The American Wild West

In this episode, we provide the events in Hickok's life that transformed James Butler Hickok into Wild Bill, including the first true gunfight of the Wild West.Also, we update you on the completion of our Docudrama, Deadman's Hand: Wild Bill's Trail to Deadwood, along with the movie Soundtrack! Click here to buy it now! Use this coupon code to save 50% on all products for a limited time: B7SLILGKeep up with all of our projects at our website: https://www.thescriptoria.com/wild-mans-press

James Hickok, a mule boy yearning for a life in the West, endures a brutal existence under the tyrannical Captain Hudson. Bound to his mule, Benjamin, Hickok's dreams clash with the harsh realities of his life on a canal towpath. The story explores themes of resilience, freedom, and the human spirit as Hickok navigates abuse, betrayal, and the allure of a new life in the untamed frontier. A chance encounter with Hudson's scorned lover and a visit from his brother lead to a dramatic confrontation with Hudson, leaving Hickok to make a life-altering decision.

On this episode, I interview the man who has played Wild Bill since the 1980's, and the one behind the Deadman's Hand project who is attempting to fulfill a life-long dream. In the interview, he discusses his favorite depictions of Wild Bill on TV and in the movies, along with his story of becoming Wild Bill and playing him for the past four decades!

In this free excerpt of our historical novel, Deadman's Hand, our young reporter follows Wild Bill as he escapes his tarnished past of Abilene, Kansas, and hopes to get the story of a lifetime. But escape proves difficult, as Hickok is ambushed by Phil Coe's gang with Thomas caught in the middle and witnesses Hickok's incredible skills firsthand.

In the tumultuous 1850s, young James Hickok faces a life shaped by the shadow of slavery in Illinois. While helping families escape on the Underground Railroad, he grapples with the harsh realities of farm life and the ever-present danger of bounty hunters. When a brutal farmer threatens his family, James's exceptional marksmanship emerges, leading to a dramatic confrontation. This event, along with his father's passing and his brother's journey west, compels him to confront his destiny in a world deeply divided.

In this episode, I introduce the historical novel my dad and I have written, "Deadman's Hand," to go along with our multimedia project about Wild Bill Hickok. Born from an abandoned script my dad wrote in the 90's, this novel is an exhaustive, intimate exploration of the man behind the legend. The novel follows a naive, cocky reporter as he attempts to unmask the legendary pistoleer and instantly becomes part of Hickok's next adventure...whether he wants to or not. To sign up for a free advanced reader's copy, click THIS LINK.

In this episode, we give the most accurate, accepted account of what happened that fateful day in 1861. But are these 'accepted' facts acknowledged by the McCanles clan and Nebraska Historical Society? Not exactly. We delve into the variations, the contradictions, the differing accounts and let you decide what the truth is.

On this episode of Dead Man’s Hand, we we take a close look at the personalities of the main people involved in this bloody affair so that you can decide whose story, in the end, should be believed.

In this first episode, we explore how history first ignored the facts of the McCanles Massacre, opting instead for the tall tales that national media had popularized about the living legend of Wild Bill Hickok. This is Wild Bill's original version of events...before he would acquire a far more serious and morbid recollection of what happened that day at Rock Creek Station.

In this sneak peak of our first episode, we investigate the most controversial gunfight Wild Bill ever found himself in, the McCanles Massecre, and try to determine whether or not he lived up to his standard of justice..