Two-Gun Kid: The Sunset Riders #1-2, November-December, 1995
Fabian Nicieza, writer
Christian Gorney, Alex Maleev, pencilers
Michael Halbleib, inker/finisher
Richard Starkings & Comicraft, letterers
Marie Javin, Michael Kraiger & Shannon Blanchard colorists
Bob Wakelin (issue 1) and Steve Sampson (issue 2)
Before we continue on with
Blaze of Glory #2, it turns out we need to back up and review its predecessor, which is a proper Western Team-Up in the vein of
Western Team-Up #1, in that it takes an established Marvel Western star and partners him with a debuting feature concept, in this case, a team of new players in Marvel’s Old West environs.
The series follows up on the Two-Gun Kid’s return to his own time following his sojourn in the 20th century, which we reviewed previously. The set-up is that while he was in the Avengers’ time, he learned the date on which history said that Matt Hawk (Two-Gun’s “secret identity”) was going to die. And this is that day…
Summary:
Chapter One: Biting the Bullet
Matt Hawk has continued to work as a lawyer in Tombstone in the 10 years since his return to his own time. Today, his recent client, a black man, Marcel Fournier, whom he believes to be innocent and to whom he has promised will not be executed, is watching the scaffold for his hanging being completed outside his jail. According to the narration, although Fournier doubted his attorney’s vow, he was about to find out how far Matt Hawk, born Matthew Leibowicz, would go, as the reader sees him donning his Two-Gun mask and leaving the behind some of the souvenirs in his office, such as his Avengers ID card and photo of himself with Hawkeye, about to go up in smoke when the can of 20th century gasoline he has set to ignite catches fire and triggers the sticks of dynamite he also left beside it.
The explosion of his office provides the distraction Matt needs to carry off his last minute rescue.
Two-Gun and Fournier flee on horseback, given an advantage since Matt had previously let the sheriff’s horses free, frustrating Col. Dandridge of the U.S. Cavalry, who has jurisdiction of this Federal execution. As they pursue, we learn that a General Crook and a Mr. Herrold—under orders from the President—are especially concerned that this execution takes place.
Two-Gun takes Marcel to a dead-end ravine where, to the Canadian trapper/spy’s astonishment, he draws his two guns and fires
fifty-seven shots in
10 seconds! Seems Two-Gun has brought some Avengers-level weaponry back to the 19th century! They take one of the Cavalry’s horses for Marcel to ride and head “to death’s door…and beyond”.
The scene shifts to Chicago, May 2nd, 1885, where Russian Anatoly Viacheslev, at the barber’s for a shave, learns that Fournier has been rescued by the Two-Gun Kid. The “shave” is actually an assassination attempt orchestrated by a Japanese man, who kills himself with the attempt fails. There is a complex plot at play here, which we next see unfolding at the White House, where Russian, Japanese, and Canadian representatives are meeting with President Grover Cleveland. Their discussion seems to lay the responsibility of this vague “international crisis” at the feet of the Japanese.
Next, we’re in San Francisco on May 5th, where a pair of Japanese draw katana swords to defend Chinese workers. Shintaro Aiichi doesn’t hesitate to slaughter the police who attempt to arrest his partner. As official emissaries of Japan, their acts are considered by Vice President Hendricks to be acts of war.
The next day, we’re in the desert outside Sonoita, Mexico, where Matt shares his origins as the Two-Gun Kid with Marcel Fournier. He’s already fulfilled history’s recording of Matt Hawk’s “death” with the explosion of his office, which he’d planted with a dug-up corpse. But now he learns that the “innocent” man he’s given up his “life” for actually
did kill the men he was accused of: he was on an official mission as a Canadian agent to retrieve some “stolen items” from the men he killed.
As the men bed down, they are observed by an Indian, Running Fish, who reports back to his superior. They debate giving the black man “what he seeks”, since he is with Two-Gun, who is respected by the Cibecue Apaches. What he seeks are a pair of golden minks whose “spirits were tainted and that only corrupt men would seek to possess them…who among the white eyes can be trusted with taking these animals back? Who among the white eyes isn’t corrupted?”
As chapter one ends, we learn that Matt Hawk’s cheating death is not much of a relief for our hero, since history also recorded that
Two-Gun Kid died two months after that!
Chapter Two: Lighting the Fuse
On May 30th, the Cavalry are searching for Two-Gun and Marcel at the border, while the Apache (Kid?) watches. He reports back, where the guys have settled in at the Apache village. They’re putting the Indians at risk by being there. We learn that the Apaches rescued the mink from the thief, but there’s no explaining why he was taking them so far south, or why the Feds are interested. In the Indians’ best interest, Two-Gun and Marcel ride off, and Running Fish, son of an Apache and a Mexican, follows.
June 2nd, in Tombstone, a Mr. Jackson arrives to get some information on the mink pursuit. Mr. Herrold is there, filling in the Japanese, but Jackson blames him for the loss of the animals and “the print”…evidently there’s more to this caper! This stolen scroll and mink were an attempt to prevent America, Japan, and Canada from achieving some mysterious goals. Two-Gun, Fournier, and the Apaches must be dealt with! Jackson has ambitions to grab
all the wealth this things will apparently lead to, rather than divvy it up between multiple parties. He returns to his hotel only to find Anatoly waiting for him—they’re in cahoots!
Next, Running Fish tells the readers his origin story, the last of a slaughtered Apache settlement who has vowed vengeance against the cavalry.
As of Jun 13th, Matt and Marcel have made it to San Diego, from whence they plan to take a ship to Seattle, then to a planned supply stop in Granville on the way, ultimately to Alaska. As they board the ship, which appears to be smuggling contraband besides their own loot, Matt loads a heavy box, something that will allow him to use “tomorrow to make a better today.” But the Cavalry has been alerted, and plans to prevent their flight tonight!
In Denver, Anatoly arrives by train to receive the scroll we’ve been hearing about—a samurai painting that will somehow allow him to control the destiny of four countries.
Onboard the ship, Dandridge comes to arrest Matt and Marcel. With him is Mr. Herrold, whom they now realize must have hired the Russians to steal the minks. They prepare to fight against hefty odds, when an arrow hits first Dandridge, and another follows, hitting another soldier. They continue to be picked off one by one by the Apache Kid, who boards the ship, setting sail away from the soldiers, who pursue by boat.
And here we get a glimpse of what kind of things are in Matt’s trunk: more weapons from the future:
Finally, we meet Hijiro Nguri, samurai to Aiichi, who vows to retrieve the Emporor’s heirloom print.
Chapter Three: Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge
It’s June 15th, 1885 in San Francisco and the current narrator is tasked with killing Two-Gun, Fournier, and Running Fish, who are now together defending themselves in a shootout against sword-wielding Japanese in traditional martial garb. Two-Gun and company elude their opponents, but one of the Japanese, Jiro, turns on his comrades, “fighting those I had called my friends for the sake of three men I had never even met!” Evidently, Jiro considers Aiichi and the Emporor dishonorable. Jiro comes to the aid of our crew, who, despite obvious suspicions, agree to join him to “prevent the start of an international war between our countries” (is there any other kind?).
The next day, the reader is in D.C. with President Cleveland, who’s meeting with the Russian Defense Secretary Pushkin. He wants to know why “the reclamation of a painting and two mink” to Alaska is so important to all of these countries.
Before the reader can find out, we’re back in San Francisco, where Anatoly from Chicago is arriving. Somehow this whole affair is going to lead to great riches for him, although he still has to fend off yet another assassination attempt (ordered by Vice President Hendricks) before meeting their American contact, Mr. Herrold, at the hotel. Anatoly has “the Kakamono”, and Mr. Herrold, who appears to have been severely injured since last issue, can only report that the effort to retrieve the minks is ongoing.
Our four Sunset Riders are gathered in San Francisco, avoiding the police. Orchestrating Two-Gun’s plan, Running Fish sets fire to the banners for the hot air balloon festival going on today as the others head toward a trolley. They commandeer the trolley, wondering how the mink they’re carrying could be so valuable as to attract the attention of the cops while Hijiro’s former comrades are continuing to terrorize downtown SF.
The trolley takes the Sunset Riders right into the Japanese forces of Shintaro where, rather than fight a hopeless battle, Hijiro apologizes to his master, who tells him that they have obtained the Kakamono, but it is useless without the minks. Uh-oh…according to Marcel, the mink are missing from his bag! With Fournier the only one capable of tracking them, their “map is useless”.
So Marcel Fournier goes to track the mink while Two-Gun and the rest keep the police off his back, with all planning to meet in Canada in a few weeks. Hijiro has noticed one thing: Fournier had understood the discussion in Japanese. There’s something mighty suspicious about this guy.
After separating, Two-Gun, Jiro, and Running Fish find themselves avoiding the Cavalry; Running Fish comments “I’m just amazed at the amusing variety of people we’ve been forced to run from!” Well, I wouldn’t say “amused”, Running Fish.
Two-Gun’s escape plan? Shoot out all of the grounded hot air balloons and escape in the remaining one (remember a hot air balloon festival is going on at Bernal Heights!)
June 17th, and Herrold and Aiichi are bemoaning the situation in a Nob Hill mansion, as the conspirators gather and the mystery is explained. The Kakamono is a rice paper scroll that concealed in its linking a map of Alaska, with Japanese writing. Somehow, none of this is of any use without the minks, which are now brought in by Marcel Fournier himself. An untrustworthy co-conspirator after all!
Chapter Four: Living Past Tomorrow
July 4th, 1885, 400 miles north of Granville, in Western Canada, Two-Gun is heading towards his death, according to history. Fournier didn’t show up in Granville, so Two-Gun headed on to the final destination. The train they are on is boarded by the Mounties, who find their targets have taken to the roof of the train for escape.
They have nowhere to run, and when the Mounty aims his pistol, Matt shouts a warning not to shoot—not because he’s surrendering, but because the train is in a canyon pass. The Mounties can’t hear him, and fire away, causing an avalanche. Matt and his pals jump off into the snow.
Facing death, Matt reflects on a troubled past ten years: his wife Nancy died after childbirth, their daughter Eve died at four from rubella, and good ol’ Boom-Boom Brown died from gangrene after botched jaw surgery. The only thing still driving him is the desire to find out what the heck is going on here!
Vice President Hendricks is in Granville (which will soon be renamed Vancouver) on July 7th, and he doubts the presumption that the targets died in the train accident. The plan is that the US and Canadian governments alone will profit from the mysterious wealth that relies on the map and the mink. Anatoly has sold out to the US, or so Hendricks thinks.
On July 12th, we’re in Harrisburg Alaska, where Fournier, Herrold, Aiichi, and, umm, another guy whose name I’ve forgotten, are dissecting the precious mink, looking for what’s been stitched to the animals’ guts: little iron capsules with parchments that indicate, when placed over the map, the location of some sort of treasure:
The discovery dates from 50 years earlier, the map labeled in Japanese, the locating strip in Russian. 48 years later, Russians stole the map, leading eventually to a multinational effort to retrieve the discovery.
This group’s plans to keep the treasure for Herrold, Marcel, and Japan are disrupted by the arrival of Anatoly, who guns down Aiichi and Herrold to force Fournier to lead the expedition to where X marks the spot.
July 13th, at the White House, Grover Cleveland consults with American “captains of industry” to recruit their aid in what he anticipates will give America control over the entire globe, thanks to their recent purchase of Alaska.
Our three faithful Sunset Riders arrive finally in Harrisburg, by steamer. They don’t realize they are about to be shot by Anatoly’s aid, but the shot is never fired, because Marcel has literally stabbed him in the back. Wait, whose side is Fournier on, after all? Well, he tells the gang they’ve got an 8 hour head start on stopping a world war…
Turns out Marcel was a Canadian agent trying to prevent all of this. He was forced to play along with Anatoly until he could get a look at the map. They make their grueling way toward their destination, and toward Two-Gun’s death. Matt has his suspicions about what this “treasure” may actually be, and he thinks it’s worse than any ordinary treasure could be. He levels with them: they’re all as likely to die as he is.
The trail leads them to a cave, where Fish and Jiro wait outside as Matt and Marcel enter. Matt advises no torches, for reasons he has yet to explain, and as soon as they step inside, the floor collapses and they fall into liquid…
They are hip deep in crude oil, and the only light they dare risk is Matt’s futuristic Bic lighter. Matt acknowledges this is a freak “geological impossibility”, a huge deposit of oil pushed above sea level, easy pickings and enough to change the global economy for whoever possesses it.
Suddenly their team-mates are pushed in with them, by Anatoly and the U.S. Secret Service, which has made better time than expected in pursuit. As they enter the mountain’s interior, lanterns in hand, Matt tells his friends to sneak away.
As Matt prepares a brick of plastic explosive, Anatoly and company perceive no threat in what he’s doing to arm the deadly device. And besides, there is no means of escape…but they didn’t reckon on Matt having no plans of leaving alive…or leaving the mountain standing, for that matter!
Matt heads deeper into the cavern, uses his remote to detonate the plastique, which ignites the oil which, to the conspirators’ disbelief, does indeed bring down the entire mountain.
Miraculously, all four of the Sunset Riders are blown free into the snow outside, free to ride into the sunset.
Comments:
I appreciate what Nicieza was aiming for here. We’ve got a grand adventure romp cross country on trains, ships, horseback, balloons, in pursuit of a mysterious treasure guided by a curious McGuffin. We’ve got the drama of a man riding on a final mission to what he knows by unnatural means will be the day of his death. We’ve got the cool factor of a time traveler using futuristic weapons in the past. We’ve got a complex conspiracy on a global scale, with enemies from every direction. We’ve got surprise betrayal and reversal. We’ve got a mismatched team thrown together by fate from multiple nations and ethnicities. We’ve got an established Western hero, a new take on an old trademark for another Western hero, and the origin of a new heroic team. It’s a whole lot.
In fact, I’d say it’s too much. It’s overwhelming, even in two installments—I can only imagine how hard it would have been to follow in the four-part format it was obviously originally intended for. There are far too many characters to keep track of, not rendered distinctively enough to immediately recognize, and then at the end we get even more characters like Carnegie and Rockefeller, introduced as if they’ll be significant to the story somehow. Characters are referred to by multiple names (i.e., Hijiro, Jiro, Nguri, all the same guy).
The artwork is generally adequate, in that Image-y way that the average mid-90's comic art tended to be, but there are some extremely puzzling sequences, such as the first assassination attempt on Anatoly, which involves reflections of some Japanese guy in a razor blade somehow intended to convey that the barber was about to slit Anatoly’s throat. Since this was intended at least in part to appeal to superhero fans, the scene where Anatoly appears to grow in size and emanate power waves from his hands make a reader like me wonder if we’re dealing with a superpowered villain here, especially since he totes radiating gemstones which are never explained. I also never cottoned to the mid-90's approach to computer coloring. And for all the effort they go to to do sophisticated skin tones, I notice they don't seem to know that black people's palms tend to be a dramatically different color than the top sides of their hands.
But I really do appreciate the ambition of this tale, and the Sunset Riders might have made for a cool addition to the Marvel Western universe, if there had been any genuine hope that it might have continued to exist aside from an occasional special event or stop on a superhero time travel spree. “Sunset Riders” is a terrific name for a Western team, and I don’t regret including them in this thread, but I do apologize to those of you who will probably only skim the overly-detailed recounting of the plot that would have been flagged had I attempted to post it to Wikipedia.
Although Nicieza did not, as far as I noticed, use the monicker, Running Fish is almost certainly intended to be a new “Apache Kid”, a mainstay of Marvel Westerns who had his own series in the 1950’s and appeared in many of the reprints that ran through the 1970s.
Anyway, that brings us up to speed on the origins of Marcel Fournier, who returned in
Blaze of Glory #1 and sets us up to reunite with Two-Gun Kid, who we’ll find going by an interesting new alias next time.
