'The Texan' comic book offered dusty, dangerous escapism in the 1940s and 50s

For the price of just ten cents an issue “The Texan” offered up dusty, dangerous escapism for comic readers in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. Readers could go to the comic book rack and find fanciful tales about rugged heroes dubbed the Bold Buckeroo, Mustang Jack, or the female Buckskin Belle (shades of Annie Oakley) who took on all manner of Western baddies and outlaws. less For the price of just ten cents an issue “The Texan” offered up dusty, dangerous escapism for comic readers in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. Readers could go to the comic book rack and find fanciful ... more Photo: Comic Book Plus / Http://comicbookplus.com Photo: Comic Book Plus / Http://comicbookplus.com Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close 'The Texan' comic book offered dusty, dangerous escapism in the 1940s and 50s 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

For a period in the late 1940s and early 1950s, comic book fans could go to the rack and find fanciful tales about rugged heroes dubbed the Bold Buckeroo, Mustang Jack or the female Buckskin Belle (shades of Annie Oakley) who took on all manner of Western baddies like cattle rustlers and frontier gunslingers.

For the price of just 10 cents an issue, “The Texan” offered up dusty, dangerous escapism for comic readers.

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Starting in August 1948, the comic books were published by the Massachusetts-based St. John Publications imprint. That publisher also put out other titles like "Crime Reporter," "Weird Horrors," "Diary Secrets," "Abbott and Costello," "Northwest Mounties" and "Amazing Ghost Stories." The stories were fun escapist noir stuff for fans of adventure and crime. St. John stopped making comics in 1958 and published magazines until 1967.

“The Texan” series officially ended in Oct. 1951 with its fifteenth issue. By this time the brand had expanded to include a Native American hero awesomely named Hawk Knife. The Sioux warrior wore green slacks and carried a rifle. Cheyenne Joe also made an appearance.

There were two subsequent issues called “The Fightin’ Texan” that came later, giving the Texan a total of 17 issues.

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The comic’s illustrator and sometimes story creator was Matt Baker, who is considered to be the first well-known African-American comic book artist. In an industry dominated by white men, he stood out, but he preferred to let his talent speak for itself.

He also drew "Phantom Lady," an early comic book favorite. His titillating depictions of so-called “good girls” in skimpy clothing influenced generations of artists after him. These “good girls” were usually tough and self-reliant.

Baker died in 1959 at the age of 37 after suffering a heart attack. He had suffered a stroke two years before that slowed his work considerably. In 2009 he was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.

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Thanks to a comic book fan site called Comic Book Plus, those curious to see what “The Texan” gang was up to can read or download scans of all 15 original issues. At around 37 pages, they are quick reads and feature all of those kitschy comic book advertisements that separated more than a few boys and girls from their allowance money.

What kid didn’t need a cheaply-made rubber mask, a chemistry set, a campfire ukulele, a special spy camera or a combination lighter and cigarette case?

You can also purchase a handful of the “Texan” comic books if you would like to own an obscure piece of Texana, with prices starting at $15 depending on the condition of the book. All look very suitable for framing.