Buffalo Bill William F. Cody

Written by R. Alan Brooks Illustrated by Matt Strackbein Teacher Guide by Tim Smyth

Discussion Questions Elementary 1. How do you think people received mail and news in the early United States, before cars and planes? (Students can be shown panel 1.2 during the discussion). Why was the Pony Express so important to early America? 2. Why do you think William F. Cody’s nickname was Buffalo Bill? (To get the conversation going, students should be shown a few pictures of Cody or panel 1.3 in the comic). 3. Buffalo Bill described himself as the “most famous American in the world” in panel 2.3. Who do you think is the most famous American today? 4. Buffalo Bill may have exaggerated some of his accomplishments and also allowed others to do the same for him. Who else has done this? (Students can be shown Johnny Appleseed, Paul Revere, pop culture personas, etc.)

MS/HS 1. Buffalo Bill described himself as the “most famous American in the world” in panel 2.3. Who do you think is the most famous American today? 2. Buffalo Bill may have exaggerated some of his accomplishments and also allowed others to do the same for him. Who else has done this? (Students can be shown Johnny Appleseed, Paul Revere, pop culture icons, etc.) 3. What was the significance of the Pony Express? Why does it remain a significant American West icon? How does it relate to the idea of Americanism? 4. At the conclusion of the lessons, have students discuss how Native Americans might view Cody, his show, and his legacy.

Comic Analysis

1. In panel 1.4, how do you know that Buffalo Bill was the better hunter in the contest? 2. How might panel 1.6 show an example of exaggeration in Buffalo Bill’s life? 3. Describe how panel 2.1 evokes the persona of Buffalo Bill. How is the reader supposed to feel about him? Use specific textual evidence from the panel. (This is a great tie-in to Realism VS Romanticism in art, heroic pose, etc.).

Lesson Ideas by Content Area

Social Studies

1. Pony Express – students will conduct a short research project on the history of the Pony Express, its impact, and eventual decline. 2. Students will conduct a biography of Buffalo Bill’s life and create a timeline of important events. 3. In 1868, Bill “helped the Army with 16 battles” (panel 1.5) – who was the US Army fighting against at the time?

4. Buffalo Bill was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor – students will conduct research to explain the importance of this award. Students can be assigned an award winner and have them compare him/her to Buffalo Bill’s life. Should Buffalo Bill have been given the award? Use the official Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s website - http://www.cmohs.org/. Students can also be assigned winners by time-period, by those still living, etc. as all are categorized on the website. 5. Author Ned Buntline compared Buffalo Bill with Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone – research these two historical persons and create a Venn diagram for all three. 6. Buffalo Bill later became an actor and hired Will Bill Hickok and Texas Jack Omohundro – research these two historical persons. 7. Mark Twain was a friend of Buffalo Bill’s – http://www.twainquotes.com/BuffaloBill.html. Where did Twain’s admiration stem from? Did they have a common background? 8. Although not mentioned in the comic, Annie Oakley was also part of Buffalo Bill’s travelling show – students can also research her life as a comparison and strong female character. 9. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show – analyze the description of the show and painted advertisements. Was his show an accurate portrayal of the West? How do you think it would be thought of if shown today? (A quick YouTube search will show authentic footage of Buffalo Bill and his show.)

Language Arts 1. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill by the Beatles. Students can listen to the song and annotate the lyrics. They can then rewrite the song to represent Buffalo Bill’s life. 2. “Buffalo Bill” poem by E.E. Cummings: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47244/buffalo-bill-s. Students will annotate this poem with the purpose to determine the author’s views of Buffalo Bill. Cummings views on Buffalo Bill are mixed, and this can lead to classroom debate on his overall view.

Art 1. Look up Buffalo Bill’s gravesite at https://www.findagrave.com/cgi- bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=211 and then design your own. (Use panel 2.4 to aide in the creation of the new grave as well). What symbols and images might be included to accurately display the history of Buffalo Bill? What should the epitaph say?

2. Design your own advertisement for a show about Buffalo Bill – pattern it after the advertisements that were created for his Wild West Show. (A quick Google Images search will show many examples). 3. After discussing the most famous American, students can then create their own history superhero. Students will create a biography of this person and what they have done to make an impact on the world. Following this research, students will make their chosen person into a superhero, either by using an online tool such as http://www.heromachine.com/heromachine- 3-lab/, or by hand drawing. The focus on this project should be to include symbols on the superhero that represent the person’s life. Have fun with the students, they can create a superhero origin story, create a superhero team, and even depict the arch-nemesis of their chosen hero.

Resources:

1. http://www.cmohs.org/. Congressional Medal of Honor Society Official Website – names can be sorted by time-period, those still living, etc. 2. https://centerofthewest.org/explore/buffalo-bill/research/buffalo-bill/ - Buffalo Bill Center of the West. This museum offers a multi-media approach to the life and times of Buffalo Bill with short written excerpts that are easy to digest. 3. http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/buffalobill.htm - provides solid biographical information and delves into controversial aspects of his life. 4. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/magazine/11wwln-consumed-t.html - article on Cody’s actual life as compared to the myths surrounding him. 5. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-buffalo-bill-cody-flashback- perspec-0226-md-20170223-story.html - article on Cody’s life and show. 6. http://www.buffalobill.org/ - Buffalo Bill Museum and Gravesite 7. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=211 – Buffalo Bill gravesite information

BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

PAGE ONE – SIX PANELS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL ONE ​ ​ Older Buffalo BIll, with excited body language, like he’s telling a tall tale. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): Folks say we cowboys exaggerate! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I don’t reckon it matters much. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I’m William F. Cody, and I was born in 1846 in Iowa. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL TWO ​ ​ 14 year old Buffalo Bill reading a newspaper (seen from behind, over his shoulder, so we can ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ see the “Wanted for Hire” headline). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): When I was 14, I saw a Pony Express ad: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): “Wanted: skinny, expert riders willing to risk death daily." ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I joined immediately! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​

PANEL THREE ​ ​ Buffalo Bill, in his prime, riding a horse and shooting a rifle. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): But it wasn’t until 1867 that I got my nickname: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. LOGO TITLE: BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): Y’see, I hunted buffalo to feed the construction crews of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the Kansas Pacific Railroad. ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I reckon I killed 4,280 head of buffalo in 17 months. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): (You can’t say I didn’t!) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​

PANEL FOUR ​ ​ Buffalo Bill in a sharp shooting contest with another cowboy. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): In actuality, I won the name in an eight-hour shooting ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ match-- 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): --against another hunter-- also named William. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): We had to determine which “Bill” deserved the title! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL FIVE ​ ​ Buffalo Bill with 3 other people, being honored with the Congressional Medal of Honor. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): In 1868, I helped the Army with 16 battles. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): So, in 1872, I was one of only four civilian scouts-- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): --awarded the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor for valor ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ in action! ​ ​

PANEL SIX ​ ​ The author, presenting his book about Buffalo Bill, with an exaggerated cover featuring an ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ idealized Buffalo Bill. ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): But here’s where things got really good: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): Some guy, Ned Buntline (real name E. Z. C. Judson), ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ started writing books about me! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): He made me sound like Davy Crockett mixed with Daniel ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Boone!

BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

PAGE TWO – FIVE PANELS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL ONE ​ ​ Buffalo Bill guiding a couple of Russian dignitaries through the wilderness. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): (Sure, he exaggerated, but so what?) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): The US Army liked those stories so much, they hired me ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ for publicity! ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I was guiding dignitaries on hunting expeditions! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL TWO ​ ​ Buffalo Bill on stage, overacting. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I started acting too, in plays based on those stories! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): They got so popular that I could hire friends like James ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok and Texas Jack Omohundro. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): (And shoot, I started writing books about me, too!) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL THREE ​ ​ Buffalo Bill shaking hands with a U.S. President. Bill has tassels hanging from his sleeve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I was the most famous American in the world! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I had friends like Mark Twain-- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): --and Presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to Woodrow ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Wilson consulted me on matters affecting the American West! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

PANEL FOUR ​ ​ Buffalo Bill’s tomb. ​ ​ ​ ​

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): I died on January 10, 1917. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): They buried me in a tomb-- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): --at the summit of Lookout Mountain near Denver, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ Colorado.

PANEL FIVE ​ ​ Buffalo Bill looking victorious. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BUFFALO BILL ​ ​ by R. Alan Brooks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2-Page Comic Script ​ ​ ​ ​ 8/22/2017

1. BUFFALO BILL (CAPTION): Nobody ever lived their life like good ole Buffalo Bill!! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Bibliography https://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/buffalobill.htm https://centerofthewest.org/explore/buffalo-bill/research/buffalo-bill/