The first Lone Ranger comic book series by Dynamite was fantastic. I loved every issue from the creative team of by Brett Matthews and Sergio Cariello. It was truly geeky kool. The previous series ended with Matthews bringing to conclusion the Cavendish storyline.
Dynamite pulled in a new creative team and took the new series in a new direction with a new numbering. This series focus is on the story after the Lone Ranger deals with the outlaw who killed his fellow rangers. The storyline of Hard Country in Issues 1-6 was fun. As fun as it was, it was not at the level of the first series. Can it ever achieve that level again?
Credits:
The Lone Ranger -Issue # 7
Writer: Ande Parks
Artist: Esteve Polls
Colorist: Marcelo Pinto
Letters: Simon Bowland
Cover Art: Francesco Francavilla
Price: $3.99
Plot: (Major Plot Spoilers)
Tonto has been critically injured in the previous issues. His request was for the Lone Ranger to take him to the Ute tribe. Most of this issue is a flashback issue to three years earlier. This was prior to Tonto saving the Ranger.
The flashback has Tonto as a tribesman in the Ute. This issue focused on Tonto’s relationship with his wife, and son. It deals with Tonto’s interaction with his tribe and how Tonto tries to bring peace and respect to all in the tribe.
The tribe is split on dealing with the white man. The Chief desires to remain at peace and continue to live their lives but a group wants to follow another tribe into raiding and possible war.
The rouge tribe attacks and kills a settlement. The Ute tribe is blamed by the U.S. Calvary. This sets up the next issue and the apparent tragedy that comes upon Tonto.
Review:
Art:
The Cover Art is phenomenal. Francesco Francavilla is nominated for a Eisner Award for cover art. I still prefer the cover art of John Cassaday in the previous series overall but the cover art of this issue is great .
The inside art is good. This art has good details and shading. The buffalo and the horses are drawn perfectly. This issue is not perfect. At times, it reminds me of a 70’s style western comic.
The art has a very different feel than than Cariello. It just doesn’t have the ease and flow of Cariello in the previous series. The art is this issue is good but not great.
Story/Plot:
I really enjoyed this story. This is the best written comic in the new series. I loved the use of flashback to tell some of Tonto’s back story. It demonstrates that the Ute people were often nomadic and not a unified nation.
My REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this issue. I love getting a Tonto flashback. He is a character without an in depth backstory that is interesting to explore further. At times, the story was stronger than the art.
Grade: B+
