Tenderfoot Annual [1961]

[1960] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Will Hutchins.

Painted cover by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Tenderfoot Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited), based on promotional photograph.

 6 Contents illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 7 A Dollar's Worth of Law w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1059 [Sugarfoot] (Nov 1959 - Jan 1960).

19 The Stallion Trail w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #992 [Sugarfoot] (May 1959 - Jul 1959).

41 Eye Witness w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #907 [Sugarfoot] (May 1958).

53 Delayed Justice w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1059 [Sugarfoot] (Nov 1959 - Jan 1960).

73 Brannigan's Boots w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited), based on the teleplay by Devery Freeman, based on the teleplay by Fran Davis & Winston Miller, based on the magazine story by Michael Fessier; a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #907 [Sugarfoot] (May 1958).

93 Avalanche Trap text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Cheyenne (Dell) #11 (May 1959 - Jul 1959).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

There's a great look to the first Tenderfoot Annual edition, capturing the likeness of Will Hutchins wonderfully. The background is, in a nice touch, extremely detailed, proving that World Distributors could deliver with truly outstanding presentation when in possession of a property which really captured the imaginations of their artists.

Jake Perkins follows Tom out of Sand Ridge to ask him for help, giving the Tenderfoot his lucky silver dollar in exchange for getting his mine back from the men who stole it - telling Tom that he never learned to read, Jake has no idea what the men got him to sign. Agreeing to see the men, so he can understand the facts in the case, Tom returns to the Boulder Canyon mine with Jake.

Although sympathetic to Jake's plight, it seems that the men's claim to the mine is legally sound, albeit a morally dubious claim. After a scuffle with the mine's new owners, Tom and Jake leave. When they are discussing matters Tom is suddenly re-energised, and he drags Jake with him to the Carson Assay Office, in the next county, much to the surprise (and confusion) of the old miner.

A wonderfully clever story, hinging on points of law to bring its conclusion to a satisfactory resolution, A Dollar's Worth of Law is a fantastic piece of scripting, with a clear problem for Tom to solve. The art is stylish enough to compensate for the rather spartan pages - there are numerous panels devoid of background detail, differentiated by a selection of random colours. It isn't so much of a problem to detract from the sheer joy, or the audacity, of the story.

Early one morning in the foothills of New Mexico, a group of horse hunters wait, as their leader watches a figure in the valley.

Tom rides through the valley, entirely unaware of eyes on him. The men descend to greet him, and tell the Tenderfoot that the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are private property. Tom explains that he is trailing wild horses, and they invite him to work with them in tracking the herd down. Promising Tom the black stallion he has his eye on, they finally locate the herd. When Emmett Clark breaks his word about the stallion, Tom rides off.

During the night Lon, who has become friends with Tom, steals the horse away from Emmett, and sells the horse to a dealer in town for two hundred dollars. Lon hands over one hundred and fifty to Tom, and tells him where to find Mr. Tate, the horse's new owner. Agreeing to work off the horse's cost, Tom begins work at Tate's ranch. The July 4th Jamboree provides the perfect opportunity to see how Diablo runs, in the Gala Horse Race. Tate asks Tom to ride for him, against Emmett Clark's horse Texas Boy.

Concluding in a bittersweet manner, which is both appropriate and rather sweet, The Stallion Trail is wonderfully detailed throughout, maintaining its sense of location in small ways. Although there are still some shortcuts taken, such as blank backgrounds, there are enough elaborately constructed scenes to make up for any of lightly fashioned pieces.

Eye Witness sees a rider named Tate Mason accompany Tom as he rides into Bonanza. Mason explains that he saw Notch Coberley kill Chips McKay, the man whose job he is assuming, and that the trial is taking place on the next day. As they continue their journey several shots ring out, and it seems Coberley's men have set to killing Mason. Tom and Tate come up with a plan to get away from the criminals, though Tate isn't as lucky as Tom...

The aspiring lawyer gets a lesson in the law, in a tale which doesn't quite manage to convince on its legal footing. If a single witness wasn't present, it seems unlikely that the entire case would be summarily dismissed, and there isn't a credible reason why Coberley's men didn't simply kill Tate rather than waylay him. More explanation of the muddied plot points could have eased any concerns about the leaps in logic which have to be vaulted.

This is the territorial prison at Yuma, Arizona. The most notorious prison in Western history. Many of the worst desperados of the time were confined here... And many tried to escape... But few made it. This is the story of two men who did escape...

Pike and Len Hobson, lifers who have ended up in the prison due to robbery and murder, manage to escape into the Colorado river where they swim for freedom. Someone fires at Tom as he rides into San Carlos, and when he informs the Sheriff about the shooting is told that the Hobson brothers robbed a bank around the time they rode with Tom. That night, when Tom is in bed, the brothers slip into his hotel room and tell Tom that he can clear their name.

A case of mistaken identity which doesn't hinge on lookalikes is always to be applauded, and the intelligent manner in which the case is laid forth makes for a refreshing read. It isn't perfect, with Tom's account being believed a little too readily, but for such a brief strip this manages to impress.

Annoyingly, Brannigan's Boots, the strip adaptation of the pilot episode, is the final strip to be collected here. It doesn't really make sense for such sloppy placement to go unnoticed, and one must conclude that the decision was deliberate.

Tom Brewster rides into Bluerock... A small town obviously throbbing with election-day excitement...

Barney Turlock, the presiding Mayor, has taken office once more, with 429 votes to Joe Downey's 201 and Paul Evans' 123, the runners-up acting as the Mayor's Aldermen. As part of the celebrations a horse race is arranged, an entry fee of five dollars bringing the winner one hundred dollars, which TOm is eager to take. Turlock waives the entry fee for Tom, and he starts strongly but is thrown at the finish line - despite this, the race is declared a tie with Katie Brannigan. As a tie-breaker, a shooting contest is prepared. Although the loser, Tom is offered the job of Sheriff of Bluerock - earning him a hundred dollars a month.

The stagecoach carrying the town's mail - along with Tom's latest exam for his correspondence course - is robbed, leaving Tom with little option but to take the job. The first bit of business Tom tackles is the murder of Katie's father, the previous Sheriff, and he soon narrows the list of suspects to two men.

Exquisitely drawn, and with enough internal logic to make for a satisfying read, this is the annual's finest moment, which makes its placement at the back of the book a complete mystery. Indeed, there isn't a faltering step taken anywhere. The inclusion of Billy the Kid, as incentive for people to comply with Turlock's will, seems a tad less imaginative than other incidents, but it works to the advantage of displaying Tom's use of his brains over his fists. Or, indeed, his guns.

A brilliant collection of strips from a fantastic television series.

Tenderfoot Annual

[1962]