Western Tales 33 p 10 (September 1956)
by Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Joe Simon (1913-2011)
13 x 20 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

The world while I was gestating!

“Jim Bowie Loses a Fortune and Wins an Indian Fight”

Jack Kirby and Joe Simon had a long partnership that ran from 1940-1956. They wrote their own stories, with Kirby working on pencils/lay-outs and Simon doing the inking (and taking care of the business).They gained the most fame as the creators of “Captain America” for Timely in 1941.

In the early 1950s, Harvey Publishers had a horror title called “Witches Tales” that ran for 28 issues (Jan 1951 – Dec 1954). The title was relaunched as “Witches Western Tales” in 1955, featuring 1-2 original Kirby/Simon stories along with reprints from some of their earlier Harvey work (e.g., “Boys’ Ranch” 1, 3-6 from 1950-51).

“Witches Western Tales” ran for two issues (#29 Feb 1955 and #30 Apr 1955) and was retitled to “Western Tales” for three more issues (#31 Oct 1955, #32 Jan-Mar 1956, and #33 Jul-Sep 1956).

This is the title page from the second original story in that final issue (“Jim Bowie Loses a Fortune and Wins an Indian Fight”) and it probably represents one of the last Kirby-Simon collaborations during the time of their original partnership, prior to a brief 1959 reunion for two hero stories published by Archie Adventure Comics.

I have all 5 pages of this story.

Western Tales 33 p 11 (September 1956)
by Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Joe Simon (1913-2011)
13 x 20 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

Western Tales 33 p 12 (September 1956)
by Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Joe Simon (1913-2011)
13 x 20 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

Western Tales 33 p 13 (September 1956)
by Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Joe Simon (1913-2011)
13 x 20 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

Western Tales 33 p 14 (September 1956)
by Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Joe Simon (1913-2011)
13 x 20 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection