Zane Grey's Hideout

 

cover artist unknown

Dell's Four Color #346 (August-October 1951) is an adaptation of the Zane Grey novel Wanderer of the Wasteland (1923). The comic book renames the story "Hide-Out." The original title is better and a more accurate indication of what the novel is about, but I suppose "Hide-Out was easier to fit on the cover.

Still, that's a minor criticism of what is a mostly good adaptation of a good novel. The script is by Gaylord Du Bois, whose skill as a comic book writer--in terms of story construction and pacing--impresses me every time I read something by him. The art is by Ray Thayer.

Adam Larey doesn't get along with his gambler brother Guerd, who isn't very good at gambling and always hitting up Adam for more money. This leads to a violent confrontation in which Guerd pulls a pistol on his brother. In the ensuing struggle, the guns goes off and Guerd is apparently killed. Adam flees into the desert. 

He nearly dies of thirst before he's found by a kindly prospector. Adam, thinking himself as a murderer, takes the name Wansfell and decides to live as a wanderer in the desert.

He has some trouble at first, losing his supplies and being forced to hunt for food with a sling-shot. He nearly dies from a rattlesnake bite, but is nursed back to health by some friendly Indians. An Indian girl falls for him and he has the option of staying with the tribe. But he's a wanted man and doesn't feel he has the right to make permanent connections.

Wansfell spends a decade in the desert, becoming something of a legend as he helps people in need. Eventually, he rescues a young lady named Genie from thugs and finds himself tasked with taking care of her after her mother dies.

He eventually finds another family to take in Genie. By this time, she's in love with Wansfell and the family offers him a home as well. But, well, he's still got that "I killed my brother" thing hanging over his head. He finally decides to return to the town where that happened and turn himself in.

Up to now, the story has been a good one. I've skipped over some of Wansfell's adventures in the desert before meeting Genie, but these are important parts of the story that keep the plot moving swiftly and believably building up Wansfell's legendary status. The ending, though, is an anti-climax. Though, to be fair, the novel suffers from the same problem.

Wansfell arrives in town and asks to see his brother's grave, admitting to his crime. But in the last panel, he's told that his brother had only been wounded and was still alive. The story abruptly ends here. We aren't told what happens next. Does Adam remain a wanderer suffering from Chronic Hero Syndrome? Does he return to that family and marry Genie? Does he feel like an idiot for not checking on his brother's fate 14 years earlier? We'll never know.

Still, it is overall a good story and well worth reading. You can read it online HERE. 

Next week, we'll take flight with the Blackhawks.