by Paul Green
Zombie Western: It Came from the West
(2007) [Puppet animation; Denmark; WW]
Voice Cast: Niels-Peter Henriksen as Virgil, Tor Fruergaard as Indian, Kim Jeppesen as Eddie, Carsten Reinholdt as Jack; Producer: Soren Fleng; Story: Tor Fruergaard, Sissel Dalsgaard; Director: Tor Fruergaard; 17 min.; Happy Flyfish; Color.
Native Indians raise the dead and unleash zombies in response to the terrorizing Dark Butcher.
Zombie Western: The Legend of the Dark Butcher
(2008) [Puppet animation; Spain-Denmark; WW]
Story: Juanjo Ramirez, Alby Ojeda; Directors: Tor Fruergaard, Juanjo Ramirez; 75 min.; Perro Verde Films, Happy Flyfish; Color.
Fourteen-year-old Virgil lives in an Old West saloon with his vicious, Indian-hating father. When his father slaughters an Indian family, he awakens an ancient curse and flesh-eating zombies rise from their graves seeking revenge.
Based on the 17-minute short Zombie Western: It Came from the West. First part of a proposed trilogy.
Zorro
(1957) [TV Series]
The adventures of Don Diego de la Vega alias Zorro, masked champion of the oppressed. Disney's TV series featured traditional stories apart from “The Ghost of the Mission” which had a Weird Menace theme reminiscent of Western “B” movies from the 1930s.
1. “The Ghost of the Mission” (1:04) [WMW]
Air date: October 31, 1957; Main cast: Guy Williams as Don Diego de la Vega / Zorro; Guest Cast: Britt Lomond as Capitan Monastario, Romney Brent as Padre Felipe, Jan Arvan as Don Ignacio Torres; Story-Director: Norman Foster; 30 min,; Walt Disney Productions; b/w.
Zorro spreads the rumor of a mad monk haunting a church where Torres is being held captive, then impersonates the “ghost” of the mad monk to enable Torres to escape from Monastario.
See: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
2. Comic book
First publication: Four-Color #920 (June 1958); Art: Alex Toth; Publisher: Dell Publishing Co.
Adaptation of the TV episodes “Zorro Rides to the Mission” and “The Ghost of the Mission.”
3. [Animated TV series; WW]
Air date: September 20, 1997; Voice Cast: Michael Gough as Don Diego / Zorro, Jeannie Elias as Isabela, Patrick Fraley as Don Alejandro, Tony Pope as Sgt. Garcia, Earl Boen as Capt. Montecero; 30 × 26 min.; Fred Wolf Films; Color.
The well-known story of Don Diego de la Vega alias Zorro in the West of the 1800s is injected with supernatural and steampunk elements in this animated TV series.
Season One
To Catch a Fox (1:01); Sting of the Serpent-God (1:02); Night of the Tolchen (1:03); The Beast Within (1:04); The Enforcer (1:05); Two Zorros Are Better than One (1:06); Tar Pit Terror (1:07); A King's Ransom (1:08); The Pirates of San Pedro (1:09); The Anti Zorro (1:10); Valley of the Manbeast (1:11); The Revenge of the Panther (1:12); The Iron Man (1:13)
Season Two
The Samurai and the Sorcerer (2:01); The Poison Pen (2:02); Vision of Darkness (2:03); The Case of the Masked Marauder (2:04); Return of the Conquistadors (2:05); The Hunter (2:06); The Raiding Party (2:07); The Four Horsemen (2:08); The Nightmare Express (2:09); The Ice Monster Cometh (2:10); The Secret of El Zorro (2:11); The Nordic Quest (2:12); Adios, Mi Capitan (2:13)
4. [Novel; WW]; Author: Isabel Allende; First Puplication: 2005; Publisher: HarperCollins.
A re-imagining of Zorro that incorporates elements of magic into the story. Born to a Indian Shoshone mother and Spanish military father, Diego is influenced by both worlds and sympathizes with the plight of the Native Americans.
Zorro Escarlata en la Venganza del Ahorcado
(1958) [Film; Mexico; WW]
Premiere: December 11, 1958; Main Cast: Luis Aguilar as Luis, alias El Zorro Escarlata, Fernando Fernández as Captain Orellana, José Eduardo Pérez as Riccardo Carrion, Irma Dorantes as Gloria Carrion, Pascual García Peña as Pascual; Producer: Luis Manrique; Story: Antonio Orellana, Luis Manrique, Fernando Fernández; Director: Rafael Baledón; Filmadora Mexicana; Spanish; b/w.
A Frankenstein-type monster with a witch for a mother is pursued by El Zorro Escarlata. Divided into three segments: “The Son of the Sorceress,” “The Rope of the Hanged Person” and “The Secret of the Revived One.”
Zorro: La Espada y la Rosa
(2007) [TV series; Mexico]
Premiere: February 12, 2007; Main Cast: Christian Meier as Diego de la Vega / El Zorro, Marlene Favela as Esmeralda Sánchez de Moncada, Arturo Peniche as Fernando Sánchez de Moncada, Harry Geithner as Comandante Ricardo Montero de Avila, Andrea López as Mariángel Sánchez de Moncada; Story Executive: Humberto “Kiko” Olivieri; Executive Producers: Patricio Wills, Hugo León Ferrer; 122 × 60 min.; Telemundo–RTI Productions, Sony Pictures Television International, Zorro Productions Inc.; Spanish; Color.
This telenovela, set in California and Spain of the 1850s, includes popular elements of melodrama, romance and family intrigue but also explores supernatural themes such as mystical Indians, witches, an exorcist and demon possession.
Zorro's Fighting Legion
(1939) [Film serial; WMW]
Premiere: December 16, 1939: Main Cast: Reed Hadley as Don Diego de la Vega / Zorro, Sheila Darcy as Volita, Carleton Young as Benito Juarez, Edmund Cobb as Manuel Gonzalez, William Corson as Ramon, Leander De Cordova as Governor Felipe; Screenplay: Ronald Davidson, Franklin Adreon, Morgan Cox, Sol Shor, Barney A. Sarecky; Producer: Hiram S. Brown Jr.; Directors: William Witney, John English; 212 min.; Republic Pictures; b/w.
Don Diego de la Vega attempts to discover the truth behind self-proclaimed god Don Del Oro, who is worshipped by the Yaqui Indians. Del Oro manipulates the superstitious Mexican villagers and dispatches his enemies with arrows of gold.
Chapter titles: 1. The Golden God; 2. The Flaming “Z”; 3. Descending Doom; 4. The Bridge of Peril; 5. The Decoy; 6. Zorro to the Rescue; 7. The Fugitive; 8. Flowing Death; 9. The Golden Arrow; 10. Mystery Wagon; 11. Face to Face; 12. Unmasked
Appendix:
Weird Westerns by Genre
Animated Film
Burst Angel: Infinity
BraveStarr: The Movie
The Good, The Bad and Huckleberry Hound
Queen Emeraldas
Quick Draw El Kabong
Zombie Western: It Came from the West
Zombie Western: The Legend of the Dark Butcher
Animated Television Series
The Addams Family
The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
Back to the Future
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Beany and Cecil
Beetlejuice
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
BraveStarr
Buford and the Galloping Ghost
Burst Angel
El Cazador de la Bruja
Il Corsaro Cocco Bill
Cosmic Cowboys
Cosmo Warrior Zero
Cowboy Bebop
Coyote Ragtime Show
Desert Punk
Duckula
Felix the Cat
Futurama
Galaxy Express 999
Ginga Tetsudô Three-Nine
Grenadier
Gun Frontier
Gun X Sword
Justice League
Justice League Unlimited
Legion of Super Heroes
Lilly the Witch
The Lone Ranger
The Matty’s Funnies with Beany and Cecil
Les Nouvelles Aventures de Lucky Luke
Outlaw Star
Posse Impossible
Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long
Rocket Robin Hood
The Ruff & Reddy Show
Saber Riders and the Star Sheriffs
Sei Jushi Bismark
Seihou Bukyou Outlaw Star
The Simpsons
Sunabozu
Tom Terrific
Trigun
Uchū Kaizoku Kyaputen Hurlock
What’s New Scooby Doo?
Wild ARMs: Twilight Venom
Wild West C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa
Yogi’s Space Race
Zorro
Animated Theatrical Short
Boos and Arrows
Boos and Saddles
Felix the Cat in Eats Are West
The First Bad Man
Phantom of the Horse Opera
Pink Panic
Sioux Me
Tom and Jerry
Authors
Bates, Harry
Brackett, Leigh
Brautigan, Richard
Burroughs, Edgar Rice
Burroughs, William S.
Dorn, Edward
Ellis, Edward Sylvester
Enton, Harry
Gemmell, David
Heinlein, Robert A.
Howard, Robert E.
King, Stephen
Lansdale, Joe R.
McCarthy, Cormac
Moore, C. L.
Norton, Andre
Reed, Ishmael
Resnick, Mike
Senarens, Luis
Williams, Lon
Book Anthology
California Sorcery (see “Lone Star Traveler”)
Custer’s Last Jump and Other Collaborations
Dead Man’s Hand: Five Tales of the Weird West
Little Gods
Love in Vein: Twenty Original Tales of Vampiric Erotica
Mad Amos
Night of the Cooters: More Neat Stories
Razored Saddles
The Shadows Kith and Kin
Tales from the Texas West
Weird Western Adventures of Haakon Jones
Book Character
Hosteen Storm
Tiger Lily
Book Series
Fallen Cloud Saga
Comic Book [titles featuring WW stories]
Action Comics
Adventures into the Unknown
The Adventures of Mendy and the Golem
All-New Booster Gold
All-Star Western
Astonishing
The Avengers
Batman
Best of the West
Black Panther
Black Rider
Blue Bolt Weird Tales of Terror
Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders
Bonanza
Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery
Bulls-Eye
Buster Crabbe
Captain Marvel Adventures
Captain Marvel Jr.
Creepy
Crux
Daredevil the Man Without Fear
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born
Dead in the West
Desperadoes
Desperadoes: Banners of Gold
Desperadoes: Buffalo Dreams
Desperadoes: Epidemic!
Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave
Djustine: Tales from the Twisted West
Doc Frankenstein
Don Simpson’s Bizarre Heroes
Dracula Lives
The Durango Kid
Fantastic Four
Femforce
Forbidden Worlds
Green Lantern
Gunsmoke: Blazing Stories of the West
Howdy Pardner
Journey into Mystery
Justice League of America
Justice League Unlimited
Kid Colt, Outlaw
Legends of the DC Universe
Lobo Elseworlds
Lucky Luke
The Marvel Family
Master Comics
Mystery in Space
The New Adventures of Superboy
The New Mutants
Omega Chase
Out of the Night
Paragon Western Stars
Pulp Heroes
Rawhide Kid
Rogue Angel: Teller of Tall Tales
Sensation Comics
She-Hulk
Skeleton Hand in Secrets of the Supernatural
Straight Arrow
Strange Adventures
Strange Tales
Super Spook
Superboy
Superman & Batman: Generations III
Superman Batman
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen
Tales of the Unexpected
Thor
Tim Holt
Tomahawk
Two-Gun Kid
Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories
Western Tales of Black Rider
Whiz Comics
Wild Western
Wonder Woman
X-Force
Zorro
Comic Book [Weird Western titles]
Aguila Solitaria
Alter-Nation
American Wasteland: Blood and Diesel
Bad Moon Rising
The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty
The Ballad of Utopia
Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities
Bisley’s Scrapbook
Blazin’ Barrels
Blood and Shadows
Bounty Killer
Chains of Chaos
Chickasaw Adventures
Colt the Armadillo
Cowboys & Aliens
Daisy Kutter: The Last Train
Dances with Demons
The Dead Rider
Deadlands One Shot
Death Comes to Dillinger
Demon Gun
Desperadoes
Desperadoes: Banners of Gold
Desperadoes: Buffalo Dreams
Desperadoes: Epidemic!
Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave
Djustine: Tales from the Twisted West
Dusty Star
Fear Agent
Fiction Clemens
Fourth Horseman
General Jack Cosmo Presents
Generation Hex
The Grave Doug Freshley
Graveslinger
Grenadier
Gun Blaze West
Gunfighters in Hell
Gunplay
Guns of the Dragon
Gunslingers
Heroes Reborn: Rebel
Hex
High Moon
Holliday
Hong on the Range
Interplanetary Lizards of the Western Plains
Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex: Riders of the Worm and Such
Jonah Hex: Shadows West
Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo
Jonas: Tales of an Iron Star
Just a Pilgrim
Just a Pilgrim: Garden of Eden
Justice Riders
Kid Colt and the Arizona Girl
Latigo Kid Western
The Legend of Joe Moon
Life with Snarky Parker
Lone
Lone Ranger and Tonto
Macabre Western
Madame Tarantula
The Mighty Marvel Western
The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson
Night’s Children: Red Trails West
Outlaw Files
Peace Party
Preacher
Preacher: Saint of Killers
Priest
Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker
Richfield Presents Rockets and Range Riders
Robotika
Roswell, Texas
Seasons of the Reaper
Seven Soldiers
Shaman’s Tears
Shaolin Cowboy
Sinbuck
Six Gun Samurai
Solar Boy Django
Space Western Comics
Steampunk
Strange Westerns Starring The Black Rider
Strangeways: Murder Moon
Sundown Arizona
Texas Strangers
13 Chambers
Tom Arvis’ Wayout West
Tribal Force
Trigun
The Valley of Gwangi
Vartàn
Vengeance of the Vapor
Wasteland
Weird Business
Weird Western Tales
Western Legends
Western Tales of Terror
Wild Times: Deathblow
Wynonna Earp
Zagor
Comic Book Artist
Ayers, Dick
Black, Bill
Keller, Jack
Matsumoto, Leiji
Nightow, Yasuhiro
Powell, Bob
Severin, John
Sullivan, Vincent
Comic Book Character(s)
Abraham
Absalom
Aguila Solitaria
American Eagle
The American Gun Club
Bat Lash
The Bird Man
Black Bison
Black Blaze
Black Crow
Black Phantom
Blackbow the Cheyenne
Buckaroo Banzai
Buckaroo Betty
Il Cavaliere del Texas
Cimarron
Cinnamon
Cocco Bill
Coeur Blessé
Coffin
Cowboy Gorilla
Cowgirls from Hell
Danielle Moonstar
Dawnstar
Dick Demon
Doctor Saturn
Drago
El Diablo
Firehair
Flaming Star
Ghost Rider
Gorilla Gunslinger
The Haunted Horseman
The Haunter
Hawkgirl
Hawkman
Hurricane
Jonah Hex
Judok
Lash LaRue
The Lemonade Kid
Magico Vento
Manitou
Mantoka, Maker of Indian Magic
The Masked Marvel
Max Mercury
Mirage
Night Rider
Nighthawk
Owlwoman
Ozark
Paragon
Pariah
The Phantom Rider
Pow-Wow Smith
The Presto Kid
Psyche
Quicksilver
Rakar
The Rangers
Ravenstorm
