History:
(Gunsmoke Western I#72) - One day "Lash" rode into Abilene on his
horse, striking his whip to get people out of his way. When one man
protested against this treatment, "Lash" had his men fling the man into
a puddle of water.
"LASH" LARRIBEE
Real Name: "Lash" Larribee (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human (Old West Era)
Occupation: Deputy, racketeer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Sheriff Yates
Enemies: Jeb "Gabby" Barnes, Dan Colt, Kid Colt
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Abilene, Wyoming, USA (late 1800s)
First Appearance: Kid Colt I#1 (August, 1948)
Powers/Abilities: Lash earned his nickname because he favored using a whip to punish his enemies. He also carried a pistol (he was right-handed) and a knife.
Height: 6'0" (by approximation)
Weight: 180 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black (balding, see comments)
History:
(Gunsmoke Western I#72) - One day "Lash" rode into Abilene on his
horse, striking his whip to get people out of his way. When one man
protested against this treatment, "Lash" had his men fling the man into
a puddle of water.
(Kid Colt Outlaw I#79) - "Lash" played poker against Yates and complained that Yates was winning too much money, telling him to get out of the game.
(Kid Colt Outlaw I#79/Gunsmoke Western #72) - When Dan Colt and his son Blaine of the Flying C Ranch came into town that day, "Lash" angrily demanded that Dan join the protection racket he had joined but Dan refused. Angry, "Lash" punched Dan in the face. Blaine stepped forward to defend his father but "Lash" drew his gun to ward him off. "Lash" repeated his demand that they join his "protective association" then sent them on their way.
(Kid Colt I#1/Kid Colt Outlaw I#11) - "Lash" Larribee struck Flying C ranch hand Gabby Barnes with his whip, telling him and other Flying C riders to stay clear of the law." Lash" demanded Gabby pay him and Sheriff Yates $1 per head of cattle or suffer the consequences and the Flying C refused to pay. Blaine Colt saw "Lash" beating Gabby and told him to stop but "Lash" simply mocked him as the "No-Gun Kid," taunting Blaine for not carrying guns. This incensed Blaine, who punched "Lash" in the jaw. Pleased to have goaded Blaine into a fight, "Lash" took up his whip and began beating Blaine. He finally stopped when Sheriff Yates intervened and told Gabby to take Blaine home to keep from causing trouble.
(Kid Colt I#1/Kid Colt Outlaw I#11 - BTS) - Sheriff Yates wanted the Flying C Ranch for himself and plotted Dan Colt's death. Yates had"Lash" murder Dan then claimed that Dan had lost the deed to the Flying C Ranch in a poker game against Yates.
(Kid Colt Outlaw I#79/Gunsmoke Western I#72) - "Lash" believed that with Dan Colt dead, it would be simple to get Blaine to play along with his protective association.
(Kid Colt I#1/Kid Colt Outlaw I#11) - After Dan Colt's death, Sheriff Yates and "Lash" went to the Flying C Ranch to arrest Blaine for murder. Gabby tried to help Blaine fight back but" Lash" snared Blaine's neck with his whip. "Lash" and Yates rode back to town with Blaine's neck still snared by the whip then they placed him in the town jail.
(Kid Colt Outlaw I#11) - As "Lash" taunted Blaine from outside his cell, Blaine suddenly reached through the bars and grabbed "Lash" by the neck. Blaine demanded that "Lash" open the cell. Exiting the cell, Blaine tied up "Lash" and took his gun then rode out of town to find Sheriff Yates. However, "Lash" had a knife on his person and cut through the ropes then pursued Blaine. Just as Blaine was demanding Yates explain who actually killed his father, "Lash" appeared and claimed credit for the murder, acting on Sheriff Yates' orders.
(Kid Colt I#1) - When Gabby Barnes tried to intervene on Blaine's behalf, "Lash" began striking him with his whip.
(Kid Colt I#1/Kid Colt Outlaw I#11) - Seizing "Lash"'s whip, Blaine beat him with his own weapon.
(Kid Colt Outlaw I#79/Gunsmoke Western I#72) - Blaine challenged "Lash" to a gunfight. "Lash" assumed it would be an easy matter for him to win but did not realize Blaine had been secretly training to learn how to shoot. Blaine easily shot him to death. "Lash"'s underlings claimed that "Lash" hadn't been armed when Blaine shot him.
As a posse formed to bring Blaine to justice for killing Sheriff Yates and "Lash" Larribee, Blaine sped off his on his horse Steel, becoming known thereafter as the outlaw Kid Colt.
Comments: Created by Ernie Hart and an unknown artist.
There are many differences between the four tellings of Kid Colt's origin so I've done my best to hone them into a single comprehensive version. For one, in the first two tellings, Sheriff Yates is "Lash"'s partner and shares "Lash"'s fate; in the latter two versions, only "Lash" is responsible for Dan Colt's death and Yates seemingly has nothing to do with "Lash" nor does he die.
Here are a few of the differences:
There's also a version of Colt's origin in Kid Colt, Outlaw I#39/2 which is nothing like the other versions and attributes Dan Colt's death to the outlaw Markson; "Lash" Larribee does not appear in that version. Since it's a story Colt tells to a young man to convince him not to become an outlaw, it's possible that Colt deliberately told a tall tale.
Further, Kid Colt II#1 recounts yet another variant origin in which Colt claims both of his parents were killed by Joshua McGreeley. After Colt killed Joshua, his brother, a sheriff, put a bounty on Colt's head. Since this origin was told by Colt to explain why Sheriff McGreeley was after him, it's possible that this was yet another tall tale.
In Blaze of Glory I#3, Kid Colt claimed he did not know for certain if "Lash" and Yates were responsible for his father's death. On the face of it, this could seem to be mere revisionism but in all four versions of his origin, Kid Colt is not present when his father dies. In fact, Dan Colt's death has **never** been depicted on panel. It actually does seem reasonable that Colt would harbor some doubts as to whether he killed the right men but we comic book readers know better!
This profile was completed 06/29/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
"Lash" Larribee should not be confused with:
Sheriff Yates was "Lash"'s partner.
Sheriff Yates wielded a powerful buffalo gun.
Sheriff Yates was the lawman in Abilene and, with his deputy "Lash," ran a protective association to extort money from the ranchers. When the Flying C Ranch refused to pay the association, Sheriff Yates became determined to seize it from them. Scheming with "Lash," he arranged for "Lash" to murder Dan Colt then claimed that Dan had lost the ranch's deed to Yates in a poker game. To prevent Blaine from interfering, Sheriff Yates accused him of murdering his father and had him arrested. However, Blaine escaped prison and confronted Yates and "Lash," who admitted to conspiring to kill Dan Colt. Blaine killed Sheriff Yates in retaliation for his father's murder.
--Kid Colt I#1/Kid Colt Outlaw I#11/79/Gunsmoke Western I#72
images: (without ads)
Kid Colt I#1, p1, pan1 ("Lash," main)
Kid Colt Outlaw I#79, p4, pan5 ("Lash," headshot)
Kid Colt Outlaw I#11, p3, pan1 (Yates)
Appearances:
Kid Colt I#1 (August, 1948) - Ernie Hart (writer), unknown artist, Stan Lee (editor)
Kid Colt Outlaw I#11 (October, 1950) - unknown writer, Pete Tumlinson (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Kid Colt Outlaw I#79 (July, 1958) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Keller (pencils), Christopher Rule (inks)
Gunsmoke Western I#72 (September, 1962) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Keller (artist)
First posted: 06/01/2021
Last updated: 08/28/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
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Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!