The True Death of Billy the Kid is a graphic novel, inked in black and white, which tells the folk legend of Billy the Kid. Born William H. Bonney, this young man rapidly shifted from a cowboy to a rancher’s gunslinger to a notorious outlaw. He escaped the law by slipping into New Mexico territory before it was a state. The name “Billy the Kid” was derived from the nickname Billito given him my his Mexican friends. He was conversant in Spanish and was popular with this group. He was also popular with the ladies, always attending social events. The other side of him was no so sunny. He would kill a man in cold blood if he crossed his path or got in his way of rustling cattle or stealing horses. He was also renowned for his dramatic jail breaks. These jail breaks are what he was most known for, and is primary the subject of this biography. The story ends with him being shot to death in the dark by a lawman who was obsessed with catching him.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy tales of the Wild West. Author/illustrator Rick Geary is well known as a cartoonist, going back to his days with National Lampoon. He has a series of historic graphic novels.