Red Ryder, March 5, 1947

An official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two Hundred Shot Range Model Air Rifle BB gun with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time!
What?? You’ll shoot your eye out kid.

Who doesn’t remember that scene?! I never really thought that much about it, but, it turns out that “Red Ryder” was a comic strip that ran from 1938 until 1965. Wildly syndicated, the strip was translated into eleven languages around the world. Created by Stephen Slesinger and Fred Harman, it was immensely popular with movies, comics, comic strips and, of course, merchandise. In fact, I think Daisy still sells that BB gun! Dell had a Red Ryder comic book from 1941 until 1957. There was a radio show, movies, and they came close to a TV show.

Red was a classic action hero, and the strips show him as a square jawed good guy.

I was able to pick up a few examples and thought I’d share them here.