Reno Jones first appeared in Gunhawks #1 (July 1972), created by writer Gary Friedrich and artist Syd Shores. He was a slave on the Cassidy plantation, where he befriended the owner’s son, “Kid” Cassidy. The two boys shared a love for guns and adventure but grew apart as they got older. During the American Civil War, the plantation was attacked by Union soldiers, who killed Cassidy Sr. and kidnapped Reno’s love, Rachel. Reno and the Kid left the house in search of Rachel, but their friendship turned sour as Cassidy became more bitter and racist. Cassidy drew on Reno one night, who shot him down in self-defense.

Reno continued to track Rachel’s trail to Cayuse, New Mexico, where he met another gunslinger named Red Wolf. The two teamed up to fight against a corrupt sheriff and his gang of outlaws. Along the way, they encountered other Marvel Western heroes, such as the Two-Gun Kid, the Rawhide Kid, and Kid Colt. Reno also briefly assumed the guise of the Ghost Rider (later known as the Phantom Rider), a masked vigilante who rode a white horse and used flaming bullets.

Ten years later, Reno married Mary and settled in Wonderment, Montana, to raise their son Cass. He had given up his gunslinging days, but trouble found him again when he learned that Clay Riley, a ruthless landowner, was planning to drive out the inhabitants of Wonderment with his masked Nightriders gang. Reno gathered a group of legendary outlaws to defend the town, including his old allies Red Wolf and Two-Gun Kid. He also discovered that Kid Cassidy was still alive and had become the leader of the Nightriders. The two former friends faced off in a showdown, where Reno killed Cassidy and avenged his betrayal.

Later, Reno helped the Apache Kid and Eustace Grimes rescue some Apache children from kidnappers. The Rawhide Kid suggested that they bring the children to Wonderment and look up to Reno. Reno’s ultimate fate is unknown, but he was presumably killed at some point before the modern era. His spirit was summoned by the Demon Rider (the Sorcerer Supreme from the 1800s) during the War of the Realms event, where he joined other ghostly heroes from his time to protect Thor’s sister Laussa from the forces of the Queen of Cinders.

Reno Jones is one of Marvel’s most interesting and complex characters from the Western genre. He faced racism, violence, and tragedy but never gave up his sense of justice and honor. He also had a rich family history, including his wife Mary, son Cass, love Rachel, and friend-turned-enemy Kid Cassidy. He was not only a skilled gunslinger and fighter but also a leader and a mentor to others.