Straight Arrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Straight Arrow |
|
|---|---|
Straight Arrow #38 (Magazine Enterprises, September / October 1954); art by Fred Meagher
|
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | (radio) Mutual Broadcasting Company (comics) Magazine Enterprises |
| First appearance | (radio) Straight Arrow radio program, 1948 or 1949 (comics) Straight Arrow #1 (Magazine Enterprises, Feb. 1950). |
| Created by | Sheldon Stark |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Steve Adams |
| Team affiliations | Comanche Indians |
| Partnerships | Fury (Straight Arrow's palomino) |
| Abilities |
|
Straight Arrow was a popular adventure story that started on the radio. It was made for young people and featured a hero who fought for good. The show aired mostly twice a week in the United States from 1948 or 1949 until 1951. A total of 292 episodes were broadcast.
Contents
The Radio Adventures of Straight Arrow
The Straight Arrow radio program began in California. By early 1949, it was broadcast all over the country on the Mutual Broadcasting Network. All the exciting stories were written by Sheldon Stark.
Who is Straight Arrow?
The main character was a rancher named Steve Adams. But when trouble appeared, he secretly became the brave Comanche Indian hero, Straight Arrow. Steve Adams was actually a Comanche orphan. He was adopted by the Adams ranching family and later inherited their ranch. Only one friend, Packy McCloud, knew Steve's secret identity. The stories took place in the 1870s, near the Colorado Rockies. The same actor, Howard Culver, played both Steve Adams and Straight Arrow.
The Sponsor
The radio show was sponsored by Nabisco Shredded Wheat cereal. This meant Nabisco helped pay for the show.
Straight Arrow in Comics
Like many popular children's shows, Straight Arrow soon appeared in other forms. It became a comic book and even comic strips!
The Comic Books
The Straight Arrow comic book was published by Magazine Enterprises. The first issue came out in February 1950. The comic book series ran for 55 issues until 1956. Most of these stories were written by Gardner Fox.
The Comic Strips
There were also two Straight Arrow comic strips.
- The first was a daily strip, which means it appeared every day in newspapers. It ran from June 19, 1950, to August 4, 1951. Gardner Fox and Ray Krank wrote this strip. Joe Certa drew the pictures, and John Belfi added the ink.
- The second was a Sunday strip, which appeared only on Sundays. It ran from September 7 to December 7, 1953. Walter B. Gibson wrote this strip, and Fred Meagher did the artwork.
Collectible Cards
Inside boxes of Nabisco Shredded Wheat cereal, you could find special Straight Arrow collectible cards. These cards showed different Indian crafts.
Straight Arrow Today
In 2019, the rights to the Straight Arrow character were given to Education Is Our Buffalo Community Centre. This is an Indigenous organization based in Canada. Education Is Our Buffalo uses the character to share Indigenous perspectives, especially through their active Facebook group.
