Apache Kid (comics)

The Apache Kid
Apache Kid #2 (Feb. 1951), art by Werner Roth
Publication information
Publisher	Atlas Comics
First appearance	Two Gun Western #5 (Nov. 1950)
Created by	John Buscema (art)
In-story information
Alter ego	Alan Krandal
Notable aliases	Aloysius Kare
The Apache Kid
Series publication information
Publisher	Atlas Comics
Schedule	Bimonthly; hiatus from Jan. 1952 – Dec. 1954
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Western
Publication date	Dec. 1950 – Apr. 1956
Number of issues	19
Main character(s)	Apache Kid
Creative team
Artist(s)	Werner Roth

The Apache Kid (Alan Krandal) is a fictional Old West character in the Marvel Comics universe, mostly seen in stories from Marvel's 1950s precursor, Atlas Comics. This character was named after, but is unrelated to, the real-life Native American man known as The Apache Kid (Haskay-bay-nay-natyl).

The Apache Kid (Alan Krandal) debuted as the cover feature, drawn by a young John Buscema, of Two-Gun Western #5 (cover-dated Nov. 1950). The writer co-creator is unknown. He received his own title the following month, premiering as The Apache Kid  #53 (Dec. 1950, picking up the numbering from Reno Browne, Hollywood's Greatest Cowgirl) and then running as Apache Kid  #2-19 (Feb. 1951 - Jan. 1952; Dec. 1954 - April 1956).

Stories also ran in the omnibus titles Two-Gun Western  #5-9 (Nov. 1950 - Aug. 1951) and Wild Western  #15-22 (April 1951 - June 1952). After that initial Buscema story and at least two by Joe Maneely (who would also do many of the later covers), the bulk of the book's run would be penciled and inked by future Silver Age X-Men artist Werner Roth.

After The Apache Kid ended with #19 (April 1956), its numbering continued as the anthology series Western Gunfighters, where the character did not appear.

Apache Kid reprints, however, did appear in Marvel's 1970s omnibus series also titled Western Gunfighters. The Kid shared its pages with new Ghost Rider (also known as Phantom Rider) stories, as well as anthological and Western-hero reprints of a changing lineup that included Atlas' Black Rider (here renamed Black Mask), the Western Kid, Wyatt Earp, and later Kid Colt. Apache Kid reprints ran from  #2-33, the final issue (Oct. 1970 - Nov. 1975).