The Wire Fence, I finally have time to make a post about my own comic. A lot went into this one-shot, kind of like a sandwich. We’ve got a central idea (what really conquered the wild west) and the condiments and garnish. Nothing that’s meant to line up with too many historical events, but I try my best with how flexible it was. Don’t worry no spoilers.
Why The Wire Fence?
So yeah, the barbed wire fence is the real tool that conquered the west. The six shooting revolver might be flashy, but it was anything but disruptive. That’s why the opening pages of the comic are about how the Mexican standoffs and duels made famous by Clint Eastwood are overrated. Not even horseback riding henchman could hold off how much power of these prickly lines.
But like any tool there’s plenty of history that paints barbed wire as good or bad. With it, anyone including freed slaves could own land for farms. Of course, that also meant cutting off others’ homes like the hundreds of Plains nations and thousands of bison.
American Bison
The American Plains Bison is rightfully seen as the USA’s national mammal. This grazer is a keystone species of the American prairie, helping the plants grow, and helping other species survive without even acknowledging them. The bison are practically embodiments of the frontier, full of bounty, but unwilling to be domestic.
It’s why bison are so prized by hunters, from the Plains nations to the American government. Only problem was, the latter hunted so many bison, they nearly went extinct. Two hunters actually noticed this and took the steps necessary to preserve the species to keep hunting. Between Buffalo Bill and Teddy Roosevelt, they ended up making most bison today more like modern day Mongolians. Only instead of every Mongolian being related in some way to Genghis Khan, they have a bit of domestic cattle in them. But it’s not like anybody can tell the difference between a pure bison and a beefalo. Besides, there were loads more efforts, especially by the Plains nations, considering how sacred bison are to them.
White Buffalo Cow Society
A white bison actually plays a big role in The Wire Fence. That’s because the rare pigmentless animal is several Amerindian religion’s sacred bull, particularly the Lakota. The white buffalo calf is said to be both a blessing and a warning about great changes upon the Earth, as told by the Lakota’s cultural prophet Ptesáŋwiŋ, the White Buffalo Calf Woman. But what the white bison Dignity represents is up to the reader. …I said: no spoilers.
The White Buffalo Cow Society is mainly just a background element, but it plays an important part in the outlaw hero B.B.Q.’s backstory. All that you need to know is that it was an all-women’s society of at least two Plains nations. Traditionally, that didn’t include the Lakota since they were those nations’ rivals/enemies. I used my artistic license to link the traditional societies to the more modern ones dedicated to protecting women and children from domestic abuse.
I’ll leave B.B.Q.’s full backstory to your imagination until the comic comes out.
Black Hills Gold Rush
And now for a new tangent tying some of the characters together. Black Hills was one of the least exciting bits of the American frontier’s gold fever. Unlike California or Pike’s Peak, this rush was more hype than substance. Just the smallest rumor of gold brings prospectors over into Sioux territory. But any mine that wasn’t Homestake got so little, that others miners went back to their old jobs.
The only other reason Black Hills has weight was because Sioux like the Lakota lost their legal territory. When they had the right to fight back, President Grant quietly took down the territory treaty. By then, the Lakota had to go to the reservations or take the fight with Sitting Bull. At the very least, the survivors got a chance to restore the bison populations that were devastated. Grant did just about everything to screw Indians over.
What Are Cowboys Supposed To Do Anyway?
Here’s just a little indulgence when it comes ranching. I’m sure people think that cowboys are sharpshooting gunmen due to Clint Eastwood. But here’s the thing, most real cowboys were cattle herders. Their jobs were transporting cows to wherever they needed to be: farms, butchers, etc. So when I found out that barbed wire could harm the bison, that also means it can help them. Rather than tame the untamable, work around the legal hurdles to help restore their place. Of course, that’s anything but easy, not that I had the time to get into everything about bison ranching. Because let’s face it, you wanna see what a real cowboy does, not sit around for a lecture.
The Wire Fence: An Anti-Western
So there you have it, The Wire Fence is an urban fantasy taking place near the tail end of the American Frontier. I don’t mean magic, not even with how B.B.Q. uses barbed wire (that’s not a spoiler). It’s a fun way to imagine what the Wild West can mean to us readers. Why indulge in the tropes like revenge on a gang, or rub in people’s faces the realities of that setting? Nothing against them either. But that’s not why we like the West; it’s the freedom of the wilderness and the chance to start anew.
So please if you’re interested, consider ordering off of CEX’s website, Amazon, or Omnibus.