Two-Gun Kid
Encyclopedia
The Two-Gun Kid is a fictional character
, a cowboy
gunslinger
in the Wild West of Marvel Comics
' shared universe
, the Marvel Universe
.
heroes called the Two-Gun Kid. The original Two-Gun Kid, Clay Harder, was Marvel's first continuing western character, appearing in Two-Gun Kid #1 (March 1948) and continuing off and on until 1962, with Joe Sinnott
being the last artist to draw the original Kid on a regular basis.
Two-Gun Kid #60 (Nov. 1962) retcon
ned the Clay Harder character out of existence, turning him into a dime novel
character, and introduced the second Two-Gun Kid, Matt Hawk, whose true last name was much later retconned to be Liebowicz. The latter Kid is better known, thanks primarily to his connection with and later full integration into the Marvel Universe
, but the earlier Kid enjoyed a prolific 14-year life span in comics.
The two Kids wore different outfits: Clay Harder had bright blond hair and wore an all-black suit with a placard shirt, a broad-brimmed black hat, and packed two long-barreled pistols with individual overlapping gun belts, while Matt Hawk wore a similar outfit only with an orange-and-black spotted vest, a slightly narrower-brimmed hat, two pistols on a single gun belt, and a black mask covering the top half of his face. At one point later in the second series, some of the original Kid's adventures were retouched to make him look like the newer Kid for reprints.
Stan Lee
and Jack Kirby
, creators of the Fantastic Four
, concocted the new Kid to make the character resemble a superhero with a secret identity in order to stimulate sales for the title.
The character appears in the 2010 miniseries
Rawhide Kid
: The Sensational Seven.
A contemporaneous version of the character appears in Six Guns.
ned that his true last name was Liebowicz. He was a lawyer
from Boston
, Massachusetts
, who was inspired to fight evil as a masked crimefighter of the 19th-century American West by the stories of the fictional Two-Gun Kid, Clay Harder. After being trained in combat by the gunfighter Ben Dancer, Liebowicz assumed the dual identities of Matt Hawk and the Two-Gun Kid. With his horse Cyclone, his partner "Boom Boom" Brown, and a pair of pistols, he became one of the West's most prolific heroes, often teaming up with the Rawhide Kid
, Kid Colt
, or the Phantom Rider
. In one of his first adventures he fought an alien
, and in other early outings he fought criminals who could only be called supervillain
s. During one adventure, he was brought to the present day via time travel
and joined the superhero
team of the Avengers
. He fought alongside them before leaving to wander America alongside his teammate Hawkeye
, and eventually returned to his own time, occasionally making a cameo appearance in other Western tales or stories of time travel.
The Two-Gun Kid: Sunset Riders miniseries
revealed that Liebowicz had married, only for his wife to die during childbirth; this series also revealed that the Kid had brought a cache of modern weapons back with him from the future. The later miniseries Blaze of Glory
depicted the Kid as retired from gunplay, now going by the name of Clay Harder and working as a full-time lawyer. The Rawhide Kid convinced him to return to action, but the Two-Gun Kid died in battle against the racist mercenary Nightriders, alongside his old partners Kid Colt and the Outlaw Kid
.
vol. 2, #3, Jennifer Walters, after dealing with the Time Variance Authority
, is given the chance to free one time-traveling Avenger out of continuity limbo. She chooses the Two-Gun Kid. It's clarified that his heroic nature prevents him from being returned to his own time, as he would inevitably try to fix things.
In present time, he learns his previous modern-day encounters with the Avengers has resulted in his law license and other paraphernalia being kept in an Avengers safety-deposit box. Once he learns She-Hulk works for a law-firm, Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway
, he tries to become her colleague. He comes to the conclusion he will never be able to catch up on current laws and becomes a bounty hunter in issue #5. His first catch is the supervillain Bushwacker
.
For a time he rooms with the Awesome Android, who had reformed and was also an employee for the firm. Liebowicz travels using a twin-engine jet cycle, donated to him by his superhero friend Hawkeye
.
During the company-crossover story arc "Civil War
", Liebowicz became a bounty hunter and works alongside She-Hulk, helping her to apprehend supervillains. He was later sent to Arizona
to lead the Desert Stars
team of the Fifty State Initiative
. In this capacity he is injured in Avengers: The Initiative #16, but is recovered by Avengers: The Initiaive Special #1.
, a 2009 eight-issue miniseries
that explores events in the Marvel Universe leading up to the beginning of World War II
and the dawn of superheroes, the Two-Gun Kid is seen as an elderly patient of Dr. Thomas Halloway. He captivates Halloway with stories of a coming "Age of Marvels," which detail the exploits of the Avengers and other modern-day Marvel heroes. Halloway believes Hawk/Liebowicz's stories are fantasies generated by his advanced age and senility. After Hawk passes away, Halloway learns Hawk bequeathed him his mask and guns, inspiring him to become the superhero the Angel. In the epilogue to the final issue, Hawk - now referred to as Matt Hawkins - is seen in the present day as a young man, accompanying Steve Rogers
(Captain America) to the home of Halloway's grandson, Jason, to once again bequeath the mask and guns, as well as Halloway's journal, in the hopes that Jason will follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
Six Guns (#1-4 cover-dated Jan.-March 2012), by writer Andy Diggle
and artist Davide Gianfelice, and also starring the extant female mercenary Tarantula and new contemporary versions of the Marvel Old West heroes Tex Dawson a.k.a. the Western Kid
; the Black Rider
; and Matt Slade.
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...
, a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
gunslinger
Gunslinger
Gunfighter, also gunslinger , is a 20th century word, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun...
in the Wild West of 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...
' shared universe
Shared universe
A shared universe is a fictional universe to which more than one writer contributes. Work set in a shared universe share characters and other elements with varying degrees of consistency. Shared universes are contrasted with collaborative writing, in which multiple authors work on a single story....
, the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Publication history
There have been two comic-book WesternWestern comics
Western comics is a comics genre usually depicting the American Old West frontier and typically set during the late nineteenth century...
heroes called the Two-Gun Kid. The original Two-Gun Kid, Clay Harder, was Marvel's first continuing western character, appearing in Two-Gun Kid #1 (March 1948) and continuing off and on until 1962, with Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott is an American comic book artist. Working primarily as an inker, Sinnott is best-known for his long stint on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, from 1965 to 1981 , initially over the pencils of industry legend Jack Kirby...
being the last artist to draw the original Kid on a regular basis.
Two-Gun Kid #60 (Nov. 1962) retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned the Clay Harder character out of existence, turning him into a 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...
character, and introduced the second Two-Gun Kid, Matt Hawk, whose true last name was much later retconned to be Liebowicz. The latter Kid is better known, thanks primarily to his connection with and later full integration into the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, but the earlier Kid enjoyed a prolific 14-year life span in comics.
The two Kids wore different outfits: Clay Harder had bright blond hair and wore an all-black suit with a placard shirt, a broad-brimmed black hat, and packed two long-barreled pistols with individual overlapping gun belts, while Matt Hawk wore a similar outfit only with an orange-and-black spotted vest, a slightly narrower-brimmed hat, two pistols on a single gun belt, and a black mask covering the top half of his face. At one point later in the second series, some of the original Kid's adventures were retouched to make him look like the newer Kid for reprints.
Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, creators of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, concocted the new Kid to make the character resemble a superhero with a secret identity in order to stimulate sales for the title.
The character appears in the 2010 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
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...
: The Sensational Seven.
A contemporaneous version of the character appears in Six Guns.
Fictional character biography
The character's original name was Matt Hawk but a story in the 2000s retconRetcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned that his true last name was Liebowicz. He was a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, who was inspired to fight evil as a masked crimefighter of the 19th-century American West by the stories of the fictional Two-Gun Kid, Clay Harder. After being trained in combat by the gunfighter Ben Dancer, Liebowicz assumed the dual identities of Matt Hawk and the Two-Gun Kid. With his horse Cyclone, his partner "Boom Boom" Brown, and a pair of pistols, he became one of the West's most prolific heroes, often teaming up with 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...
, Kid Colt
Kid Colt
Kid Colt is the name of two fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first is a cowboy whose adventures have taken place in numerous western themed comic book series published by Marvel...
, or the Phantom 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...
. In one of his first adventures he fought an alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
, and in other early outings he fought criminals who could only be called supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s. During one adventure, he was brought to the present day via time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
and joined the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team of the Avengers
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...
. He fought alongside them before leaving to wander America alongside his teammate 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...
, and eventually returned to his own time, occasionally making a cameo appearance in other Western tales or stories of time travel.
The Two-Gun Kid: Sunset Riders miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
revealed that Liebowicz had married, only for his wife to die during childbirth; this series also revealed that the Kid had brought a cache of modern weapons back with him from the future. The later 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....
depicted the Kid as retired from gunplay, now going by the name of Clay Harder and working as a full-time lawyer. The Rawhide Kid convinced him to return to action, but the Two-Gun Kid died in battle against the racist mercenary Nightriders, alongside his old partners Kid Colt and 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...
.
Return of the Two-Gun Kid
In She-HulkShe-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
vol. 2, #3, Jennifer Walters, after dealing with the Time Variance Authority
Time Variance Authority
The Time Variance Authority is a fictional organization, a group of timeline monitors in the Marvel Universe. They first appeared in Thor vol. 1 #372 .-Fictional background:...
, is given the chance to free one time-traveling Avenger out of continuity limbo. She chooses the Two-Gun Kid. It's clarified that his heroic nature prevents him from being returned to his own time, as he would inevitably try to fix things.
In present time, he learns his previous modern-day encounters with the Avengers has resulted in his law license and other paraphernalia being kept in an Avengers safety-deposit box. Once he learns She-Hulk works for a law-firm, Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway
Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway
Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway is a fictional law firm featured in the pages of the She-Hulk comic books - named after Marvel Founders Martin Goodman, Stan Lee, under his birth name Stanley Lieber, and Jack Kirby, using his birth name Jacob Kurtzberg - published by Marvel Comics...
, he tries to become her colleague. He comes to the conclusion he will never be able to catch up on current laws and becomes a bounty hunter in issue #5. His first catch is the supervillain Bushwacker
Bushwacker (comics)
Bushwacker is a fictional character, a supervillain in the , who is primarily an enemy of Daredevil, although he has had dealings with the Punisher and Wolverine. He first appeared in Daredevil #248 ....
.
For a time he rooms with the Awesome Android, who had reformed and was also an employee for the firm. Liebowicz travels using a twin-engine jet cycle, donated to him by his superhero friend 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...
.
During the company-crossover story arc "Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
", Liebowicz became a bounty hunter and works alongside She-Hulk, helping her to apprehend supervillains. He was later sent to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to lead the Desert Stars
Desert Stars
Desert Stars is a fictional superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. The group of heroes are the official Arizona Fifty State Initiative team and were created by Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli.-Fictional history:...
team of the Fifty State Initiative
Fifty State Initiative
The Fifty State Initiative, often referred to as simply The Initiative, is a fictional governmental plan that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to The Avengers...
. In this capacity he is injured in Avengers: The Initiative #16, but is recovered by Avengers: The Initiaive Special #1.
The Marvels Project
In The Marvels ProjectThe Marvels Project
The Marvels Project is a 2009-2010 eight-issue comic book limited series written by Ed Brubaker with art by Steve Epting and published by Marvel Comics. It details the origins of Timely Comics-era superheroes in the Marvel Universe such as Captain America, Namor, the Human Torch and the Angel....
, a 2009 eight-issue miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
that explores events in the Marvel Universe leading up to the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the dawn of superheroes, the Two-Gun Kid is seen as an elderly patient of Dr. Thomas Halloway. He captivates Halloway with stories of a coming "Age of Marvels," which detail the exploits of the Avengers and other modern-day Marvel heroes. Halloway believes Hawk/Liebowicz's stories are fantasies generated by his advanced age and senility. After Hawk passes away, Halloway learns Hawk bequeathed him his mask and guns, inspiring him to become the superhero the Angel. In the epilogue to the final issue, Hawk - now referred to as Matt Hawkins - is seen in the present day as a young man, accompanying Steve Rogers
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
(Captain America) to the home of Halloway's grandson, Jason, to once again bequeath the mask and guns, as well as Halloway's journal, in the hopes that Jason will follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
Other versions
A new modern-day version of the character, a teenager, stars in the five-issue ensemble miniseriesMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Six Guns (#1-4 cover-dated Jan.-March 2012), by writer Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.-Career:Diggle took over editing 2000 AD...
and artist Davide Gianfelice, and also starring the extant female mercenary Tarantula and new contemporary versions of the Marvel Old West heroes Tex Dawson a.k.a. the Western Kid
Western Kid
The Western Kid is a fictional Old West character in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe, and the star of Western feature published by Marvel's 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics.-Publication history:...
; the Black Rider
Black Rider (comics)
The Black Rider is a fictional Western character in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in All-Western Winners #2 , from the company's 1940s forerunner, Timely Comics.-Publication history:...
; and Matt Slade.