Jonah Hex #70

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Ryan Sook, Mick Gray, Diego Olmos, and Jimmy Palmiotti

A seventy-issue run for a Western comic in today's market is pretty amazing.  I know that Jonah Hex had become a bit of a vanity project at DC - it never had amazing sales numbers, but it had a dedicated core audience, and was the type of book that brought prestige to the company, as a bit of an art-house hit that could be marketed to book stores and readers who weren't all that interested in super heroes.

With the exception of one overlong six-issue arc, the stories in this comic have always been one-offs, although they have built on their own continuity, and have featured returning characters.  Sadly,over the last couple of years, many of the stories have felt a little formulaic or predictable, and the writing was on the wall that this title would either have to end or get a shake up.

What has made this comic particularly strong over the course of its run has been the fantastic line up of artists that have graced its pages.  It began with Luke Ross, but just about every artist on the book since has been excellent.  I clearly remember work by Paul Gulacy, Tony DeZuniga, Darwyn Cooke, Jeff Lemire, Fiona Staples, J.H. Williams, Phil Noto, Bill Sienkiewicz, Billy Tucci, and Eduardo Risso.  Of course, if there's any one artist who should be associated with this title, it is the great Jordi Bernet, who really made this book his own.

This last issue is strange and unusual.  It shows us an elderly Hex being shot, and then we enter into a kind of confusing story wherein poor Jonah revisits his life, and seems to keep getting shot.  There's a reason for all of this, but talking about it would be spoiling things.  Needless to say, it's a fitting ending for the series, and it's nice to see a few familiar old faces again, like Talullah and Bat Lash.

Ryan Sook is a great artist for this title, and it's too bad he didn't finish the book, but the last pages by Diego Olmos work just as well.

I'm a little unsure about what the DC relaunch will bring to the Jonah Hex table.  Naming the title All-Star Western, and then setting it in Gotham doesn't make much sense to me, but I like that Moritat will be drawing it, and I do feel like this book was ready for some change.  I guess we'll have to wait and see how it works out.

Jonah Hex #69

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Jeff Lemire

Having read this, I don't understand how it could have taken so long for Jeff Lemire to draw an issue of Jonah Hex.  He's perfect for this title, as he draws almost everyone as ugly as Hex is, although he still manages to make Hex look worse.  In fact, he's done one of the best jobs I've ever seen of making Hex's facial scars look raw and painful.

This issue really suits Lemire's sensibilities as an artist as well.  Jonah has a final confrontation with his father, as they sit out in the desert and have a conversation.  I don't want to give too much away, aside from the fact that it appears unlikely that they will ever meet again.  Some of this is familiar ground for Lemire, as his Essex County trilogy touched on the theme of estranged family members (if you haven't read this, you really should).

Jonah Hex has felt stale for a while now, but as it's relaunch looms, with a new status quo for Hex, it's nice to see Gray and Palmiotti tie up some loose ends and try something a little different for a change.  I think this may be the first issue of this title where we don't see anyone shoot anybody.

Jonah Hex: No Way Back

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Tony DeZuniga

I'm pretty sure that, had someone not decided to make a Jonah Hex movie (which is a pretty odd decision, all things considered), this graphic novel would not exist.  I imagine that the same thinking that currently has Marvel pumping out something like six Thor books a month was at work here - the belief that throngs of people would leave the Jonah Hex movie and head directly to their closest comic store (or large, soulless chain book store), and demand as much Hex as they can get their hands on.  And, of course, the excellent run of trades collecting Palmiotti and Gray's excellent monthly series wouldn't be enough, so they needed to get a new hardcover out there.

Does that ever work?  I'd be curious to hear from retailers about this phenomenon, and if flooding the market with new material attracts new customers or just confuses them into beating a hasty retreat.

Anyway, the book deserves to be examined on its own merits, and not just as an example of a questionable business practice.  Because it's a good book.  But then, of course it is.  Palmiotti and Gray consistently do good work with Jonah Hex (although I think they've had more off-months than on lately), and the art is by Tony DeZuniga, a DC legend.  The story involves Hex's mother, who had abandoned him as a small child, and the quest for revenge of El Papagayo, the always-funny Mexican villain who rides after Hex with a parrot on his arm.  DeZuniga's art is the same as always - terrific, if a little too scratchy in places.

I liked the book, but can't help but think that it would have worked just as well as a three-part arc on the regular series.  There was no real reason for this to get a hardcover treatment, aside from the movie.  But, if you like Jonah Hex, this is a great example of what the book is like when it is at its best.

Jonah Hex #56

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Phil Winslade and CP Smith

I've never understood the thinking at comic book companies when a movie featuring one of their characters is released.  Lately, they flood the market with a ton of content, most of it decidedly not new-reader friendly, and I'm sure they confuse and drive away many more new readers than they attract.  Look at Marvel's recent Iron Man output - I love the character and his regular monthly book, but I have no idea what among the other four or five mini-series, specials, and new series are worth buying (and therefore, buy none unless I see Matt Fraction's name on it).

So now, DC has their Jonah Hex movie come out, and they decide to do something very smart.  In addition to publishing a new graphic novel (which I totally missed in the solicitations because I thought it was a trade collection of issues I'd already read), they take the most recent issue of the character's monthly book, give it a wonderfully iconic cover by Darwyn Cooke, and fill it with two short stories that do a great job of introducing the character's past and character, giving new readers enough information that they can access the stories, and still being able to maintain the interest of a long-time reader.  They select, in Phil Winslade and CP Smith two artists with very different styles and approaches to Hex, but with strong storytelling skills.  Basically, they put out one of the best issues of Jonah Hex this year at just the time that people might be looking for it.

And then they seal the whole thing in a polybag with a free movie poster, so that any prospective new readers can't get a glimpse of the high-quality art, or a feel for the comic with its very cool 'silent movie' style titles.  It's been said many times, but it's always a wonder that this industry survives despite the best interests of the people running it.  Go read this issue of Hex - it's not the 90s, so toss the bag and the poster.

Jonah Hex #53

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Billy Tucci

This was a good issue of Jonah Hex. By now, it must be difficult for Gray and Palmiotti to come up with new concepts or ideas for a character who is, basically, pretty one-dimensional. There are so many twists and variations one can pull on the 'bounty hunter hunts down prey' trope, without setting your story in the far future (which I still hope they won't do one day).

But let's face it, much of what makes this title work is the alternating roster of artists. Billy Tucci does a great job on this issue, as Hex employs an actress to help him hunt down a train-robbing gang fronted by a pair of brothers. Tucci was born to draw characters like Lana, and his Hex is pretty good too - younger and less road-weary than other artists' renditions, but still pretty faithful. Partway through this issue, I started imagining how good an issue by Mike Kaluta would look...

The problem with the book is that I saw the twist towards the end coming a mile away, even if it doesn't really make a lot of sense. Still and all, it's nice to see this book continues to chug along.

Jonah Hex #50

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Darwyn Cooke

Jonah Hex hits issue fifty (which is nothing short of miraculous in and of itself) in style, with a double-sized issue featuring art from Darwyn Cooke.

Cooke's style is an odd choice for Hex - his clean, open faces and cartoonish background characters create a sense of dissonance when paired with the dark, almost mean story that Gray and Pamiotti deliver this month. That dissonance is, I think, what makes this issue so jarring and memorable.

Hex and Talullah Black go their separate ways, and Hex is hired to track down a large gang. While he goes to work hunting the different bounties, Talullah settles down in a small town. Of course, the outlaws end up in the same town, and her and Hex come across each other once again. Mixed in here is a large dose of personal tragedy for our stars, although I'd rather not spoil that.

This is a very good issue of this comic.

Jonah Hex #49

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina

I'm glad to see that the 'Six Gun War' arc has come to a close. I've enjoyed this story, but I think that I prefer the single-issue format for Jonah Hex. This story has been pretty good, although the ending has left me a little disappointed. Instead of leaving the door open for a sequel, I would have preferred to see a more finite conclusion.

Jonah Hex #48

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina

This is a pretty quick-paced issue, and it would be pretty negligible were it not for some nice character work in the last few pages concerning Bat Lash and El Diablo.

Hex faces, and dispatches, Turnbull's hired killers in a way that reminds me of the big fight scene in the market in Raiders of the Lost Arc.

Next issue will finally finish off this arc, and we'll hopefully be back to the more subtle one-off stories I like so much.

Jonah Hex #47

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina

There's not a whole lot to say about this issue - it's somewhere in the middle of the first long Hex arc, and it's most definitely getting padded as we go along. In this issue, Hex and friends face off against some random Mexicans on a river, and get drunk in a small town. Meanwhile, Turnbull meets up with his hired killers in a scene right out of Empire Strikes Back, and Chako Mosquito shows up, leaving only Hex's father or future son to make an appearance.

This is a good book, but I'm ready for this storyline to finish and for things to return to the usual 'done in one' style. I can't escape the feeling that Gray and Palmiotti are just throwing everything against the wall in this. Also, I miss the old-school silent movie style chapter titles.

Cucina is putting some very nice work into this.

Jonah Hex #46

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina

We're halfway through this six-issue arc on Jonah Hex, and Jonah and crew have now taken out one of the main villains, while the other one puts together a team of racial stereotypes to help protect him. Really - a Maasai warrior, Persian fighter, and Irish boxer? Where's the Chinese kung fu fighter? Why not through in an Eskimo? This book usually shows better judgment when dealing with this time period.

Of interest is the extended flashback, which explains Jonah's break with the Confederates, and I suppose also explains why Turnbull is after him in the present story. That's because I'm working under the assumption that his friend Jeb is Turnbull's son - not that that is made clear in this book.

This is a good story, but I think they're stretching some to fill out six issues, and I don't understand why that was necessary, seeing as this book is usually excellent when the stories are told in short, single issues.

Jonah Hex #45

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina
This is the second part of the 6-issue '6 Gun War' arc, and I do like the way so many other characters from the Hex mythos are finding their way into this story.

Hex and El Diablo are now hunting El Papagayo, who already has Bat Lash and Talullah Black in his custody. There are some Comanche as well.

This is all shaping up for a big showdown - I just can't see it taking another four issues to get there. I'm behind the idea of a large-scale arc in Hex from time to time, but I think that it shouldn't be too decompressed. One of the best things about this title is the ability the creators show to fit complex stories into single issues. If they are going to give over six issues of the book to one story, it should be epic.

Cucina is a nice fit for this book. The art feels somewhere between Bernet and Camuncoli, which is a good place for this title to be.

Jonah Hex #44

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Cristiano Cucina
This issue marks the beginning of a six-book story arc, a first for this title. As such, the writers tell a slightly more decompressed tale than they usually do, taking most of this issue to put a number of key players onto the chess board, but somehow leaving no room for exposition.

It looks as if this story is going to make use of almost every major player from Gray and Palmiotti's series. We see Tallulah Black, Bat Lash, and El Diablo, all of whom we can assume will be Hex's allies in the '6 Gun War'. Right from the beginning, Quentin Turnbull and El Papagayo are set up as antogonists. My only problem with this? I don't remember who either of them are. I have every issue of this incarnation of Hex, and the names are familiar, but I don't remember the stories that featured them, nor do I rememeber why they would go to so much trouble to set a trap for Hex. I hope that subsequent issues will clear this up a bit.

Cucina is a good choice of artist for this story. His work is reminiscent of Jordi Bernet's style, but more realistic - like Bernet mixed with Gulacy. It definitely works for this title. His splashpage of a receeding twister dropping Comanche and horses all over the plains is a strong one.

I'm curious to see how this storyline plays out in Jonah Hex. I've felt for a while that something was needed to shake this book up, and I guess we'll find out if this is it.

Jonah Hex #43

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Paul Gulacy

This book is made to be drawn by Paul Gulacy, and for the first half of the comic at least, Gray and Palmiotti wisely just let Gulacy's excellent art tell the story of Hex sneaking into a hotel and freeing two kidnapping victims.

From there, the story becomes one of the difficulties in paying for the services of a frightening bounty hunter when the money to pay for the job doesn't exist.

Over the last year, I've gotten a little bored of some of the stories in this book, but ones like this remind me of the potential of this series, and how I admire DCs efforts to stick with it, even though it does not always have the best sales.

This is a quick read, but an enjoyable one.

Jonah Hex #42

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Jordi Bernet

Lately I've been a little unsure of Jonah Hex. I like the general format and the artists that come on the book, but increasingly, the stories are starting to feel repetitive.

This issue features a flashback to Jonah's youth, and relies, yet again on a huge coincidence, whereby some kids that beat Jonah up as a little kid happen to find him again, and get the drop on him in adult life.

I would think, for such a legendary killer and gunfighter, that Jonah wouldn't get captured so much, but I think it's happened in just about every issue for the last year.

I have really enjoyed this comic, and I'll stick with it through the upcoming six-issue arc, but after that, I'm not sure....

Jonah Hex #39

Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Rafa Garres

For the last few issues, I've felt like Jonah Hex has been stagnating somewhat. The stories have been referring back to other issues, and I've been getting bored with the art by Jordi Bernet.

This issue is a return to form. It's a nasty tale of temperance, escaped convicts, frightened deputies, and shot-glass checkers. Actually, the story's not all that great, but the art of Rafa Garres is what makes this issue so interesting.

His characters are ugly, and slightly misshapen, and his panels long and narrow, sometimes obscuring some of the action. The entire issue is coloured like the cover - in a sepia-tone that is reminiscent of old film stock, making this issue read like an old Spaghetti Western. Motivation and character development aren't all that important in this comic - it's all about getting down to the shooting, and as usual, Hex delivers.