Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Foreign Favorites: IL Piccolo Ranger

Created by writer Andrea Lavezzolo and illustrated by Francesco Gamba, IL Piccolo Ranger (The Little Ranger) was produced by the  Audac  Publishing House with a first appearance on June 15, 1958. Kit Teller, our young hero of the series, is the son of Moses and Mary Worth Teller who emigrate from Wales to seek their fortune in the New World.  Arriving in the United States, the married couple end up in the wilds of the frontier in search for work as baby Kit arrives in 1861. When his mother suddenly dies and the baby falls ill, Moses seeks out the Indian tribe of Red Bison, which  nurse back to health the lad as the pioneers stay to learn the ways of the Native Americans. Moses eventually leave their new friends to become a Ranger and teaches Kit about being a soldier, until the fort adopts him as their youngest member. From this moment on, the Little Ranger lives out his adventures in the wilderness facing outlaws, savage Indians, fierce reptiles, uncanny extraterrestrials, and even medieval warriors who somehow landed in the States. With a strong supporting cast of colorful characters, there was always plenty of action and adventure that excited many a Italian reader with their Western teen hero.


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