By Beau Smith The Manly Question Of The Week  Is Your Ass Branded? I look forward to hearin’ your always manly answers, amigos. Beau’s Manly Comic Of The Week Ya know, we live in a time of very few truly manly characters in comics. It’s just like the movies. Where have all the truly manly stars gone? Let’s speak the truth. Ya can’t put actors like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Tom Cruise in the same manly class as John Wayne, Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. Those were men. These new guys are boys. Same in comics I’m afraid to say. Well, I’m here once again to give y’all an education. A manly education. I’ve pulled these comics from my personal stash here at The Flying Fist Ranch. Once long time ago, even before I was born there was a real man in comics. His name was John Hawk… Sky Pilot The Fighting Missionary Of The Far North.   Sky Pilot #10 and Sky Pilot #11 - cover painting by Norm Saunders. In 1950 Ziff-Davis comics gave us two issues of head bustin’, teeth spillin’, lumberjack whuppin’ action. There were two wonderful issues of Sky Pilot. Issue #10 in 1950 and issue #11 in 1951. That was it. There were no more. These comics had beautiful painted covers by the Alex Ross of his day-Norm Saunders. Norm was noted for not only his comic book covers, but those of paperbacks and magazines as well. Please take the time to check out some of Norm’s great work at http://www.normansaunders.com. You will love it and feel more manly for doin’ it. The interior art was done by the much under rated Frank Borth. There is a great bio on Frank at http://www.americandreamshow.com/Frank_Borth.htm  The Intro Of Sky Pilot - art by Frank Borth Getting’ back to Sky Pilot. As you can see by the covers he was a real man. Decked out in so much flannel he would make Larry Young green with flannel envy. John Hawks did most of his talkin’ with his fists. When things got a little tough he always had his bull whip to cut the odds down. There is one great scene in the comic where some hopped up lumberjack is beatin’ on a helpless Eskimo. Sky Pilot sees this and steps in. As he is removing the lumberjack’s teeth with his knuckles Sky Pilot says this “The meek shall inherit the Earth, as it is written, but sometimes they need a little help.” Almost every time he gets into a fight, which is most of the issue, he spouts off a few lines of scripture to those that sorely need it. I’ve gotta say, this book has some of the best fight scenes in comics. Frank Borth knew his stuff when it came to fightin’. From teachin’ boxin’ I can testify that Sky Pilot was truly a boxer and a real fightin’ man. In issue #10 he goes up against murderin’ claim jumpers, the deadly Lumber Pirates and then goes toe to toe with what looks to be an Elmer Fudd on steroids. There is also a great story of Snow Fang. A half wolf, half malemute that makes Lassie look like a poop eatin’ puppy. Issue #11 has Sky Pilot up against a crazed claim jumper that will stop at nothin’ to kill anyone that gets in his way. He also whups ass on some really nasty mountain men that have been attackin’ Eskimo supply trains. Again I cannot stress how much action there is in these books. Manly action. Not a bunch of sissy speed lines and manga face slaps. If there was a character I’d love to haul back into comics it’s be Sky Pilot-The Fighting Missionary Of The Far North. Beau’s Manly Fans Of The Week What’s one of my Busted Knuckles columns without a super hottie in it? Ugly that’s what. So here is a photo that was sent to me this past week to add to my Temple Of Testosterone website The Flying Fist Ranch Manly Fan Section. This one was sent in from Christie and her group of friends that all swear they are Wynonna Earp fans. I’m sure not gonna argue with pretty ladies like these. I thought I’d share this lovely photo with y’all. Like I said…what’s Busted Knuckles without a super hottie? Enjoy.  Christie And Her Fellow Wynonna Earp Fans A Manly Adios Well, that wraps up this entanglement of testosterone for this week. I hope that y’all feel more manly than when ya walked in. Just to keep ya posted. I’ve already started getting’ tons of submissions in from last weeks Bussted Knuckles where I asked artists to send me their stuff for me to critique. I’m workin’ on em’ already. So keep em’ comin’ in. I’m man enough for the job. My Five Manly Questions will be comin’ back real soon. I’ve been travelin’ the country collectin’ new ones for your readin’ pleasure. So look for em’ real soon. As always there are things for ya to do.
Your amigo, The Flying Fist Ranch P.O. Box 706 Ceredo, WV. 25507 http://www.flyingfistranch.com |
