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Rio #1-4
Rio: The Complete Saga
Rio was Doug Wildey's masterpiece, a Western hero unlike any ever seen before in comics. Collected in its entirety in a single volume, this book presents all of Wildey's published Rio stories, as well as two new graphic novellas.
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 28, 2021
This was really good. I'm a fan of Western Comics 1970s and later, as the 50s and 60s stuff just seems a little too hokey at times. This was some of the better Western comics I've read, right up there with my favorite, Jonah Hex. (I write weird western novels myself, so Jonah Hex will always be at the top of my list.)
Doug Wildey is better known for creating Johnny Quest, but his work here shows that's just the tip of the iceberg as he's a very talented creator. These are classic western stories but they never get campy or silly. He includes some historical characters such as Jesse James, Geronimo, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and others, although its fictionalized versions of them showing how they interact with the main character, Rio.
We have revenge stories, backrobbers, and everything else a great western needs. The artwork is great, a realistic style that fits the stories perfectly.
If you have any interest in western comics at all this is worth a read. For that matter, if you have any interest in western art (Andrew Wyeth, etc.) you should give this a chance. Highly recommended.
Doug Wildey is better known for creating Johnny Quest, but his work here shows that's just the tip of the iceberg as he's a very talented creator. These are classic western stories but they never get campy or silly. He includes some historical characters such as Jesse James, Geronimo, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and others, although its fictionalized versions of them showing how they interact with the main character, Rio.
We have revenge stories, backrobbers, and everything else a great western needs. The artwork is great, a realistic style that fits the stories perfectly.
If you have any interest in western comics at all this is worth a read. For that matter, if you have any interest in western art (Andrew Wyeth, etc.) you should give this a chance. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2015
Offhand, I can't think of many great Western comics. Doug Wildey's Rio is one. "the tall man," as Rio is often called--when he isn't called Rio, the only given name he seems to possess--is a pretty typical Western-style hero: rangy, laconic, good (and fast) with his guns, but only in a good cause--now, at least, that he has retired from his days as an outlaw--wily, tough, you name it--all the things Clint Eastwood was in his best Western roles. And we get pretty much all the cliches--bandits, stagecoach robberies, shootouts, high-stake card games--even including occasional echoes of classic Westerns. Rio also seems to have travelled in fancy circles, given how implausibly many well-known historical figures he manages to run into in these stories. But they are fun stories, generally leisurely-paced and circuitous, and beautifully and richly rendered in a very realistic style by Wildey. Good straight-up shoote-'em-up fun stuff.
February 17, 2014
I'm not a big fan of Westerns -- although I do appreciate the genre -- but this book really got to me. Wildey's gripping storyline, his realistic art, and the very character of Rio all make for one of the best reads of the year so far. I'm very tempted to give this one five stars.
Plus, I want to go back and watch the old Johnny Quest cartoons, as I did all the time as a kid.
Plus, I want to go back and watch the old Johnny Quest cartoons, as I did all the time as a kid.
February 13, 2014
Some absolutely wonderful art and fairly good stories by Wildey. A large portion of the work here is unfinished, which is understandable, but an awful lot of the lettering is rough - looks like an artist's edition in many places. It seems the lettering could've been cleaned up, but I suppose this is what IDW wanted. A must for Western fans.
October 14, 2013
Superb. Terrific writing, great art - this book is western done right.
August 19, 2018
This was a second reading. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the Rio stories and the art.
June 16, 2019
Great stories, and the art is masterfully done.
June 1, 2020
Gorgeously drawn Western comics by the creator of Johnny Quest. A lot of detail in the art.
The story is pretty great too, about a former outlaw trying to make his way as a law-abiding citizen in the West. He moves around a lot and uses his shooting skill to do odd jobs like temporary sheriff or riding shotgun on a stagecoach. And he keeps running into other former outlaws like Jesse James and Doc Holliday who are also trying to go legit, with varying levels of success.
The story is pretty great too, about a former outlaw trying to make his way as a law-abiding citizen in the West. He moves around a lot and uses his shooting skill to do odd jobs like temporary sheriff or riding shotgun on a stagecoach. And he keeps running into other former outlaws like Jesse James and Doc Holliday who are also trying to go legit, with varying levels of success.
June 16, 2020
OVERALL RATING: 3 stars (6 out of 10)
Art: 3 stars
Writing Style/Quality: 3 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Pacing: 4 stars
Characterization: 3 stars
World Building: 3
Art: 3 stars
Writing Style/Quality: 3 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Pacing: 4 stars
Characterization: 3 stars
World Building: 3
March 19, 2023
Some of the best Western comics ever produced.
May 29, 2014
Offered amnesty by Ulysses S. Grant, the gunslinger Rio becomes a special agent working directly for the president. Settlers are a settlin' in the wild west, clashing with the Indians, and Rio's gotta find answers. Indians have the US Army surrounded at Satan's Doorstep, and Rio's gotta negotiate. A criminal mastermind has taken over an entire town, and Rio's gotta take him down. Etc etc. It ain't easy, but our hero is an American, so he faces his duty bravely and with a sanity I would not expect to find in a cowboy.
Along the way, Rio runs across lots of historical figures, and I ain't gonna spoil who, but I realized what was happening after the first time I thought "hm, that sounds familiar" and consulted Wikipedia. Suffice to say the name-dropping is reputation-making, the foreshadowing is spine-tingling, and Rio's interaction with these historical figures feels natural. Nothing like the ideologically-biased appeals to authority you'd find in a time-travel yarn.
If you read European comics at all, you may be fooled into thinking Wildey is European, but no: this is American old school (1983-1992) authentic. The author is the artist and it shows in the love and attention to detail.
Never really dug westerns. Plenty of ponies, sure, but no aliens. (Certainly no space marines!) I can't even remember why I started reading this; certainly didn't know Wildey was the guy who created Johnny Quest. But I can say for sure you don't need to be a fan of westerns to enjoy this one.
Along the way, Rio runs across lots of historical figures, and I ain't gonna spoil who, but I realized what was happening after the first time I thought "hm, that sounds familiar" and consulted Wikipedia. Suffice to say the name-dropping is reputation-making, the foreshadowing is spine-tingling, and Rio's interaction with these historical figures feels natural. Nothing like the ideologically-biased appeals to authority you'd find in a time-travel yarn.
If you read European comics at all, you may be fooled into thinking Wildey is European, but no: this is American old school (1983-1992) authentic. The author is the artist and it shows in the love and attention to detail.
Never really dug westerns. Plenty of ponies, sure, but no aliens. (Certainly no space marines!) I can't even remember why I started reading this; certainly didn't know Wildey was the guy who created Johnny Quest. But I can say for sure you don't need to be a fan of westerns to enjoy this one.
October 18, 2016
A few months back, I picked up some Johnny Quest comics at the local bodega in one of those sealed "3 back issues for $3" packages. One issue was written and illustrated by Doug Wildey, who I was not previously familiar with. It was such a striking issue that I looked into his other
Rio is masterwork; it's a long semi-serialized but mostly episodic story of a gunfighter turned lawman named Rio. Wildey's art in this (especially in the later stories) is absolutely gorgeous. The best panels here are among the most wonderful comic art I have ever seen. The stories are also quite compelling. Despite being written in the 80s and 90s, Rio sits somewhere between the traditional western and the revisionist western in it's style. There's a few cringeworthy moments (mostly in the final unfinished story which has a Mexican gang as its villain) but he largely does a good job of bringing out the humanity in all his characters.
Rio is masterwork; it's a long semi-serialized but mostly episodic story of a gunfighter turned lawman named Rio. Wildey's art in this (especially in the later stories) is absolutely gorgeous. The best panels here are among the most wonderful comic art I have ever seen. The stories are also quite compelling. Despite being written in the 80s and 90s, Rio sits somewhere between the traditional western and the revisionist western in it's style. There's a few cringeworthy moments (mostly in the final unfinished story which has a Mexican gang as its villain) but he largely does a good job of bringing out the humanity in all his characters.
July 20, 2012
His what-some-might-say crude coloring technique gives this book a great DIY feel. His mixed media approach and color pallete choices added with his classic illustatration style is a beauty to behold. Strong sequential narrative abilities combined with the western genre, Mr. Wildey is a comic craftsman. Get this.
August 8, 2019
As good as any John Ford western
Created by Doug Wildey, creator of the great Jonny Quest, Rio is a lone gunman in the way of Clint Eastwood's man with no name. The plotting of the stories is tight, the artwork beautiful. Seriously, this is as much a favorite as Deadwood.
Created by Doug Wildey, creator of the great Jonny Quest, Rio is a lone gunman in the way of Clint Eastwood's man with no name. The plotting of the stories is tight, the artwork beautiful. Seriously, this is as much a favorite as Deadwood.
July 12, 2015
3.5 stars
The stories are solid but Doug Wildey's outstanding art is the real star of this collection.
The stories are solid but Doug Wildey's outstanding art is the real star of this collection.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews