Legendary Zonies Mickey Free And Wonderful Russ

 February 22, 2026

   Circling back to a certain one-eyed, red-headed captivo.

Daily Whip Out:

"Mickey Cuts Through The Blinding Dust"

   And, if it wasn't the damn dust, it was the incessant fires, dogging his trail.

Daily Whip Out:

"Mickey On His Mammoth Jack 

Jumps Through The Flames"

   Random fires burned along the ridges and down into the border canyons. Picking his way along, around the edges when possible, Mickey pushed on to the south. From there the fires dissapated, but here and there flames still swirled along the edges.

Daily Whip Out: "The Coyote Returns"

   This went on for miles, but finally. . .

Daily Whip Out:

"Mickey Finally Escapes The Valley of Fire"

  Mickey Free, finally found a route out of the valley inferno and crossed over into Bacanora. Everyone agreed that all in all, he did not have the most pleasant visage.

Daily Whip Out: "Mickey's Dead Eye Stare"

alternative title:

"Displeasure Was Stamped Upon His Features"

   So, that is one of my favorite Arizona's legends and here is another.

One Truly Irregular Arizonan

Dan Harshberger and I started the Razz Revue "Magazomic" in 1972 and in the spring of '73 we were inspired to do 103 Irregular Arizonans and we had our friends and friends of friends nominate people who they believed were different, or, ahem, Irregular. One of the nominees was Wonderful Russ who was, at the time doing zany moving company ads on KDKB radio and his crazy delivery and voice timber made him a legend. When I tracked him down, he agreed to came over to the Park Lee Apartments just south of Camelback and 15th Ave where we were renting and had our office (in the living room!) and Dan and I interviewed Russ and he was a total laugh riot. Afterwards, I walked him out to his car and took this now classic photo of Russ Shaw, Jr. Major Humor Master And Zane Bro Number One!

Zane Bro Number 1—Wonderful Russ

April, 1973

   And here's the cover, designed by Dan The Man and notice Wonderful Russ made the cover blurbs, as did Matt Siegel's Dog!

   Not long after this we pitched him on running for governor and the rest is Arizona history!

"If I am elected we will be blasting California off into the ocean so Arizona will have a sea port at Yuma."

—Wonderful Russ campaign promise

Red Head Redemption

 February  21, 2026

  Everyone knows black loves red.

Daily Whip Out:

"Red Head Redemption #21"

Daily Whip Out:

"Red Head Redemption #22"

Daily Whip Out:

"Red Head (Skeletor) Redemption #23"

   Yes, I am always amazed at how the combination of black and red creates a dynamic-pop-poster effect. And, speaking of poster boys. . .

Three Bell Boys In Long Beach

That's my dad on the left, Allen P. Bell, age 40. And that's me, on the right, age 16. And in the middle—doing a jig—is my farmer grandfather, Carl Marvin Bell, age 76. He's three years younger than I am now. Wow.

   In 1963 my uncle Glenn Marvin Bell (my dad's younger brother) married a pretty girl from Council Bluffs, Iowa, and moved to Long Beach, California to teach school. So, my grandparents, still on the family farm north of Thompson, Iowa, drove out to Kingman and stayed with us a few days and then my dad drove us all to Long Beach in his new '62 Olds to visit those other Bells. I had just received an 8mm camera which my dad traded for a tank of gas to some broke people trying to make it the Promised Land (California) and we had just gone to a Lutheran church on Sunday in Long Beach and we were all dressed up waiting to go to a restaurant for a sitdown Sunday breakfast and we were standing on their patio, and my uncle Glenn took my movie camera and started filming. My grandfather started doing a jig (a show off Bell? What are the odds?), which I thought was hilarious and that's how this frame from the movie came about.

   Speaking of show-off Bells, here is a semi-painful photo from out of my radio past.

The Razz Band opening for the Beach Boys

May 20, 1988

   (Alternate title) I could'ah been a contender, if only I hadn't worn those muy dorky jammies! One of our zany contributors to the Jones, Boze & Jeanne Show on KSLX was Brian Richards who portrayed Paul McCartney on our April Fool's Show and fooled the whole Valley. Meanwhile, Brian hired the Beach Boys to open a subdivision he was doing out in Mesa called Val Vista Lakes. He paid $98,000 for the privilege and he tapped us, The Razz Band, to be the opening act. Well, actually, that's too strong. He granted us the spot to open for the openers, meaning we got out on the stage and the Beach Boys had 95% of the stage locked down, and the opening act took about 4% of the remaining stage and we took what was left, which was maybe a half foot at the very edge of the stage. Not one of my favorite gigs, but then it was probably the biggest crowd we ever played for, some 30,000 Zonies who didn't quite understand why we were there. Ha.

"Well, east coast kids are hip I really dig those styles they wear. . .but I can't wait to get back in the sticks where the goobers from Kingman dress like dorks. . ."

—The Beach Boys, a paraphrasing of California Girls

When The Old Vauqeros Offend The Wrong People

 February 20, 2026

   Let's start with some good news:

   And, yes, you are invited. Going to be a fun one. I'll see you there at the White Stallion Ranch, just north of Tucson and as an added bonus, this is during the Tucson Festival of Books.

The More Things Change. . .

   I read this with a smile on my face.

A Way Forward for Print

Daily Whip Out: "Buckeye Furred Out"

(from a photograph, of course)

   As you probably can guess, sometimes the old vaqueros are too clever by half and find themselves offending the wrong people.

Daily Whip Out: "Old Vaquero In Chains"

"Ruling is simple. You only have to avoid offending the ruling families."

—Old Vaquero In Jail Saying

   Also, in the handwringing department. . .

"My Brothers of the Gun is in its second printing, so clearly people are not tired of reading about Wyatt Earp. Please, enough with the handwringing."

—Mark Lee Gardner

Arizona Rainbow Proves There Is A God

 February19, 2026

   Yesterday, Kathy was in the kitchen and she said to me, "There is a partial rainbow in the front yard." I replied from the living room, "Tell me when it's a full one," and not twenty seconds later, she replied:"You better come look at this." And, so I did.

A Full Arizona Rainbow 

   Meanwhile, just a few miles south of here. . .

Daily Revised Whip Out:

"Tres Bandidos En Remolino de Polvo"

(Three Outlaws In A Dust Storm)

"There's a fine line between catching an outlaw and becoming one.,"

—Old Vaquero Saying

Feedback On The Passing of The Torch

   "I know you have done more than your share in this battle to make history understandable, colorful and meaningful.  But we still need your guidance BBB. I really wonder if any group or person wants to do half the work you  and the TW team have done to make TW cutting edge in so many ways.  Your stories make people think?  They challenge the norm.  They also repeat a lot about the past like the Earp story etc.  over and over.  We need a steady hand, we need hard copy and digital too.  New blood, yes, but with an ancient memory to help us sort through the good, the bad and the ugly."

—Lynda Sanchez

    Good feedback on me stepping down in December as Executive Editor of True West magazine, although I must admit that nobody is more guilty of repeating the Wyatt Earp story over and over more than I am.

Daily Revised Whip Out: "Vaquero Dust Up"

"When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear."

—Thomas Sowell

What's Good for The Goose Is Good For The Gander Explained

 February 18, 2026

   Since we're all about full disclosure, skanky digital delights have always been a thing for me.

Sexy Sadie

(Mrs. Wyatt Earp? Dream on, Sucker)

What Is The Technical Difference Between A Goose And A Gander?

   A goose is any bird of the waterfowl family, the Anatidae, which includes ducks, swans and geese. The males are called ganders.

What Is The Euphemistic Difference Between A Goose And A Gander?

   When Bill Clinton got caught receiving a hummer in the White House, conservatives claimed that "Character Matters." When Donald Trump got caught on a live microphone saying he recommends grabbing women by the privates, the same conservatives said, "I'm not hiring him to be my pastor."

   So now you know how an old gander—who is the same age as both those old horndog ganders—feels about that old saying: "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

What's It Like to Be Remembered As One of The Best Cartoonists Who Ever Lived?

R. Crumb cartoon portraying

our mutual madness

"He can't drive, he can't swim. He's totally dyslexic, he's left-handed. He's practically blind. His glasses are an inch thick. My mom did all the practical stuff and drew as well."

—Sophie Crumb

   Aline Kominsky Crumb (Sophie's late mom), was at the University of Arizona Fine Arts College at the same time I was there (1968-71). I remember seeing her, outside the main entrance talking to friends. She wasn't famous yet, I just remember her because she was striking. 

Aline and Robert Crumb

   Aline graduated from the U of A in 1971 and moved to San Francisco where she met that other Robert. And, here is my crude homage to her hubby, one of my cartooning heroes:

Freddy Remington drawing over the shoulder

of R. Crumb at Woodstock.

   Actually, that is an homage to two of my heroes: R. Crumb and Frederick Remington. And that whip out is a parody of this Remington illustration:

Daily Whip Out:

"BBB Does Remington at San Carlos"

   And, sometimes I channel them both and end up here.

Daily Dusty Whip Out:

"Disturbed Individual Approaching"

   He shouldn't be here, but there he is ambling up the drainage ditch on old Highway 93.

"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance."

—Old Vaquero Saying

                        Daily Mini Whip Out: "El Goofoso"

   I've had several people ask me what I am going to do when I retire in December. Well, first of all I am NOT retiring. I am simply stepping down from my position as Executive Editor of True West magazine. Because. . .

"There's no retirement for an artist. It's your way of living so there's no end to it."

—Henry Moore

"Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness."

—Old Vaquero Saying

The Ha Ha Manual

 February 17, 2026

   Like most grandfathers I think about leaving behind some advice, or a how-to-manual for my grandkids. They call me Grandpa Ha Ha. Here is a start:

Grandpa Ha Ha with all his future

Humor Masters

The Ha Ha Manual

   First of all, you won't make more stupid mistakes than I have made. That would be impossible. I even made some stupid mistakes twice because I couldn't believe the results the first time. So, remember this:

"There is nothing to be learned from the second kick of a mule."

—Mark Twain

• Whatever you believe, the opposite is also true. (tell a good story to go with this)

   That's a decent start and there's more, but first let me jettison a certain editorial obligation.

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."

—Carl Jung

Sage Advice From An Old Man And More New Old Vaqueros

 February 17, 2026

   A couple of co-workers—and a family member—have challenged me on giving up my True West title and they want to know why am I stepping down this December? Truth be known, my role model is Anna Wintour. I don't know if you have heard but after four decades,  Anna Wintour, the editor-in-Chief at Vogue magazine stepped down this year to make way for new blood. She is 76. I just don't think someone who is 80—and that will be me on December 19—should try and steer any magazine on a cutting edge course in this current market. It's time for new blood.

   My mantra has always been, lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way!

   On the other hand, if there's one thing I can never get enough of, it's the world of the old vaquero. I just dig that time frame and I don't think it gets the attention it deserves.

   And speaking of people who don't get enough attention in that time frame, why do the Apache warriors hog all our respect and admiration?

Daily Whip Out: "Apache Temptress"

   I have known an Apache beauty, or two, and they are just as formidable as any Chiricahua Brave.

Daily Whip Out:

"Old Vaquero Under The Sugarloaf Brim"

Daily Whip Out:

"Old Vaquero In The Corral"

New Old Vaquero Sayings

   And leave it to Dan The Man to design these whip outs into a clever design mix, like this:

   And this. . .

   There's a ton more, but you knew that.

I stayed in a really old hotel last night. They sent me a wake up letter."

—Steven Wright

Passing The True West Torch, Part II

 February 15, 2026

   I've had some interesting responses to my remarks about passing the torch and here is some clarity.

Passing The Torch, Part II

   For me, True West has always been personal. I bought my first issue as a kid in Kingman, and it never really let go of me. So when the opportunity came along in 1999, I did something only a history nut would do: I called a few friends, we pulled together the necessary resources, and we purchased True West—along with its sister title Old West and the full bundle of publishing assets—out of Stillwater, Oklahoma, then moved it to Cave Creek, Arizona, where it has prospered ever since.

   I’ve had great help from a ton of people who believed in the mission: to keep our love of American history alive. And, to reiterate, I have had the time of my life doing it!

   Now it’s time to find the next history nut—with the passion, the fresh energy, and a deep respect for this story-rich magazine—to take the reins and guide True West into its next chapter.

   True West was founded in 1953, and the road to 100 years is right around the corner. We don’t need a caretaker. We need new blood and new ideas—someone who honors the heritage, loves the readers, and wants to build what comes next.

   Do you—or someone you know—have what it takes to take True West to the century mark?

   Ken and I are looking for someone who can take the magazine to the next level. I hope if you are interested, you have someone with the ponies to carry it off, just like I did 27 years ago.

"Large numbers of strangers can cooperate successfully by believing in common myths."

—Simon Sinek

Mini Whip Outs & Praising The Past

 February 14, 2026

   Good things have happened on this date.

It is Arizona Statehood Day

   And, I must admit I love this damn place with all my heart.

Hopeless Mini-Whip Outs

   Someone gifted me a mini-sketchbook and I resisted using it because it seemed too small and cramped, but one day, in quasi-desperation, I decided to use it as a loosening up tool. 

Size Matters

(a regular sized watercolor paper is on the bottom, my big-sized sketchbook is on the right and my mini-sketchbook is on the left, with a big, fat, fanbrush pointing the way between the two)

   So I grabbed my large fan brush, above, and blocked in some color, without hope, without despair. And. . .

Mini-Gasline Break

   I totally dig it now and use it often to loosen up before getting serious about effort and expectations. Here are a few of those hopeless pages. 

Mini-Ghost Cleavage

Mini-Slug Queen

Mini-Gearhead

   Of course, there's tons more, but you get the picture.

Passing The Torch

   I will be eighty this year and it's time to start thinking about passing the True West torch on to someone who can carry this venerable publication to the century mark. I have had great help from a ton of people who believed in the mission: to keep our love of American history alive. Yes, I have carried it when no one else wanted it and I have had the time of my life, but it's time to give someone else a shot at this. We need new blood and new ideas. Do you know anybody who is worthy of this gig?

"It's not what you look at, it's what you see."

—Old Vaquero Saying

Storm Clouds And 100 Years of Kickin' It! Plus, How Many Times Has Wyatt Earp Been On The Cover of True West?

 February 13, 2026

   Looked like it might storm this morning.

   But these dramatic clouds petered out and we got nothing. Welcome to Arizona.

   Otherwise, lots going on, including this little event.

   Full Disclosure: the Dolan Ellis quote was a smart-assed placeholder. He never said those words, but it is kind of funny. On the other hand, Kathy Radina did, in fact, say her quote with some emphasis. Keep in mind, she has to live with me doing these books (15 so far!) on a day to day basis and it can be, how can I say this diplomatically, not fun!

   Oh, yes, and it's Friday The Thirteenth! But you already knew that.

   I have been asked to review my friend's book, Ride The Devil's Herd by John Boessenecker. It was a fun exercise and it made me realize a couple things: I have been chasing the Wyatt Earp story for six decades. And this led me to wonder how many times have we featured the part-time lawman on the cover of True West?

   Okay, I just counted. And we have featured this guy 17 times on the cover since I took the reins (and Doc Holliday 9 times!). Ouch! That is more than enough of that!

   Speaking of which, I can't leave well enough alone. . .

Daily Revised Whip Out: "Into The Blue II"

“There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth. Because the truth is never just one thing is it? Life is layered, contradictory, always in flux. To try and pin it down is like trying to catch wind in your hands. But through story, through emotion, we get close to something that feels real.”

—Doris Lessing, “The Golden Notebook”

How Valuable Is Courage?

 February 12, 2026

   I took another swing at a certain, lovable, south of the border cowboy:

Daily Revised Whip Out: 

"New Old Vaquero In Red"

"To care enough is the beginning of courage."

—Old Vaquero Saying

   Speaking of courage, my friend John Boessenecker uncovered some very unpleasant facts about the Earp boys for his book, Ride The Devil's Herd:

“All had seen the inside of a jail. Wyatt in Arkansas and Illinois, Jim in Montana, Virgil in Iowa, and Morgan in Illinois and Missouri. Wyatt and Jim were jailbreakers. Wyatt, Jim, and Morgan had all been pimps. Virgil had been charged with both arson and fraud.”

—John Boessenecker

  Ouch! Hard to believe anyone could recover from this public expose and shaming, but somehow, some way, Wyatt Earp keeps rising back to the top, perhaps because of this simple fact: courage never goes out of style. And, when push comes to shove, apparently, we’ll take the blemishes with the bravery.

   All of which brings up our distorted notions about the past. We all romanticize the Old West and sometimes we foolishly convince ourselves that we are living in the wrong era.

"I exaggerated the vitality and beauty of the past and ignored its squalor and cruelty and morbid greed. If I was transported back there, I would loathe it. The stupidity and waste would suffocate me or make me insane."

—Ian McEwan, What We Can Know

We Are Somewhere Between Autocracy and Democracy

 February 11, 2026

   Got a request from Buckeye Blake to send my Vincent van Gogh vs. Rene Secretan Classic Gunfight coverage to Steve S. in Capitan, New Mexico. So I did.

CG Layout: "A Murder of Crows"

(The true story of how Vincent van Gogh died)

    I had forgotten how good it is.

    I realized today we are all dancing between opposites. Take autocracy and democracy. How do you get efficiency over anarchy? In the olden days chiefdoms answered that question by creating security against roving bands of bandits.       

   Democracy, on the other hand, is granting governing authority to the people or to governing officials through free elections.  A scholar, Mancur Olson introduced the term "stationary bandits," as opposed to the "roaming bandits" that dominate anarchies. Wow. It all makes sense to me now. When democracy seems to be giving away too much power to people who make you uncomfortable, you slide towards autocracy, where a single person tells those upstarts to back off and straighten up and fly right, or else.

   Okay, and here is the second spread of the Van Gogh murder investigation.

CG Layout 2: "A Murder of Crows"

Daily Whip Out: "Freight Train Clouds"

   This is a scene of a storm I witnessed on a trip to New Mexico some years ago. As I was motoring eastward, just around the corner from Magdalena, I soon dropped down into the slot canyon that drains into the town of Socorro,  and it was there I witnessed a fast moving storm that went right over my truck like a freight train. It was so magnificent, I had to pull over and get out and watch it. I imagine some of the passing locals muttered, "Oh, look Honey, another damn Zonie looking skyward and drooling." But, I didn't care.   

"Devote the rest of your life to making progress."

—Epictetus