Somehow, the “Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa” have returned.
If you have no idea who, exactly, the “Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa” are, well, they originated with a Saturday morning cartoon series back in 1992. In the wake of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” all sorts of anthropomorphized animals were taking center stage and upholding the rule of law. The series was created by Ryan Brown, a comic book artist who also worked on designing toys and the original series, which only lasted two seasons, left a lasting impression on those who watched and remembered it fondly.
And now the property is back, with comic book publisher Oni Press teaming with the Nacelle Company for a limited-edition comic book series, ahead of a new streaming series and in conjunction with a new line of toys from Nacelle. The new comic book series hails from writer – writer Matt Hotson and artist Juan Gedeon and arrives on store shelves on September 17th.
With the new limited series, readers will “ride into the lawless world of Moo Mesa as we meet Marshal Moo Montana in his earliest adventure! In a time gripped by fear and uncertainty, disorder pervades the desert, and the citizens of Cowtown have started to go missing—including Moo’s former mentor, the respected Sheriff Mary Quine. With shadows growing across the mesa, Moo must navigate old grudges, new alliances, and a conspiracy that reaches deep into the heart of the mesa’s past,” according to the official synopsis.
“There is literally nothing better in life than working with people you respect and love being around, and Juan checks both of those boxes,” said Brian Volk-Weiss, Nacelle Company CEO, in an official statement. “And then as the gigantic cherry on top he’s also one of the most talented artists in the comic book game right now and his passion, heart, and humor shines through on every single panel!”
Ahead of that launch we have some exclusive pages from the book as well as an interview with Gedeon, whose credits also include “DC: The Jurassic League.”
You’ve gone from “Jurassic League” to “Moo Mesa.” What’s more fun to illustrate – dinosaurs or barnyard animals?
I enjoy doing both, but I feel like I’ve leveled up since “Jurassic League!” The faces in “Moo Mesa” especially—I think they’ve come out better. It was not easy though! In the beginning there were times when a single face would take me an entire day. No kidding.
What was your relationship to the property before signing on?
I grew up watching the cartoon and absolutely loved it. I even had the Cowlorado Kid figure (though Moo Montana was probably the coolest one). I’m not sure if the arcade game ever made it to Argentina—or maybe it did and I just missed it. As a 90s kid, I’ve always had a soft spot for those anthropomorphic characters. What stood out to me about “Cowboys of Moo Mesa” was how genuinely kind and good-hearted they were. In Argentina, we don’t really have cowboys—we have gauchos—so the Wild West vibe felt fresh, mysterious, and really cool.
What are you most excited about readers getting out of this new comic?
My hope is that readers pick up on how much of my own passions I poured into “Moo Mesa.” From Bisley to Bachalo, James Harren, the original cartoon, “Looney Tunes,”“Rango,” “Ferdinand,” “Zootopia” — I tried to fuse all these influences into something new and fun. I’m also a massive “Red Dead Redemption 2” fan, and after pouring so many hours into that game, I wanted to sprinkle some of that flavor into this as well.
