Apache Kid #2 — Nick Peron

Aug 23

Aug 23 Apache Kid #2

Red Hawk's Revenge

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While roving the country as Aloysius Kare, the Apache Kid spots a smoke signal from his tribe calling him back home. Meanwhile, the chief Red Hawk meets with his niece White Feather and explains the origins of the Apache Kid. Soon after Red Hawk finishes telling the story of Apache Kid, the hero arrives to inquire why he has been summoned. After a quick introduction to White Swan, the Apache Kid learns that a costumed white man named the Wolf has been selling whisky and guns to renegade Native American tribes and causing trouble. With a war about to explode in the area, Red Hawk asks Apache Kid to learn the identity of the Wolf and put a stop to his business. Apache Kid agrees and rides off to see what he can do to stop the menace of the Wolf.

Apache Kid changes into his alter ego of roving cowboy Aloysius Kare. Kare then rides the rest of the way to Fort Madison to see his friend Captain Bill Gregory to see what he knows about the Wolf. When he arrives, Kare is initially refused entry by another soldier named Harry Snedley, but when Aloysius tosses him aside, Gregory appears and invites Kare into his office. Kare questions Bill over what he knows about the Wolf. It turns out to be not a whole lot and so Aloysius decides to go out and search for more clues. Out on the range the Wolf takes a shot at Kare from a hiding spot, winging the cowboy in the shoulder. Kare slips under cover until the shooting stops and changes into the Apache Kid once more. The Kid then uses his Apache tracking skills to follow the trail of the Wolf to his hideout where his cache of weapons and liquor is hidden. There he is horrified to find White Swan among the cache and believes that she has betrayed her tribe to work with the Wolf.

After White Swan leaves, Apache Kid comes out of the bushes and begins wrecking the guns. Soon Red Hawk and other members of the tribe arrive. Apache Kid is shocked to find that Red Hawk believes that the Apache Kid is really the Wolf and orders his people to burn him at the stake. Out numbered, Apache Kid is helplessly tied to a stake and a fire is lit. However, when White Swan sees that Apache Kid will not speak one way or the other, she questions him. He tells her that he knows that she is a traitor and cannot bare to break her uncle's heart. However, White Swan reveals that she is not working with the Wolf but only stumbled upon his supply and that when she went to get Red Hawk, someone had already told him that the Apache Kid had betrayed his people. She then freed Apache Kid who breaks free from his people and rushes off to Fort Madison to capture the real Wolf, having figured out his true identity.

The Kid waits for Harry Snedley to leave the fort and ropes him up. The hero then drags him out to a ridge. The two men begin fighting and as Red Hawk and his people listen, they hear Harry Snedley confess to being the Wolf and framing the Apache Kid. Despite the bullet wound in his shoulder re-opening, Apache Kid defeats Snedley in a fight and is about to throw him over a cliff when Snedley pulls out a small pistol he had been hiding. Before he can get a shot on the Apache Kid, Red Hawk fires an arrow at him and the Kid tosses him off the cliff to his death. In the aftermath of the battle Red Hawk apologizes for losing faith in his adopted son, and the Apache Kid buries Snedley's body leaving a tomb stone proclaiming him a traitor to his people.

Recurring Characters

Apache Kid
Red Hawk
White Swan
Bill Gregory
Running Moose
Nightwind

Continuity Notes

The origin provided here contradicts some of the facts that were provided in Two-Gun Western #5. Both origins also contradict the origin presented in Apache Skies #1. An in-universe explanation for these contradictions is provided in Blaze of Glory #1. It states that early adventures of western heroes were depicted in dime novels. These adaptations often were subject to changes or contained errors. By this token, the Timely/Atlas era stories are considered these “adaptations” hence the contradictions, errors and so on.

Gray Wolf Strikes

Apache Kid pays a visit to Fort Madison and his friend Captain Bill Gregory. Bill warns Apache Kid that the Comanche's led by Grey Wolf are trying to convince Red Hawk and his tribe of Apaches to form an alliance in order to start up another Indian War. Apache Kid agrees to do what he can to insure peace in the region and rides off to the Apache camp. He arrives there just as Grey Wolf is pressuring Red Hawk to join his alliance. Apache Kid threatens to fire an arrow into Grey Wolf's heart, prompting the chief and his Comanches to leave, but Grey Wolf vows to get the Apaches to join his cause. When speaking to White Swan and Red Hawk after, Apache Kid is relieved to learn that the Apaches have no intention of joining the Comanches in their war.

However, that night a Comanche warriors sneaks into the Apache camp and kidnaps White Swan, part of Grey Wolf's plan to force Red Hawk into an alliance. The next morning Red Hawk is given the message and cannot bring himself to sacrifice the life of his niece and orders his warriors to prepare to go to war. Apache Kid then rushes off to Camp Madison and warns Bill, but asks Bill to give him a chance to stop the war and hold off on the counter attack. Bill agrees to give Apache Kid time but stresses that he must hurry.

As the Apaches sends a smoke signal indicating their compliance to the Comanches, Apache Kid changes into Aloysius Kare then wanders into the Comanche camp. As he planned, Aloysius is captured and thrown in the same tepee as White Swan. He frees the girl from her bonds and the pair effect an escape. Once they are clear of the camp, Kare orders White Swan to return to her people and get them to stop their war path. With the girl gone, Kare changes once more into the Apache Kid and returns to the Comanche camp. There Apache Kid challenges Grey Wolf to a fight to the death. The winner gets to decide if there will be peace or war.

During the fight, Apache Kid easily disarms Grey Wolf of a tomahawk and bests him in hand-to-hand combat. When Grey Wolf then takes a pot of boiling oil and attempts to throw it at the hero, the Apache Kid tosses a rock at it causing the pot to fall on Grey Wolf's head, killing him. With Grey Wolf dead, Apache Kid orders the Comanches to remain at peace and soon sends a smoke signal to Bill Gregory telling him that the threat of war is over. Apache Kid then returns to the Apache camp where Red Hawk thanks the Kid for rescuing his niece.