Tenderfoot Annual [1963]

[1962] 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), based on promotional photograph.

Contents:

 2 Riders of the Range endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Tenderfoot Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 7 Gunsmoke at Ghost Cayon text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

22 Buffalo Bill illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

23 A Volume of Trouble w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1209 [Sugarfoot] (Oct 1961 - Dec 1961).

34 Guns Along the Brazos! board game; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

36 Calamity Jane illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

37 Tumbleweed Terror text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

45 Strangers on the West-Bound Stage w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Wagon Train (Dell) #12 (Jan 1962 - Mar 1962).

49 The Vanishing Twins text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

59 Trail to Justice w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1209 [Sugarfoot] (Oct 1961 - Dec 1961).

80 General George Crook illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

81 Lone Star Pay-Off text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

87 Secret of Red River Falls text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

94 Riders of the Range endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Much changed in content, the annual also makes sure that readers are aware of its place among other titles available, playing on the Jeff Arnold strip with the name of its endpaper, displaying the clothes worn by three eras of ranchers - the Spanish vaquero, an 1830s Texas cowboy, and the modern clothing. The informative elements are continued through features of Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, and General George Crook, though as only a paragraph or two of text accompanies each page it is questionable if any of the title's readers learned anything new.

A lively board game, with extremely bright and attractive artwork, may feel as if it has been slipped in from another annual, but it does, at least, provide much amusement - play it with a competitive eight-year-old, and you will soon discover the appeal of these inclusions.

Tom sees a sign hanging over a shop which advertises books for sale. Told that the books come from the collection of Jud Baker, whose widow is selling them to raise money. After browsing, he purchases several titles, including one titled The History of Judicial Law in America, before riding off. Two men enter the shop looking for that specific book, and the shopkeeper informs them of the prior sale, and the direction Tom took when departing. The men chase after their quarry, and make their move when they see Tom sleeping.

Awakening, he reprimands the men for stealing, but before he can retrieve his property is knocked unconscious - deciding to retrieve his saddlebags, he trails the men...

With a rather straightforward story, only briefly touching on Tom's established personality as a student of the law, this doesn't play to the strengths of the series. Indeed, this could easily have been a tale penned for Bonanza, or Gunsmoke, or any number of series - while there is nothing wrong with generic tales (often a source of great enjoyment), it is a shame that so original a property fall so strongly to such storytelling.

The curiously-titled Strangers on the West-Bound Stage is an extremely simple story, though told well, concerning a prisoner's escape attempt. Almost a detective story dressed in western garb, it bears no relation to the series the annual ought to be covering, though is fine enough to warrant inclusion.

Newspaper impartiality, the rule of law, and wrongful sentencing are at the heart of Trail to Justice, which is the kind of story which perfectly suits Tom Brewster's character, and reminds the reader of the legal angle which has been such an integral part of the series. While there are slightly too many coincidences to make the narrative credible, the handling is intelligent and the art satisfactory,

Not as impressive as the inaugural edition, though with far more originated material to compensate for the dilution of ideas.

[1962]

Tenderfoot Annual