RAVEN

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human (Old West era)

Occupation: Outlaw

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Unidentified partner

Enemies: Clem, Sheriff Tom Morse, Sam

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Western Outlaws#14/3 (April, 1956)

Powers/Abilities:  The Raven was an ordinary criminal who displayed no paranormal abilities. While committing robberies, he concealed his face with a neckerchief. He was armed with a pair of Colt six-shooters, although it is unknown how proficient he actually was in the use of firearms.    He also rode a horse, and displayed some degree of a skill in horsemanship.

Height: 5' 10" (by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unknown
Hair: Black (see comments)

History: (Western Outlaws#14/3 (fb) - BTS) - The past of the masked bandit known as the Raven is largely unknown, but he gained a notorious reputation from his crimes. He eventually took on a partner-in-crime, and they schemed to rob the stagecoach running to the town of Forbes Corners. The Raven planned to have his partner pose as a passenger aboard the stagecoach, so he could trick the drivers into stopping without any resistance.

(Western Outlaws#14/3) - On the night of August 14th, the Raven rode up to the stagecoach as it was traveling near Butte Pass, and he took the drivers--Sam and Clem--by surprise. But their "passenger" called up to them, telling the drivers not to shoot, because he'd keep the Raven covered with his own gun, then they'd wait for the bandit to get closer so they could take him without anyone getting hurt.  Sam and Clem surrendered to the Raven, but when their "passenger" stepped out of the coach, he revealed himself to be partnered with the outlaw. While the Raven held Sam and Clem at gunpoint, his accomplice grabbed the cargo. After completing the robbery without firing a shot, the two desparados rode off.

(Western Outlaws#14/3 - BTS) - But the robbers rode too hard while making the getaway, which caused their horses to lose some of their shoes.  Some time later, the Raven and his partner eventually rode to Forbes Corners, because they figured it would be the last place anyone would expect to find them.  They stopped by the town's blacksmith to have the horses shod, and while they waited, they went into the saloon.

(Western Outlaws#14/3) - But unknown to the Raven and his partner, they had been relentlessly pursued by the town's sheriff, Tom Morse.  It was in the saloon that they were arrested by Sheriff Morse, and the two were taken into custody.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee (writer) and Al Williamson (artist)

Since he wore a mask and used an alter-ego, I guess you could consider the Raven to be an Old West "costumed" criminal, although his disguise wasn't nearly as elaborate as, say, the Rattler or Iron Mask; nor was his "costume" very unique--I wonder if the Raven was ever mistaken for the Outlaw Kid (who was similarly attired).
 
In regards to the Raven's hair color: There really weren't any clear views of his head in this story, and he was always seen wearing a hat, but what I can see of his hair looks black to me--maybe his dark hair was the reason he was called the Raven.

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Raven has no known connections to:

Sheriff Tom Morse has no known connections to:

Unidentified partner

He was partnered with the Raven, and he posed as a passenger aboard the stagecoach headed to Forbes Corners.  He tricked Sam and Clem, the stagecoach drivers, into stopping when they were confronted by the Raven, because he assured them that he would assist them against the bandit.  But instead, he helped the Raven rob the stagecoach of its cargo.  Since he was the only one whose face was seen by Sam and Clem, he wore a beard (presumably a false beard, since he couldn't have grown a real one in such a short time) as a disguise when he and the Raven rode into Forbes Corners.  While they were in the saloon, he and the Raven were arrested by Sheriff Tom Morse.

--Western Outlaws#14/3  









Sheriff Tom Morse

He was the lawman for the town of Forbes Corners.  One night, the stagecoach arrived late because it had been robbed of its cargo by the masked Raven and his partner.  Morse talked with Sam and Clem, the stagecoach drivers, to learn all the facts about the robbery.  Although he initially figured it was the stagecoach company's responsibility to handle the robbery, he changed his mind when he learned that the cargo included mail and gifts belonging to the townsfolk, so he took the responsibility of finding the outlaws upon himself.  Armed with a Winchester rifle, he rode off into the surrounding hills in search of the robbers, taking a silent oath that he would not to return until he captured them. 

Using deductive reasoning, Morse tried to think like a criminal, to figure out where the robbers could be hiding.  After eliminating a couple possibilities in his investigation, he figured the robbers would head into Forbes Corners, because it was the last place anyone would expect to find them.  When the townsfolk saw Sheriff Morse ride back into town empty-handed, they were sure he had failed, and scorned him for giving up too quickly.  But Morse calmly rode to the town's blacksmith, where he learned that two strangers had ridden into town--the strangers needed their horses shod because they had ridden too hard; the blacksmith pointed out that the men were headed to the saloon. 

Morse went into the saloon and saw the two men standing at the bar.  He was sure they were the men he was after because one wore a beard--he figured the robber whose face Sam and Clem had seen would wear some sort of disguise in town.  Morse became the man who captured the Raven when he merely walked up to the criminals, pointed his rifle at them, and made his arrest without incident.  Incredulous over his capture, the Raven wondered aloud where he had gone wrong; Sheriff Morse reprimanded him, telling the Raven he went wrong the day he became an outlaw.

--Western Outlaws#14/3


Sam and Clem

On the stagecoach that ran to Forbes Corners, Sam was the driver, while Clem rode shotgun.  They recognized the masked robber, the Raven, on sight when he confronted them.  They were tricked by their passenger when he assured them he would help them against the Raven.  But the passenger was actually the Raven's partner, and the stagecoach was robbed.  Sam and Clem later rode into Forbes Corners and sadly announced they had been robbed of their cargo.  They later spoke to Sheriff Tom Morse and told him all the facts about the robbery.

--Western Outlaws#14/3













images: (without ads)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p1, pan2 (The Raven astride his horse, robbing stagecoach)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p2, pan2 (The Raven)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p6, pan4 (The Raven (unmasked, arrested by Sheriff Morse)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p2, pan4 (The Raven's unidentified partner and the Raven)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p2, pan5 (The Raven's unidentified partner)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p5, pan3 (Sheriff Tom Morse astride horse, figuring out where the Raven is hiding)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p6, pan5 (Sheriff Tom Morse scolding the Raven and his partner)
Western Outlaws#14/3, p2, pan3 (Sam and Clem)

Appearances:
Western Outlaws#14/3 (April, 1956) - Stan Lee (writer), Al Williamson (artist)

Last updated: 03/11/16

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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