Bat Lash Revised
By the time Bat Lash got his own monthly ongoing title, writer Sergio Argones and artist Nick Cardy had overhauled things since his first appearance in Showcase #76 to inject a bit more humor into the title. To begin with, Bat Lash is no longer exactly the rough-and-tumble good guy - sort of the comic version of James Garner's 'Maverick' - now he's a little more amoral; demanding dinner at gunpoint from a wayward traveler for example.
The dialogue spoken by both Bat Lash and the supporting cast is more Western slang. The art is also a bit more 'cartoony' at times with Bat Lash punching a guy out if his boots and things like that.
Overall, though it's still played mostly straight - it feels more like the heroes of the Sunday funnies; fun and jokey but still adventurous. A pretty stark contrast to today's dark-and-gritty takes on everything.
The essential lovable rogue nature of Bat Lash seems to be cemented in place, though his professed distaste for violence is more of a send-up than ever, without any shred of true conviction to it. He still romances every woman he meets, loves flowers and fine food. Basically a standard Western - which begs the question, where will they go from here? Will Bat Lash evolve (or return to being) a more complex character as the series progresses? Or will it remain a series of one-shot misadventures? Either way it could be fun for a little while whether you're a fan of Westerns, or just looking for a change of pace.