The Cobra Strikes!

Riding into a nearby town, Two-Gun Kid is determined to have Rusty continue his schooling. The pair make a stop at the local library despite Rusty's protests. As the enter the library they overhear the sheriff telling the librarian about an outlaw calling himself the Cobra, who has stolen the Genghis Jewel, warning her to keep vigilant because the Cobra likes books. When the sheriff notices Two-Gun and Rusty listening in and learning they came looking for books, he accuses the Kid of being the Cobra. Two-Gun shoots the sheriff's gun out of his hand, and introduces himself, putting the sheriff at ease.

Although the librarian dislikes Two-Gun's fast drawing ways, she helps him out and allows him to take out H.G. Wells "Outline of History". When they take it back to their hotel room, Rusty opens it up and finds that the book has been hollowed out and that the Genghis Jewels are inside. Realizing that the librarian could be in trouble now that the jewels are missing, Two-Gun and Rusty rush back to the library. There they find a crowd and talk to the sheriff. He shows them a note from the Cobra that states that he has kidnapped the librarian and will exchange her for the jewels. The sheriff then forms a posse and rides off to find the librarian in the bush.

Two-Gun finds this plan pointless, telling Rusty that since the Cobra is an easterner he would get lost in the bush and is likely staying nearby. They are overheard by a man named Herman Dull, who introduces himself as an insurance detective who has been hired by the owners of the Genghis Jewels to recover them and offers to hire Two-Gun and Rusty as his guides. Two-Gun accepts and they begin deducing where the Cobra may have taken the librarian. Two-Gun correctly concludes that the kidnapper must be hiding in a nearby stable and finds a man with the girl inside. The man accuses Two-Gun of being the Cobra, but the heroic gunfighter shoots his pistols out of his hands. The Kid easily beats the guy in a fight but the librarian stops him telling the Kid that this man is the insurance detective.

Talking things out, Two-Gun deduces that Dull is really the Cobra since he knows that the jewels were stolen. Dull grabs the librarian and tries to use her as a hostage to escape. Two-Gun agrees to hand over the jewels and tosses the book they are hiding in at him. When the Cobra reaches to grab them, Two-Gun shoots him dead. In the aftermath of the battle, Rusty asks Two-Gun how he figured it out, Two-Gun explained that he is an educated man which convinces Rusty that he should focus on his studies so he can be as smart as his idol.

Recurring Characters

• Two-Gun Kid

• Rusty Randolph

• Cyclone

Continuity Notes

• This story has some problematic continuity due to the fact that one of the books that Rusty Randolph reads in the library, “The Outline of History” by H.G. Wells. That book was published in 1919, 9 years after the end of the era historians call the American Frontier. Furthermore, this would place this story as happening 40 years after Matt Hawk succeeded Clay Harder as the Two-Gun Kid. What makes this story even more impossible when compared to Wild Western #3, which states that Clay was born after the Civil War. This would put a 54 year span from the end of the Civil War to this story, yet Two-Gun Kid still looks like he’s in his twenties. The book being “The Outline of History” is likely an topical error.

The Injun's Revenge!

Native American outlaw Injun Mantog breaks out of Deer Lodge Penitentiary killing all those in his way. He is determined to get out to Shepard's Creek and get revenge against Judge Sampson for sending him away to prison. Disguised in a military uniform, Mantog rides into town and goes to the Dirty Cantina located in the Mexican quarter of town. He learns from the owner Pedro that the judge is going to try Kid Colt, who was recently captured. Mantog then has Pedro write him a note. That night while Sampson is out on a walk, Mantog breaks into his home and kidnaps his daughter and leaves a ransom note demanding that he pay $10,000 to get her back.

An hour later when the sheriff arrives with Kid Colt as his prisoner, Sampson makes the Kid an offer: Knowing that while Kid Colt is an outlaw, he has done good, Sampson offers to let him go free if he tracks down Mantog's hidden cabin and rescue his daughter. Kid Colt agrees and they stage a jail break. Kid Colt then rushes to Pedro's cantina where he demands food and provisions. Mantog is waiting there for his ransom and gets the drop on Kid Colt. The Kid manages to convince Mantog that he is on the run from the law and the Native agrees to take him to his secret hideout in the badlands.

He takes Kid Colt through a secret path to where his cabin is located: in a dried out lake that has the feeder river held back by a dam. Kid Colt is then introduced to Mantog's posse. The Kid is then challenged by four of Mantog's men, two by gun, one by knife and the last in hand-to-hand combat. Kid Colt succeeds in each test, killing each man, proving to Mantog that he has what it takes to be a member of his gang. Mantog then introduces Kid Colt to Sampson's daughter, who scoffs the hero. Suddenly, Pedro arrives with Sampson prisoner and explains that he overheard him and the sheriff talking about planting Kid Colt in the gang, and so apprehended him when he came with the ransom.

Before Mantog can shoot Kid Colt, he dives out a window and races away on Steel. Holding up behind a dynamite shack, Kid Colt witnesses as Mantog prepares to burn the Sampsons at the stake. Kid Colt distracts them with gun fire and then rides off to the nearby dam and uses TNT to blast it open. As the water rushes into the dried out lake. Kid Colt races Steel and rescues the Sampsons and provides cover fire from Mantog and his men who climb up onto the roof of the cabin. Once they are safely on the other side, the Kid notices that the cabin is completely under water, and that Mantog and his men are either shot or drowned. Thanking Kid Colt for his help, Judge Sampson is true to his word and allows Kid Colt to go free.

Recurring Characters

• Kid Colt

• Steel

The Mountain of Mystery!

Matthew Masters is brought outside his office to find that a man who has been mauled to death was brought in from town from the base of Mystery Mountain. They all recall how every now and then someone gets attacked by some mysterious creature in the area. Suddenly, Bobby Lathrop rushes into town telling everyone that his sister Marie has gone missing near Mystery Mountain.

Fearing the worst, Masters retires to his office and changes into the Black Rider to go out and search for her. Riding out to Mystery Mountain, the Black Rider begins climbing the mountain unaware that he is being watched by some mysterious cave man. Climbing to the top, he discovers the prehistoric men and that they have Marie tied to a stake to be burned alive as a sacrifice to their gods. The cavemen all swarm the Black Rider and overpower him and the hero finds himself also put at the stake as well. When the fire is lit, the Black Rider uses the flames to burn through his bonds, even though it'll burn his wrists as well. He then frees Marie and begins shooting down the cavemen who get in his way. The Black Rider makes short work of the cave men and carries Marie back to down the mountain.

A few days later when Marie and Bobby return to town they pay a visit to Matthew Masters, and Marie notices that his wrists are burned in the same place as the Black Rider. Matthew quickly covers for himself telling her that he burned himself on the stove, reaffirming to Marie that Matt is a coward, and protecting his secret identity.

Recurring Characters

• Black Rider

• Marie Lathrop

• Bobby Lathrop

• Satan