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''Boys' Ranch'' was a six-issue American comic book series created by the veteran writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for Harvey Comics in 1950. A Western in the then-prevalent "kid gang" vein popularized by such film series as "Our Gang" and "The Dead End Kids", the series starred three adolescents—Dandy, Wabash, and Angel—who operate a ranch that was bequeathed to them, under the adult supervision of frontiersman Clay Duncan. Supporting characters included Palomino Sue, Wee Willie Weehawken, citizens of the town Four Massacres, and various Native Americans, including a fictional version of the real-life Geronimo. Noted for its use of single and double-page illustrations, the series has been lauded as one of Simon and Kirby's most significant creations. It was briefly revived through reprints in 1955, and all six issues were reprinted in a hardcover edition by Marvel Comics in 1991 with an introduction by Jim Simon. ==Publication history== Western-style adventures involving boys in ranch settings were already present in American popular culture with the juvenile fiction of authors such as Frank V. Webster〔See for example ''The boy from the ranch or, Roy Bradner's city experiences''. By Frank V. Webster. New York: Cupples & Leon, 1909.〕 and Dale Wilkins 〔See for example ''The Long trail boys at Sweet Water Ranch, or, The mystery of White Shadow''. By Dale Wilkins. Philadelphia: J.C. Winston, c1923.〕 as well as the 1946 MGM film, ''Boys' Ranch''. By the late 1940s, the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby was enjoying the commercial success of the duo's ''Young Romance'' and ''Young Love'' romance comics titles,〔Evanier, Mark (2008). ''Kirby: King of Comics''. New York: Harry N. Abrams, pp. 72, 80. ISBN 978-0-8109-9447-8.〕 and had formed a studio that employed artists such as Mort Meskin, Steve Ditko, John Prentice, Marvin Stein, Bruno Premiani, George Roussos, Bill Draut, and others.〔 In 1950, Simon & Kirby launched two new titles: ''Black Magic'', for the Crestwood Publications imprint Prize Comics, and ''Boys' Ranch'' for Harvey Comics (which had previously published two short-lived Simon–Kirby titles, ''Stuntman'' and the ''Boy Explorers'', in 1946).〔 According to a biographical page in one of the issues, Simon and Kirby claimed they had spent ten years researching what became ''Boys Ranch'', traveling to Texas, Wyoming, and Arkansas. They were influenced by the films of early western actor and director William S. Hart.〔Simon, J.; Kirby, J. (1991). ''The Kid Cowboys of Boys' Ranch''. New York: Marvel Comics, p. 208. ISBN 0-87135-859-X.〕 They had previously created the successful kid-gang features the ''Newsboy Legion'' and ''Boy Commandos'' for DC Comics.〔Pustz, Matthew (1999). ''(Comic Book Culture: Fanboys and True Believers )''. Jackson: Univ. Press of Mississippi, p. 28. ISBN 1-57806-201-2.〕 Simon in his autobiography recounted a casual meeting in September 1950 with Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, who had dropped by Harvey Comics' offices, and showing Siegel art from various upcoming series: Launched in the wave of a western trend in American comic books,〔Rhoades, Shirrel(2008). ''A Complete History of American Comic Books''. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 47.〕 the series debuted with an October 1950 cover date as a 52-page, bimonthly series. It lasted six issues (Oct. 1950 – Aug. 1951). The original cover title was ''The Kid Cowboys of Boys' Ranch'', shortened to ''Boys' Ranch'' after two issues; the subhead "Featuring Clay Duncan" remained throughout. Each issue featured a single page pinup at the beginning of the book along with a two-page centerspread.〔Harvey, R.C. (1996). ''(The Art of the Comic Book – An Aesthetic History )''. Jackson: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 265. ISBN 0-87805-758-7.〕 Each issue rounded off with various text and Western and Native American information pages such as "Boys' Ranch Club News", "How Cowboys Say It", "How To Ride a Horse", and "Now You Can Make Your Pair of Western Moccasins". According to Harry Mendryk, Boys' Ranch comprises two distinct groups. "The first three issues featured work by Kirby (with one exception), had three stories per issue, and the stories were longer. For the final issues there is much less use of Kirby, only two stories per issue, and shorter stories. Actually each final issue had a single story, but broken into two chapters." The first three issues average around thirty story pages; the last three issues average about twenty. The last three feature special "theme" stories, the US Cavalry Army,〔''Boys Ranch'' #4〕 the Pony Express,〔''Boys Ranch'' #5〕 the Great Train Robbery.〔''Boys Ranch'' #6〕 At least one of the themes was inspired by John Ford films; issue #4 was thought to show an influence from Ford's 'Cavalry Trilogy'.〔Brevoort, Tom Preface. (1991) ''The Kid Cowboys of Boys' Ranch''. By Joe Simon; Jack Kirby. New York: Marvel Comics. ISBN 0-87135-859-X. The Cavalry Trilogy comprises ''Fort Apache'' (1948), ''She Wore A Yellow Ribbon'' (1949), and ''Rio Grande'' (1950).〕 Besides Simon and Kirby, Mort Meskin, Marvin Stein, and Charles Nicholas 〔Evanier, Mark (2009)''The Best of Simon & Kirby''. London: Titan Books, 180〕 are credited as contributors in the latter issues, with Meskin given pencil and inks credits on "I'll fight you for Lucy!"〔 and inks over Kirby pencils on "The Bugle Blows at Bloody Knife."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Boys' Ranch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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