Archaia Entertainment’s Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse

Written by: Laura Hong-Tuason, CC2K Comics Editor

More often than not, I get tired of superhero comics. On those very rare occasions, I lose interest in my beloved horror comics as well. So what else can I read and get a kick out of? Why, quirky kid-friendly comics full of delightful illustrations and inside jokes for the big kid in all of us, of course! Better yet, it’s “Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse”.

Writer: Nate Cosby
Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos

Meet Boyd Linney. He’s a ten-year-old bounty hunter who is determined to send his entire no good outlaw family members to jail. He’s even got a horse that’s apparently not his. In other words, this is not a kid you would want to mess with. That’s right, he’s tough, merciless, and the most terrifying trait of all… he’s downright ADORABLE. Wait, what? Don’t worry you read me correctly. It’s a kid’s comic after all.

“Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse” is a humorous graphic novel that collects 5 issues and some bonus material. While Boyd can be one hard-hitting kid that smacks people around and threatens people with the wave of his gun, he’s still a sweet 10-year-old boy trying to do what’s right, even if he occasionally goes about it the wrong way. In fact, he’s quite polite, his gun is harmless, and he never means to stir up trouble unless someone gives him a reason to. He’s clever one that boy is. 

Though this is a cute and funny book for kids to read, it also has some serious content that puts Boyd in moral situations and forces him to reflect on his actions. Whether kids are able to pick up such lessons in this graphic novel is up in the air, but the hard facts of life are definitely present. It really makes you wonder how a comic for kids can be so deep.

Put this narrative together with the wonderful art, character expressions, color, and stylistic language and you have one charming graphic novel. The downside is that I felt it ended quite abruptly, but trust me, you will love Boyd Linney in more ways than one.