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Rawhide Kid (Collected editions)
Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather
A true legend isn't made, it's born. His name was Johnny Bart, but most everybody called him Rawhide Kid. Where he was from and where he would remain, like most legends, is cloaked in mystery. But one thing was for If you saw the Kid riding into your town, things would never be the same again. This is one such tale. Howard Stern Show writer Ron Zimmerman and legendary Western comics artist John Severin take aim at the lovable red-headed Western scamp we know as The Rawhide Kid. What happens when the Rawhide Kid rides into one of those beleaguered Western towns on the edge of nowhere, looking better than any cowboy has a right to? What happens when a gang of desperadoes ride into the same town with the intent of lootin' and pillagin'? What ensues proves that no one handles a hot rod like the Rawhide Kid. Collects Rawhide Kid #1-6.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 8, 2010
Good Lord, this book is Hilarious! I was literally laughing my ass off the whole time! I used to read old "Rawhide Kid" "Kid Colt" and "Two-gun Kid" comics many years ago when I was a kid, so I saw this graphic novel at Half Price Books and I saw it was in Marvel's "MAX" line of more adult type comics, so what the heck.
I had no idea what I was in store for.
I guess originally the Kid was, aside from being a great gun-fighter, markedly shy and embarrassed around women.
Well this new take on The Rawhide Kid explains all that...
*** !!! *** SPOILER ALERT *** !!! ***
He's Gay, and what's more he is openly Gay. The result is just the funniest thing I have read in a long time! And here is the beauty of it, the book does not come off as hostile to, or making fun of Gay people! No, the beauty of it is you are laughing with The Rawhide Kid as he makes his witty, catty and sarcastic remarks! Occasionally you are laughing at the character who happens to be Gay, but like I said, it does not seem to be derogatory to Gays in general. (Most of the Gay people that I am friends with have good senses of humor and I think most of them would love this book. There, that was a positive generalization, but is it bad because it is a generalization?)
I found myself loving this character, indeed all the characters were brilliant including some spoofs on other western personalities. The gang of outlaws were also truly hilarious, (I'm sorry to use that word so much but it is appropriate!) and make use of virtually all known "western" cliches to great comic effect!
And here is something else remarkable about this book, the artist John Severin was 82 when he did this and his work is just fantastic! He was the original artist for "The Rawhide Kid" and his handling of this ground-breaking, sensitive and humorous approach to this character is nothing short of remarkable!
If you like to laugh I recommend this Book!
(unless you are homophobic, in which case, I pity you.)
I had no idea what I was in store for.
I guess originally the Kid was, aside from being a great gun-fighter, markedly shy and embarrassed around women.
Well this new take on The Rawhide Kid explains all that...
*** !!! *** SPOILER ALERT *** !!! ***
He's Gay, and what's more he is openly Gay. The result is just the funniest thing I have read in a long time! And here is the beauty of it, the book does not come off as hostile to, or making fun of Gay people! No, the beauty of it is you are laughing with The Rawhide Kid as he makes his witty, catty and sarcastic remarks! Occasionally you are laughing at the character who happens to be Gay, but like I said, it does not seem to be derogatory to Gays in general. (Most of the Gay people that I am friends with have good senses of humor and I think most of them would love this book. There, that was a positive generalization, but is it bad because it is a generalization?)
I found myself loving this character, indeed all the characters were brilliant including some spoofs on other western personalities. The gang of outlaws were also truly hilarious, (I'm sorry to use that word so much but it is appropriate!) and make use of virtually all known "western" cliches to great comic effect!
And here is something else remarkable about this book, the artist John Severin was 82 when he did this and his work is just fantastic! He was the original artist for "The Rawhide Kid" and his handling of this ground-breaking, sensitive and humorous approach to this character is nothing short of remarkable!
If you like to laugh I recommend this Book!
(unless you are homophobic, in which case, I pity you.)
February 13, 2025
Set in 1895
Really liked this one.
A fantastic reimagining of the classic Western hero, with great artwork and a fresh, engaging story. Rawhide himself is a standout character, and the writer’s decision to make him gay adds a unique and modern twist that sets him apart from the generic cowboy protagonists of the '50s and '60s. The classic Rawhide Kid comics were quite often formulaic, and tolerable at best, at some point there was simply no development like most western pulp stories, but this version brings sharp dialogue, an interesting narrative, and a much-needed dose of personality.
The nods to Little House on the Prairie were a fun touch, adding a layer of charm to the story, which is one of my personal guilty pleasures from when I was a kid. Nostalgia! At its core, the plot delivers compelling themes: a father struggling with his son’s disappointment after being humiliated by outlaws, and a gunslinger who is both near-perfect with a weapon and burdened by a dark past. It’s a solid read, blending action, humor, and depth in a way that makes it stand out from traditional Western comics.
"Oh no.. Do all the angels in heaven dress as bad as Laura Ingulls?"
Really liked this one.
A fantastic reimagining of the classic Western hero, with great artwork and a fresh, engaging story. Rawhide himself is a standout character, and the writer’s decision to make him gay adds a unique and modern twist that sets him apart from the generic cowboy protagonists of the '50s and '60s. The classic Rawhide Kid comics were quite often formulaic, and tolerable at best, at some point there was simply no development like most western pulp stories, but this version brings sharp dialogue, an interesting narrative, and a much-needed dose of personality.
The nods to Little House on the Prairie were a fun touch, adding a layer of charm to the story, which is one of my personal guilty pleasures from when I was a kid. Nostalgia! At its core, the plot delivers compelling themes: a father struggling with his son’s disappointment after being humiliated by outlaws, and a gunslinger who is both near-perfect with a weapon and burdened by a dark past. It’s a solid read, blending action, humor, and depth in a way that makes it stand out from traditional Western comics.
"Oh no.. Do all the angels in heaven dress as bad as Laura Ingulls?"
April 25, 2015
So many people were upset when this came out, either because the Rawhide Kid had been declared gay, or because it was offensive to gay people. Yes, there are stereotypes in this book, but it works for one reason: it's funny. A lot of sins can be forgiven if something is entertaining. This series is. And it's not just a bunch of gay jokes, either. There are lots of things to laugh at in here. Fun.
July 15, 2023
Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather is Ron Zimmerman's 2003 retooling of the Rawhide Kid legend. The big controversy behind this book was that through all the thinly veiled hints and innuendo, it's supposed to be implied that the Rawhide Kid was gay. Here's the thing, I don't think Rawhide is really gay. I think it's one big joke that fans of Marvel Westerns are in on and the prank was pulled on the House of Ideas.
The late Ron Zimmerman was among things besides a comic book writer, he was also a stand-up comedian and satirist. I think Zimmerman took the idea of homo-eroticism in Western lore, especially with cowboys, got Marvel on board and took a chance to make his version of Blazing Saddles.
The entire story was a comedic farce. There's absolutely nothing serious here. The mayor of the town is an ancestor of the Bush family (He looks like W too!). There are also ancestors of some of your favorite funny men from 60s and 70s sitcoms. Icons of the classic TV Westerns such as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Cartwrights of Bonanza and many more guest star as well. Only the spelling of the characters is changed slightly; probably to avoid copyright issues. Slap Leather is satire. Slap Leather is parody.
The addition of comic book legend John Severin on artwork added some gravitas to this project. It's probably why Marvel to this day still claims the Rawhide Kid as an LGBTQ+ icon. Severin was an artist on the original Rawhide Kid series. Yet I am telling you, this 5 issue miniseries is anything but serious. If this book was published in the 70s or 80s, today's readers would probably criticize it today as being unsympathetic or homophobic. But Zimmerman pulled the wool over everybody's eyes and was able to take a whole lot of stereotype and humor about gays and somehow fooled everyone into thinking that this was a book full of pride. But I think it's really a secret thumb-nose to any and everyone on both sides of the issue.
That's not to say that this wasn't a funny read. The gang of outlaws who seek to 'rape and pillage the town' of Wells Junction are hilarious. They're totally incompetent and yet their wordplay is so clever. Catastrophe Jen is one of the best Western comics characters to be introduced in the past 40 years! The banter between the inept Sheriff and his son who is embarrassed by the lawman's lily-liver was so brilliant. I thought Rawhide was great too in how he interacted with the Sheriff's bratty child. The scene where the Kid wants the townsfolk to leave before high noon and they all get insulted by not being recruited to help save their homes. Such great irony! I just felt that the part that everyone circles the wagons around, Rawhide's sexuality, was actually the joke and not some big step in helping the homosexual community become less marginalized.
If you are a fan of Westerns. If you can overlook the change to Marvel canon. If you can laugh at humor that is far from P.C., you will like this book. You might think I am wrong and decide that Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather really is pro-LGBTQ+. That's okay if you do. Just as it's appropriate for me to think that the joke is on you!
No matter what, this is an essential classic of modern comics. It's just up to the reader to decide what merits of this work make it a paradigm of sequential art.
The late Ron Zimmerman was among things besides a comic book writer, he was also a stand-up comedian and satirist. I think Zimmerman took the idea of homo-eroticism in Western lore, especially with cowboys, got Marvel on board and took a chance to make his version of Blazing Saddles.
The entire story was a comedic farce. There's absolutely nothing serious here. The mayor of the town is an ancestor of the Bush family (He looks like W too!). There are also ancestors of some of your favorite funny men from 60s and 70s sitcoms. Icons of the classic TV Westerns such as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Cartwrights of Bonanza and many more guest star as well. Only the spelling of the characters is changed slightly; probably to avoid copyright issues. Slap Leather is satire. Slap Leather is parody.
The addition of comic book legend John Severin on artwork added some gravitas to this project. It's probably why Marvel to this day still claims the Rawhide Kid as an LGBTQ+ icon. Severin was an artist on the original Rawhide Kid series. Yet I am telling you, this 5 issue miniseries is anything but serious. If this book was published in the 70s or 80s, today's readers would probably criticize it today as being unsympathetic or homophobic. But Zimmerman pulled the wool over everybody's eyes and was able to take a whole lot of stereotype and humor about gays and somehow fooled everyone into thinking that this was a book full of pride. But I think it's really a secret thumb-nose to any and everyone on both sides of the issue.
That's not to say that this wasn't a funny read. The gang of outlaws who seek to 'rape and pillage the town' of Wells Junction are hilarious. They're totally incompetent and yet their wordplay is so clever. Catastrophe Jen is one of the best Western comics characters to be introduced in the past 40 years! The banter between the inept Sheriff and his son who is embarrassed by the lawman's lily-liver was so brilliant. I thought Rawhide was great too in how he interacted with the Sheriff's bratty child. The scene where the Kid wants the townsfolk to leave before high noon and they all get insulted by not being recruited to help save their homes. Such great irony! I just felt that the part that everyone circles the wagons around, Rawhide's sexuality, was actually the joke and not some big step in helping the homosexual community become less marginalized.
If you are a fan of Westerns. If you can overlook the change to Marvel canon. If you can laugh at humor that is far from P.C., you will like this book. You might think I am wrong and decide that Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather really is pro-LGBTQ+. That's okay if you do. Just as it's appropriate for me to think that the joke is on you!
No matter what, this is an essential classic of modern comics. It's just up to the reader to decide what merits of this work make it a paradigm of sequential art.
August 16, 2019
That was disappointing on just about every level.
The artwork was plain. The storyline was boring. A fairly typical Western gunfight premise where a bunch of bad guys are trying to "get" the good guy, and it all comes down to a question of who is the quicker draw. The ONE good thing about Rawhide Kid is that he is a fantastic shot and fighter. This competence is especially noteworthy (and a relief) because--
Rawhide Kid is very, very camp.
For all that almost every cover used guns as placeholders for penises? There wasn't very much gay happening here. The Rawhide Kid was just a vain, well-dressed dandy who made some innuendo. He never actually got a boyfriend, so there was no romance here, nor was there any sex or nudity. If you were hoping to use this comic as some sort of cheap porn, you will be sorely disappointed.
The only other bit of praise I could possibly give this abomination, aside from the fact I'm grateful they let the gay main character be competent at something, is that he was admired by a little boy character. The sheriff's son admired Rawhide Kid and did a variation on "Come back, Shane" at the end. This title wasn't out all that long ago. 2003? But even at that, it feels noteworthy that the writers took the time to portray an adolescent boy admiring a gay man. (Not that Rawhide Kid got to be "out," so it's not like the kid had any idea who exactly he was admiring.)
This was just awful. The warning of adult content on every cover was misleading. There wasn't even sufficient gore or violence to justify the warning on the cover. No gay sex (or any kind of sex, actually), very little violence, almost no gore, just... Nothing. That makes all the "adult content" warnings just offensive. We're just supposed to find homosexual innuendo to be "adult content." Not even mentioning gay sex. Not even mentioning having a husband or a boyfriend. Just innuendo alone is "adult content." Fuck that.
For all that I should be grateful that someone made a gay main character, it's not really a victory if he's just a joke.
Fuck you, Marvel in 2003.
The artwork was plain. The storyline was boring. A fairly typical Western gunfight premise where a bunch of bad guys are trying to "get" the good guy, and it all comes down to a question of who is the quicker draw. The ONE good thing about Rawhide Kid is that he is a fantastic shot and fighter. This competence is especially noteworthy (and a relief) because--
Rawhide Kid is very, very camp.
For all that almost every cover used guns as placeholders for penises? There wasn't very much gay happening here. The Rawhide Kid was just a vain, well-dressed dandy who made some innuendo. He never actually got a boyfriend, so there was no romance here, nor was there any sex or nudity. If you were hoping to use this comic as some sort of cheap porn, you will be sorely disappointed.
The only other bit of praise I could possibly give this abomination, aside from the fact I'm grateful they let the gay main character be competent at something, is that he was admired by a little boy character. The sheriff's son admired Rawhide Kid and did a variation on "Come back, Shane" at the end. This title wasn't out all that long ago. 2003? But even at that, it feels noteworthy that the writers took the time to portray an adolescent boy admiring a gay man. (Not that Rawhide Kid got to be "out," so it's not like the kid had any idea who exactly he was admiring.)
This was just awful. The warning of adult content on every cover was misleading. There wasn't even sufficient gore or violence to justify the warning on the cover. No gay sex (or any kind of sex, actually), very little violence, almost no gore, just... Nothing. That makes all the "adult content" warnings just offensive. We're just supposed to find homosexual innuendo to be "adult content." Not even mentioning gay sex. Not even mentioning having a husband or a boyfriend. Just innuendo alone is "adult content." Fuck that.
For all that I should be grateful that someone made a gay main character, it's not really a victory if he's just a joke.
Fuck you, Marvel in 2003.
July 10, 2025
I wonder if I've read parts of this before, because some of it seemed familiar...
Anyway, this was a lot funnier than it had any right to be. The least funny aspect perhaps is the fact that the Rawhide Kid is gay, which in early 2000s mainstream comics parlance means flamboyantly so, there being not much nuance to how that might be expressed back then (heck, Brokeback Mountain wasn't even a thing yet. If it was, I'm sure Zimmerman would've made a mess of it). But there's so much heart and warmth to the character it's forgivable. All of the characters, really, even the villains, and it's a shame in the feels-rushed conclusion when most of them die. But I haven't laughed this much to a western since I played Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist
(if you liked this, it's recommended, even though it's probably hard to come by). Plus John Severin, one of my favorite artists growing up, made me feel like I was reading an elongated Cracked spoof. He draws the best endearing roughsters, hucksters and little kids. He would've done a mean illustrated Huckleberry Finn.
Anyway, this was a lot funnier than it had any right to be. The least funny aspect perhaps is the fact that the Rawhide Kid is gay, which in early 2000s mainstream comics parlance means flamboyantly so, there being not much nuance to how that might be expressed back then (heck, Brokeback Mountain wasn't even a thing yet. If it was, I'm sure Zimmerman would've made a mess of it). But there's so much heart and warmth to the character it's forgivable. All of the characters, really, even the villains, and it's a shame in the feels-rushed conclusion when most of them die. But I haven't laughed this much to a western since I played Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist
(if you liked this, it's recommended, even though it's probably hard to come by). Plus John Severin, one of my favorite artists growing up, made me feel like I was reading an elongated Cracked spoof. He draws the best endearing roughsters, hucksters and little kids. He would've done a mean illustrated Huckleberry Finn.
December 23, 2024
Great read with a great story; the main character, the Rawhide Kid, is a little unlikeable in places (I think the intent was sass, but it just comes across as really mean). The Rawhide kid is not as explicitly queer as I would've liked either.
I thought the ending was absolutely fantastic and rounded out multiple character arcs in one shot.
One little criticism not related to the comic is that it has a parental advisory slapped on the cover for explicit content, but I'm not entirely sure why. Yes, there is some blood, death, and swearing, however I feel this would put the book on a teen level. I hope the warning isn't there because of the Rawhide Kid's sexuality.
Regardless of my criticisms, I definitiely recommend this book and would like to read more.
I thought the ending was absolutely fantastic and rounded out multiple character arcs in one shot.
One little criticism not related to the comic is that it has a parental advisory slapped on the cover for explicit content, but I'm not entirely sure why. Yes, there is some blood, death, and swearing, however I feel this would put the book on a teen level. I hope the warning isn't there because of the Rawhide Kid's sexuality.
Regardless of my criticisms, I definitiely recommend this book and would like to read more.
March 19, 2025
This was hilarious. One of the funniest series I've ever read. This series was famous for making the Rawhide Kid gay, and while I am not a fan of retcons, I really didn't see what the big deal was here. It was interesting to see Severin do the art since he was such a classic western artist, and this series wasn't that type of classic. It was a good western story under the humor, however. There may have been a few too many pop culture references for some readers, as it did get campy at times, but for the most part I was laughing all the way through. If you are looking for something different, give this one a try.
Read
February 9, 2022Okay, so there was campy dialogue spoken by the Rawhide Kid that went way over the heads of the people he said it to. And the Rawhide Kid and others commented on how he dressed very fashionably. And there was gunfighting and fist fighting. The art, apparently by the original artist, was good. The character added some tired, superficial stereotypes, but I didn't think there was much "there" there. I haven't been terribly impressed by some of the representation "milestones" noted in Marvel's Pride comic. I was quite underwhelmed here.
May 11, 2024
Remember those stories in Mad Magazine, movie parodies full of sly cultural references to TV shows and other movies and contemporary politics? Now imagine if they went on for like 40 or so pages, and the jokes weren't so funny and the dialog wasn't so good. Oh, and it's supposed to be this milestone in bringing LGBT readers to your magazine, but the two clearly gay characters are walking, talking stereotypes. Yeah. That's what we have here.
February 10, 2022
Not sure I can get behind all the ways this comic seems to THINK it's deconstructing masculinity, but it does try to couch things as a parody, and for 2005 maybe it was ahead of its time.
I will say this:
He'll rides into town,
Shoot a man,
Shoot a load in a man,
And then ride outta town.
And I DO respect that...
I will say this:
He'll rides into town,
Shoot a man,
Shoot a load in a man,
And then ride outta town.
And I DO respect that...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2017
So silly fun, so stupid fun violence. And great, truly great art. What not to like?
August 20, 2018
This is a fun experiment of the MAX line about Rawhide Kid.
A good book, but if you are looking for something like Young Guns, try another book.
A good book, but if you are looking for something like Young Guns, try another book.
January 24, 2019
Sort of a new take on the classic Marvel western character, The Rawhide Kid. It's funny, a bit irreverent, a bit subversive. But it's fun. I enjoyed it.
January 20, 2021
When they retcon gay Joe Russo into being the rawhide kid and give him a Disney+ show homophobia will finally be defeated
November 11, 2008
When there is a lack of "gay characters" in any genre, TV, movies, etc., all kinds of watchers start placing lots of expectations on those few that do come out, pardon the pun. I am afraid such is the case with "The Rawhide Kid". The creators could have taken either a very serious approach, making the protagonist a character that is not to be mocked and is to be treated as seriously as Batman (the closet case), or the fun approach, the character nothing more than a cheap trick, a gawdy thrill. The creators chose the latter. The Rawhide Kid is a gossipy, bitchy queen with a keen fashion sense and tremendous pistol-handling abilities. The wisest among us will laugh along with it, but the rest will laugh at it first, and then dismiss it. Hence, four issues only in its run. The covers are amazing though.
Read
September 1, 2013Better than I expected. The notion of a flamboyantly gay gunfighter is intriguing, though the character often doesn't rise past stereotype. It reads a little like a tv script rather than a story, but it does have a strong central narrative.
February 9, 2016
A very "different" adult view of one Marvel's classic western heroes. Recommended but no for kids
Want to read
May 8, 2012Rawhide Kid is gay. My life is complete.
Read
April 29, 2017He is quick on the draw, a deadly shot and a snappy dresser; the old west's gay gunfighter The Rawhide Kid. Not what I was expecting but still a bit of fun. Lots of name dropping of old west notables. Even a couple of the Cartwright boys from "Bonanza" drop by.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews