Kid From Dodge City #1
Strap on your Guns!
Growing up Jess Wayne was born under a western sky out on the prairies before his family settled down in Dodge City. From there young Jess learned to ride a horse before he could walk. Growing up as a boy he was taught by soldiers, pioneers and Native Americans. As a young boy he was inspired by his mother to practice medicine after mending the leg of a wounded deer. His father, Whiplash Wayne was the sheriff of Dodge City and when Jess grew old enough his father taught him how to shoot and Jess became a master of the cross-draw. Whiplash hoped that his son would follow in his footsteps and become sheriff when he retired. Whiplash and his wife always argued over their son's future but eventually decided to let the boy make up his own mind.
On his 21st birthday, Jess got medical books from his mother and his fathers six shooters and badge. It was then that Jess informed his father that he was going to study medicine not become a sheriff, wanting to save lives not end them. This upset his father to no end, but Whirlwind eventually accepted his son's decision. However as fate would have it the day that Jess was leaving town to go easy his father clashed with outlaw Beef Benson and his gang. Jess witnessed his father getting shot in the back as the gang fled. With his father paralyzed from the waist down and now confined to a wheelchair, Jess finally agrees to become the sheriff and bring Benson and his gang to justice.
After explaining to his mother what happened and the promise he made to his father, Jess was proud when his mother handed him his father's guns and told him to avenge Whiplash. Over the passing days Jess used his skills as a tracker to track the gang, often stopping to ask people for information along the way. Eventually one day he caught up with the gang. Confronting them, Jess proved he was the superior gunfighter by shooting the guns out of the outlaw's hands and taking them prisoner. Leaving town Jess Wayne would be forever known as the Kid From Dodge City...
Recurring Characters
Kid From Dodge City
You're Yella, Lawman!
Since becoming the sheriff of Dodge City, Jess Wayne has been besieged with gunslingers looking to earn a reputation by shooting it out with him. The most recent challenges Wayne, but he refuses to draw unless the gunman commits a crime. So the gunslinger tosses a barrel through a shop window to goad the sheriff. This proves to be the stranger's undoing as Jess is easily able to out draw him and shoot the guns out of his hands. Jess then tells the man to pay for the damages and get out of town and go back to wherever he came from. After this incident, Jess is ashamed of the position he is in despite the fact that his father is proud of him. Jess, feeling that his reputation as a fast draw will only bring outlaws coming to make a name for themselves will keep coming to town and endangering the lives of the local residents and so he turns over his badge and gun, deciding to leave Dodge City for somewhere quiet where nobody knows who he is.
Unable to talk his son out of leaving, Whiplash Wayne convinces Jess to at least take his guns with him so he is not unarmed out in the untamed west. While out riding on the range, the Kid from Dodge City comes to the rescue of some settlers in a covered wagon that are under attack by by renegade Native Americans. After saving them he is thanked and begins to think that his father was probably right about needing guns after all as they can do some good. Later on down the trail Jess comes upon some rustlers and is able to stop them as well. After declining to stay with the rancher he is more convinced that guns can be useful in the right hands.
That night he rides into a quiet town when suddenly he hears a gun shot. He is confronted by King Kane and his gang who tell him that they run the town and that he needs their permission to enter. Not standing down to King, the Kid outdraws him and sends him and his gang packing. The locals are thankful for Jess's help and ask him to stay on as sheriff, but he politely declines and rides off once again, this time wearing his father's guns instead of keeping them in his saddlebag.
Recurring Characters
Kid From Dodge City
The Reno Gang Rides Again!
Jess Wayne has returned to Dodge City to find that the Reno Gang has returned and have been terrorizing the town. His father, Sheriff Whiplash Wayne has not been able to tame the town due to the fact that he is confined to a wheelchair. His father once more tries to convince his son to stay on as sheriff. Jess declines telling his father that he intends to go east to study to be a doctor.
The next day Jess takes a coach out of town, but his father insists that he will be back. Along the trail, the stage is attacked by the Reno gang. What they didn't expect was Jess Wayne being aboard and he attacks them and sends them packing. Finding his father's guns and sheriff badge in his bags, Jess heads after the members of the Reno gang.
He tracks the gang to their secret hideout and manages to capture most of them then chases after their leader and captures him as well. Jess then returns to Dodge City with his prisoners. When his father commends him on a job well done, Jess decides to stay on as the sheriff of Dodge City.
Recurring Characters
Kid From Dodge City
Continuity Notes
Based on the fact that Jess Wayne has returned to Dodge City after a leave of absence, it probably takes place after the events of the final story in Kid From Dodge City #2, which ended with Jess Wayne leaving town.
