Gunhawks
Encyclopedia
The Gunhawks is the name of a pair of fictional
comic book
characters in the Western
genre who first appeared in a self-titled series published by Marvel Comics
.
during the American Civil War
, with Jones fighting the Union
because their soldiers had kidnapped his lover, Rachel Brown. After the war, they became wandering gunfighters, the Gunhawks, and continued searching for Rachel.
During the course of Gunhawks #6 (1973), Kid Cassidy was shot and killed, and Jones was blamed for the crime. (In the Destiny War, published in 1999, the Avenger
Hawkeye
revealed that Cassidy had been killed prior to 1873).
With the next issue, the series was retitled to Reno Jones, Gunhawk, making Jones Marvel's second black character to have his own self-titled series, after Luke Cage, Hero for Hire
. (The Black Panther
had taken over the lead in the Jungle Action
series a few months prior, but the Panther's name was not included in the series' title.) As it turned out, Reno Jones, Gunhawk #7 was also the final issue of the series, and the Gunhawks vanished into obscurity.
and Leonardo Manco
's 2000 miniseries Blaze of Glory
, the Gunhawks returned, but in a greatly modified form. It was "revealed" that the published adventures of the classic Marvel gunfighters, including the Gunhawks, had actually been dime novel
s based on the actual gunfighters' actions. In this revised version of events, Jones was actually a slave on Cassidy's family's plantation, the two men had only been friends as children, and Jones had actually shot Cassidy in self-defense. Reno Jones took up residence in the town of Wonderment, Montana, a town populated largely by freed slaves; there, he married a woman named Mary, and they had a son named Cass.
A corrupt businessman named Clay Riley - who had previously fought the original Ghost Rider
as a costumed bandit called the Tarantula - sought to take the town's land by force. To this end, he hired a group of the Ku Klux Klan
's Nightriders to kill the townfolk, prompting Jones to bring in a number of Western gunfighters to defend the town. One of those men was the Red Wolf, who had been a contemporary and ally of the deceased Ghost Rider. He provided Jones with the Rider's costume, knowing that this would give him a psychological advantage over Riley.
After many fatalities on both sides, Jones killed Riley and then unmasked the Nightriders' leader as Kid Cassidy. Before either could fully react, the Outlaw Kid
stunned Cassidy, and Jones took the opportunity to strangle Cassidy to death. After the carnage was over, Jones returned the Ghost Rider costume and retired to take care of his family. Later, following the Apache Skies
miniseries, the Rawhide Kid
and the new Apache Kid
entrusted the people of Wonderment with the care of a number of American Indian children who had been bound for U.S. government custody.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
characters in the Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
genre who first appeared in a self-titled series published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
Original series
The Gunhawks were Kid Cassidy and Reno Jones. As introduced in Gunhawks #1 (1972), Cassidy was the son of a plantation-owning family in the antebellum American South, and Jones was an African-American slave of the family who was friends with Cassidy. They fought together for the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, with Jones fighting the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
because their soldiers had kidnapped his lover, Rachel Brown. After the war, they became wandering gunfighters, the Gunhawks, and continued searching for Rachel.
During the course of Gunhawks #6 (1973), Kid Cassidy was shot and killed, and Jones was blamed for the crime. (In the Destiny War, published in 1999, the Avenger
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
Hawkeye
Hawkeye (comics)
Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...
revealed that Cassidy had been killed prior to 1873).
With the next issue, the series was retitled to Reno Jones, Gunhawk, making Jones Marvel's second black character to have his own self-titled series, after Luke Cage, Hero for Hire
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
. (The Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
had taken over the lead in the Jungle Action
Jungle Action
Jungle Action is the name of two comic book series published by Marvel Comics and its 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics. The latter-day version is the first series starring the Black Panther, the first Black superhero in mainstream comics, created by the writer/artist team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in...
series a few months prior, but the Panther's name was not included in the series' title.) As it turned out, Reno Jones, Gunhawk #7 was also the final issue of the series, and the Gunhawks vanished into obscurity.
Modern versions
In John OstranderJohn Ostrander
John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.-Career:...
and Leonardo Manco
Leonardo Manco
Leonardo Manco is an Argentine comic book artist and penciller.-Bibliography:Manco is best known for his dark and gritty style on such titles as Hellstorm , Blaze of Glory , Apache Skies , Deathlok Vol.3 and Hellblazer .Other work by Manco has included Archangel #1 , Werewolf By...
's 2000 miniseries Blaze of Glory
Blaze of Glory (comics)
Blaze of Glory is a four-issue comic book limited series published in 2000 by Marvel Comics. It was written by John Ostrander and drawn by Leonardo Manco....
, the Gunhawks returned, but in a greatly modified form. It was "revealed" that the published adventures of the classic Marvel gunfighters, including the Gunhawks, had actually been dime novel
Dime novel
Dime novel, though it has a specific meaning, has also become a catch-all term for several different forms of late 19th-century and early 20th-century U.S...
s based on the actual gunfighters' actions. In this revised version of events, Jones was actually a slave on Cassidy's family's plantation, the two men had only been friends as children, and Jones had actually shot Cassidy in self-defense. Reno Jones took up residence in the town of Wonderment, Montana, a town populated largely by freed slaves; there, he married a woman named Mary, and they had a son named Cass.
A corrupt businessman named Clay Riley - who had previously fought the original Ghost Rider
Phantom Rider
The Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in comic books in the Marvel Comics universe...
as a costumed bandit called the Tarantula - sought to take the town's land by force. To this end, he hired a group of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
's Nightriders to kill the townfolk, prompting Jones to bring in a number of Western gunfighters to defend the town. One of those men was the Red Wolf, who had been a contemporary and ally of the deceased Ghost Rider. He provided Jones with the Rider's costume, knowing that this would give him a psychological advantage over Riley.
After many fatalities on both sides, Jones killed Riley and then unmasked the Nightriders' leader as Kid Cassidy. Before either could fully react, the Outlaw Kid
Outlaw Kid
The Outlaw Kid is a fictional Western hero in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe, whose comic book series was originally released by the company's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics...
stunned Cassidy, and Jones took the opportunity to strangle Cassidy to death. After the carnage was over, Jones returned the Ghost Rider costume and retired to take care of his family. Later, following the Apache Skies
Apache Skies
Apache Skies is a four-issue comic book limited series, published in 2002 by Marvel Comics as a part of that company's MAX imprint. The series was written by John Ostrander and drawn by Leonardo Manco.The series was a sequel to 2000's Blaze of Glory....
miniseries, the Rawhide Kid
Rawhide Kid
The Rawhide Kid is a fictional Old West cowboy in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A heroic gunfighter of the 19th-century American West who was unjustly wanted as an outlaw, he is one of Marvel's most prolific Western characters...
and the new Apache Kid
Apache Kid (comics)
This entry is for the comic-book character. For the unrelated, real-life person, see The Apache Kid . For other usages, see The Apache Kid ....
entrusted the people of Wonderment with the care of a number of American Indian children who had been bound for U.S. government custody.