The final five
issues of the original series. From what I gather it wasn’t canceled from low
sales, but the author felt he could take the character as far as he could at
that time. In the final issue, Scout walks away. For some time, the character
had been war- weary, a person who never wanted to be a warrior or soldier in
the first place. It was immediately followed up by two 4-issue mini-series, Swords of Texas and New America where minor characters come to the forefront. Then later
succeeded by Scout: War Shaman which
picks up with the main character fifteen years later.
As
it stands, these are the best issues of the entire series. Gripping and raw,
the stakes have never been higher and that tension ripples through the pages
and illustrations. Though I do have to say that Scout seems to become an
observer in his own comic. Everyone else is running about with big plans and
he’s just swept up in the tide. No wonder the author chose to tuck him away.
From the beginning he had no real ambition beyond living wild in the Apache
hills of his ancestors.
Issue
20: “Black Cat Bone”: Monday and Scout hook up with the Swords of Texas and a
US Senator who has caught wind that something nasty was hatching from the top
of the U.S. government. The side-story deals with recurring character Lt. Rose
Winter who is sent by the President’s office to secure the nuclear warhead.
These stories collide as the Swords of Texas and crew find the warhead about to
ship off with the people who shot up the mercenaries. Violence breaks out and
the warhead is accidentally dropped onto Las Vegas.
Issue
21: “I’m on Fire” With the aftermath of the bomb, Scout and his allies move
south and begin a propaganda campaign against the current administration. While
the country is really being ruled by Vice President Lowery, the president
becomes suspicious of his activities. Rose Winter and her troops catch up with
Scout.
Issue
22: “The Wolf is At Your Door” This begins the final three issue arc of the
series. Scout, Monday, The Swords of Texas are squared off against the
communist Mexican forces invading Texas. Meanwhile, Lt. Rose Winter defies her
orders to pull back and allow the insurgent forces free reign. The Vice
President then murders the President, attempting to make it look like an
accidental overdose, and seizes control, but the act is recorded by Mossad
agents.
Issue
23: “Cryin’ at Daybreak” The invasion continues on for a week. Many are killed
on both sides. Then the United States Army appears and orders everyone fighting
the invasion to lay down arms and surrender. The rebels choose a third option
and essentially the rag-tag team declare civil war on the government. Israeli
troop arrive to help the Scout and friends, but then discover that their own
country was invaded after they left. This leaves us to the final showdown and
the confrontation with whoever is pulling strings in the shadow.
Issue
24: “Sittin’ on Top of the World”. The skirmish along the Mexican border has
caused a domino effect across the world, culminating in what seems World War III
has broken out. Monday has a plan to end the conflict and blasts off into space
to take command of a Russian Nuclear Defense Platform.
For more readings, try books by Rex Hurst.
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