The pair then assisted the US Army in sniffing out the smugglers, by posing as men looking to work in the illegal operation. They soon expose US Army official Captain Dustin as the mastermind of the organization and help the military shut it down^[26]. After this adventure, Tex stopped travelling with Alkali for unspecified reasons. Tex next clashed with a British jewel thief named Clyde Mackey who fled to the United States after stealing a ruby from a British museum. When Mackey killed two of Tex's friends to claim the stake of a gold mine, Tex tracked Mackey down and brought him to justice^[27].

Prairie Kid[]

Shortly after the Clyde Mackey incident, Tex began calling himself the Prairie Kid. Going to visit his friend Big Spud, a wealthy rancher, the Kid was shocked to learn that Spud died under mysterious circumstances after getting married just a week earlier. Investigating his widow, the Prairie Kid exposed her as Mexicalli Salli, a black widow killer known for marrying wealthy men who died seemingly by accident. While foiling Salli's attempt to kill him, Salli took a knife from her legitimate husband who was trying to kill the Kid from behind. Filled with remorse for killing his wife, Salli's widow then surrendered to the Kid and turned over to the authorities^[28]. Later the Prairie Kid helped easterner Bob Grove stop his amnesic father from being tricked into signing over his ranch to his lawyer Hilton and outlaw Rocky Blane^[29]. During the Bob Grove adventure, Tex began riding a horse named Cyclone, the fate of his previous horse, Fury, is unknown. In his last recorded adventure, the Prairie Kid hunted down an outlaw named Snake Benson in the town of Tortilla, blowing his cover as a local monk^[30].

The Prairie Kid has not been seen since, his adventures becoming legend and his fate lost to history.

Attributes

Powers

None

Abilities

Tex is a fine marksman and knows judo

Paraphernalia

Weapons

Pistols

Transportation

Tex rode a horse named Fury, and later another horse named Cyclone.

Links and References

References

[Wild_West_1-1] Wild West #1

[Wild_West_2-2] Wild West #2

[Blaze_Carson_1-3] Blaze Carson #1

[Tex_Taylor_1-4] Tex Taylor #1

[Wild_Western_3-5] Wild Western #3

[Tex_Morgan_2-6] Tex Morgan #2

[Tex_Taylor_2-7] Tex Taylor #2

[Wild_Western_4-8] Wild Western #4

[Tex_Taylor_3-9] Tex Taylor #3

[Wild_Western_5-10] Wild Western #5

[Kid_Colt_Outlaw_4-11] Kid Colt Outlaw #4

[Two-Gun_Kid_6-12] Two-Gun Kid #6

[Tex_Taylor_4-13] 13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 Tex Taylor #4

[Wild_Western_6-14] Wild Western #6

[Tex_Taylor_5-15] Tex Taylor #5

[Wild_Western_7-16] Wild Western #7

[Blaze_Carson_5-17] Blaze Carson #5

[Tex_Morgan_6-18] Tex Morgan #6

[Kid_Colt_6-19] Kid Colt #6

[Tex_Taylor_6-20] Tex Taylor #6

[Tex_Morgan_7-21] Tex Morgan #7

[Tex_Taylor_7-22] Tex Taylor #7

[Wild_Western_9-23] Wild Western #9

[Tex_Taylor_8-24] Tex Taylor #8

[Tex_Morgan_9-25] Tex Morgan #9

[Tex_Taylor_9-26] Tex Taylor #9

[Wild_Western_11-27] Wild Western #11

[Wild_Western_12-28] Wild Western #12

[Wild_Western_13-29] Wild Western #13

[Wild_Western_14-30] Wild Western #14

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]