Outlaw Kid #18
Menace on Main Street!
The Outlaw Kid spots some rough looking characters dragging Mr. Warren into the office of his newspaper the Clarion and begin wrecking the equipment. The Kid steps in and stops the vandalism and sends them packing. When asking Warren why they were wrecking his presses, the newspaper man gives the Kid some newspaper clippings and asks him judge for himself. The Kid returns to his father's ranch and resumes his alter-ego of Lance Temple. There he looks over the clippings and realizes that every time Mr. Warren wrote an article scrutinizing a rancher named Matt Baker, he received an anonymous threat up until the day of the attack, and decides that Baker needs investigation.
Later that evening, Lance changes into the Outlaw Kid and goes out to Matt Baker's ranch and recognizes one of the horses tied up outside the house as one ridden by the men who wrecked the Clarion presses that morning and realizes that Baker is involved. Riding back into town, the Kid reveals this to Mr. Warren and tells him to spread the word that he is putting out a special edition paper all about Matt Baker the following morning. The next afternoon, news reaches Matt Baker and he orders his men to destroy the Clarion office before the paper can be published. That night, the gang rides out and tosses a bundle of explosives into the Clarion office, destroying it.
However it is a trap set by the Outlaw Kid who has gathered a posse to round up the g gang. The Kid then reveals that they moved the printing press into the blacksmith shop so that the special edition could be published without interference. The following morning the paper is released and the evidence in it leads to Matt Baker's arrest.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Zane Temple
Thunder
The Ambushers Strike!
The Outlaw Kid witnesses as Old Jeb Peters is gunned down by a pair of bushwackers hiding out in a hotel room. When the Kid tries to shoot back, and is winged with a bullet allowing the outlaws to escape. When locals come out to see what the commotion is about, the Kid's arm is treated and he learns that Peters is dead, leaving him puzzled how an innocent man like Peters would be gunned down in such a heinous way.
The following day the Outlaw Kid is back in his civilian guise of Lance Temple. When discussing the murder to his father Zane, he can't understand the murder either, pointing out that Jeb Peters didn't have anything of value, his only land considered worthless. However, Lance is not convinced, and decides to go to the estate auction of Jeb's land. When people start bidding on it, Lance ups the bet and is suspicious that Mr. Wayne is trying to outbid him for clay bottom land. Lance lets Wayne win the bid at $1000 and decides to investigate him as the Outlaw Kid.
That night the Outlaw Kid snoops on Wayne's office and spots horses tied up in the alley. Sneaking up to a window he hears Wayne dealing with the men he paid to shoot Peters. However the shooters have heard that there is gold hidden in the land and demand their fair cut. However the argument leads to gunfire and Wayne is shot dead. The Kid then bursts in and disarms both of the killers and brings them to justice.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Zane Temple
Thunder
Six-Gun Payoff!
The Outlaw Kid is called on by Miss Webster to help out her younger brother Doug. He arrives just as Doug is about to ride off, when he tries to stop the young man, Brad tells the Kid to mind his own business and rides off. However the Kid refuses to give up and tells Miss Webster he will insure that Doug doesn't get into trouble.
The Kid begins tracking Doug and loses his trail. As he tries to find it again, Doug sneaks up on him and knocks the Kid out, hoping this will keep him from getting in the way again. However the Kid comes to and decides not to give up. Meanwhile, Doug meets up with a gang of outlaws. They tell him that they have changed their plans, instead of rustling cattle they are going to catch a stagecoach. Doug doesn't like it but the gang insists that he is in on it for the end.
However, as they race toward the coach to rob it, the Outlaw Kid ropes Doug up and disarms him. When Doug balks at the Kid's involvement, he shows Doug the danger of being an outlaw: as the coach's armed guards shoot them down. Realizing the errors of his ways, and is returned to his home where he tells his sister that he is going to follow by the Outlaw Kid's example.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Thunder
The Kid's Revenge!
Hearing that the Crystal Palace is crooked, the Outlaw Kid confronts it's own Mr. Travis who insists that it is a legitimate business. When the Kid insists to the contrary, Travis tells his men to deal with him, but the Kid is a faster draw and shoots the guns out of their hands. The Kid then tells Travis that he is going to spread the word around Caliber City about his crooked gambling operation, and leaves.
However this does not discourage Travis who decides to ruin the Outlaw Kid's reputation before he can ruin his. Soon a rash of robberies are perpetuated by someone who appears to be the Outlaw Kid. However this is in reality one of Travis' men, and soon the smear campaign works as the Outlaw Kid becomes a wanted man.
Stuck in his civilian guise of Lance Temple due to the law being after him, the Kid is impressed when he hears Belle defending his record in light of the current accusations. This faith in the Outlaw Kid convinces Lance that he can't give up and has to go back into his identity of the Outlaw Kid to clear his name. Slipping behind the casino, Lance changes into the Outlaw Kid and spies into a window. He overhears Travis telling his man to pose as the Outlaw Kid again and commit one more crime. The Kid hears the entire plot and comes crashing in and easily takes Travis and his men, turning them over to the authorities and clearing his name.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Belle Taylor
Thunder
