Black Rider (Marvel)

The Black Rider is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.

Biography

Matthew Masters

In 1880, he came upon the Masked Raider who had been shot to death by unknown killers. Dr. Masters attempted to save the man and had to remove his mask but despite his efforts Gardley died. Matthew then took his mask where he vowed to avenge him with the fabric seemingly guiding him to Gardley's killers. (Marvel Comics v1 #1000)

Soon after, Leadville was terrorized by Killer Kane and his men while Masters was out on call. When he returned to town, he quickly changed into the Black Rider and fought the outlaws after they accidentally shot Marie's little nephew Bobby. (Wild Western v1 #5) Masters soon took into his care a government agent who was carrying silent bids on a government irrigation contract. When the bids were stolen by Ben Jonas and his men, who sought to win the contract the Black Rider rode again and recovered the stolen bids. (All Western Winners v1 #3)

Soon after, Snake Bostwick came to town and began trying to force ranchers from their property. While changing into the Black Rider, Masters was caught by Marie's younger brother Bobby Lathrop who was sworn to secrecy regarding the Black Rider's dual identity. When Bostwick's gang got the drop on the Black Rider, Bobby arrived in the nick a time, holding Bostwick's gang at gunpoint long enough for the Rider to take down the gang. (All Western Winners v1 #4)

Soon after, Grant Dumont and Sash Gale attempted to incite a range war between Leadville's ranchers and a nearby colony of nesters, hiring outlaw Red John to do so. Masters once more became the Black Rider to stop this, but things grew complicated when Red John began disguising himself as the Black Rider, turning the people of Leadville against the hero. The Black Rider caught up to his impostor who was mortally wounded in a gunfight. Before dying John gave a full confession and the Black Rider rallied the locals to stop Dumont and Gale. (Best Western v1 #58) Soon after, Leadville was running an election to choose a new sheriff. When a local named Waller attempted to use crooked means to try and force people to vote for him, the Black Rider began investigating. The hero uncovered that Waller intended to use his powers as sheriff to impose a tax on cattle that would make local ranchers cash strapped. Having bought up all the mortgages, he then plotted to force the ranchers from their land. The Black Rider prevented Waller from rigging the election through fear and intimidation and then gunned Waller down after he lost and tried to kill the hero. (Western Winners v1 #5)

Marie was riding near Mystery Mountain when she was abducted by the Beast-Men, a tribe of Neanderthal-like men who lived on the mountain. The creatures were about to perform ritual sacrifice on her when the Black Rider came and rescued her, returning her to Leadville. (Western Winners v1 #6) As Marie was preparing to race her horse Eagle, she was noticed by Lincoln Quantrell, a hypnotist. Lincoln wanted to make her his 'queen' and had his servant race his horse Sunspot against her, winning the race. When the Black Rider found Lincoln was using his hypnotism to rob Leadville, he confronted the villain but was himself hypnotized; when Marie arrived, she too was hypnotized and Lincoln planned to make the Black Rider kill himself but the Black Rider shook off the effects of the hypnotism. Lincoln fired his gun at the Black Rider, missing him but hitting Marie's horse. Marie was shook out of the hypnotism and the Black Rider stopped her horse from running wild. Lincoln's henchman then likewise broke out of the hypnotic spell and killed Lincoln. (Wild Western v1 #9) Marie joined her father to resist the attempt by Wolf Cariff to rustle their cattle. The Black Rider came to their rescue and killed the gang then kissed Marie before departing. Later, Marie met Professor Chalis, a scientist from Chicago who had set up a laboratory near the ranch. Marie was attracted to him but he was secretly rustling cattle to use in his experiments to make living things larger. The Lathrop's foreman Jim became one of his human subjects. As he became increasingly unhinged, Chalis decided to force Marie to marry him. When she refused, he resolved to use her as a subject in an experiment, kidnapping her. With the Black Rider in his clutches, Chalis prepared to use his energy beam to make both of them grow in size but Jim and the other transformed men came to Marie and the Black Rider's rescue, destroying the machine. The Black Rider and Marie departed with the transformed men and the Rider promised they would be returned to normal by Doc Masters. (Black Rider v1 #8)

By the early 20th century, he began to suffer from cancer with the mask unable to save him. Masters came to use this time to find a new bearer for the Eternity Mask. By 1930, the Great Depression was affecting the country and Masters came to learn of a young thief called Dennis Piper. He leaked information about Doc Masters having a lot of riches which led to Piper breaking in to steal the fortune. Once there, Masters confronted him where he revealed his identity as the Black Rider of the Old West and in Piper he recognised someone to continue the battle for the downtrodden. Thus, he passed the Eternity Mask to him to continue the fight. (Marvel Comics v1 #1000)

Overview

Powers and abilities

At one point, he came into possession of the Eternity Mask. (Marvel Comics v1 #1000)

Notes

• The Black Rider was created by Syd Shores where he made his first appearance in All Winners v1 #2 (Winter, 1948).
• The Black Rider (translated as "Cavaleiro Negro") became a very popular hero in Brazil, where he was published by publisher Rio Gráfica since 1949, being published first in the magazine Gibi Mensal. Then the Black Rider starred his own long series of 245 series, 15 annuals and 2 special series, beginning with an issue #1 in September 1952.

Appearances

• All Winners v1: (1948)
• Marvel Comics v1: (2019)

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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