CLAY BICKFORD
Real Name: Clayton Bickford
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Land owner, oil baron, former film star
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: His own gang of thugs
Enemies: Lobo, Red Wolf (Thomas Thunderhead), Jill Tomahawk
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: A ranch in Oklahoma
First Appearance: Red Wolf#9 (September, 1973)
Powers/Abilities: Clay Bickford was an aged film star who still thought of himself as an icon. He wielded a shotgun.
History:
(Red Wolf#9 (fb) - BTS) - Clay Bickford was once a Hollywood star who appeared in many western films as a hero, becoming an idol to millions of Americans. He retired to a ranch in Oklahoma when his career came to an end. After discovering that there was oil near his ranch, Bickford became determined to acquire the land in order to replenish his now-depleted finances. Since the land was owned by the local Native population, Bickford became determined to take it from them-- by any means. His activities were discovered by policewoman Jill Tomahawk.
(Red Wolf#9) - Bickford mailed a bomb to Jill Tomahawk, but the Red Wolf saved her from the explosion. Bickford and some of his men then moved in and attacked Tomahawk and Red Wolf, and took the two of them captive. He brought them back to his ranch and showed off his surroundings, claiming that he was a prime example of the "American Way," which the Natives could have achieved themselves if they weren't lazy. Red Wolf struck him for saying that, and Bickford clubbed him back with his shotgun. Bickford had his two captives thrown into the cellar while he prepared to have them killed.
Red Wolf summoned his wolf Lobo to his aid, and fought his way through Bickford's hirelings. Bickford threatened Tomahawk with his shotgun, but Red Wolf struck him in the head with his coup stick. Bickford was taken away in an ambulance afterwards, but he remained confident that no one would listen to an "injun squaw," and that he would simply claim that Tomahawk and Red Wolf had been trespassing on his property.
Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (pencils) and Vince Colletta (inks).
Lobo's supernatural powers in Red Wolf#9 have not
been explained; some sources consider Red Wolf#7-9 to be
out-of-continuity (Red Wolf#9 also features a completely different
origin for Red Wolf, in which his real name is Thomas Thunderhead).
Due to the inconsistencies/discrepancies/crappy
nature/etc. of the events and origin of Red Wolf#7-9, I would really like to
make Thomas Thunderhead the predecessor of Will Talltrees, the current Red Wolf.
There is nothing in RW#7-9 to link them to the modern era, and they could easily
be fixed in time in 1973, as pre-modern era stories. However, the current
thought is that Thunderhead is Talltrees, and his origins, etc. revealed in RW#7-9
should be regarded as spurious.
I honestly can't see why there is any opposition to this
thought.
--Snood.
The OHotMU vol.9 has since confirmed that this Red Wolf is a separate man: Thomas Thunderhead.
--Grendel Prime
by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
Clay Bickford should not be confused with:
Image:
Red Wolf#9, p14, pan1 (main image)
First Posted: 06/12/2005
Last updated: 07/15/2005
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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