Nick Peron

View Original

Outlaw Kid #3

Hostage

The town of Caliber City is throwing a dance with the local sheriff, Lance Temple and Belle Taylor in attendance. Suddenly the party is crashed by outlaw Hogan Hale and his men, they take the sheriff hostage and leave instructions for the people to follow if they want to see their law man alive. After they leave they learn that the outlaws are demanding the release of their leader Jeff Clooney who had been jailed in town. With no other choice, the people of Caliber City let Jeff Clooney go.

However, Lance Temple has managed to slip away and change into the Outlaw Kid in order to make sure that the sheriff is safe. He follows Clooney to his gang of outlaws. Leaving Thunder behind to sneak in closer. With Jeff reunited with his gang they decide to execute the sheriff instead of letting him free. Before the Outlaw Kid can stop them one of Clooney's men sneaks up behind him and knocks the hero out with a blow to the back of the head. When he wakes up the Outlaw Kid finds himself also a prisoner and the Kid and the sheriff are given an option: walk off a cliff or be shot to death.

However, the Kid has a plan and whistles for his horse Thunder who comes charging at the outlaws sending them blowing over. While they are distracted, the Outlaw Kid recovers his guns and gun down the entire gang. A few nights later, Lance Temple listens with amusement as Belle tells him about how the Outlaw Kid save the sheriff.

Recurring Characters

  • Outlaw Kid

  • Belle Taylor

  • Thunder

Breakthrough

Lance Temple is working on his fathers ranch when he spots Nate Marshal arrive. Nate warns his father Zane that a local band of Sioux have been raiding the various ranches in the area and that the cavalry has been cornered in Horseshoe Canyon. When Nate asks Zane if Lance can help with a counter attack, Zane refuses due to the vow he has forced his son to make. However, Lance manages to slip away and change into the Outlaw Kid in order to goes to where the Sioux have the US Army pinned in.

Reuniting with his allies Emilio and Red Hawk, they arrive just as the Sioux launch an attack on the greatly outnumbered soldiers. The timely arrival of the Outlaw Kid, Emilio and Red Hawk turn the tide of battle, forcing the Sioux to retreat. However meeting with the commanding officer the Outlaw Kid learns things are pretty dire: low on ammunition, the soldiers are ill equipped to deal with the Sioux should they attack again. After a tense night of sentry duty, the Outlaw Kid comes across a herd of buffalo and alerts the others. They set the buffalo to stamped toward the Sioux, trampling them to death and ending their threat.

Later that night, Lance once more listens in amusement as his father tells what he has heard of the latest exploits of the Outlaw Kid.

Recurring Characters

  • Outlaw Kid

  • Zane Temple

  • Emilio Diaz

  • Red Hawk

  • Thunder

Showdown

The Outlaw Kid has tracked down the outlaw known as Pete Benson and guns him down, then returns home where he resumes his alter ego of Lance Temple. That night, Lance's father Zane hears about the Outlaw Kid's latest exploits and worries that Pete Benson's brother Verne might come and get revenge for his brothers death. His fears are valid, as in a camp not far away, Vern is plotting to avenge his brothers death planning to attack Caliber City in order to draw the Outlaw Kid out of hiding.

The next morning, Vern and his gang come to town and go to a local saloon and roughs up an old man, taking him hostage. He then tells the towns people that he will kill the old man if the the Outlaw Kid does not show himself within an hour. Among the people witnessing this display is Lance Temple who tells the locals that he can track down the Outlaw Kid and bring him to town. He then slips away and changes into his masked identity and returns to town to face Verne Benson. With the gang holed up in the local saloon waiting for an ambush, the Outlaw Kid surprises them by jumping through a window and gunning down the shocked outlaws.

Then the Outlaw Kid leaves town without so much as a word and changes back into his alter ego and once more listens to as his father tells him about the exploits of the Outlaw Kid.

Recurring Characters

  • Outlaw Kid

  • Zane Temple

  • Thunder