Encyclopedia of Weird Westerns
Page 29
Ten-part early talkie Western serial starring Tom Tyler as Jim Lester, attempting to uncover the truth behind his father's death and the identity of “The Phantom.” This mild Weird Menace Western takes on an added weird twist when the identity of The Phantom is revealed to be a character who was in the same saloon scene as The Phantom, therefore being in two places at the same time.
Chapter titles: 1. The Ghost Riders; 2. The Stairway of Doom; 3. The Horror in the Dark; 4. The Battle of the Strong; 5. The League of the Lawless; 6. The Canyon of Calamity; 7. The Price of Silence; 8. The House of Hate; 9. The Fatal Secret; 10. Rogue's Roundup
Phantom Pistoleer
[Novel; WW]
Author: Tom West; First publication: New York: Ace Books, 1960.
“HIS GHOST PACKED A .45.”
Published with The Challenger by Giles A. Lutz in the Ace Double Western series with dos-a-dos binding.
The Phantom Rider
(1936) [Film serial; WMW]
1. Premiere: July 6, 1936; Main Cast: Buck Jones as Buck Grant, Marla Shelton as Mary Grayson, Diana Gibson as Helen Moore, George Cooper as Spooky; Producer: Henry MacRae; Story: Basil Dickey, Ella O'Neill, George H. Plympton, Henry MacRae; Director: Ray Taylor; 258 min.; Serials Incorporated, Universal Pictures; B/W.
An eerie night rider in white, The Phantom Rider, fights outlaws who intend to drive rancher Mary Grayson off her land.
Chapter titles: 1. Dynamite!; 2. The Maddened Herd; 3. The Brink of Disaster; 4. The Phantom Rides; 5. Trapped by Outlaws; 6. Shot Down; 7. Stark Terror; 8. The Night Attack; 9. The Indian Raid; 10. Human Targets; 11. The Shaft of Doom; 12. Flaming Gold; 13. Crashing Timbers; 14. The Last Chance; 15. The Outlaw's Vengeance
2. Premiere: January 26, 1946; Main Cast: Robert Kent as Dr. Jim Sterling/The Phantom Rider, Peggy Stewart as Doris Shannon, LeRoy Mason as Fred Carson, Chief Thundercloud as Chief Yellow Wolf, George J. Lewis as Blue Feather; Producer: Ronald Davidson; Story: Albert DeMond, Basil Dickey, Jesse Duffy, Lynn Perkins, Barney Sarecky; Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Fred C. Brannon; 167 min.; Republic Pictures; B/W.
Dr. Jim Sterling poses as the Indian god “The Phantom Rider” to help an Indian tribe deal with crooked Indian agent Fred Carson.
Chapter Titles: 1. The Avenging Spirit; 2. Flaming Ambush; 3. Hoofs of Doom; 4. Murder Masquerade; 5. Flying Fury; 6. Blazing Peril; 7. Gauntlet of Guns; 8. Behind the Mask; 9. The Captive Chief; 10. Beasts at Bay; 11. The Death House; 12. The Last Stand
3. Comic book character; WW
First appearance: Ghost Rider #56, May 1981; Creators: Michael Fleisher, Don Perlin; Publisher: Marvel Comics.
Archaeologist Hamilton Slade becomes possessed by his ancestors Carter and Lincoln Slade after discovering a burial urn containing their ashes.
Phantom Town
(1999) [Film; WW]
Premiere: February 16, 1999; Main Cast: Belinda Montgomery as Mom, Jim Metzler as Dad, John Patrick White as Mike, Taylor Locke as Arnie, Lauren Summers as Cindy; Executive Producers: Donald Kushner, Peter Locke, Charles Band; Story: Benjamin Carr; Director: Jeff Burr; 130 min.; Kushner-Locke Company, Castel Films, Canarom Films; Color.
While searching for their missing parents, three kids come across the Old West town of Longhand, inhabited by zombie cowboys and body snatchers.
Pink Panic
(1967) [Animated theatrical short; WW]
Premiere: January 11, 1967; Story: John W. Dunn; Director; Hawley Pratt; 6 min.; DePatie Freleng Enterprises, Mirisch Corporation; Color.
The Pink Panther encounters ghosts, skeletons and an Old West sheriff when he stays at the Dead Dog Hotel on a stormy night.
Pistol for a Hundred Coffins
(1968) [Film; Italy-Spain; WW]
U.S.A. release title for Una Pistola per cento bare .
Una Pistola per cento bare
(1968) [Film; Italy-Spain; WW]
Premiere: August 24, 1968; Main Cast: Peter Lee Lawrence as Jim “The Kid” Slade, John Ireland as Douglas, Gloria Osuna as Marjorie, Eduardo Fajardo as Chavel, Piero Lulli as Texas Corbett, Raf Baldassarre as Verdugo; Producer: Ennio Girolami; Story: Eduardo Manzanos Brochero; Director: Umberto Lenzi; 83 min; Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica, Tritone Cinematografica; Color.
A tale of a man seeking revenge on the gang who murdered his parents becomes a Western horror movie anticipating the slasher genre of the 1980s as a group of lunatics escape from an asylum and sets their sights on the townsfolk. The lunatic rampage sequence has been compared to Edgar Allan Poe's The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather by Italian film critic Federico de Zigno.
The Place of Dead Roads
[Novel; SW]
Author: William S. Burroughs; First publication: New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1984.
Gay gunslinger Kim Carsons and the outlaw gang Wild Fruits travel across space and time to fight aliens while attempting to create a society where homosexuality is legal. The second book in Burroughs's Western Lands trilogy is described as a “fantasized autobiography” by Burroughs' biographer Ted Morgan.
A Planet for Texans
[Novel; SW]
Authors: H. Beam Piper, John J. McGuire; Publisher: New York: Ace Books, 1958.
Originally published as “Lone Star Planet” in Fantastic Universe Science Fiction, Vol. 7, No. 3, March 1957.
Planetfall
(2005) [Film; SW]
Main Cast: Heidi Fellner as Lux Antigone, Charles Hubbell as Lieutenant Jerik; Producers: Michael J. Heagle, Troy Antoine LaFaye, Matt Saari; Story: Matt Saari, Michael J. Heagle; Director: Michael J. Heagle; 90 min.; Car School Film-O-Rama; Color.
Low-budget space spaghetti Western about female bounty hunters searching for an elusive psychedelic drug.
Posse Impossible
(1977) [Animated TV series segment; WW]
First appearance: Hong Kong Phooey episode “Comedy Cowboys” (December 21, 1974); Voice cast: William Woodson as The Sheriff, Daws Butler as Deputy Duke/Deputy Stick, Chuck McCann as Deputy Blubber; Executive Producer; William Hanna.
A group of bumbling cowboy lawmen led by Slipshod Sheriff help keep law and order in Saddlesore. This segment of The C.B. Bears is primarily a comedy with some Weird Western situations.
Big Duke and Li'l Lil (1:01); Trouble at Ghostarado (1:02); The Not So Great Train Robbery (1:03); The Alabama Brahma Bull (1:04); The Crunch Bunch Crashout (1:05); One of Our Rivers Is Missing (1:06); Sneakiest Rustler in the West (1:07); Bad Medicine (1:08); Busting Boomerino (1:09); Roger the Dodger (1:10); Riverboat Sam, the Gambling Man (1:11); The Invisible Kid (1:12); Calamity John (1:13)
The Postman
(1997) [Novel: Film; SFW]
1. Author: David Brin; First publication: New York: Bantam Book, 1985.
In a post-nuclear America, society is divided into various isolated communities. When Gordon Krantz wears the uniform of a dead mailman, people assume he's really a mailman and see him as a symbol of hope. Krantz goes along with the deception but in the process he actually begins to deliver mail and to effect contact between communities. As he travels further West to Oregon, he encounters fanatical survivalists and a community controlled by surviving technology in the form of Artificial Intelligence. But is this also a deception?
2. Film: Premiere: December 25, 1997; Main Cast: Kevin Costner as the Postman, Will Patton as Gen. Bethlehem, Larenz Tate as Ford Lincoln Mercury, Olivia Williams as Abby; Original novel: David Brin; Screenplay: Eric Roth, Brian Helgeland; Producers: Steve Tisch, Jim Wilson, Kevin Costner; Director: Kevin Costner; 177 min.; Tig Productions, Warner Bros. Color.
In 2013, following a nuclear holocaust that wipes out America, an individual (Costner) decides to deliver undelivered mail taken from a dead mailman. This simple feat is viewed as an act of rebellion against the neofascist army of the Holnists run by General Bethlehem and a symbol of hope for the future.
This box-office flop ditched much of the source material from David Brin's novel. The Western frontier theme is explored
in a post-apocalyptic landscape as the mailman encounters “new” communities and increased hostility on his ill-defined, almost accidental quest of restoring America.
While far from satisfied with the film, Brin declared, “They rescued the 'soul' of the central character, making The Postman once again a story about a reluctant hero, a liar who slowly comes to realize his own value, and the importance of hope.”
Pow-Wow Smith
[Comic book character]
The adventures of Sioux Indian Pow-Wow Smith first appeared in Detective Comics #151 (January 1949) as a back-up strip to Batman & Robin before switching to Western Comics in 1954 starting with issue #43. When the title folded in 1961, Pow-Wow Smith became one of DC Comics' forgotten Western characters until the re-launch of All-Star Western in 1970. Early Detective Comics stories illustrated by Leonard Starr featured Smith as a deputy sheriff. He would later become Sheriff of Elkhorn.
“THE RETURN OF THE FADEAWAY OUTLAW” [WMW]
First publication: Western Comics #73 (January-February 1959); Story: Gardner Fox; Art: Carmine Infantino; Publisher: DC Comics.
The Fadeaway Outlaw seems to disappear before Pow-Wow Smith's eyes. Actually, the Outlaw is just an accomplished escape artist who vanishes with the aid of an underground tunnel and secret passages.
“MENACE OF THE MAGIC ARROWS” [WW]
First publication: Western Comics #75 (May-June 1959); Story: Gardner Fox; Art: Carmine Infantino; Publisher: DC Comics.
A criminal invents an arrow that he believes can cause harm by striking a person's shadow.
Powell, Bob
(1916–1967) [Comic book artist]
Born Stanley Robert Pawlowski in Buffalo, New York, Powell found his first work at the Eisner & Iger studio. (The studio provided complete comic books for various publishers including Fiction House, Timely, Fox and Quality Powell.) learned his trade on a variety of titles including Blackhawk and Sheena and worked with Will Eisner on The Spirit, Mr. Mystic and Lady Luck.
Powell formed his own studio following military service in World War II and freelanced for Magazine Enterprises where he provided artwork for the first 13 issues of Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders which included the strips Lemonade Kid and Red Hawk. His work was also featured in ME's Best of the West, Straight Arrow, Strong Man, Thun'Da, Cave Girl, Africa, The Avenger, I'm a Cop, Jet and American Air Forces. Harvey Comics also provided Powell with a regular source of income throughout the 1940s and 1950s with work on various titles including Man in Black, Black Cat and Chamber of Chills.
After time spent freelancing for Atlas Comics in the 1950s, Powell briefly became part of the “Marvel Age of Comics” in the 1960s with short stints on Giant-Man, Human Torch, Daredevil and the Hulk. His work away from comics included pencils in the early 1960s on the controversial Civil War News and Mars Attacks trading cards for Topps.
When cancer claimed him in 1967, he was art director at Sick, the satirical-humor magazine.
Preacher
[Comic book; WW]
First appearance: 1995; Creators: Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon; Story: Garth Ennis; Art: Steve Dillon, Glenn Fabry; Publisher: DC-Vertigo.
Possessed preacher Jesse Custer wanders across America in search of God. The stories often touch on Western themes as Custer's travels take him into the Texas town of Salvation where he demands the sheriff's job.
Preacher: Saint of Killers
[Comic book; WW]
First appearance: August 1996; Creators: Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon; Story: Garth Ennis; Art: Steve Pugh; four-issue mini-series; Publisher: DC-Vertigo.
Following the death of his wife and family, a former scalp hunter-bounty hunter is filled with hatred and the desire for revenge. After his own death, he is named “Saint of Killers” by the Angel of Death when a bargain is made for him to return to Earth to collect the souls of those who died by violence. A Preacher comic book spin-off.
The Presto Kid
[Comic book character; WMW]
First appearance: Red Mask #51 (September 1955); Creators: Gardner Fox, Dick Ayers; Publishers: Magazine Enterprises; AC Comics.
After his family is murdered in an Indian raid, the orphaned Jeff Grant vows never to use a gun or a rifle. Jeff is befriended by traveling magician Doc Cromwell, but his newfound happiness is shattered when Doc is murdered by a masked bandit. Jeff notices the scar on the bandit's wrist and vows to bring him to justice.
Many years later, Grant, who now owns a blacksmith shop in Red Gulch, sees that his latest customer has a scar on his wrist. The meek and mild-mannered Jeff adopts the guise of the Presto Kid and catches the murderer using magic tricks he learned from Doc Cromwell.
The Presto Kid continues to use his mastery of stage magic to fool outlaws and criminals into believing he has supernatural powers. But as meek Jeff Grant he receives disdain from the attractive Molly Blane, who views him as a coward.
This replacement strip for Ghost Rider in the Red Mask comic book ran to four issues. AC Comics resurrected the character through reprints including a new story in Best of the West #6, “Six Gun Showdown” by Bill Black it also featured Durango Kid, Red Mask and Black Phantom. John Nadeau and Dick Ayers provided the art.
The Presto Kid in “The Floating Renegade” from Red Mask #54 (1957). Story: Gardner Fox; Art: Dick Ayers. © 2009 AC Comics/Nightveil Media, Inc. Used with permission.
Prey
[Video game; SW]
Release: July 11, 2006; Developer: Human Head Studios, Aspyr Media, Venom Games; Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox 360; Publishers: 2K Games, 3D Realms.
Cherokee Domasi “Tommy” Tawodi leads an uneventful life as a garage mechanic, living on an Indian reservation until Earth becomes the target of an alien predator that feeds on humans.
Tommy's reservation becomes a prime target as members of his Cherokee Nation are abducted, along with himself and his girlfriend Jenny. The spirit of his grandfather tells Tommy he must learn to get in touch with his ancestral and spiritual heritage to survive. A spiritual hawk guides Tommy as he seeks to save Jenny, his tribe and the Earth from destruction by the aliens aboard the spaceship Sphere.
Priest
[Comic book; Korea; WW]
First appearance: 1998; Creator-Story-Art: Min-Woo Hyung; 15 volume; Publisher: Daiwon C.I.-Tokyopop.
A priest sells his soul to Belial in return for the power to exact vengeance on those who destroyed his life and to seek redemption for releasing the fallen angel Temozarela.
His journey takes him across the Old West where he seeks to destroy Temozarela and his legion of twelve fallen angels. This manwha (comic book) was inspired by the computer game Blood.
A Princess of Mars
[Novel; SW]
Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs; First publication: Chicago: A. C. McClurg, 1917.
The first novel in the Barsoom trilogy. Hiding from an Apache attack in Arizona, John Carter finds himself on Mars (Barsoom), where he is captured by the green Martian warriors of Thark. Winning the admiration of his captors, Carter rises to chieftain but isn't allowed to leave the city. He eventually joins forces with fellow captive Dejah Thoris, beautiful princess of Helium, and his female guardian Sola in an effort to escape the city of Thark.
See: “Under the Moons of Mars,” The Gods of Mars
Cover of A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Dust jacket art: Frank Schoonover.
The Prisoner
(1967) [TV series; UK]
When a secret agent (Patrick McGoohan) hands in his resignation, he is drugged and made a prisoner in a Mediterranean-style village on a remote island.
“LIVING IN HARMONY” (1:13) [WW]
Air date: January 14, 1968; Main Cast: Patrick McGoohan as The Prisoner/Number Six; Alexis Kanner as The Kid, David Bauer as The Judge/Number Two, Valerie French as Kathy; Story: Ian L. Rakoff, David Tomblin; Producer-Director: David Tomblin; 52 min.; Everyman Films, ITC; Color.
This unusual episode is an Old West version of the weekly series with Number Six as a sheriff h
anding in his tin star and gun in the revised opening title sequence. He is attacked on his way out of town and awakens in the town of Harmony, which is controlled by the Judge. The conclusion follows the familiar formula of Number Six trapped once again in the Village. CBS originally banned the episode in 1969 because of its depiction of drug use.
Patrick McGoohan as Number 6 in The Prisoner's “Living in Harmony” episode (1:13, 1967).
“The Problem with Mermaids”
[Short story; WW]
Author: Ken Rand; First publication: Faeries #3, 1999.
Lucky Nickel Saloon patron Tom Murphy introduces his friends in the saloon to his new love: a mermaid from the local circus. But first he has to contend with her shotgun toting father. See: A Spider Poor Cowboy Rapt and Wide Lemon
Psyche
[Comic book character; WW]
The original code name of Danielle Moonstar of the New Mutants.
See: Mirage
El Pueblo Fantasma
(1965) [Film; Mexico; WW]
Premiere: February 5, 1965; Main Cast: Rodolfo de Anda, Fernando Luján, Julissa; Producers: Francisco Gomez Gonzalez, Enrique Rosas Priego; Story: Alfredo Ruanova; Director: Alfredo B. Crevenna; 80 min.; Estudios América; Spanish; B/W.