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.