The Lone Ranger (comicbook version)

The Lone Ranger is a masked Texas Ranger in the American Old West, who gallops about righting injustices with the aid of his clever, laconic Indian friend, Tonto. Departing on his white stallion, Silver, the Lone Ranger would shout, "Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!". As they galloped off, someone would ask, "Who was that masked man, anyway?"

Tonto usually referred to the Lone Ranger as "Ke-mo sah-bee", supposedly meaning either "trusty scout" or "trusted friend." These catchphrases, his trademark silver bullets, and the theme music from the William Tell Overture have become tropes of popular culture. This character has become an enduring icon of American culture. He was created by George W. Trendle and developed by writer Fran Striker.

Born from a radio series, the Lone Ranger has enjoyed a series of reincarnations in comicbook form. In 1948, Western Publishing, with its publishing partner Dell Comics, launched a comic book series which lasted 145 issues. This originally consisted of reprints from the newspaper strips (as had all previous comic book appearances of the character in various titles from David McKay Publications and from Dell). However, new stories by writer Paul S. Newman and artist Tom Gill began with issue #38 (August 1951). Some original content was presented as early as #7 (January 1949), but these were non-Lone Ranger fillers. Newman and Gill produced the series until its the final issue, #145 (July 1962).[43]

Tonto got his own spin-off title in 1951, which lasted 31 issues. Such was the Ranger's popularity at the time that even his horse Silver had a comic book, The Lone Ranger's Famous Horse Hi-Yo Silver, starting in 1952 and running 34 issues; writer Gaylord DuBois wrote and developed Silver as a hero in his own right. In addition, Dell also published three big Lone Ranger annuals, as well as an adaptation of the 1956 theatrical film.

The Dell series came to an end in 1962. Later that same year, Western Publishing ended its publishing partnership with Dell Comics and started up its own comic book imprint, Gold Key Comics. The new imprint launched its own Lone Ranger title in 1964. Initially reprinting material from the Dell run, original content did not begin until issue #22 in 1975, and the magazine itself folded with #28 in 1977.[44] Additionally, Hemmets Journal AB published a three-part Swedish Lone Ranger story the same year.[citation needed]

In 1994, Topps Comics produced a four issue miniseries, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, written by Joe R. Lansdale and drawn by Timothy Truman.[45] One of the major changes in this series was the characterization of Tonto, who was now shown to be a very witty, outspoken and sarcastic character even willing to punch the Lone Ranger during a heated argument and commenting on his past pop-culture depictions with the words, "Of course, quimo sabe. Maybe when we talked I should use that 'me Tonto' stuff, the way they write about me in the dime novels. You'd like that, wouldn't you?".[46]

The first issue of a new Lone Ranger series from Dynamite Entertainment by Brett Matthews and Sergio Cariello shipped September 6, 2006. It has started as a six issue miniseries, but due to its success, it has become an ongoing series by the same team. On September 15, 2006, Dynamite Entertainment announced that The Lone Ranger #1 had sold out of its first printing. A second printing of the first issue was announced; a first for the company.[47] The series has received an Eisner Awards nomination for best new series in 2007. True West magazine awarded the publication the "Best Western Comic Book of the Year" in their 2009 Best of The West Source Book! And in 2010 Dynamite released "The Lone Ranger avenges The Death of Zorro".

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