Shaolin Cowboy

Shaolin Cowboyis anAmerican comic bookseriescreated, written and drawn by artistGeof Darrow(with the exception of the opening dialog in the issues of the original 2004–2007 run, written byThe Wachowskis).The book was published irregularly byBurlyman Entertainment.

Shaolin Cowboy
Cover ofShaolin Cowboy#1 (December2004). Art byGeof Darrow.
Publication information
Publisher	Burlyman Entertainment Dark Horse Comics
Schedule	Burlyman: Irregular Dark Horse: Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Action,adventure,superhero
Publication date	December2004
No.of issues	Burlyman: 7 Dark Horse: 8
Creative team
Created by	Geof Darrow
Written by	Geof Darrow
Artist(s)	Geof Darrow
Letterer(s)	Peter Doherty
Colorist(s)	Peter Doherty Dave Stewart Alex Wald
Editor(s)	Spencer Lamm
Collected editions
Volume 1	ISBN2-8094-0277-9

At the 2011Toronto,San DiegoandNew YorkComic Cons,Dark Horse Comicsannounced that they would be publishing three newShaolin Cowboycomics, starting with a new Number One. The first issue of the new Dark Horse series has been solicited for release on October 9, 2013 as an ongoing series.

Dark Horse in 2012 ran a $15 "The Shaolin Cowboy Adventure Magazine" with art by Geoffrey Darrow, Gary Gianni.The Way of "No Way!"; Time Factor; The Shaolin Cowboy's Helpful Hints.

In 2017 and 2022,Dark Horse Comicspublished a new 4 issue miniseriesWho'll Stop The Reign?,again written and drawn by Darrow. The series ran from April to July 2017 and was colored by Dave Stewart. Variant covers for the issues were produced byFrank Miller,Frank Cho,Sergio AragonesandGenndy Tartakovsky. Next was the 7 issueShaolin Cowboy: Cruel to be Kin,ending in 2022.

The last issueShaolin Cowboy#7 hit the stands in November 2022.

Plot summary

The book is about an unnamed formerShaolinmonk who wanders the land with a talking mule named Lord Evelyn Dunkirk Winniferd Esq. the Third. Having been "asked" to leave the Shaolin temple, he has since had a bounty placed on his head, which many are eager to collect. Given the Shaolin Cowboy's prowess inmartial arts,however, this will be very difficult.

Taking place in an unspecified time setting (as the first issue notes, "the day after yesterday and a week before tomorrow" ), the book features extremely detailed artwork and equally violent and absurd action scenes; in one, the main character battles a giant shark with a human head in its mouth using two chainsaws tied on the ends of a long stick – which all takes place in the stomach of a lizard, on whose back a city is located.

Collected editions

Six issues of the Burlyman seven issue series were translated intoFrenchand collected into a number oftrade paperbacksbyPanini Comics:

• Volume 1: La vengeance du roi crabe(collects issues 1 & 2, 60 pages, May 2008,ISBN2-8094-0277-9)
• Volume 2(collects issues 3 & 4, 70 pages, November 2008,ISBN2-8094-0413-5)
• Volume 3(collects issues 5 & 6, 48 pages, April 2009,ISBN2-8094-0688-X)

Burlyman released a 208 page trade paperback calledGeoff Darrow's The Shaolin Cowboyon December 3, 2014 that collected their entire 7-issue series.

Dark Horse released a 144 page hardcover calledThe Shaolin Cowboy: Shemp Buffeton March 4, 2015 that collected their first entire 4-issue series.

Dark Horse released a 128 page hardcover calledThe Shaolin Cowboy: Who'll Stop the Reign?on October 25, 2017 that collected their second entire 4-issue series.

Dark Horse reprinted all seven of the original issues ofShaolin Cowboyas published by Burlyman in a hardcover edition on July 18, 2018, titledShaolin Cowboy: Start Trek.

Dark Horse released a 240 page hardcover calledThe Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel To Be Kinon August 8, 2023, collecting the eponymous 7-issue series.

Awards

Shaolin Cowboywas nominated for threeEisner Awardsin 2005 for "Best New Series", "Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team", and "Best Coloring".

References

• Shaolin Cowboyat theGrand Comics Database
• Shaolin Cowboyat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)

External links

• Shaolin Cowboyat Burlyman Entertainment