CAPTAIN FROM TEXAS

Real Name: Roger Stephenson

Identity/Class: Old West era conventional weapons-user

Occupation: Texas Ranger; presumably former soldier

Group Membership: Texas Rangers; presumably US Army

Affiliations: Liberty (steed), Sheriff Jim Tally

Enemies: Jack "Grim Jack" Rhett and unidentified accomplice, various other owlhoots

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Texas

First Appearance: (Pictured only) Marvel Treasuring Special featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles (1976);
    (story appearance) Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files (2006)

Powers/Abilities: The Captain from Texas was a skilled hand to hand combatant and experienced with pistols and presumably other firearms, though he did not usually carry a firearm. His accessory of choice was his shield, a circular disc "about the size of a barrel lid, and covered in green and red leather. In the center of the shield was a star; the shield was "a symbol of my country and my office." The shield could stop a bullet at close range; additionally, such a closely fired bullet dropped to the ground upon striking the shield, rather than ricocheting away, indicating the shield neutralized and/or absorbed the bullet's force. Moving faster than a gunfighter's trigger finger, the Captain could hurl his shield and disarm most opponents at close range before said opponent could fire.

    The Captain wore a mask and symbolic costume, the former to conceal his identity and to intimidate criminals, and the latter both out of pride, as well as to inspire and/or intimidate others. He often wore a long brown duster covering his shirt, though his hat, shield, glove, and mask remained visible. He shed the duster to prevent it from interfering with his mobility.

    He rode a white horse named Liberty.

Height: Unrevealed (perhaps 6'3")
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 225 lbs.)
Eyes: Light blue
Hair: Blond

History:
(Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files (fb) - BTS) - Union soldier Captain Roger Stephenson refused a bribe not to release soldier Jack Rhett after being discovered to have been funding a small army of his own.

(Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files (fb) - BTS) - Stephenson took to wearing a mask to preserve his identity.

(Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files (fb) - BTS) - Drummed out of the army for treason, Jack Rhett, robbed a bank, killed a teller, and shot a man for his horse; at some point, Rhett received the nickname "Grim Jack."

(Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files) - Astride Liberty, the ranger rode into the town of Rawhide. He quickly sought out Sheriff Tally, assuaging his concerns over his masked appearance by showing the badge that identified him as a Texas Ranger. Explaining his mask as needed to conceal his identity, as well as the significance of his shield and shirt, the ranger produced wanted papers for Jack "Grim Jack" Rhett; apparently unfamiliar with Rhett, Tally advised the ranger to investigate the local saloon, which was where he might find such a "bad hombre." When Tally asked about the ranger 's lack of a pistol, the ranger noted he hoped he would not need more, and advised the sheriff not to follow him.
    Entering the saloon, the ranger ordered a milk. When a man wondered what he was supposed to be, the ranger answered simply, "a thirsty traveler," and then asked the man if he knew a Jack Rhett. When the man denied knowledge, the ranger stood up and cautioned the man not to lie; the ranger then noticed the man's eyes track to his left, and he spun around and placed his shield in front of himself, blocking a bullet fired from the saloon's entry at the ranger 's back by Jack Rhett. Announcing he had come for Rhett and asking whether Rhett really wanted to fight him, the ranger responded to Rhett's taunt about him not carrying a pistol by noting Rhett wasn't one for a fair fight. Rhett called the ranger a coward and told him to hide behind his shield, taunting the ranger with not being able to reach him from there, but the ranger hurled his shield so swiftly that he struck Rhett in the hand before he could fire, causing him to drop his gun. When the ranger moved forward to finish off Rhett, Rhett's accomplice jumped him from behind. Rhett ran from the saloon, but the ranger flung his assailant over his shoulder, slid out of his duster, picked up his shield and Rhett's dropped gun, and ran out into the street after Rhett.
    Rhett hadn't gotten far, and the ranger hurled his shield, taking his legs out from under him. The ranger closed in as Rhett rose, drew his spare six-shooter, and turned to face him. Rhett offered to pay any price to the ranger to leave him along, but the ranger, holding Rhett's other gun on him, noting how Rhett had tried to bribe his captain when the Union Army learned he was funding a small army of his own; "Didn't work then. Ain't gonna work now." Recalling his captain (Roger Stephenson), Rhett told the ranger he was "too yellow to shoot a man."; but the ranger noted he had shot snakes before, which was what Rhett was. Noting similarities between the ranger and Stephenson, Rhett strained his eyes for a closer look, but the ranger then shot him in the shoulder, causing his to drop his gun, then knocked him to the ground with a kick to the face, claimed his second gun, and placed Rhett under arrest.
    Having captured the accomplice, Sheriff Tally noted that this man would likely reveal where he and Rhett had stashed their haul, unlike Rhett. The ranger noted his appreciation and used Tally's handcuffs to restrain Rhett, but when Tally asked if Rhett knew him, because "you seemed to look mighty peculiar to him," the ranger simply responded, "I do to most folks."

(Marvel Treasuring Special featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles) - The Captain faced four owlhoots, one of whom warned the others how dangerous the Captain looked.

Comments: Concept and design by Jack Kirby.
    Given history and story by Michael Hoskin.

    The Captain from Texas story from Marvel Westerns is credited to Holly Martins (in-universe). It remains uncertain whether the character exists in Reality-616, though his presence in Hamilton Slade's files would lend credence to him being more than just a fictional character.

    According to the Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files story, the Captain wore his shield slung over his shoulder, "like an Indian." Not sure if that's supposed to imply...perhaps he was injured and left for dead by "Grim Jack," and he was rescued and trained by Indians, gaining his shield and perhaps other things (training, or even some sort of abilities-enhancing potion) in the process. Or, he just happened to wear it like that...

    He's called the "Captain from Texas" in the caption to his picture in the story entitled, "The Captain from Texas," but he's only called the stranger (initially) and the ranger throughout the story. "Captain from Texas" is probably not an alias he used, but perhaps something he was known to others by.

Notes from Michael Hoskin:

Captain from Texas received a profile in Captain America: America's Avenger (2011). There his real name was confirmed and Sheriff Tally received a first name.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:

images: (without ads)
Marvel Treasuring Special featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles (1976) - Old West era Cap featurette

Appearances:
Marvel Treasuring Special featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles (1976) - Old West era Cap featurette by Jack Kirby: "Your basic, rootin'-tootin' western Captain America"
Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files (2006): Captain from Texas story - Michael Hoskin

Last updated: 01/01/12

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