In the Marvel Universe, New York is a pretty safe place to live. If Galactus, the world devourer, were to show up on Liberty Island looking for an afternoon snack, any number of superheroes are only one subway ride away from putting the smack down. From Spider-Man to the X-Men, New York is a mecca for those super-powered vigilantes looking for a place to hang their spandex.
While the New York of the DC Universe isn’t the same kind of hub that Marvel’s Big Apple is, one thing stands out in whatever fictional comic book reality you call home: Texas never gets any love – or so it seems.
While Texas isn’t called home by any of the heavy hitters, there are still a few lone stars shining in the Texas sky. Here are a few books set in the former Republic of Texas.
Spider-Man
Marvel’s favorite web-slinger is a regular junior citizen of Dallas with four separate adventures set in the Texas city. In cooperation with the Dallas Times Herald, Marvel released four giveaway comic books from 1981 to 1983. In “Pipeline to Peril!” Spider-man teamed up with the Incredible Hulk to fight the Sandman. Web-head becomes so enamored with the city, he returned over the next two years to team up with the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders in “Southwest Showdown!” and “Danger in Dallas!” In his last Dallas adventure, Spidey battled the Kingpin in a Christmas-themed caper that could only be called “Christmas in Dallas!”
With all the exclamation points being thrown around, one can only assume the overload of Texas-sized danger drove him away once and for all. A 1982 trip to San Antonio sponsored by the San Antonio Express didn’t help Spidey’s impression of Texas. Instead of taking in the scenic Riverwalk, he was forced to solve the “Great Rodeo Robbery!” Some vacation!
Preacher
Jessie Custer, the title character of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s comic book series “Preacher,” is searching for God – so he can kick his ass. “Preacher,” which ran from 1995 to 2000, is a dead-on tribute to the John Wayne westerns of yesteryear. The Duke even stars in a supporting role as Jessie’s spiritual advisor and confidant. With a story that begins and ends in Texas, DC’s series is equal parts hilariously blasphemous and supernaturally keen on the human spirit.
Jessie is a former preacher who has inherited the Word of God, allowing him to force his will on any man. Using his southern sensibilities and his supernatural powers, Jessie seeks a God who has abandoned his post in heaven. Traveling with him is his one true love, Tulip, and Cassidy, a perpetually drunken Irish vampire. The series’ scope spans the country, but its heart and soul is firmly rooted in an accurate portrayal of Texas – a big feat for two writers from the UK. A climatic showdown at the Alamo caps this excellent read.
Snakepit
Ben “Snakepit” White is an Austin native who, like many other Austinites, has immersed himself in the city’s thriving music scene. “The Snakepit Book” collects White’s autobiographical comic strip, “Snakepit.” Full of tales of music, drunken debauchery and more music, White opens the windows wide on his paradox of a life. While he embraces a slacker lifestyle full of substance abuse and quiet mornings nursing hangovers, he remains an accomplished musician with a passion resembling a biohazard canister of devotion to his art. While the art is crude, it only adds to the underground ‘zine appeal. The book is hard to find but remains recommended to those who wish to keep Austin weird, as well as those seeking a crash course in musical education.