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The Rio Kid.

The Rio Kid was introduced to the readers of the Popular in January 1928 - short Western adventure stories written by Charles Hamilton under the alias of Ralph Redway. Instead of schoolboys in Kent or Sussex he successfully wrote of the trials and tribulations of a young cowpuncher in (mainly) Texas who had a heart of gold and cast iron moral code but who was continually on the run branded as an outlaw. Very often the Kid had an implacable Ranger after him, Mule-Kick Hall, which developed into as entertaining and gripping a tussel as between Victor Hugo's Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert. He rode all over Texas on his incredibly intelligent horse with nine lives Side Kicker, even getting out as far as California at one point, but always homing back to where he started by the Rio Frio. And some galoots were always robbing other galoots using his name. Over the years some purist fans of the genre have criticised Hamilton for his lack of Western-realism but for the majority of his readers the stories were a delight, and exactly what they wanted to read about. Plots and moral codes were perfectly transferred and adjusted from Greyfriars and St. Jim's to the Wild West - and baddies could get shot instead of caned. Worthy of especial mention is the marvellous series in Pop 483-490 where the Kid gets to own a gold mine and is perhaps the best series in the entire saga. Without a mediocre story for nearly 3 years weekly from 1928 the very few lapses of taste are mainly attributable retrospectively and (hopefully) forgivable by most people today: the casual racism not recognised as such and taken for granted at the time. But for anyone who can't forgive, best not read the series in Pop 571-576! Thanks to the wondrous efforts of Nandu, Eddie Peart, Brian Sayer and Michael Bailey all of the original short stories are available to read or download on friardale.

I am indebted to Gary for providing the introduction and the following Rio Kid list in chronological order. You can read or download individual stories from the 'Story' column or the complete story from the 'Series' column.

 

Publication Issue       Story Series   Author

Reprinted To/From

Popular 469  Jan 21 1928 The Rio Kid! The Rio Kid 1/6 Ralph Redway BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  470 Jan 28 1928 The Brand Blotters!   2/6   BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  471 Feb 04 1928 The Black Sack Gang   3/6   BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  472 Feb 11 1928 Game To The Last!   4/6   BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  473 Feb 18 1928 Lynch Law   5/6   BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  474 Feb 25 1928 The Whip Hand!   6/6   BFL 2/266, BFL 2/566
  475 Mar 03 1928 The Trail Of Death! The Rio Kid's Revenge 1/4    
  476 Mar 10 1928 The Kid’s Venture!   2/4    
  477 Mar 17 1928 A Deal In Cows!   3/4    
  478 Mar 24 1928 The Good Samaritan!   4/4    
  479 Mar 31 1928 Saved By An Outlaw! The Capture Of The Rio Kid 1/4    
  480 Apr 07 1928 Trailing The Kid!   2/4    
  481 Apr 14 1928 The Call Of His Race!   3/4    
  482 Apr 21 1928 A Life For A Life!   4/4    
  483 Apr 28 1928 The Bully Of Salt Lick! The Rio Kid's Gold Mine 1/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  484 May 05 1928 Saved From The Desert!   2/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  485 May 12 1928 The Rio Kid’s Bonanza!   3/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  486 May 19 1928 The Rio Kid’s Gold Mine!   4/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  487 May 26 1928 The Hidden Hand!   5/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  488 Jun 02 1928 Facing The Music!   6/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  489 Jun 09 1928 The Rio Kid’s Trump Card!   7/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  490 Jun 16 1928 An Outlaw Again!   8/8   BFL 2/275, BFL 2/569
  491 Jun 23 1928 The Man From Texas! The Rio Kid In Love 1/3    
  492 Jun 30 1928 A Boy Outlaw In Love!   2/3    
  493 Jul 07 1928 The Bootlegger!   3/3    
  494 Jul 14 1928 The Sparshott Feud! The Sparshott Feud 1/3    
  495 Jul 21 1928 Facing The Odds!   2/3    
  496 Jul 28 1928 The Kid’s Lone Fight!   3/3    
  497 Aug 04 1928 The Scapegoat! The Scapegoat 1/4    
  498 Aug 11 1928 The Kid’s Close Call!   2/4    
  499 Aug 18 1928 The Cowmen Of Squaw Mountain!   3/4    
  500 Aug 25 1928 Hunted!   4/4    
  501 Sep 01 1928 The Tenderfoot! The Escobar Mine 1/4    
  502 Sep 08 1928 The Marshal Of Hard Tack   2/4    
  503 Sep 15 1928 The Tenderfoot’s Secret!   3/4    
  504 Sep 22 1928 The Surprise Of His Life   4/4    
  505 Sep 29 1928 The Mysterious Trail! Rounding Up The Rustlers 1/5    
  506 Oct 06 1928 The Rustlers Of The Rio Bajo!   2/5    
  507 Oct 13 1928 The  Ranch Raiders!   3/5    
  508 Oct 20 1928 The Secret Of The Lost Trail!   4/5    
  509 Oct 27 1928 Rounding Up The Rustlers   5/5    
  510 Nov 03 1928 Trailing Back! Trailing Back To Texas 1/4   BFL 2/356, BFL 2/601
  511 Nov 10 1928 The Thousand-Dollar Kid!   2/4   BFL 2/356, BFL 2/601
  512 Nov 17 1928 Bandits Of The Border!   3/4   BFL 2/356, BFL 2/601
  513 Nov 24 1928 The Trail Of Ten Thousand Dollars!   4/4   BFL 2/356, BFL 2/601
  514 Dec 01 1928 The Vengeance Of Chief Many Ponies! The Vengeance Of Chief Many Ponies 1/4   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  515 Dec 08 1928 The Death Ride!   2/4   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  516 Dec 15 1928 The Outlaw Who Kept His Word!   3/4   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  517 Dec 22 1928 The Rio Kid’s Christmas!   4/4    
  518 Dec 29 1928 The Cattle Thieves! The Cattle Thieves 1/2   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  519 Jan 05 1929 Ructions On The Sampson Ranch!   2/2   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  520 Jan 12 1929 Shanghaied! Shanghaied 1/2   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  521 Jan 19 1929 Turning The Tables!   2/2   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  522 Jan 26 1929 The Rio Kid’s Revenge! The Rio Kid On The Run 1/4   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  523 Feb 02 1929 The New Recruit Of Sampson’s Ranch!   2/4   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  524 Feb 09 1929 The Man From Frio!   3/4   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  525 Feb 16 1929 Roped In!   4/4   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  526 Feb 23 1929 The Kid Wins Through! The Rio Kid Wins Through 1/2   BFL 2/335, BFL 2/593
  527 Mar 02 1929 The Rio Kid’s Hold-Up!   2/2   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  528 Mar 09 1929 The Unknown  Raider! The Unknown Raider 1/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  529 Mar 16 1929 The Kid On The Trail!   2/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  530 Mar 23 1929 The Outlaw Rancher!   3/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  531 Mar 30 1929 The Ride Of His Life!   4/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  532 Apr 06 1929 Friend Or Foe?   5/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  533 Apr 13 1929 The Raider’s Last Trail!   6/6   BFL 2/283, BFL 2/574
  534 Apr 20 1929 The Rio Kid In Mexico! The Rio Kid In Mexico 1/18   BFL 2/487
  535 Apr 27 1929 Cornered By Brigands!   2/18   BFL 2/487
  536 May 04 1929 A Night Of Peril!   3/18   BFL 2/487
  537 May 11 1929 The Bandolero!   4/18   BFL 2/487
  538 May 18 1929 The House Of Don Balthazar!   5/18   BFL 2/487
  539 May 25 1929 The Man From San Antone!   6/18   BFL 2/487
  540 Jun 01 1929 The Grafter!   7/18   BFL 2/487
  541 Jun 08 1929 Hunted On The Plains!   8/18   BFL 2/403, BFL 2/609
  542 Jun 15 1929 The Trail Of The Traitor!   9/18   BFL 2/403, BFL 2/609
  543 Jun 22 1929 Facing Fearful Odds   10/18   BFL 2/403, BFL 2/609
  544 Jun 29 1929 The Trail Of Vengeance!   11/18   BFL 2/403, BFL 2/609
  545 Jul 06 1929 Hunted Down!   12/18   BFL 2/403, BFL 2/609
  546 Jul 13 1929 The Plot Of Don Pedro!   13/18   BFL 2/487
  547 Jul 20 1929 Friend Or Foe?   14/18   BFL 2/487
  548 Jul 27 1929 Foes Of The Desert!   15/18   BFL 2/487
  549 Aug 03 1929 Saved By An Outlaw!   16/18   BFL 2/487
  550 Aug 10 1929 Fallen Among Foes!   17/18   BFL 2/487
  551 Aug 17 1929 Hitting The Trail!   18/18   BFL 2/487
  552 Aug 24 1929 Cactus Pete's Capture! Cactus Pete's Capture 1/2   BFL 2/487, BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  553 Aug 31 1929 A Debt Repaid!   2/2   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  554 Sep 07 1929 Ambushed! Cornering The Kid 1/2   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  555 Sep 14 1929 Cornering The Kid!   2/2   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  556 Sep 21 1929 Five-Hundred-Dollar Smith! The Puncher Of Blue Bird Ranch 1/2   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  557 Sep 28 1929 The Puncher Of Blue Bird Ranch!   2/2   BFL 2/306, BFL 2/585
  558 Oct 05 1929 The Rio Kid – Rancher! The Rio Kid - Rancher 1/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  559 Oct 12 1929 The New Boss Of The Lazy O!   2/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  560 Oct 19 1929 The Lazy O Bunch!   3/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  561 Oct 26 1929 The Kid Takes The Reins!   4/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  562 Nov 02 1929 The Arm Of The Law!   5/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  563 Nov 09 1929 Rancher Or Outlaw?   6/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  564 Nov 16 1929 The Luck Of The Rio Kid!   7/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  565 Nov 23 1929 Barney Baker’s Last Trail!   8/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  566 Nov 30 1929 Driven Off His Ranch!   9/9   BFL 2/290, BFL 2/578
  567 Dec 07 1929 The Hold-Up! The Rio Kid's Christmas 1/4    
  568 Dec 14 1929 The Trail In The Snow!   2/4    
  569 Dec 21 1929 Trapping The Kid!   3/4    
  570 Dec 28 1929 The Rio Kid’s Christmas Gift!   4/4   BFL 2/558
  571 Jan 04 1930 Black George! The Marshal Of Kicking Mule 1/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  572 Jan 11 1930 The Marshal Of Kicking Mule   2/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  573 Jan 18 1930 The Rio Kid’s Enemy!   3/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  574 Jan 25 1930 Lynch Law!   4/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  575 Feb 01 1930 The Mystery Of The Marshal!   5/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  576 Feb 08 1930 Trapping An Outlaw!   6/6   BFL 2/317, BFL 2/590
  577 Feb 15 1930 The Rio Kid’s New Pal! The Rio Kid At The Bar One Ranch  1/7    
  578 Feb 22 1930 Yuba Dick’s Last Game!   2/7    
  579 Mar 01 1930 The Man From Montana!   3/7    
  580 Mar 08 1930 The Scallywag Of The Bar-One!   4/7    
  581 Mar 15 1930 Friends Or Foes?   5/7    
  582 Mar 22 1930 The Cattle-Lifters!   6/7    
  583 Mar 29 1930 The Kid’s Sacrifice!   7/7    
  584 Apr 05 1930 The Peril Trail! The Peril Trail 1/4    
  585 Apr 12 1930 The Prisoner Of The Lost Valley!   2/4    
  586 Apr 19 1930 A Life For A Life!   3/4    
  587 Apr 26 1930 The Rio Kid’s Quest!   4/4    
   
Popular 600 Jul 26 1930 A Rough-House In Plug Hat! The Rio Kid - Sheriff! 1/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  601 Aug 02 1930 The Rio Kid - Sheriff!   2/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  602 Aug 09 1930 By Order Of The Sheriff!   3/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  603 Aug 16 1930 Under The Kid Sheriff!   4/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  604 Aug 23 1930 The Bar-2 Bunch!   5/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  605 Aug 30 1930 Under Fire!   6/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  606 Sep 06 1930 The Hidden Canyon!   7/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  607 Sep 13 1930 Outlaws KO'd By Outlaw!   8/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  608 Sep 20 1930 The 'Hot Stuff' Sheriff!   9/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  609 Sep 27 1930 Saving His Enemy!   10/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  610 Oct 04 1930 The Missing Ranger!   11/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  611 Oct 11 1930 The Sheriff’s Secret!   12/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
  612 Oct 18 1930 The Kid’s Last Blow!   13/13   BFL 2/370, BFL 2/606
                   
Boys' Friend Library 266 Dec 04 1930 The Rio Kid       Popular 2/469-474, BFL 2/566
  275 Feb 05 1931 The Rio Kid's Gold Mine       Popular 2/483-490, BFL 2/569
  283 Apr 02 1931 The Rio Kid's Revenge       Popular 2/527-533, BFL 2/574
                   
Ranger 8 Apr 04 1931 The Outlaw Kid The Outlaw Kid! (Issues 8-17, 113) 1/10 Anon BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  9 Apr 11 1931 The Outlaw Kid   2/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  10 Apr 18 1931 The Outlaw Kid   3/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  11 Apr 25 1931 The Outlaw Kid   4/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  12 May 02 1931 The Outlaw Kid   5/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  13 May 09 1931 The Outlaw Kid   6/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  14 May 16 1931 The Outlaw Kid   7/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  15 May 23 1931 The Outlaw Kid   8/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
  16 May 30 1931 The Outlaw Kid   9/10   BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
                   
Boys' Friend Library 290 Jun 04 1931 The Outlaw Rancher     Ralph Redway Popular 2/558-566, BFL 2/578
                   
Ranger 17 Jun 06 1931 The Outlaw Kid The Outlaw Kid! (Issues 8-17, 113) 10/10 Anon BFL 2/471, BFL 2/693
                   
Boys' Friend Library 306 Oct 01 1931 The Rio Kid At Bay     Ralph Redway Popular 2/514-516, 2/552-557, BFL 2/585
  317 Jan 07 1932 The Rio Kid's Enemy       Popular 2/571-576, BFL 2/590
  335 May 05 1932 The Six-Gun Outlaw       Popular 2/518-526, BFL 2/593
  356 Oct 06 1932 The Rio Kid's Return       Popular 2/510-513, BFL 2/601
  370 Feb 02 1933 The Rio Kid, Sheriff       Popular 2/600-612, BFL 2/606
                   
Ranger 113 Apr 08 1933 The Outlaw Kid The Outlaw Kid! (Issues 8-17, 113)      
                   
Boys' Friend Library 403 Oct 05 1933 The Kid From Texas       Popular 2/541-545, BFL 2/609
  471 Mar 07 1935 The Outlaw Kid       Ranger 8-17, BFL 2.693
  487 Jul 04 1935 The Rio Kid In Mexico       Popular 2/534-540, 2/546-552
  558 Jan 07 1937 The Rio Kid's Revenge       Popular 570
  566 Mar 04 1937 The Rio Kid       Popular 2/469-474, BFL 2/266
  569 Apr  01 1937 The Rio Kid's Gold Mine       Popular 2/483-490, BFL 2/275
  574 May 06 1937 The Rio Kid's Revenge       Popular 2/523-527, BFL 2/283
  578 Jun 03 1937 The Outlaw Rancher       Popular 2/558-566, BFL 2/290
  585 Aug 05 1937 The Rio Kid At Bay Popular 2/514-516, 2/552-557, BFL 2/306
                   
Boys' Friend Library 590 Sep 02 1937 The Rio Kid's Enemy       Popular 2/571-576, BFL 2/317
                   
Modern Boy 503 Sep 25 1937 The Rio Kid Rides Again   1/12    
  504 Oct 02 1937 The Lonely Hut   2/12    
                   
Boys' Friend Library 593 Oct 07 1937 The Six-Gun Outlaw       Popular 2/518-526, BFL 2/335
                   
Modern Boy 505 Oct 09 1937 Moonlight Stampede   3/12    
  506 Oct 16 1937 Traitor’s Trail   4/12    
  507 Oct 23 1937 Watchers of the Range   5/12    
  508 Oct 30 1937 Rustler’s Secret   6/12    
  509 Nov 06 1937 Rangers on His Track   7/12    
  510 Nov 13 1937 Night Alarm   8/12    
  511 Nov 20 1937 Hunted Down   9/12    
  512 Nov 27 1937 False Trail   10/12    
                   
Boys' Friend Library 601 Dec 02 1937 The Rio Kid's Return       Popular 2/510-513, BFL 2/356
                   
Modern Boy 513 Dec 04 1937 Lynch Law   11/12    
  514 Dec 11 1937 Mule-Kick Gets His Man   12/12    
  515 Dec 18 1937 The Rio Kid in Hollywood   1/9    
  516 Dec 25 1937 Fifty Thousand Dollar Prisoner   2/9    
  517 Jan 01 1938 Rio Kid, Talkie Star   3/9    
                   
Boys' Friend Library 606 Jan 06 1938 The Rio Kid, Sheriff       Popular 2/600-612, BFL 2/370
                   
Modern Boy 518 Jan 08 1938 Just Like a Movie   4/9    
  519 Jan 15 1938 One throw of the Lariat   5/9    
  520 Jan 22 1938 The Death Ride   6/9    
  521 Jan 29 1938 They Called him a Quitter   7/9    
                   
Boys' Friend Library 609 Feb 03 1938 The Kid From Texas       Popular 2/541-545, BFL 2/403
                   
Modern Boy 522 Feb 05 1938 Funk of the Films   8/9    
  523 Feb 12 1938 Hollywood Show-Down   9/9    
                   
Magnet 1579 May 21 1938 The Raid On Kicking Cayuse Ranch! (Part 7-10 of the Magnet Texas Series) 7/10 Frank Richards  
  1580 May 28 1938 The Man With The Hidden Face!   8/10    
  1581 Jun 04 1938 The Trail-Thief's Secret!   9/10    
  1582 Jun 11 1938 The Trail-Thief's Last Ride!   10/10    
                   
Boys' Friend Library 693 Nov 02 1939 The Outlaw Kid     Ralph Redway Ranger 8-17, BFL 2/471
                   
Tom Merry's Own       1953 The Rio Kid Rides Again       Bumper Book 3
                   
Tom Merry's Own       1954 The Rio Kid's Close Call       Bumper Book 4
                   
Bumper Book 3     1955 The Rio Kid Rides Again       Tom Merry's Own 1953
                   
Bumper Book 4 1955 The Rio Kid's Close Call Tom Merry's Own 1954
 
Billy Bunter's Own 1960 The Rio Kid Horns In!