If It Ain't the Injun, It's The Horse!

Cover painting by Hank Hartman

Maybe it's just coincidence. Maybe it's just the The Ranger never sets foot in town until he's ready to round up the bad guy, or less'n he's disguised as an old prospector, but whatever the reason, it seems like none of the Masked Man's faithful companions can get anywhere near a town without one of 'em is gettin' lynched.

This time, it's the horse. From Lone Ranger #19,











This story originally appeared in Dell's Lone Ranger #111 September, 1957 (where it was 2 pages longer!)


Cover painting by Hank Hartman


Cover painting by Hank Hartman as it originally appeared on Dell's Lone Ranger #110

Seriously? Y'all Know He's a Horse, Right?

When the Lone Ranger's origin story was told on TV, it included a segment wherein the Ranger, whose horse was killed in the Cavendish gang's ambush of his ranger company, obtained his "Fiery horse with the speed of light". The Lone Ranger and Tonto come across a beautiful, white, mustang stallion locked in deadly combat with a buffalo. The horse defeats the buffalo, but is injured. LR and Tonto nurse the horse back to health. The horse is grateful, but still wild. The Ranger catches and mounts the horse, then sets it free, only to have it return.

It's a nifty piece of folklore and shows the union of man and horse as a partnership, not an owner and his property.

For whatever reason, Dell decided that the horse should get his own comic. The series' main focus is on Silver's adventures before he met The Lone Ranger and Tonto. There are recurring characters within the series, an Indian named Keenay (Who wants to capture Silver). And a cougar (who wants to eat silver). Silver is constantly depicted doing battle with bears, wolves and cougars on the covers, or rescuing other animals.

And now... Silver in "Strange Companions"