Rex Fury was originally known as the Calico Kid. Rex would pretend to be a mild-mannered and wimpy traveling salesman, but he would change into the Calico Kid and become a colorfully-dressed hero. He was assisted by a young Chinese boy named Sing Song, whom Rex had saved from being framed for murder. His black horse was named Ebony, but he later got a new white horse named Spectre after becoming Ghost Rider. Federal marshal Rex Fury wore a white outfit covered with phosphorus and a cape that had phosphorescent on one side and black on the other. Rex used the black side of the cape to cover parts of his body to give the illusion that he was merely a floating head or pair of hands. To further the illusion, he wielded a black lariat and a black bullwhip so that he could appear to grab things at a distance, and even his twin six-guns and his horse, Spectre, glowed in the dark. The Ghost Rider battled many foes who, like him, were not truly supernatural at all, such as an impostor of Frankenstein’s Monster and the Harpy, as well as others who were the real deal, such as werewolves and vampires. While the character never crossed over with anyone, his mask inspired the Avenger to put on a costume. The character was the inspiration for Marvel’s Phantom Rider, also co-created by Dick Ayers.
Creators/Key ContributorsFrank Frazetta, Dick Ayers, Ray Krank
First Appearance Tim Holt #6 (1949) as “The Calico Kid”; Tim Holt #11 (1949) as “The Ghost Rider”
First Publisher Magazine Enterprises [CB+] [DCM] [GCD]
Appearance List Tim Holt #6-41, Great Western #10-11 (as The Calico Kid only), Ghost Rider #1-14, Best of the West #1-12, Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders #13-15, Black Phantom #1, Great Western #9, Red Mask #42-50, A-1 Comics #27, 29, 31, 34, 37, 44, 51, 57, 69, 71, 75, 80, 84, 112
Description Rex Fury was originally known as the Calico Kid. Rex would pretend to be a mild-mannered and wimpy traveling salesman, but he would change into the Calico Kid and become a colorfully-dressed hero. He was assisted by a young Chinese boy named Sing Song, whom Rex had saved from being framed for murder. His black horse was named Ebony, but he later got a new white horse named Spectre after becoming Ghost Rider. Federal marshal Rex Fury wore a white outfit covered with phosphorus and a cape that had phosphorescent on one side and black on the other. Rex used the black side of the cape to cover parts of his body to give the illusion that he was merely a floating head or pair of hands. To further the illusion, he wielded a black lariat and a black bullwhip so that he could appear to grab things at a distance, and even his twin six-guns and his horse, Spectre, glowed in the dark. The Ghost Rider battled many foes who, like him, were not truly supernatural at all, such as an impostor of Frankenstein’s Monster and the Harpy, as well as others who were the real deal, such as werewolves and vampires. While the character never crossed over with anyone, his mask inspired the Avenger to put on a costume. The character was the inspiration for Marvel’s Phantom Rider, also co-created by Dick Ayers.
