While the Marvel westerns became increasingly marginalized as the 1960s wore on, early on they were quite popular and while Lee never featured any cross-overs (there were requests from time to time in the letters page to have a time travel story) they were still strongly linked with the Marvel Superhero line.
The Marvel brand name continued to grow in the early to mid-1960s, and the western "Big 3" of Kid Colt Outlaw, Two-Gun Kid and Rawhide Kid were part of that advertising. Full page ads for Fantastic Four or Amazing Spider-Man were scattered throughout the line, along with ads for the latest westerns. Stan Lee was still writing some of the westerns in 1965, but began relinquishing thes duties to Larry Lieber, Al Hartley, Roy Thomas, Denny O'Neil and Steve Skeates. In late 1964 the western's also received their own letters pages.
The Marvel brand name continued to grow in the early to mid-1960s, and the western "Big 3" of Kid Colt Outlaw, Two-Gun Kid and Rawhide Kid were part of that advertising. Full page ads for Fantastic Four or Amazing Spider-Man were scattered throughout the line, along with ads for the latest westerns. Stan Lee was still writing some of the westerns in 1965, but began relinquishing thes duties to Larry Lieber, Al Hartley, Roy Thomas, Denny O'Neil and Steve Skeates. In late 1964 the western's also received their own letters pages.
Kid Colt's first letters page, including a short lived western checklist, from Kid Colt Outlaw # 120, January 1965.
Like the superhero line, Lee also used full page ads to promote the western heroes.
Ad from Two-Gun Kid # 75, May 1965
Ad from Kid Colt Outlaw # 130, Sept 1965. Note Lee's reference to the Marvel Bullpen. Two-Gun and Rawhide Kid images by Kirby/Colletta and Kirby/Ayers; Kid Colt image by sorely missed Joe Maneely.
Ad from Rawhide Kid # 46, June 1965. Carl Hubbell art?
The MMMS house ads were identical to the ones used in the superhero comics, of course substituting the Kid's for the long-underwear types.
Since not all the western heroes had recurring villains a generic owlhoot was used, drawn by Marie Severin. From Kid Colt Outlaw # 124, Sept 1965
Ad from Kid Colt Outlaw # 126, Jan 1966. Kid Colt by Marie Severin.
The very same month Marie Severin's T-Shirt ad featuring the Hulk and Dr. Doom appeared (see my previous blog post) Marie contributed this charming illo of Kid Colt, from issue # 127, March 1966.
I'm curious if the MMMS was either advertised or mentioned in the Girl's titles (Millie the Model, Modeling with Millie, Patsy Walker, Patsy and Hedy). I have some example of those comics, but none with a reference to the club. It should be noted that the paid ads in these comics were usually different that those appearing in the rest of Marvel's line, although house ads for Millie and company still mentioned the Marvel brand and those titles also included letters pages. Any info would be appreciated and updated right here.
I hope you enjoyed this excursion down the dusty western trail.
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