Far West (comics) explained
| Far West |
| Schedule: | monthly |
| Format: | standard |
| Limited: | Y |
| Genre: | Fantasy Western |
| Publisher: | Antarctic Press |
| Date: |
Feb. 2000–Apr. 2000
2008 |
| Startmo: | Nov. |
| Startyr: | 1998 |
| Endmo: | May |
| Endyr: | 1999 |
| Issues: | (1998–1999) 4
(2000) 2
(2008) 1 |
| Main Char Team: | Ra'Meghan Val'Norium (Meg)
Phil |
| Creators: | Richard Moore |
| Tpb: | Far West |
| Isbn: | 978-1561632978 |
| Tpb1: | Far West Pocket Manga Vol. 1 |
| Isbn1: | 978-0980125542 |
| Sort: | Far West |
Far West is a comic book limited series created by Richard Moore and published by Antarctic Press. The setting is an industrial age Western-style secondary world full of creatures such as elves, dwarves, centaurs and other fantasy creatures.
Plot
Meg, a half-elf gunslinger and her partner Phil, a talking grizzly bear.[1] As bounty hunters, they are hired to capture an outlaw who uses a fire-breathing dragon to rob trains. They later come into conflict with a gang of ogres led by the notorious Moonshine Kid.[2] In their latest adventure, they pursue a fugitive into the haunted Badlands and have to fight against an evil spirit called Kodiki who can transform himself into the physical manifestations of their worst fears.[3]
Publication history
The Far West storyline consisted of four issues published in Nov. 1998 – May 1999; a second volume consisting of two issues, published in Feb.–Apr. 2000; and a full-color one-shot published in 2008.
Collected editions
- Far West (NBM Publishing, 2001) — includes "Dragon Train" parts 1–4,[4] "Hole in the Head Gang" parts 1 and 2, and a bonus story — "Pookah Party"[5]
- Far West Pocket Manga Vol. 1 (Antarctic Press, 2008)
- Far West: Badder Mojo (Antarctic Press, 2009) — includes "Bad Mojo" and "Badder Mojo". It was the first book of the series to be published in color.[6]
Cast
Main characters
- Ra'Meghan Val'Norium – Half elf, half Native American gunfighter who usually wears a breech cloth, assless chaps, and a bowler hat. Meg is tough, foul-mouthed, and short-tempered, but has a good heart and is loyal to her sidekick and the memory of her beloved father.
- Phil – Meg's sidekick who is a crackshot with a winchester rifle. Unlike the wild Meg who loves gambling, getting drunk and starting fights, Phil is more calm and restrained.
Villains
- Darian Voss – Elf train-robber who lives in Troll country and is recognisable for his muttonchop sideburns and handlebar moustache.
- Moonshine Kid – A bandit trapped in a child's body after drinking the elixir of life.
- Hole-in-the Head Gang – The Kid's dim-witted ogre henchmen
- High-Top – A snake oil salesman who tries to kill Meg after losing a game of poker. Meg kills him by poisoning his beer with a flesh-eating water demon.
- Bellboy – A lecherous dwarf bribed by High-Top to put a water demon in Meg's bath.
- Phooka – A goat faced goblin capable of changing his shape.[7]
- Sheetfire – A goblin who sold the dragon to Darian Voss.
Others
- Cyrus Shaldak – Detective who leads the Blackhawk Posse.
- Blackhawk Posse – A rival gang of bounty hunters who take the credit by bringing in Voss's body.
- Blind Man – Insane hermit who tries to warn Meg about the dragons
- Trolls – The equivalent of cowboys who wrangle fire-breathing dragons.
External links
Notes and References
- Far West Vol. 1, #1 – "Dragon Train"
- Far West Vol. 2, #1 – "Hole in the Head Gang"
- http://www.antarctic-press.com/html/version_01/viewgallery.php?id=889 Far West: Bad Mojo preview
- http://www.zone-sf.com/wordworks/farwestrm.html Far West Review by Amy Harlib
- Richard Moore's Far West, Antarctic Press paperback edition (1998)
- http://richardmooreart.wordpress.com/about Richard Moore blog
- Pookah Party: very early Far West story found in the Pocket Manga.
