Kid Colt, Outlaw


Kid Colt, Outlaw is a comic book title featuring the character Kid Colt originally published by Atlas Comics beginning in 1948 and later Marvel Comics.

Publication history

and his horse Steel first appeared in Kid Colt #1, from Marvel predecessor Timely Comics. Originally his cover logo was subtitled "Hero of the West" but by issue three this was changed to "Outlaw". His origin was told in Kid Colt #11, and is similar to that of the Rawhide Kid, another Western character from Marvel's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics.
Pete Tumlinson was the primary artist on Kid Colt, Outlaw from issues #14-24 for some of Kid Colt's earliest adventures; Tumlinson had previously drawn an anthological Western story, "The Magic of Manitou", for Kid Colt, Outlaw #13. Artist Jack Keller began his long association with Kid Colt in Kid Colt, Outlaw #25, and stayed with the character for at least a dozen years in that signature title. Comics writer and historian Tony Isabella wrote that Keller "drew more Kid Colt stories than any other artist and may hold the record for drawing the most stories of any Marvel character." Marvel editor Stan Lee would later take over writing chores on the title. Cover artists included such notables as Joe Maneely, John Severin, and Russ Heath, until the frequent Marvel cover team of penciller Jack Kirby and inker Dick Ayers took over for the bulk of them from 1959-1965. A brief publishing hiatus occurred between issues #139 and #140.
Herb Trimpe did freelance inking for Marvel, and made his professional penciling debut with two Kid Colt Western stories, in Kid Colt, Outlaw #134–135. Kid Colt won the Alley Award for Best Western Title in 1966.
Kid Colt additionally headlined the three-issue Giant-Size Kid Colt reprint series. His signature series ended with #229, making it the longest-running Western comic book.