Kid Colt Outlaw #83
The Capture of Kid Colt!
Kid Colt is running from a posse and manages to cross the state line into Nevada. Even though the Kid was winged with a bullet, the sheriff refuses his men to cross the state line to go after him as they have no jurisdiction in that state. He figures it’s not worth it because the Kid didn’t cause any trouble while he was in their state and isn’t quite sure what the Kid has done to become an outlaw but feels he’s paid the price many times over.[1]
Meanwhile, Kid Colt rides into a nearby town looking for a doctor but he ends up passing out from blood loss. Seeing this, the local sheriff takes the Kid to the doctor. When Kid Colt comes around he learns that the sheriff got him to the doctor in time and hopes that he can recover from his injuries before anyone recognizes who he is. That’s when a local named Jethro Scrubb comes in telling the doctor that his horse is sick. Seeing the stranger recovering in bed, Scrubb introduces himself and warns the Kid that if he stays in town not to get in his way. Once he is released from the doctor’s office, Kid Colt goes to the local saloon where he asks the bartender about Jethro Scrubb. He learns that Jethro Scrubb is the meanest man in these parts and the only person who stands up to him is Sheriff Nesbitt. Scrubb still has a great deal of power because he is also the mayor. This is cause for concern because the election for sheriff is coming up and they fear that Scrubb will use his influence to get someone loyal to him to fill the role.
That’s when Jethro Scrubb comes into the saloon with Blade Simms, the man he wants to have elected as sheriff. When the shove Kid Colt out of the way he gets angry. Simms pulls a gun and tells the Kid to walk away. Since his arm is still in a sling, he decides to leave. Outside, Sheriff Nesbitt says he won’t be able to do much if the Kid wants to press charges. That’s because Nesbitt doesn’t think he’ll be re-elected because the locals think he’s too old for the job and that he hasn’t caught any outlaws in months. The only chance that Nesbitt has is if he catches a real bad outlaw.
Mulling the situation over, Kid Colt decides that the people of this town don’t deserve to be stuck with Jethro Scrubb and Blade Simms if he can prove to them that Sheriff Nesbitt is still capable of doing his job. Kid Colt decides to help by revealing who he really is and surrendering to Nesbitt. However, that evening, Scrubb and Simms break into the jail and try to free Kid Colt so they can discredit Nesbitt. Instead, Kid Colt overpowers them and locks them in the cell. After leaving a note explaining how Scrubb freed him, Kid Colt rides off into the night.
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Steel
Continuity Notes
The sheriff stays he isn’t sure what Kid Colt has done and you can’t blame him since there are many conflicting accounts as seen in Kid Colt: Hero of the West #1, Kid Colt Outlaw #11, 39, 79, and Kid Colt #4. The common thread is that Kid Colt killed the man who was responsible for murdering a family member or family members.
Midnight Hawkins, Gunman!
Kid Colt is camping out for the night when he is woken up by an outlaw who tries to rob him. Kid Colt ends up moving quickly and disarms the man. That’s when two more show up. The boss of this gang is named Midnight Hawkins and he chastizes his minion for botching such an easy robbery job. That’s when they learn they are dealing with Kid Colt. Thinking he could use someone like the Kid in his gang, Hawkins offers him a job, but Kid Colt declines. and promptly goes back to sleep. Midnight thinks that Kid Colt is doesn’t want to join up with his gang because he’s actually a coward.
The following morning, Midnight Hawkins pays another visit to Kid Colt’s camp to prove that the Kid is nothing but a coward. To prove that he’s a superior gunfighter, Midnight shoots the smallest branches off a nearby tree. While Kid Colt admits that Midnight has a decent gunfighter he’s still not interested in joining up with his gang. That’s when one of Hawkins’ men spots Old Man Wilson leaving town. They decide to rob him since Wilson always has gold on him.
However, Kid Colt refuses to let them rob an innocent man and quickly springs into action and shoots the guns out of their hands. After dumping the firearms into a nearby river he sends the men packing. After packing up, Kid Colt says howdy as he rides past Old Man Wilson. Unaware of how close he was to getting robbed, Wilson complains about young ruffians like the Kid would sooner rob him as look at him.
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Steel
Stagecoach to San Antoine!
Out of supplies, Kid Colt hopes that a stagecoach will stop for him otherwise he doesn’t think he’ll make it all the way to San Antoine. The passengers aren’t happy that the driver would stop and insist if they are going to pick up stranger he must ride upfront. They are even more upset when the driver allows Kid Colt and his horse to drink from their cantine. Allowed to sit in the coach, Kid Colt doesn’t appreciate being judged for his appearance and trades insults with the other passengers. That’s when one of the passengers, a very well dressed man, pulls out a gun and attempts to rob everyone on board — everyone except for Kid Colt, whom he dismisses as a poor saddle tramp.
He forces everyone to get out of the coach and while the others plead for the thief not to take their belongings, Kid Colt says he’d be happy to leave them to get robbed if the coach driver didn’t go out of his way to help. The thief decides Kid Colt needs to stop talking, but when the Kid keeps talking the man gets fed up and tries to shoot him. The Kid easily evades the shot by diving to the ground and pulls his guns, shooting the weapon out of the thief’s hand. Kid Colt easily beats the man in the fistfight and returns the stolen property. The other passengers realize that they were quick to judge Kid Colt but when they go to apologize they discover that the exhausted cowboy has fallen asleep in the coach.
Recurring Characters
Kid Colt, Steel
