Reinvent - The Presto Kid

The second in a series of public domain comic character redesigns: the PRESTO KID!

Introduced in Red Mask #51 in 1955 (Magazine Enterprises, publisher), the PRESTO KID was...

"Jeff Grant was a black smith but he also was the masked lawman known as The Presto Kid. He never used a gun instead relying on a wide selection of both prestidigitation and stage magic to capture criminals." (from [link] )

Two words: MAGIC COWBOY! How has this character not been revived today? Two things kids like: magic & cowboys. Combining them is instant fun for everyone!

Here's my attempt at an update. I changed the character a bit in that I have fashioned him as an actual wizard complete with wand, gigantic spell book and mystical tattoos fighting the good fight in fantastical version of the old west.

"Jeff Grant was a simple blacksmith's apprentice when his home on the range was devastated in a battle between dragon-borne bandits and the local sorcerer-sheriff. Taken in by the victorious magical lawman as his new apprentice/deputy, young Mr. Grant has been trained in the mystical arts, tattooed with the unspeakable symbols and taken an oath to use his knowledge in the pursuit of justice.

A retaliation strike by the leader of the dragon-bandits killed Jeff Grant's mentor and what little remained of his home town. Armed with his master's spell book and his trusty wand, Jeff Grant has adopted the name "The Presto Kid" and become a wandering wand-slinger fighting evil wherever it rears its ugly head. All the while, the Presto Kid hunts for the notorious Dragon Bandit gang and their king for his own personal revenge."

I am also very pleased with my bandit-centaur!

EDIT: A large version of the image can be found here: [link]