The Comic Honor Among Indie Thieves

In October 2020 ,on one of the limited trips outside of the house during the pandemic, I went to my favorite local comic shop Bell, Book And Comic as Juliet was getting some supplies (bags, boards, short boxes) and I was looking through the horror comics as well as the 70’s Marvel Comic issues. And then I check their magical 3 For $1.00 boxes and found a few comics with two of them being the whole run of a comic series called “Honor Among Thieves” that was released by a very small company called Gateway Graphics. And of course I had to get them as not only do I enjoy reading micro indie comics, but I also knew that it would be fun to cover them here on Rotten Ink! So step on up and grab a box of cheap box comics, and let’s chat about this one that I found in the bargain bins. This will be a super fast and fun update so I hope you enjoy!! Oh and the picture below is from Mavericks Cards And Comics in Kettering, Ohio and it was taken by Darrick Patrick.

The Cheap Bin At Mavericks

Gateway Graphics is one of those micro indie comic companies that came and went so fast that most readers have no idea they even existed! I dug deep all over the World Wide Web to find any and all info I could on this company, and this is what I dug up. By all accounts it looks like Gateway started in 1987 with the release of Honor Among Thieves # 1 that was the company’s first release and got them all types of buzz via local media as they were based out of Irwin, Pennsylvania. The company was owned by a group of friends Tom Howell, Julia Ecklar, Sherri Gilbert and Richard Tucholka, all of whom leant their skills to the comic and its release. It appears that Julia and Tom were the two main creators for this publisher. We also know that they got advice from the folks at Arrow Comics and the local press they got helped them sell the first issue to local comic shops well as many ordered more copies when the article was released. After riding high from the release of their first issue, they worked quickly on the second and got it out the same year in 1987…and then from there it seems Gateway Graphics disappeared with a poof of smoke and their series Honor Among Thieves was left unfinished for readers. I am not sure what happened or why they closed up shop as I could not find anything on that, but if I had to guess I would say it was one of the following reasons: poor sales, it became too hard to produce the comics, the friends had a falling out or something happened to one of the creative team that caused them all to disband. With only one series and two issues under their belt, Gateway Graphics is a comic company that made a pebble splash in the world of comic books, and left a legacy of true indie comics in their closure. On a side note, I want to say I really like their company logo; I think for the 80’s it was super eye catching.

Gateway Graphics Logo

As I have stated many times here, it’s a shame how many indie comic publishers ended their run in the game in the 70’s-90’s as many of them had so much more to offer readers! Many times I think about what companies like Atlas Comics, Topps Comics, Fangoria Comics, Malibu Comics and so many more would be doing if they were still around today…I am guessing they all would have made some amazing comics and would have created some great characters that by this time already would have had their own movie or TV show. But is Gateway Graphics one of those companies that was taken away from us readers too soon or is it one that vanished due to poor quality comics? Well we will soon find out. I want to remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So if you are ready, let’s travel the back in time to a place of magic and see if there really is Honor Among Thieves!

Honor Among Thieves 1 Comic

Honor Among Thieves # 1  *1/2
Released in 1987    Cover Price $1.50     Gateway Graphics    # 1 of 2

Galan, Draven and Dar are sitting around a campfire just outside of the city of Mir and are playing games to pass time as they are in town for a horse trade fair. While hanging out by the fire, they catch and stop a thief that was trying to steal one of their horses. Korin was stealing the horse in order to flee Mir and find help as the ruler of the city Jarfys is stealing money and killing good men! Galan and his crew decide to help and will travel to Mir. They see that the city is rundown and dirty and follow Korin to a hidden base to meet Tink, the leader of the resistance who informs them that Jarfys is ruling the town and killing people over silk that is so rare and so pricy that he will do whatever he can to keep the worms that make it safe and well fed with human meat! They also learn that Jarfys has hired killers that help him keep the city and that they kill would-be heroes on site. So they come up with an idea to walk around town and plot an attack by acting like assassins called Knots, and this is where the heroes and their new allies end their meeting.

Okay, I first want to stress that I love indie comics and enjoy a good medieval tale of adventure and fantasy…I also really dig that Gateway Graphics was a comic company based out of Irwin, Pennsylvania. But why this first issue has gotten such a low star rating from me is because for the most part it was really slow moving and boring. Now I get it they are trying to build up the story of Galan and his crew trying to free the city of Mir from an evil ruler they just choose to do so in the most wordy and bland fashion. The plot of this first issue has a group of three heroes and friends on their way to buy and trade horses when they stumble on a man who tells them that his city needs help as people are being killed and ruled by an evil man, and when they decide to help him they travel to town and meet the remaining people of the city who want to overthrow their evil ruler and all come up with a plan to do so. One thing the comic does well is it made me as the reader really sit back and think that Galan, Draven and Dar are close friends who watch out for each other and want to do what’s best for mankind. Galan is a man who is part of a guild who is around to uphold the law, Dar is a wizard who can do magic and tricks while Draven is a youngster with a good heart and is brave like any knight. Korin is a tailor from the city of Mir who wants to find help for his city and even tries to steal our heroes horses in order to get to a city to find help, but something about this guy I don’t trust as I think he and Tink are really just as bad as the man they want to overthrow. The main crime of this comic is that no battles, no conflict and no real action ever takes place as we are treated to panel after panel of long dialogue boxes, and while somewhat interesting, the pace should have been kicked up by the end as I am not sure if a word salad is the right way to get readers hooked. I think that creator Julia Ecklar has put her heart and soul into this tale and characters and that is why I also have to show some respect to this issue. The cover is ok and has that typical fantasy 80s indie comic look and the interior art done by Tom Howell reminds me a little of Elf Quest art. Over all this comic was a little bland, and I am hoping issue two picks up the action.

Honor Among Thieves 2 Comic

Honor Among Thieves # 2  *
Released in 1987    Cover Price $1.50     Gateway Graphics   # 2 of 2

Galan, Dar and Draven are waiting in the horse stable for their supplies to sneak around town and that’s when Galan springs on his friends that he wants them to leave Mir and head to the horse fair as he thinks this mission of good will be to dangerous for them! Draven is not having it, and the young man stands his ground and airs his opinion as he thinks that he and Dar should stay and act as back up. After some time and words, Galan agrees. Korin arrives at the stable with their outfits and gives Galan and Draven a quick lesson on how Knots act when looking for information and dealing with people, as Tink spreads word around town that Knots are among them. Meanwhile Jarfys is out target shooting with his crossbow as his young friend reads from a book about a ring that they want holds. Jarfys is getting old and talks about walking away from it all just so he can retire and die in peace, when two of his lackeys show up with message of The Knots in town. Jarfys is now worried that the assassins are after him comes up with an idea to make some quick money on the silk, leave town and kill the Knots on his way out.

Whelp issue two is just as wordy and boring as issue one and delivers even a more blah reading experience as once more zero happens and characters have long drawn out talks with each other with much of it just consisting of plans…in other words I can see why these comics were in the 3 for $1.00 boxes! The simple and drawn out plot of this issue has our heroes gearing up to cosplay as deadly assassins to get the information they seek. The evil ruler of the city is getting old and tired, and when he gets the news he might be the target of the assassins he comes up with a plan to make money and kill them and skip town. What I would have given to at least see any kind of fight or battle as the closest thing we get to a battle is Galan sword practicing and Jarfys using his crossbow on a target…yep, action packed stuff! And once more I have to stress, I am all for indie comics and I don’t even mind non-action comics, it’s just both these issues offer nothing but word salad on a plate of nothing. And the worst part is that the series ended after only two issues and the plot that we got in these issues went nowhere making this a disappointing read. The cover for this issue is downright terrible and adds nothing to what the story or comic is about. On the plus side, the artwork by Tom Howell is solid and good and once more writer Julia Ecklar put her all into the script. I am sure over issues and time the tale of Honor Among Thieves would have built itself up to being a fun adventure comic mini series, but I think the slow build for the series is what spelled its doom on retail shelves. Indie Comics as a whole are lots of fun and should be checked out as sometimes you find amazing creative stuff and sometimes you find failed attempts and dreams…sadly Honor Among Thieves was a fail for me. Check out the art below to see what the characters look like and the style of Howell.

Honor Among Thieves Art 1Honor Among Thieves Art 2Honor Among Thieves Art 3

It’s a shame that Gateway Graphics and their one and only comic series Honor Among Thieves just didn’t catch on with comic readers or they themselves could not keep up making the comics as who knows over years what comics they could have delivered and how good (or worse) their flagship series could have gotten. Is Gateway Graphics a company that should have closed up shop and locked the doors…I am going to say NO. While I myself was not a fan of the two issues they released, they as a company had pride and many dreams set for their series and for that I would have really liked to have seen them finish their story for Honor Among Thieves as well as possibly create new characters and series. But just add Gateway Graphics as a comic company that went to the Comic Long Box In The Sky and could not survive the comic boom and fall of the 80’s and 90’s. But I think it’s time to leave the world of Honor Among Thieves behind and next head to the world of sci-fi horror as we take a look at Predator 2 and the Dark Horse Comic adaptation! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local horror host! See you next update as we will be in L.A. during a heat wave, and I heard a real hunter is on the prowl.

Predator 2 Preview Logo

Forgotten Reels: The 3rd Alarm (1922)

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, we are back at the Rotten Ink Theater for another Forgotten Reels update, celebrating the Silent Film era of cinema. As I am sure you all know Horror is my favorite genre of films as they have always captured my imagination and delivered chills, thrills and even blood spills. We will get to the Silent Age of Horror on Forgotten Reels, but before we do, I would like to take a look at other genres from the Silent era and that is why for today’s update I chose a film from 1922 that is a drama about an old firefighter. The film is called The 3rd Alarm, and this will be a first time watch for me! So let’s grab some soda and popcorn and find our seats as it’s time to chat about some Silent Cinema!

forgotten-reels 3rd Alarm Logo

The 3rd Alarm is a 1922 Drama film that was released by Film Booking Offices Of America and was the brainchild of the films director Emory Johnson who was with his mom at a Los Angeles street corner watching the Elk’s parade and see the LAPD’s fire horses in their final public appearance as they were being replaced by vehicles, and this trigged a story of how everything old has a passing down or a changing of the guard. And with this idea he had his mother Emilie Johnson write up the script as she had a history of working on Silent Films for Hollywood. Emory then went out and hired Ralph Lewis to play the lead character Dan McDowell, Lewis was an actor who had been working in Silent Films sense 1912 and was in such films as “The Birth Of A Nation (1915)”, “Macbeth (1916)”, “Dante’s Inferno (1924)” and “The Block Signal (1926)”. Also brought into the cast was Johnnie Walker, Ella Hall, Virginia True, Frankie Lee and Josephine Adair. Emory also bought a rundown five-story apartment building in Los Angeles in order to set it ablaze for the shots of fire in the film, and he even lived with the LA Firemen for a week just to see their life styles and get their actions down. And the film was originally going to be called “The Discard” before being called The 3rd Alarm and released in movie houses. And once out the film got great promotion with Firemen help spreading the word and once in theaters it was meet with positive reviews from both critics and audience. The film was considered one of the best 40 films of 1922 and over the years it has been restored and released on DVD as well as on Digital Platforms, as the film has fallen into the Public Domain.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 1

With The 3rd Alarm being about firefighters and with fire being burning hot I decided that I needed a hot chip to cover with this review so I selected the “Ruffles Flamin’ Hot BBQ Potato Chips.” I have to say that growing up Ruffles was by favorite chips and I am looking forward to trying this flavor! And that’s the thing about choosing Potato Chips to go along with these Silent Films, the flavors to choose are many as are the brands. Check out the picture below to see what the chips look like in the freshly opened bag.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 2

This will be a first time watch for me and one I am looking forward to watching and reviewing here for you friends and readers. And I will be grading both the film and the chips on a classic 1-4 star scale. I also want to say on my film ratings I am basing it on a scale that is for silent films of all budgets and eras. So sit back in your theater seat, grab some chips and a soda and let’s travel to the fire with Alpha Video.

3rd Alarm 1922 DVD

The 3rd Alarm
Starring: Ralph Lewis and Ella Hall       Directed: Emory Johnson
Not Rated     1922    58min    Alpha Video    DVD    Full Frame

A fire has broken out and a firebox is used to call in the firefighters who slide down the pole and get the horses hooked to the fire cart and are on their way as fast as the horses can run. Dan McDowell is the driver for engine seven and has been a firefighter for 20 years and has a bond with the horses, and even the neighborhood kids like to show up at the station to see the horses that pull the fire engines including his own daughter Alice and her friend Jimmy who is a newsboy for the city as today is his birthday and they let him ride Bullet the stations main horse. And the kids all have fun with the horses minus one little boy that’s candy apple was eaten by Bullet.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 3Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 4Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 5

Mother McDowell is the wife of Dan and is at their home near the station making a birthday cake for Dan as it’s his birthday as well and the young girl comes home and watches as her mother ices the cake, as Dan takes the kids around the station all while they are ridding Bullet. Alice decides that she wants to make something for the cake. Meanwhile Johnny McDowell is Dan’s son who is away studying to become a doctor and it’s were he also meet his sweetheart June Rutherford as they are hanging around the lake and he shows her a horse charm that he bought as a birthday gift for his father, but she was hoping it was a engagement ring. And the happy couple head to the McDowell house for the celebration.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 6Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 7Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 8

Back at the station the Fire Chief shows up in his motor car and is happy to tell them all that Engine Seven will be motorized soon and the horses will be retired, the firefighter are all happy and as Dan hitches Bullet on the post and says goodbye to the kids he enters the station and gets the news, his heart breaks as he knows that means the horses will be going away and he has a bond with them all. The rest of the department tries to cheer him up, as this is a good thing as the department is becoming modernized. June Rutherford returns home and her dad Dr. Rutherford and teases about leaving school forever, as back at the McDowell home Alice has made a cake topper of a horse that has Bullets names on it. Back at the Rutherford home her father is talking about no one being good enough to try and marry his daughter but promises that he will be nice to Johnny when he comes to dinner that night.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 9Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 10Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 11

Johnny shows up at his father’s house and is greeted by Alice at the door, while at the station Dan is sitting outside feeling old and outdated as Bullet comes walking over to comfort his friend. Alice shows up at the station and tells her father its time to come home, and Dan fallows his daughter home and they run into Jimmy who gives Dan a free paper for his birthday, and Dan invites the youngster in to have some cake but he can not due to him having to sell papers. Johnny shows his mother the horse charm he bought his father and they hide it on his plate for him to find. Dan ends up buying all the papers so that Jimmy can come and celebrate his birthday along with his. Once inside Alice decides that she is going to help Jimmy wash his hair and causes a massive mess as water sprays all over the kitchen. Once they clean up the head into the dinning room and Dan’s eyes are covered and once he opens them he sees the room decorated and before he can see the cake the fire alarm goes off and Dan if off to do his job, and his family and Jimmy are upset that this special time was interrupted.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 12Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 13Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 14

Nighttime falls and the McDowell family is standing at the window as off in the distance they can see something is on fire and the night sky is lit up by it. While Dan McDowell and his fellow firefighters have hoses in hand and are trying to get the blaze under control. And this lasts all night and his birthday was ruined and his family was left waiting for their father.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 15Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 16Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 17

Time passes and the new motorcar engine is at the station and is there to retire the horses on Engine Seven, as the firefighters and neighborhood kids are all looking the vehicle over Dan is cleaning the horse straps and bits. And once the Engine fires up the animals around hate the sound and even a stray cat runs away in terror as the fireman laugh at the scaredy cat. And then someone comes to take the horses away, and Dan is heartbroken as he looks at his friends that he has taken care of for so long now and gives them hugs and stands in the street as he watches the horses be taken away, Jimmy joins him for their final farewell. The fellow firefighters notice how sad Dan is so they go to him and try and cheer him up. And they get him to get into the drivers seat of the Engine Seven and they cheer for him.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 18Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 19Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 20

The following days Dan McDowell is not feeling the motorcar and is being forced to learn how to drive it, and he is not doing well with driving as he is hitting curbs and is awkward behind the wheel, and Dan realizes that he just can not drive the car. Dan comes home a defeated man and he has to tell his wife that he has been places into forced retirement due to not being able to drive the car, his time has passed and he fills down and out. He feels that he has failed his son Johnny who he is putting through medical school, his wife tries to lift his spirit by telling him there are other jobs he can do and that the Fire Department was not everything. As she leaves the room Dan starts crying as she does in the kitchen when Johnny comes over for a visit, and his mother informs him of his fathers discharge. Johnny enters the room to cheer up his father and tells him that not to worry as his girlfriends father is one of the top surgeons and that he only has one more year of school and he will be a full doctor himself! Dan then alerts his son that they have taken everything from him his horses, his job and now they have taken his son!

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 21Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 22Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 23

We then show a flashback to the McDowell home and a doctor informs Dan that his infant son is very sick and that the youngster’s only hope is Dr. Rutherford! And Dan rushes to get to Rutherford’s office and once inside a nurse tell him that the Doctor can not see him, but in the hallway the Doctor passes and Dan begs him for help to save his son. But Dr. Rutherford refuses to leave his office as in another room a patient is indeed of surgery to save their life, and he claims he cannot trade one life for another. And Dr. Rutherford leaves Dan in the hallway and closes the door to help save another life.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 24Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 25Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 26

Johnny is shocked at what he has heard and asks if his father can look past this as he is in love with June, and Dan says he will never forget and forgive this action and that Johnny must do what he thinks is right. Johnny is now heartbroken and torn between the love of his life and his fathers anger. While at the Rutherford home June is talking to her father and showing him pictures of her and Johnny together. While back at the McDowell Home Johnny is in his room in distress and his haunted by his fathers disapproval of his girlfriend June, and almost writes her a breakup letter but crumples it up and hangs his head in sadness and thought.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 27Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 28Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 29

The next morning Dan McDowell is checking the paper for job listings as its clear the fire fighters as well as the stations pet dog are missing him. Across the town the old retired fire horse Bullet is sold to a man for only $150.00, and back at the station the fire alarm rings and Dan even hears it and starts to leap from his chair, but the remembers that he sadly no longer is a fire fighter. And he watches as Engine Seven rushes off to the site of the fire. As Dan is sitting sad in his chair the fire house dog gets into the McDowell Home and comes to Dan’s side and even brings him his old fire hat. And Dan goes deep into thought and wants to figure out what to do for a job.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 30Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 31Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 32

Dan the next morning applies for a driving job and all looks good, but he soon finds that its not for wagon driving its for a motor car and does not get the job. As he leaves the job interview feeling defeated he sees a sign for labor work and looks at his hands. We then join Johnny who is walking June to her car and she tells him that her father would like to see him tonight about maybe hiring him at his clinic. We then go back to Dan who has gotten the labor job and he and other men are digging holes, and the boss of the dig site shows up and Bullet is the horse pulling his wagon and when Bullet sees Dan he walks over to his old friend. The Boss gets mad and walks over and starts getting rough with Bullet, and Dan tries to stop him and take up for his old animal friend and ends up punching the man in the face! Dan and then man then get into a full fist fight and just in time Johnny is walking by and as Dan is knocked down Johnny and the man get into a fight! And Johnny drops the man with a good hit and then goes to check on his dad, and Johnny tells the man he will get Bullet away from him if it’s the last thing he ever does! Johnny then stops his father from going back to digging and Dan quiets the job.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 33Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 34Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 35

That night the man who owns Bullet puts him into a stale and is still being mean to him, but as fire engines drive by Bullet hears the sounds of the fire bells and goes into action and breaks free from the stale and heads toward the fire. Johnny meanwhile goes and visits the office of Chief Andrews who is in control of the cities Police and Fire Departments and informs him that he has quit medical school and would like a job and he is given one. While back at the McDowell home the police have shown up with the Horse abusing man and they are questioning Dan and his wife about Bullet missing and they think Johnny might have stolen him. And as Dan walks them around his property Dan is shocked as Bullet is in his garage. And as the man takes Bullet back the police let Dan know that they want his son for the theft, but Dan tells them that he is the one who stole Bullet and he is put under arrest. Dan thinks he is protecting his son, but really no one is to blame as Bullet just escaped and went to the home that he knew he was loved at. Johnny shows up a very short time later dressed in his new uniform and sees his mom and sister crying on the porch and finds out why and rushes off to the police station.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 36Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 37Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 38

At the police station Dan is being booked in for horse theft, and Johnny comes in and is told that the police cannot help him with the situation. While back at the Rutherford’s apartment home June gets a call from her father that he will be late home tonight and for dinner. But as June is talking to her father the housemaid comes in and alerts her that the home is on fire! June gets the servants to safety and then goes back to get her little dog and is now stuck inside a building that is on fire, and she is in panic as there is no way out of the inferno and she passes out from the smoke and heat. The fire department are on their way and from his jail cell window Dan can see the blaze at the Rutherford apartments.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 39Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 40Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 41

At the Rutherford Apartments people are rushing out of the burning building as the fire department has shown up and start hooking up their hoses in order to fight the fire. While at the street corner selling his papers young Jimmy sees the story of Dan being arrested over Bullet and heads to the station and talks to Chief Andrews and tells him that he is the one who found Bullet wondering the streets and placed him in the old McDowell woodshed so the horse would not get lost, Chief Andrews tells Jimmy that they are going to get Dan out of jail. While back at the fire they are doing their best to put out the fire that is now out of control and they call in Engine Seven for help and on this engine is Johnny McDowell who is heading to his girlfriends house. While back at the fire June wakes up and gets the window and is spotted by the fire fighters bellow. And they send the ladder up and Johnny rushes up it to save his love from a burning death. As Johnny is up their trying to save June the building starts to collapse and the order goes out for Johnny to come down with our without June! But Johnny is able to get to June who he has climb on his back and together they climb down, just then Dr. Rutherford gets home and is scared as part of the building crumbles at the spot of June and Johnny! Dan McDowell is now out of jail and has rushed to the fire and has suited up to help get the blaze under control and to save lives. But the water pressure drops and the fighters are not able to combat the fire without water, but they find June and Johnny who are alive but cannot be saved just yet as a massive safe is on the rubble they are trapped in and the men are pulling but are not able to move it!

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 42Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 43Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 44

More fire engines with more firefighters are on the way, and Bullet once more hears the bells ringing and rushes off to the fire! While back at the fire Dr. Rutherford begs Dan McDowell to save his daughter and he tells him she is all he has in life, and Dan remembers back to the day he begged the Dr. to save his son. Meanwhile Bullet is now on the scene of the fire, and he and Dan work together and with Bullet they are able to move the safe and save the lives of June and Johnny! The other fire trucks are now on the scene and they have more water and are able to clear a path for all the heroes stuck to get out of the inferno safe. Dan McDowell learns to forgive Dr. Rutherford who in turn is very grateful for the rescue of his daughter. In the end The McDowell Family along with the Rutherford Family, Jimmy and even Chief Andrews are at a ranch and they have a surprise for Dan, and it’s all the old Fire Horses are now at this farm that Dr. Rutherford bought in order for Dan to be able to care and look after all his old friends. We also see that Johnny is now a Doctor and has cured Jimmy who no longer needs a crutch! And all ends well for everyone.

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 45Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 46Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 47

Review: The 3rd Alarm was a silent film that really surprised me as this was a first time watch for me and at the start I was not fully sure what to expect as it was clearly a drama film and it started off a little show, but by the less then half way mark I was hooked and found myself drawn into this world and felt a bond with Dan McDowell and his family and extended family. As Dan was a hard working man who was working a tough job and was saving peoples lives as well as their homes all the while bonding with the horses that worked hard to pull the fire wagons to get them to the sites to fight the fires, and with technology coming in Dan and his horses were discarded as things of the past. The movie really brings to light how the work force views employees that have been loyal to them for decades but are getting older and are forced to retire or are fired as they think the newer and younger is better. But I do need to stress that Dan was loved by the fire department but could not get down how to drive the new motorcar and that’s why he was given his pink slip. And you have to give this film major credit as they really did set a massive apartment building ablaze and they told a great story of change, respect and the importance of family. And that’s the thing you as a viewer get to see is not only the change of times with more modern technology coming in to make things easier, but you also see a change of a man who had a grudge and learns to let it go and by doing so he changes as a person. I also like that the horse Bullet has a personality of his own and feels like he really is apart of the McDowell family, and when he escaped his abusive owner I cheered for him to get away and was glad that he and his fellow retired Fire Station Horses have a nice ranch to retire at. The love between Johnny and June is also a great layer as Johnny loves her very much but is also torn over his fathers hatred for her father, and in the end the true love between the two bring them together. I really enjoyed this drama film as I found all the characters interesting and likable and this one really did surprise me on how well I liked it.

Now let’s talk briefly about the chips and I have to say that it I was really surprised as I found myself liking these chips as well! The BBQ flavor was good and strong and had a bold flavor, and the Flamin’ Hot aspect brought some heat, but it was not as over baring like the taste can be such on the Cheetos. The burn of the chip sticks around a little after eating them, but it’s not too bad and does not feel like its coating your mouth like many of the Flamin’ Hot snacks do. And besides Ruffles just making a good basic chip the BBQ flavor is really what pushes this chip into the very tasty realm and made me buy more bags after eating them for this review.

Movie: ***
Chips: ***

Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 48Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 49Forgotten Reels 3rd Alarm 1922 50

The 3rd Alarm is a great silent film and it nearly almost got three and a half stars from me as even days after watching it I found myself thinking about moments in the film and the characters themselves. I like the idea that Dan, his wife and young daughter lived on this ranch and took care of the horses while Johnny and June would end up married and have kids making Dan a grandpa and they lived out their lives as a very happy family…or at least that is what I think happened after the events of the film. But grab your bag of Ruffles as the Rotten Ink Theater has turned up the house lights letting us know that the film is over and that our time looking at Silent Films is over for now. So while we head out, let’s take a moment and chat about what our next update will be about as I am happy to say that we will be walking across the street to the Rotten Ink Stadium as I will be ranking Ohio’s Best Collegiate, Softball and Minor League Baseball Team Mascots! So until then, watch a Silent Movie or Three, read a comic or two and as always support your local Cinema. See you next update for some good old Baseball talk!

Best Ohio Minor League Baseball Mascot Countdown Preview Logo

The Wild West Tale Of Brave Eagle

Western films and shows are something I have always greatly enjoyed, and when I think of them many things come to my mind as growing up I loved The Lone Ranger and was into watching many western films and shows on TV with The Rifleman still to this day being in my top five favorite shows of all time. I mean heck I even helped produce a western film in 2015 called “Calamity Jane’s Revenge” directed by Henrique Couto and starring Erin R. Ryan, Julia Gomez, Todd The Fox, former WWE wrestler Al Snow and even my cousin Stephen Alexander had a small role! But the main thing I think of is my Grandpa John Salyers, who was very much into old westerns as he loved John Wayne films had a ton of old western films on VHS and as well had a collection of old paperback western books. My Grandpa John was an amazing man who had Native American blood in his veins and was a hard workingman who was a sharpshooter in the army as well as a self taught handyman, factory worker and an amazing farmer who would grow massive fields of vegetables. Hands down in my real life my three biggest role models of my family are my Grandpa John, my Dad and Brother who are all outstanding people who are hardworking and creative people. Wait I need to get back to the topic at hand and that’s Westerns, and this update is about a TV show from the 50’s that I discovered in 2020 and even had some comics released thanks to DELL Comics! The show I am talking about is Brave Eagle, and I am really exited to bring you this update as I am looking forward to reading the comics and watching the show for the first time! So sit back, relax and enjoy!

Brave Eagle 1

Brave Eagle was a CBS TV series that started in 1955 and would air at 7:30pm and would go up against Disneyland on ABC! The show was filmed at Roy Rogers’ ranches in California and was way ahead of it time as it was the first series on television to feature a Native American character as the lead and as well focused on issues that tribes had to face from racism to smallpox and really helped bring these issues to the light and educated viewers who for decades had seen Native Americans as savages in media. This showed them as people. Brave Eagle was set in the old west and followed a young Cheyenne chief who leads his tribe in a time when white settlers are taking over the land and fellow tribes are at war with each other. Other characters included Morning Star, the show’s love interest for Brave Eagle, as well as Keena (his adopted son), Smokey Joe, Black Cloud and Black Raven to name a few. The show was well liked but sadly could not bring in the numbers that Disney did on the other station, and after only one season and 26 episodes, the show came to an end. And being from 1955-1956 sadly over the years many episodes have been lost making reruns on stations like MeTv impossible. The series also had many guest stars from the world of westerns like Lee Van Cleef, Rick Vallin, Ann Doran and Steve Rains to name a few and what really is awesome for me is that Roy Rogers and his production company made the show as Roy is one of my all time favorite classic western actors not to mention is Restaurant chains are also amazing. So while Brave Eagle only lasted one season, its impact on Western shows really did make an impact as it showcased that Native American characters could be the lead in a series. I will say that it’s a shame they cast a white actor in the role of Brave Eagle and not a Native American actor, but at least it was a start for change.

Brave Eagle 2Brave Eagle 3Brave Eagle 4

Brave Eagle has been released on home media, but of course not as the full series as I have said sadly many episodes are missing and are lost. But thanks to the folks at Alpha Video, all the episodes that have been found have come to DVD in three volumes! And honestly it’s a big thanks to Alpha for alerting me to this show as while shopping their website for Lon Chaney Sr. silent films I came across a three pack of Brave Eagle and being a western fan I had to order it and of course learn about it and once I did I knew it had to get the Rotten Ink treatment! And once I got the DVD’s in from Alpha Video I was set some time aside and gave them a watch, and here is my thoughts on the show as well as the DVD’s put out by Alpha Video. And on a lazy day in 2021 I decided to pop the DVD into the Blu-Ray player, and Juliet and I watched an episode while we ate dinner and I have to say that the show while very cheesy for todays viewing audience, when you sit back and relax and look past all the flaws it really is a fun show! It’s as basic as basic can be in plots and the acting at times is a little stiff and the narration seems like its from a bad documentary, but to be honest all of that added to the charm for me. The prints of the episodes from Alpha Video are ok and some episodes are better than others as issues include soft sound, tape to digital transfers and even at times a little off center. But for this rare and sadly forgotten TV Series this is the best as of now you are going to get them on DVD.

Brave Eagle DVD 1Brave Eagle DVD 2Brave Eagle DVD 3

Keith Larsen was born Keith Larsen Burt on June 17, 1924 in Salt Lake City, Utah and had a normal childhood for that time growing up. During World War II, he served in the Navy, and after his military career ended he got the bug to start acting! And once he started he could not stop as he not only became an actor he also directed, wrote and produced films and shows. His first role was in 1951 as an uncredited part in Operation Pacific as Crewman, his first credited roll came in 1952 in episodes of the TV series Space Patrol and from there, his acting career took off with some of his biggest roles being in such shows and films as Fort Vengeance (1953), Chief Crazy Horse (1955), Brave Eagle (1955-56), Apache Warrior (1957), Northwest Passage (1959) and Trap On Cougar Mountain (1972). For me his role as Preacher Ezra Jackson in the 1970 film Night Of The Witches is pretty dang awesome as it was a Horror Comedy he also wrote and directed! His final role came in 1982’s western film Whitewater Sam that he also wrote and directed. Keith Larsen was also married three times with his second wife being actress Vera Miles who is known for being Lila Crane in Psycho 1-2! He also had three kids, and I should also say that he was a true icon of that era of westerns. Keith Larsen passed away on December 13, 2006 at the age of 82, and while gone he is not forgotten.

Brave Eagle 5Brave Eagle 6Brave Eagle 7

The series lead actress Kim Winona was a full blooded Sioux Indian whose real name was Constance Elaine Mackey was born on October 10, 1930 in Nebraska and in her youth lived on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and later would go on to live in Spokane, Washington at the age of 17. While in Washington, she meet her first husband, a man named Harvey Buck. The pair married in 1951 and would move to Los Angeles where she would become a sectary for a commercial artist and while working this job her natural beauty caught the eye of many and she would go on to do modeling as well to earn extra money. From her modeling she caught the attention of a talent scout who encouraged her to try her hand at acting and she read for a part in the 1956 film “The Last Hunt” and while she did not get the part she was hired to promote it as “Miss Apache”. Her first role came in 1955 as Morning Star on Brave Eagle and she was a lead in all 26 episodes. The show’s executive producer Mike North hired her for this part as he thought she was perfect and captured the essence of the character. Constance would take on the stage name Kim Winona at first and would as well go by Connie Buck for future roles after Brave Eagle ended. She would go on to be in such films and shows as The Man Called X, Cheyenne, Rough Riders, Gunsmoke, Rawhide and 1961’s film Gun Fight. Kim walked away from acting to focus on her art, as she was a very talented painter and sculptor with one of her sculptures being on displayed at the Carnegie Institute! Kim was married three times and had two daughters from those marriages. Sadly Constance Elaine Mackey passed away on June 23, 1978 at the age of 47 from suicide by gunshot due to depression, and the world lost a truly lovely and creative soul. Rest In Peace Constance Elaine Mackey aka Kim Winona, your art and roles will live on forever.

Brave Eagle 8Brave Eagle 9Brave Eagle 10

While the show only lasted one season, it like all western shows and movies of that time, got tons of great merchandise for fans to collect that includes comics, a coloring book, metal lunchbox, episodes on DVD and a Little Golden Book even! Since I found out about this show I have myself got the DVD set, all the comics and am on the hunt for the Lunchbox! I have heard rumors that Marx Toys did figures based on the show, but besides hearsay I have found zero evidence that they were made…but if they were I would definitely buy the figures of Brave Eagle and Morning Star! Check out below to see some of this awesome merchandise.

Brave Eagle BookBrave Eagle Lunch BoxBrave Eagle Coloring Book

I also want to take a brief second to say that on October 3, 2021 while at the Springfield Antique Center Building 2, Juliet and I found something very cool and that was a plush doll of Irwin Troll of comic strip Broom-Hilda fame! And if you remember back in the review for the Irwin Troll paperback comic strip book that I did on September 12, 2020 I talked about wanting one of the dolls and finally a little over a year later I own one! And the shocking part is that it was only $5.00! So I just wanted to update you readers on the fact that Juliet and I finally found an Irwin Troll doll, and we got it for a great price and we both think it’s super cool. And for those of you who have not read my update on Irwin Troll please make sure to check out the update here. And below is two pictures of our Irwin doll on the day we got him.

Irwin Troll Doll 2021 1Irwin Troll Doll 2021 2

The Brave Eagle comics by DELL were part of their Four Color series that featured comics based on cartoons, TV shows, movies and famous people. And I must take a moment as well to say just how awesome DELL was as a comic publisher as they did some many comics based on so many amazing properties like Universal Monsters, Vincent Price Films, Steve Reeve Hercules films, Looney Tunes, Walt Disney Characters. Three Stooges, Yogi Bear and so many Western films and shows! No modern comic company does what they did back in their time and that’s why DELL is one of the most important independent comic publishers for fans of licensed properties. I want to think Ebay sellers for having all these issues in stock at great prices and I also want to think my gal Juliet for ordering them all for me. I want to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s see how well Brave Eagle translated to the world of comic books. Oh I will also be numbering these in the number they were released as well as using Brave Eagle as the title and not Four Color. So let’s see what Brave Eagle has in-store for us in these comic pages.

Brave Eagle Comic 1

Brave Eagle # 1  **1/2
Released in 1956     Cover Price .10     DELL     # 705 of 1354

“The Mask Of The Manitou” Brave Eagle and Smokey end up saving the life of a Blackfoot Warrior who was being attacked by Comanches, after run off the wounded warriors asks via his Chief Sun Bear if they could bring his tribes women and kids to his land for safety and he agrees. While Brave Eagle and Smokey help the Blackfoot settle into their new temporary home, and young Keena is hunting and bags a massive elk that will feed both tribes and so badly wants to share this news with his father and almost gets crushed by a mountain landslide to do so! The landslide destroys all the Blackfoot’s food and Brave Eagle and Smokey at night decide to sneak into their camp and deliver food as a surprise, and Keena as well wants to bring his big elk on his own to surprise them. But a Comanche Warrior that was a prisoner escapes and meets him with his fellow warriors and pins down Brave Eagle, Smokey and Morning Star who arrived to warn them of the prisoners escape by firing arrows at them. Brave Eagle fights back and takes down the Comanches and is able to deliver the food before sunrise, and as he and the others leave he watches in pride as his son delivers the elk. “The Gold Of Haunted Mountain” Brave Eagle, Keena and Smokey meet up with Chris Wilkins who is a miner who is a friend of the tribe and he asks them for a favor that he is owed to show them the entrance of a haunted mine in the mountains that is said to be filled with lots of gold, and when then do so a pair of bad guys follow and try to steal all the gold and even hold Keena as a prisoner! And it takes Brave Eagle and Smokey to act like ghosts to scare the bad guys away and into the arms of the law, and once Keena is safe they even leave Chris a gold nugget to make the old man rich who is a friend and once down on his luck.

This is a mix bagged western comic that captures some of the charm of the TV show and also added a little bit more of a comic charm to the normal western stories. This issue has two stories with both being interesting with the first story really focusing on Brave Eagle being a noble Chief to his people and fellow tribes and gaining pride in his son who does what is right to got get the glory that would come with it. And the second story is more of a Brave Eagle stops criminals from stealing gold and gets a deserter captured by the Calvary. Brave Eagle is a tough fighter in this issue as be brings down three warriors who want him dead and by doing so saves his best friend as well as his love interest, he is also very given as he tries to help a fellow tribe with food and shelter, he also helps his white friend escape the grip of two scummy gold thieves as well helps his son learn how to be a good man. Smokey is also a good guy who follows his Chief and does what he can to help him at all times and trusts in his word. Keena is a good kid who as well seems to always want to do the right thing and wants to be just like his father. The downside to this first issue is that I feel that they really down play Morning Star and she is barely around or used in the first story and does not even show up in the second…and that’s crazy as she is a lead in the TV Show! The issue has some good action as well as some cool spooky moments with the likes of the Haunted Mountain, but also has a few moments of being a little slow in spots making it slightly drag. The cover is cool and if you are a fan of the TV Show is eye catching as it shows Keith Larsen as Brave Eagle and is clearly a promotional still for the show. The interior art is done by Dan Spiegle and is pretty good and captures a very comic book look for all the characters with each looking like they should given the year this was made. Over all a good comic that does its best to do the show justice and I could see how kids of the time would have enjoyed it very much, so with that lets see what the next issue has in store for us.

Brave Eagle Comic 2

Brave Eagle # 2  **1/2
Released in 1957     Cover Price .10      DELL      # 770 of 1354

“Shield Of Honor” The Crow tribe shows up and steals many of the horses of Brave Eagles tribe including his own horse White Cloud, and this cause Brave Eagle, Smokey and other warriors to give chase to try and get them back. Meanwhile back at camp Chief Great Bear of the Pawnee arrives and chats with Morning Star and Keena and even teaches Keena some warrior tricks that he could do while riding a horse. Once back to his people Brave Eagle has not gotten the horses back and meets with Great Bear who wants to ask for both tribes to come together to go after The Crow that is lead by Chief Iron Hand who he says is a threat to all tribes. The two Chiefs separate and Brave Eagle and his council think that Iron Hand is innocent and that Great Bear was really the horse thief and after visiting Iron Hand and finding the horses near Great Bear’s camp they know they are right. And worse Keena has given Great Bear one of Brave Eagles arrows that has his markings and the Pawnee are headed to The Crows in order to start war as one of their warriors has fake arrows that have the mark of Brave Eagle! But after a fight Brave Eagle defeats Great Bear who promises that he will not get them involved in his war again. “Fury In The Forest” Brave Eagle, Keena and Smokey head into the forest to hunt food for the winter and when they bring down a big bison it is stolen by white hunters, and Brave Eagle must teach them a lesson as well as get the bison back to feed his people.

The second issue of Four Colors to feature Brave Eagle and his tribe is a pretty good read and does I think a slightly better job of bringing in the action and drama of the TV Show to the pages of the comics. The two stories are also well done with the first being another tribe Chief trying to get Brave Eagle involved in a big war between tribes and the second has hunters trying to steal the food of Brave Eagle’s tribe cause they wanted to sell the animals pelt. Brave Eagle once more shows that he is a hero, caring and wise whenever things could affect his tribe and people. I like in this issue how he beats Great Bear who is a warrior that others fear, but to be honest while Great Bear is a good Chief to his people he is also very dishonest as he will do what ever he can to make his tribe beat out their rivals. Keena does some pretty silly things in this issue like given Great Bear and arrow of his fathers even though that is against the tribes rules, and he also should be looking up to his father and not another Chief he just meet. Smokey is around in both stories and is wise and as helpful as ever. And it was cool to see White Cloud the horse of Brave Eagle get a little bit of time to shine as it as well is in both stories. But like before they downplay Morning Star and it’s really starting to annoy me, as she should be way more involved and important in these stories besides being reduced to cameos. I have to say great action as well because I have to praise the quick fight between Brave Eagle and Great Bear as it brought a nice TV Western feel to the comic. Another cool photo cover for the issue that is eye catching for fans of the show and the interior art by Dan Spiegle is once more well done. Over all another good issue that leaves me wanting to read more Brave Eagle….but for the love of Jack Kirby could they please make Morning Star a big deal in these comics.

Brave Eagle Comic 3

Brave Eagle # 3   **1/2
Released in 1957     Cover Price .10     DELL     # 816 of 1354

“Search For The Sun” A band of renegade Natives have started to rob and kill white men who are mining for gold, and the Calvary is trying to stop them but are failing. The last attack left only one man left alive by the name of Gusty who is now in the care of Brave Eagle and his people as they are trying to nurse him back to health. The renegade robberies puzzle Brave Eagle as gold means nothing to his people so along with Smokey they set out to find out who these renegades are and what they are up to. Meanwhile back at camp Gusty spends his time telling tall tales to Keena and Morning Star, as Keena is a little upset as he feels Brave Eagle ignored him before he left camp as he made him a ring and needed to try and fit its size. When Brave Eagle finds a cabin that has been burnt to the ground he also finds a wounded renegade Indian who spills the beans that they are stealing the gold as another group of white men give them rifles for it! Brave Eagle takes his prisoner to the army fort, and later that night Keena decides that he will return to his real tribe as he thinks because Brave Eagle is not his real dad that he does not love him and once at his family tribe he learns they are working with the gold thieves and he spills the beans on Brave Eagles gold in order to get his own rifle! Meanwhile Gusty is upset that a story he told about Keena’s tribe is what drove him to find then and sets out to bring the young man back. But we find that Keena has sent the renegades to an empty mine and gets word back to Brave Eagle who takes Smokey and some warriors and brings them down. In the end Keena returns to Brave Eagle and a great feast is made to celebrate. “The Iron Trail” Bull Larson is in charge of building rails for trains that will be going through the area and while working he injures one of Brave Eagle’s tribe and keeps him as a hostage. When Brave Eagle goes to check on his missing friend he over hears Bull talking about robbing the payroll train and blaming it on the Natives, and Brave Eagle comes up with a plan that has him on the train and he stops Bull from pulling off the robbery and once more is the hero.

The third issue in the Brave Eagle comics is really good and like before has two stories with one being the longer of the two and each having almost a lesson in them. The two adventures has Brave Eagle and his tribe stopping gold thieves as well as a payroll thieves and also his son learns that just cause you are not from the same blood dose not mean they don’t love them like you are their own. Brave Eagle truly wants his people and the white people to be able to live in harmony, and this clearly angers some of his own people as they want to retake the land and will steal and kill to do so. Brave Eagle as always shows that he is also a great warrior as he fights for what he thinks is right. Keena in this issue gets his feelings hurt and says some things to Brave Eagle he regrets, and when Keena returns to his original tribe he finds that they are on the side of chaos and learns that his true place is with his father. Smokey and Morning Star take a back seat in this issue and while around they sadly do very little. Gusty is a white man that is injured and is being taken care of, but while a good man he does tell some stories that bend the truth and is what causes some issues between Keena and Brave Eagle. And man Bull Larson is a terrible person who is willing to kill and steal the money of his workers and by doing so could start a war between Brave Eagle and the Calvary. While the action is a little slow in this issue when it comes though its lots of fun and makes for another above average read that brings the entertainment to the reader. The cover is good and once more is just a promo photo and the art is done by Dan Spiegle and is good stuff for this time of adaptation comics. So with that let’s take a look at the next issue to showcase Brave Eagle and his Tribe.

Brave Eagle Comic 4

Brave Eagle # 4   **
Released in 1958     Cover Price .10     DELL     # 879 of 1354

“Forbidden Land” Brave Eagle, Smokey and Keena ride out to check on a wagon when two scared horses entered their camp, but they find that it was a set up by white men who wanted to stage a fake death and robbery in order to start a war between the Soldiers and the Indian Warriors. And worse when the white men escape they trick the Calvary into believing that Brave Eagle and his tribe attacked them and stole the horses that ran into their camp earlier! Because of this the Calvary with orders from the Government is taking Brave Eagles tribes land! The Tribe is upset and the talk of war breaks out, but Brave Eagle wants a chance to make this right and follows one of the accusers to a cave and learns that the plan is for the Calvary to move gold just in case of war and for them to steal it and blame Brave Eagles tribe once more for the robbery. But once Smokey captures one of the thieves and the Calvary learn of the plot they along with Brave Eagle’s tribe stop the gold robbery and the land is returned to the tribe and the misunderstanding is patched up as the crooks are taking in for their crimes. “The Plight Of Red Thunder” While hunting Brave Eagle meets up with Red Thunder a chief that he has been friends with for decades and the two along with Smokey head to his camp in order to enjoy some dinner, but while there they meet Spotted Colt the son of Red Thunder who loves to pull pranks and jokes. To teach him a lesson Brave Eagle fakes being hurt and Spotted Colt has to find a way to get help from people who do not believe him and as well learn that jokes have a time and a place.

The fourth issue in the Brave Eagle comics is at this point the one that packs less impact and in some spots is a little boring. The main story of the gold robbery really is the plot of many of the stories that have came before it and adds nothing new besides more faceless and nameless bad guys. The second story is fun and is a take of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” as Spotted Colt is a young man who likes to have fun, but has terrible timing. Brave Eagle is much of the same a hero, warrior, wise man and a teacher to those that are around him. Smokey and Keena are around but do very little and most annoying Morning Star is nowhere in site! Red Thunder is a kind hearted Chief who has an annoying son and needs help to teach him a lesson. The cover is another promo pic from the show and has Brave Eagle with a bow and arrow. The art is done by what looks like an Unknown Artist and the first story is kind of sloppy in the art department with the second one being way better. Not much to say about this issue besides it’s ok and while entertaining it was also kind of a slow moving read. Keep in mind I did not dislike this issue it was just a little underwhelming and also just kind of did not capture the Show very well.

Brave Eagle Comic 5

Brave Eagle # 5  **1/2
Released in 1958      Cover Price .10      DELL      # 929 of 1354

“The Ride For Life” Smokey enters his tribes land and falls from his horse as he has been shot and is injured by a pair of white men who are also tracking him and he has heard a plan that they have in the works. Brave Eagle and his warriors wait for Smokey to wake up in order to find out who did this to him so that they can make them face justice. The two would be killers creep into the camp and one cuts free the horses while the other creeps into the tipi and tries to stab Smokey, but it’s a trap and Brave Eagle is inside and fights off the attacker and in the commotion both outlaws escape into the night forest. Brave Eagle is then asked by Morning Star to visit Smokey who is having a very high fever, and Brave Eagle decides that he must ride to the Calvary fort and try and get medicine and once there the two men who shot Smokey are already inside and blame Brave Eagle for a raid the killed Calvary solders and stole gold that they were escorting! But when one of the bad guys slip up they are arrested and Brave Eagle takes the Fort Doctor to Smokey, but also finds out the Keena is near a creek that the raiders use when they stole the gold, and he gets there to find his son kidnapped by the remaining gang! And with the help of his Braves they bring down the rest of the crooks and rush back to be with Smokey. “Mustang Trail” one day Morning Star and Keena notice that three of the tribes horses are missing and they go and tell Brave Eagle who notices that the line that the horses were hitched to has been cut by someone. We see that the horses are taken by a group of outlaws who uses the horses to drag flaming brush behind them causing a wild fire all around the camp. And while Brave Eagle and his tribe put out the fires the outlaws go and steal almost all the tribes horses! And Brave Eagle, Smokey and Keena start tracking to get their horses back and uncover a whole horse thief ring, and using his mind Brave Eagle is able to bring them down and get the horses back.

The fifth and final issue of Brave Eagle is another entertaining issues that does a pretty good job of capture the mood of the TV series it was based on, I will say that it is missing a little bit of the humor of Smokey as well as the shows narration by Brave Eagle is missing and I really dislike that the comics barely use Morning Star as they act like she was not a big deal when she very much is in the source material. And while I really liked the comics I do feel that the lack of Morning Star really was a big flaw. These two stories are pretty good with the first story being really good and the last story being average and slightly dull, but still a good read. Brave Eagle throughout the comics was a great leader to his tribe, who gets things done and really watches out for his people. He is a good fighter, a man who uses his mind to issue solve and is loyal to his friends and tribe. So really Brave Eagle is a good honest hero who is pretty interesting and transfers from TV to Comic pretty well. Keena is the son of Brave Eagle and is always up for adventure and to be at the side of his father during any situation. Smokey is Brave Eagles best friend and is also his most trusted as he as well is always at his Chief’s side and is willing to risk his life for him as well as the tribe he calls family. Morning Star is the daughter of Smokey and the little we see her she is caring, brave and wise. The Calvary in this series seem to be very washy with Brave Eagle and his tribe as at times they act like they trust them and then the moment any white man says a negative thing about them they turn on them. The series had some pretty good action but oddly more of the stories had to do with gold or horse thieves with most being about gold…very weird as it seemed the writer or writers just had one basic idea for Brave Eagle to go after. The comic cover is another promo photo of Brave Eagle and is eye catching for fans of the TV Show. And the interior art once more is done by Dan Spiegle and is pretty good and has that classic Dell Comic look. Over all the Brave Eagle comic series is pretty entertaining and while not fully like the show it does its best to try and capture the magic of the show. Check out the artwork bellow to see the art style used in this comic.

Brave Eagle Art 1Brave Eagle Art 2Brave Eagle Art 3

Brave Eagle is a great western TV Show that sparked entertaining Dell Comic issues via their Four Color series and I am sure readers that where viewers really did enjoy giving these a read and continuing the adventures of Brave Eagle. And for me this was a fun comic to start our countdown to Thanksgiving with as this time of the year always makes me want to visit the past and even discover new things from the past like I did here with Brave Eagle. So for the next update we will be still celebrating 10 years of the Horror Host Hall Of Fame and will be taking a look at USA Up All Night and all the classic hosts like Gilbert, Rhonda and Caroline that made up that iconic show! So until next time read a western comic of three, watch a western show or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next time and be ready to stay Up All Night!

USA Up All Night Preview Logo