Marvel didn't have the stones to have Rawhide get Custer killed.

I don't know what the style of Rawhide's shirt is, but the lead in the Mystery Science Theater 3000-covered Last of the Wild Horses wears the same kind. Maybe not bright blue, I don't know. It kills me that the Marvel Legends Soldiers of A.I.M. figure--our old pal Amy!--shares that outfit. Yes, I am gonna keep harping on that until I get a Rawhide Kid figure! From 1967, Rawhide Kid #60, reprinted in 1971 in the Mighty Marvel Western #15 and 1976's Rawhide Kid #130, "Massacre at Medicine Bend!" Written by Gary Friedrich (misspelled Freidrich) and Denny O'Neil, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Herb Trimpe. Somehow, Marvel was able to publish and sell this three times inside of a decade? Was there more turnover in fans of western comics?

Anyway, this month Rawhide (and his horse Nightwind, who does like 95% of the work) is plumb tuckered out after two days without food and water, crossing "the endless badlands of South Dakota!" I'm sure it's probably pretty bad, it just doesn't have the same cache as your usual western locales, does it? But there's no time to rest, as he's captured by Sioux Indians. The chief, Bald Eagle, wants a white man to talk to General Custer: ever since some Sioux renegades attacked a small town, Custer had been coming down on all Sioux. Obligingly, Rawhide does try to pacify Custer, who does agree to meet Bald Eagle. Unfortunately, renegade Crazy Bear and his arms dealer LaPlante attack Custer's forces, making all Sioux and Rawhide look bad. In the ensuing fight, Rawhide is nearly killed by Crazy Bear, then nearly killed again by Custer, but does manage to shoot LaPlante in the face. Still, he is knocked out, and wakes up later at Custer's fort.

Custer grudgingly figures Rawhide had been duped by the Sioux, and lets him go. For their part, the Sioux are now convinced there can be no peace with "yellow-hair," Custer; and join Sitting Bull. Rawhide feels bad for both sides as he rides off; but Custer was only a week away from riding into his last stand. Do kids still learn about Custer? I might have to ask my Youngest, but if he didn't have a YouTube channel the kid might not be interested...