February 28, 2009

Indians in Playmobil comic

A relic from the past proves that I’m much cooler than you are!

by Greg BurgasNot only did I have a lot of Playmobil toys, I had something else, too. When I saw that Beck had died, I asked my mom to dig through my bookshelf at home and send me something in the mail. That “something” would be:

Yes, a Playmobil comic book. Writhe with envy, fanboys, it’s time to check out Goldrausch in Klickytown!!!!!!! (I should note that this scene does not actually appear in this comic. It’s just like a DC or Marvel cover from today!)

If you’re wondering, “Greg, is this the most awesome Western comic ever written, even better than Moebius’ Blueberry?” the answer is an emphatic “YES.”
Comment:  Burgas describes the plot in depth with lots of illustrations. Apparently some Western townspeople discover gold and begin to mine it. A generic Plains chief and warriors capture the miners and take them hostage. It's beginning to look like another stereotypical tale of savagery.

But Blacky the outlaw also wants the gold. The Indians decide he's the villain, so they let the hostages go. They pursue and capture Blacky and his gang.

But the US cavalry still thinks the Indians have the miners, so they attack the Indian camp. The Indians thwart the soldiers by dropping a boulder on their cannon (a tactic straight out of The Go-Go Gophers). The townspeople tell the soldiers the Indians are okay and everyone clasps hands in friendship.

As you can see below, the Indian toys are almost as benign as this tale of the Old West. As I said, they represent generic Plains Indians, but with Apache-style headbands, a Navajo-style loom, and a Woodland Indian canoe.

For more on the subject, see Comic Books Featuring Indians.

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