Tex Willer's Original Name Was Not Supposed to Be Tex!

One of the most iconic characters of the Italian western comic, Tex Willer , was not always destined to be called that. When Gian Luigi Bonelli, the creator of the famous ranger, was working on the character, the initial idea was to give him the name "Tex Killer". A decidedly strong and direct surname, which reflected the ruthless and resolute nature of the protagonist.

However, Tea Bonelli, Gian Luigi's wife and director of the publishing house, entered the scene. With great tact and intelligence, she decided to change the surname from "Killer" to "Willer" . A choice that, if you look closely, saved the character from a different fate. In a historical period in which censors and right-thinking people were very attentive to the messages transmitted by the media, a name like "Killer" could have been viewed with suspicion and would probably have encountered quite a few difficulties.

Just imagine for a moment a Tex "Killer" fighting injustice in the pages of comics. The contrast between his surname and his fight for justice would have created a dissonance, perhaps making the character less loved. Tea Bonelli, with her refined touch, transformed a potential problem into an editorial triumph. Tex Willer, with that slightly softer but still strong name, has come a long way, conquering generations of readers.