El Mestizo from Battle Picture Weekly and Valiant (4 June to 17 September 1977) - Compiled by A. Wallace

 

"El Mestizo" is a British comic war story published in the weekly anthology Battle Picture Weekly from 4 June to 17 September 1977 by IPC Magazines. Set during the American Civil War, the story follows a mestizo slave turned mercenary returning from Mexico to America in 1862. The story was written by Alan Hebden and drawn by Carlos Ezquerra.

Creation

Since starting work on Battle Picture Weekly on the strips "Rat Pack" and "Major Eazy", Carlos Ezquerra had rapidly become one of the comic's most popular artists by 1977. He was much in demand elsewhere, working with Pat Mills and John Wagner on designing Judge Dredd for new science fiction weekly title 2000 AD. Battle editor Dave Hunt wanted to keep Ezquerra, and assigned Alan Hebden - who had worked with the artist on "Major Eazy" - to create a story, especially for the artist, coming up with "El Mestizo". As it was, Ezquerra left as regular artist on "Judge Dredd" in controversial circumstances, and would remain with Battle for another year.

As with Eazy, Hebden drew on the Clint Eastwood-starring Dollars Trilogy of films, directed by Sergio Leone, both for the mysterious lead character and the historical setting.John Freeman would later suggest that Jimi Hendrix influenced the design of the character.

Publishing story

While Ezquerra greatly enjoyed both the comic and working with Hebden, but was aware the strip's unconventional nature - being the first in Battle to feature a black hero and the first (and last) story in the comic set in the American Civil War, and at the time one of the few not centred on World War II - meant it was unlikely to be popular with readers. He would recall that "England in the seventies was not the right place for this character".

Their predictions proved correct as it only lasted for 16 issues before the pair were returned to "Major Eazy". Hebden would later reflect it was "too radical a story for the readership of the time", and felt Ezquerra wouldn't have left Battle to draw "Strontium Dog" in Starlord if the strip had continued for longer

Since 2016, the rights to the story have been owned by Rebellion Developments. In 2018 they issued a hardcover collected edition of all 16 episodes under their Treasury of British Comics label,[10] shortly before Ezquerra's death.

Plot summary

A mysterious stranger appears in a Texas border town in 1862; with word of 'El Mestizo's deeds having already spread few are willing to tangle with him. He claims to be uninterested in the civil war being waged across America, instead having crossed from Mexico in pursuit of a murderer called Hutardo - though he has no reservations about taking on mercenary work for both Union and Confederate armies. He also pays a visit to the plantation in Alabama that he escaped from, visiting old friend Shelley and killing his former 'owner', only to see her mortally wounded by a group of Yankee brigands.

Collected editions

Title                Publisher                           Release date                        Contents

El Mestizo Rebellion Developments 15 November 2018  Material from Battle 4 June to                                                                                                17 September 1977

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Mestizo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Picture_Weekly

https://www.comicsreview.co.uk/nowreadthis/2018/12/29/el-mestizo/

https://www.comics.org/issue/1884889/

https://www.comics.org/issue/1884889/

59 pages taken from the Battle Picture Weekly and Valiant 

(IPC Magazines)

 #118 (4 June 1977) to #133 (17 September 1977)

 59 pages in white and black

Compiled by A. Wallace

Tales of the Mysterious Traveler #01 - #15 (1956 - 1985) Complete Series [Charlton Comics Collection]

 Charlton, 1956 Series

Published in English (United States) United States

 

Publication Dates: August 1956 - December 1985

Number of Issues Published: 15 (#1 - #15)

Color: color

Dimensions: Standard Silver Age US (#1-13); standard Modern Age US (#14, 15)

Paper Stock:

glossy cover; newsprint interior

Binding: saddle-stitched

Publishing Format: was ongoing series

Publication Type: magazine

Pages: 36    Indicia:  Frequency: bi-monthly

Tracking:

numbering continues with Tales of the Mysterious Traveler 

(Robin Snyder and Steve Ditko, 2015 series) #16

Notes

Partly adapted from an index by Mike Wileman.

The indicias of issues #1-2 and #4-13 say "Tales of the Mysterious Traveler".

The indicia of issue #3 says "Tales of the Mysterious Traveller".

Authors:

Script :

Joe Gill ?

Pencils :

Dick Giordano, Charles Nicholas, Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko), 

Tony Tallarico ?, Bill Molno,

Inks :

Vince Alascia, Dick Giordano,  Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko), 

Sal Trapani, Frank McLaughlin ?, 

Letters :

Jon D'Agostino

2000 AD ##1801 - #1850. Rebellion

   Publisher:  Rebellion

Publication Dates: 10 October 2001 - present

Number of Issues Published: 1051 (#1263 - #2313)

Color: colour with some stories in black and white; colour cover.
Paper Stock: glossy cover; white interior pages
Binding: Saddle-stitched
Publishing Format: Was Ongoing Series
Publication Type: magazine

Page: 32        Indicia Frequency: Every Wednesday

Notes

numbering continues from 2000 AD (Egmont Fleetway Ltd, 1996 series) #1204.

Under license from Rebellion.

Merged after #85 into 2000 AD and Starlord
Merged after #126 into 2000 AD and Tornado

Numbering continues with #178 from 2000 AD and Tornado

(IPC, 1979 series) #177

Numbering continues with 2000 AD (Fleetway Publications, 1987 series) 

#536 - #1013

Numbering continues with 2000 AD (Egmont UK, 2000 series) #1014 - #1204

Numbering continues with 2000 AD (Egmont UK, 2000 series) #1205

Numbering continues with 2000 AD (Rebellion, 2001 series) #1263

2000 AD #1801 - #1850  Rebellion

Publication Dates: 19 September 2012  / 18 September 2013

The Saga of Thane of Bagarth #24 - #25 (1985) Complete Series [Charlton Comics Collection]

1950 Series

Published in English (United States) United States

Publication Dates: October 1985 - December 1985

Number of Issues Published: 2 (#24 - #25)

Color:   Full Color

Dimensions:  Standard Golden Age U.S.

Paper Stock:   Glossy Cover; Newspring Interior

Binding:  Saddle-stitched

Publishing Format:  Was Ongoing

Publication Type:  magazine

Pages: 36    Indicia Frequency: bi-monthly

Tracking:

Numbering continues from ?

Authors:

Script :

Steve Skeates, Joe Gill ?, 

Pencils :

Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo (signed), Mike Zeck, Rudy Nebres (signed)

Steve Ditko, Maurice Whitman (signed)

Inks :

Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo (signed), Mike Zeck, Rudy Nebres (signed)

Steve Ditko, Maurice Whitman (signed)

Colors :

Wendy Fiore

Letters :

Jim Aparo, Mike Zeck, Jon D'Agostino

Six-Gun Heroes #01 - #23 (1950 - 1953) Fawcett - Complete Series

 

Fawcett, 1950 Series

Published in English (United States) United States

Publication Dates: March 1950 - November 1953

Number of Issues Published:  23 (#1 - #23)

Color:   Full Color

Dimensions:  Standard Golden Age U.S.

Paper Stock:   Glossy Cover; Newspring Interior

Binding:  Saddle-stitched

Publishing Format:  Was Ongoing

Publication Type:  magazine

Tracking:

numbering continues with Six-Gun Heroes (Charlton, 1954 series) #24

Notes:

Information on Fawcett Comics' annual sales of Six-Gun Heroes from mid-1950s 

is taken from the book "Juvenile Delinquency" (from 1950).

CIRCULATION DATA

1950 (First 6 months) - 532,010

Authors:

Script, Pencils, Inks, Colors & Letters: ??