Follow

    Lone Ranger

    Character » Lone Ranger appears in 863 issues.

    The Lone Ranger was a popular Radio, TV and comic book icon in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Lone Ranger last edited by gravenraven on 06/14/23 06:45PM View full history

    Origins

    The Lone Ranger, John Reid, first came to be after he was gunned down by Butch Cavendish's men along with his father and brother. He managed to claw out of his grave, and then started stopping western criminals everywhere. He was found by Tonto who declared that he was the only one left, a lone ranger. That is how he came up with the name. Tonto nursed John back to health and then decided to join up with John at stopping crime. John eventually got revenge on Cavendish's gang, and then set off to fight more criminals, and save more lives

    Lone Ranger's Name And Legacy

    Lone Ranger doesn't necessarily have a first name. In the radio series where he first came from, his first name was never revealed, his last name is Reid though. Eventually though, his name was revealed in an origin story in 1962. It stated that Ranger's brother Dan was not really named that, Dan was Ranger's real first name. But in a movie made in 1982, it is revealed Lone Ranger's first name is really John. His last name has been and always has been Reid though. The Green Hornet shares the last name Reid with the family members who became the Green Hornet. In Now Comics, The Lone Ranger is the Grandfather of the first Green Hornet . Now, he is referred to as John Reid.

    Horses

    Silver
    Silver

    Lone Ranger's main horse, Silver, was revealed to not be Ranger's first horse in "The Legend Of Silver" (September 30, 1938). Ranger's first horse was a chestnut mare named Dusty. After Dusty was killed by a criminal, Ranger and Tonto started trying to track down the horse. After a while Ranger finds Silver and saves it from being attacked by an enraged buffalo. In return, Silver decided to give up its wildlife and carry The Lone Ranger.

    Creation

    The creator of The Lone Ranger was debated between the owner of the radio the show first appeared on, George W. Trendle or main writer Frank Striker. Striker is most likely though considering that he had written a couple of stories in Buffalo, New York that are very similar to The Lone Ranger.

    Character Evolution

    Golden Age-

    During the Golden Age, most of Lone Ranger's comics and stories were just about him and Tonto fighting crime. The origins of Ranger's horse and Tonto are revealed though.

    Silver Age-

    Lone Ranger's first name is revealed to be Dan in an issue of Gold Key Comics. Also around this time the Lone Ranger radio show ended, and the film serials began, but ended fairly quickly.

    Bronze Age-

    Lone Ranger's name is revealed to be John in a movie about him, and is kept that way since then.

    Modern Age-

    In 2006, Dynamite Entertainment revamped the series into three volumes, all with a much darker tone. The Lone Ranger was officially named John Reid in this, and his past was changed to be even more brutal than it previously was.

    The Lone Ranger Code

    Throughout all of The Lone Ranger's history, his code of ethics has remained the same.

    1. I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one.
    2. That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
    3. That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
    4. In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
    5. That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
    6. That "this government, of the people, by the people, and for the people," shall live always.
    7. That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
    8. That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
    9. That all things change, but the truth, and the truth alone lives on forever.

    I believe in my Creator, my country, my fellow man.

    Weapons & Equipment

    The Lone Ranger used silver bullets as his main weapon, only disarming never killing his opponents. The reason for using silver bullets instead of normal ones is to remind himself that life, too, is precious and, like his silver bullets, not to be wasted or thrown away.

    The Lone Ranger used Colt .45 pistols as his main weapon, but many times he proved he could use other items like ropes and whips to get the upper hand. Also he is a expert in boxing.

    Other Media

    The Lone Ranger had his start on a radio program on WXYZ Detroit. After that gained success, The Lone Ranger got his own radio show on more stations, and ended in the 1950's with over 2550 episodes. This radio show also incorporated Lone Ranger's most famous line, "Yo Silver, away!" This line was used to tell the audience that a racing segment was about to begin, but it was still used on The Lone Ranger TV show.

    No Caption Provided

    In 1938, Republic Pictures released the film serial The Lone Ranger and the following year: The Lone Ranger Rides Again.

    After the success of the radio show, a few serials were produced, but quickly forgotten and destroyed since the creator of The Lone Ranger didn't feel that the franchise was being treated right. From 1949 to 1957 a television show chronicling the adventures of The Lone Ranger starring Clayton Moore was created. This show gave The Lone Ranger his most popular personality, and most memorable performance.

    Clayton Moore as Lone Ranger in the TV series
    Clayton Moore as Lone Ranger in the TV series

    Moore also starred in two films The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958).

    A few movies were created as well for The Lone Ranger, most notably the 1982 film, The Legend of The Lone Ranger, which caused much upset amongst the fans since the original actor was not allowed to be used due to copyright laws.

    Lone Ranger (2013 Film)

    No Caption Provided

    The Lone Ranger is a Disney action/western film.

    The film will star American actor Armie Hammer as Lone Ranger and American actor Johnny Depp as Tonto. The movie was released July of 2013. This movie was NOT the great hit because they tried to make it like the Pirates movies. And they used a person with NOT much native american blood as Tonto. This upset the fans and native american tribes because Jay Silverheels was a great actor who portrayed Tonto so well in the radio and TV programs.

    sizepositionchange
    sizepositionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    positionchange
    bordersheaderpositiontable
    positionchange

    This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.