Consume All Media! The Vigilante: "Chapter Two: Mystery of the White Horses"
- Joseph Heath
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe watched the first chapter of The Vigilante. This time, they vigilantly continue with the second.
The Vigilante: “Chapter Two: Mystery of the White Horses” - 19:09
Someone opens the stable doors and Stuff rolls himself and Hamid out in barrels. After examining Hamid’s body, it is assumed that he was kicked to death by a horse. Which is a pretty weird assumption to make.
Stuff tells Greg that someone hit Hamid with a horseshoe. He also tells Greg about the curse.
Later, The Vigilante pays a visit to the Prince and just walks right into his room. Great security you’ve got there, Prince. The Vigilante asks the Prince about the curse, but he refuses to discuss it. The Vigilante basically says “Aw, shucks” and leaves. So… that was a scene, I guess.
In a secret room back at Pierce’s Cafe, a couple of henchmen codenamed X3 and X4 talk to their boss, a shadowy figure with the codename X1. He wants them to steal Greg’s horse.
I was worried after the horrible use of this trope in Hop Harrigan, but this fares marginally better. X1 is involved in the plot enough that you don’t forget he exists and he’s sufficiently menacing, but his secret identity is easy to guess (even if it doesn’t entirely make sense).
The henchmen try to break into the garage where the horse is held, but Greg and Stuff catch them in the act. After a brief fight, the henchmen get away. Greg and Stuff follow them, but the henchmen drop their trailer in the middle of the road and block them long enough to get away.
Greg and Stuff pick up Betty and drive to the movie set where the director is very mad because of how late they are. Then he gets even more mad because Greg goes to get some publicity pictures taken which is going to eat up even more time. I think you’re supposed to find this funny, but as someone who has filmed a lot of short films, sometimes trying to wrangle your cast and crew together is a legitimate nightmare. I feel for you, Mr. Director. I really do.
The director finally gets Greg to do his job and they film a shootout.
This does not go on the kill count. This is an actor pretending to be shot. But I’m not going to lie. I definitely had a bit of an existential crisis questioning whether or not fictional characters within fictional media counted for the kill count. WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?
During the fake shootout, the henchmen get into a real fight with a horse handler while trying to steal Greg’s horse. Again, they leave without getting the horse.
Greg decides to take the horse home, but the horse is nervous after this whole ordeal. So Betty offers to drive while Greg and Stuff ride in the trailer to keep the horse calm.
One of the henchmen poses as a motorcycle cop and pulls them over for going too fast around curves. While they are distracted, the other henchman sabotages the trailer.
Betty drives off with a warning. The trailer disconnects and rolls off a cliff. But at the beginning of the next chapter, I’m sure it will show that Greg, Stuff, and the horse got out before it went over the edge.
Should you watch it, though? I love that this serial can have fake fight scenes and real fight scenes. Plus the incompetent henchmen have a real Wile E. Coyote vibe about them. So far, this is pretty fun.
Tune in next time for The Vigilante: "Chapter Three: Double Peril!"
