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December 31, 2001

It's a bird, a plane, a ... hog? RAZORBACK

By GUY WHEATLEY of the Texarkana Gazette Staff

The Texarkana area has notable legends like the Phantom Murderer and the Fouke Monster but a lesser-known Marvel comic book hero, Razorback, also hails from here. Razorback is a mutant born with the ability to control any vehicle. He is skilled at hand to hand combat and can electrify the mane on his costume. He wears a pig head as a hood and the pig's mane goes down his back. But the most interesting thing about Razorback is neither his costume nor his powers. It is his heritage. Razorback comes from Texarkana, Ark.

He made his first appearance in 1977 in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spiderman, issue 12. He was only in the last panel of that issue but he came back in the three following issues, teaming up with Spiderman and giving good account of himself.

He is the brainchild of one of Marvel Comics' less well-known writers, Bill Mantlo. Comic magazines churned out quite a few new superheros in the 1970s. Competition between rivals DC and Marvel was fierce. Both companies grabbed at new markets by tapping into current fads and getting away from the typical character formulas associated with each publication. While DC was known for Boy Scout characters living in make-believe Americana cities, Marvel produced grittier heroes. Those not born, or otherwise created, in outer space or some alternate dimension came almost exclusively from New York City. Mantlo probably never got closer to Texarkana than a Creedence Clearwater Revival song popular in those days. He may have seen references to it in one of the Fouke monster movies. However Mantlo first heard of Texarkana, to him it must have seemed a more exotic location than Thor's Asgard or Silver Surfer's ZENN-LA.

Hitching a ride on the 1970s CB craze, Mantlo produced a truck driving beer-gutted hero of the highway. He gives Razorback the mission of coming to the big city to rescue his sister. While in town, Razorback learns about the superhero trade from the more urbane tights-wearing crowd found on the East Coast. At the end of issue 15, Mantlo sends Razorback back into the oblivion of Texarkana. He probably never intended for him to be seen again.

And so it would have been if not for writer/artist John Byrne. Byrne took an interest in the porcine crime fighter and brought him back in She-hulk issue 4. Byrne visited Razorback twice more in She-hulk, updating his image by trading in the 18-wheeler for a spaceship, more clearly defining his powers and replacing the pot gut with the six-pack abs expected of a super-powered crime fighter.

While never achieving his own title, Razorback is refusing to go quietly into the night. He is an interesting character that writers keep returning to. The latest venture for Razorback is in a novel under consideration by J. Steven York "Generation X: Crossroads."

Bill Roseman, Marvel's marketing communications manager, has this to say about Razorback. "As a Southerner, it gives me great pride to know that Buford (Hollis) is truckin' around the Universe in the majestic Big Pig. As he encounters new life forms, he represents Marvel Comics, the South, and the good ol' U. S. of A.! Not bad for a poor boy from Arkansas."

Only the future can tell what is in store for the Texarkana native. If his angle on crime fighting seems a little "out there," remember that the Spectacular Spiderman also started out as a joke. Joining the famous crime fighting cries of, "Look, up in the sky," and "It's clobbering time," may soon be, "Soo Pig, Razorback!"

December 31, 2001

Could superpig become a local ... officer?

Editor's Note: Following is an actual interview conducted with a Texarkana, Ark., Police Department official about the hypothetical presence of super hero on their force.

By GUY WHEATLEY of the Gazette Staff

With things the way they are at NASA, there is always the possibility of Big Pig, Razorback's spaceship, being grounded by budget cuts.

What would Buford (Razorback) Hollis do?

After years of wandering the Earth and beyond, could he possibly hear the gentle "soooiiieeee" of home?

Even if Buford moves back to Texarkana, crime fighting sort of gets in your blood. It's not likely that he could just quit cold turkey. This raises an important question. What kind of relationship will Mr. Hollis have with local law enforcement?

In search of answers to this burning question, your intrepid Texarkana Gazette reporter contacted the Texarkana, Ark., Police Department.

After some initial discussion about arrest and a psycho ward, the case was assigned to Lt. Shawn Vaughn.

TG: Mr. Vaughn, Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.

Lt. Vaughn: You're welcome.

TG: I understand you're the department's authority on Superheroes.

Lt. Vaughn: Uh. . . I guess I am today. This is a new field for us and hasn't come up before.

TG: Are you familiar with Mr. Hollis' crime fighting career?

Lt. Vaughn: I've seen his resume. I was actually quite impressed. We'd like the opportunity to speak with him.

TG: In the event that Mr. Hollis returns to the Texarkana area, would his freelance crime fighting efforts be welcomed by the police department?

Lt. Vaughn: Absolutely. We'd like to consider him for employment.

TG: Do you feel that Mr. Hollis should go through the police academy?

Lt. Vaughn: I understand it's been a while since he's been in the business. It would probably be a good idea if he went through the 48-hour refresher course, to bring him up on new laws or changes in the law since he was active.

TG: If Mr. Hollis successfully completes the academy would he be referred to as Officer Hollis, Officer Razorback, or just Razorback?

Lt. Vaughn: Police officers are often given nicknames, so probably he would just be referred to as Razorback. He would be a real asset at the football games. He could do double duty. We could certainly use his talents in the annual Pig Bowl to extend Arkansas' winning streak.

TG: Would he be required to wear a standard uniform or could he keep his current costume?

Lt. Vaughn: Looking at his picture, I'm not sure we have one that would fit. He might have to keep his current attire out of necessity.

TG: How do you think the citizens of Texarkana would respond to having Mr. Hollis on the force?

Lt. Vaughn: I'm not sure how they would respond. A routine traffic stop by a guy wearing a pig outfit would probably raise some eyebrows. Initially there would be some reservations until he had the opportunity to prove himself. Looking at his resume and list of affiliations, I'm sure he would soon prove himself and be welcome.

TG: Is there room in the department's budget to fund operation of his spaceship?

Lt. Vaughn: Probably the initial capital outlay would be prohibitive, but perhaps we could look at it down the road. If he brought it with him, I'm sure we could find a use for it.

TG: Would he have a partner?

Lt. Vaughn: Typically most of our officers work alone. On a special occasion he might have a partner. He might work with a canine, for example, as the hog and dog unit.

TG: Would the department have a problem if Mr. Hollis operated from a special location similar to the Bat Cave? He might need a special Pigpen, for example, to keep any special equipment that superheroes use.

Lt. Vaughn: I suppose modification could be made to the special operations sub unit. We would have to evaluate that.

TG: Would the department consider buying a spotlight to shine the image of a Pig on the clouds in the event of an emergency requiring his special skills?

Lt. Vaughn: The only problem is where would we put it. The roof of the Bi-State Justice Building doesn't have room for a spotlight with all of the antennas and the inmate exercise area. Maybe one of the other buildings would donate the space on their roof. We might be able to install a portable one in a patrol car in case they needed his help.

TG: Would Mr. Hollis be assigned to a special Super-Powered Villain task force?

Lt. Vaughn: There has been some discussion about creating such a force. Mr. Hollis would certainly be an asset on such a force.

TG: My last question, has Texarkana had much of a problem with Supervillains in the past?

Lt. Vaughn: Ah ... I've been here 14 years and there hasn't been one in that time. That may have been what prompted Mr. Hollis to seek greener pastures in the first place. But you never know when or where this kind of problem might crop up. It's always best to be prepared.

TG: Thank you again for your time.

December 31, 2001

Razorback: Biography of a superhero

Editor's Note: Following is a phony biography for Razorback, a super hero who hails from Texarkana, Ark.

By GUY WHEATLEY of the Gazette Staff

Texarkana has produced its share of memorable characters.

We are just a stone's throw, if you've got a real good arm, from two President Bushes, a President Clinton, and the ever fascinating, H. Ross Perot. This area has produced cowboys, country singers and beauty queens. But one hometown boy that "done good fer hisself" but who hasn't received his due acclaim is Buford Hollis, a.k.a. Razorback the mutant trucker.

Buford hails from Texarkana, Ark., and grew up a Razorback fan.

"Someone gave him one of those little red razorback hats," says his is only surviving relative, sister Bobby Sue Hollis. "He loved that thing. He dropped it one day and it rolled under the front porch where the dogs chewed it up. Buford was just heartbroken, but money was tight in those days and we couldn't afford another one. "We had an old stuffed boar's head that Grampa killed years ago. Momma took that and a worn-out, old electric blanket and sewed him a Razorback costume. I think wearing that thing to the games is where he got so good with his fists."

Buford soon learned that by scuffing his feet along the carpet, he could build up a charge in the residual wiring of the electric blanket/mane of his costume. He could then discharge the stored current at an opportune moment. "Life was tough for Fluffy back then," recalls Bobby Sue. "The house always smelled like singed cat hair."

After the loss of his parents, Hollis accepted the responsibility of taking care of his sister. He tried several jobs, but found that most bosses frowned at the Razorback costume. He eventually discovered the freedom his wardrobe required as a self-employed truck driver.

Cruising America's highways and byways, Hollis developed his unusual talents. He found he could control any vehicle without even being in the driver's seat. It came in handy at the truck wash. Hollis never had to wait. He would just pull up to a slot, and the rig already there would crank itself up and pull out trailing suds and leaving the stunned driver holding the sprayer. Hollis would then pull his rig, the Big Pig, into the just vacated slot. This practice very often gave him the opportunity to further develop his skill in hand-to-hand combat and electric mane defense.

While Hollis was on the road, all was not well in Texarkana. Sister Bobby Sue fell in with a cult and moved off to New York City. Hollis is the kind of guy that's just naturally offended by someone brainwashing his sister, so he took off after her. The Big Apple introduced Hollis to his next career as a crime fighter. It didn't pay anything, so he had to keep trucking to pay the bills. Still, he devoted all of his spare time to being a superhero. People just aren't as critical of your attire while you're smashing some super-powered crook or a bug-eyed space goon trying to destroy the earth.

Hollis started going, almost exclusively, by the name Razorback.

This new career expanded horizons for Razorback. He is now star-trucking in an experimental NASA spacecraft he also named 'Big Pig." Tragically, Big Pig I is on cinder blocks in dirt the driveway of the Hollis home in Texarkana. There is talk in the city council of either designating it as an historical site, or having it towed away at the owner's expense.

Sister Bobby Sue gave up on wacko religious cults and joined the Hare Krishnas. She is currently living in a Dumpster behind Los Angeles International Airport.

A search for relatives remaining in the Texarkana area produced no results.

Local Hollis expert Jack Hollis, who had done extensive genealogical research on area Hollises, says, "Never heard of him. Must be some other branch of Hollis." Indeed, there can be only one Buford Hollis/Razorback.