Western comics require a little prospecting

At one time, Western comic books were a ubiquitous part of the American market. In the 1950s, comics based on Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Billy the Kid, Jesse James and dozens of other comics starring real and fictional heroes and outlaws dotted the comics landscape. Today, Western comics require some more prospecting to find.

Fans may not be able to find most Western comics on the spur of the moment, but there are some diamonds in the rough.

DC Comics is currently running two Western series — the ongoing series Jonah Hex, about the scarred bounty hunter; and the miniseries Bat Lash, starring the at-times self-indulgent gunslinger.

Marvel Comics’ most popular Western characters — the Rawhide Kid, Kid Colt and the Two-Gun Kid — appear from time to time, and in 2006, Marvel showcased these and other of their Old West characters in the “Marvel Westerns” miniseries. Now collected in hardcover format, “Marvel Westerns” features many of Marvel’s most acclaimed writers, including Dan Slott (“She-Hulk,” “Amazing Spider-Man”), Jeff Parker (“Marvel Adventures: The Avengers”) and Fred Van Lente (“The Incredible Hercules”).

Meanwhile, Moonstone Books has more than a half-dozen historical figures — including Wyatt Earp and Belle Starr — set to appear in upcoming graphic novels.