“All-Star Western” managed to survive in the New 52, even as better known characters and titles felt the cold axe of cancellation. However, his time has finally come, and Darwyn Cooke joins Palmiotti and Gray as Jonah Hex rides off into the sunset.
Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by Darwyn CookeTime has finally caught up with Hex as he battles to the death against his worst enemy: Jonah Hex!
If someone had told me in September of 2011 that “All-Star Western” would be one of the remaining New 52 launch titles three years later, I would have had a hard time believing it. In those first few months, DC showed zero tolerance for low sales, canceling titles left and right, with “All-Star” falling farther and farther down the sales pecking order. Yet, in the time that we’ve seen 27 of those books fall by the wayside, the adventures of Jonah Hex have endured. While I myself only checked in on the series intermittently; the first issue, the ‘Court of Owls’ tie-in, #0 and the Booster Gold issues, it was obvious that Palmiotti and Gray sought to shake Hex out of the more traditional western roots established in their previous run on the character, opening his world to the wider DC universe. For the finale, however, the duo returns to a more traditional approach.
If you’re unfamiliar with the character, here’s the quick and dirty: Hex is a rough and tumble bounty hunter and ex-Confederate soldier. He bears a distinctive facial scar that gives Two-Face a run for his money. At least, he did until recently, when a chance trip to the future resulted in the complete reconstruction of his roguish good looks (because comics). Having recently returned from the present day DCU, Hex finds that another man has taken his name in his absence. Hex sets out to do something about it.
The issue seems like a simple revenge tale with Wild West trappings. Hex is a true force of nature, and spends most of the issue blasting through buildings with explosives and his trusty revolvers. As such, there’s not much in the way of plot or character development, outside of a major development at issue’s end. However, the plot actually runs a bit deeper, tying into an important story from Hex’s publishing past. This issue is a sort of modern reimagining of 1978’s “Jonah Hex Spectacular” by Matt Fleisher and Russ Heath, an issue that told the definitive death of Jonah Hex. In returning to this issue, Palmiotti and Gray do a fun bit of continuity tweaking providing Hex with a new definitive send off for a new generation of readers.
Cooke, who worked with Gray and Palmiotti on “Jonah Hex” before the New 52 and has since provided covers for “All-Star Western,” joins the team for this farewell tour-de-force. Having Darwyn Cooke draw a final issue is a fantastic way of saying “look what you’ve missed by not reading this book!”
Cooke’s one-off return to monthly comics is greatly appreciated. The book’s opening pages are undeniably gorgeous. Nearly devoid of text, Cooke depicts Hex and his companion, Tallulah Black, enjoying the early morning in the wilderness of Wyoming. The double page spread of Black, standing bare against the beauty of nature (as Hex looks on approvingly) is absolutely stunning. Cooke’s depiction of the female form is tasteful yet evocative. Dave Stewart’s colors are equally as breathtaking. The combined artistic prowess of these craftsmen results in something akin to a lost cell from an unproduced DC animated series.
The tone changes drastically as Hex and Black move into the nearby town, culminating the fiery climax. A single panel, with Hex standing in shadow and wreathed in flame, will surely go down as one of the most iconic Hex images in recent memory. The quality of craft extends beyond the pencils and the colors, into the panel layout and brilliant visual storytelling. One particular page instantly comes to mind; four panels, separated by stripe of negative space. The top two panels depict a stick of dynamite soaring into the local sheriff’s office, where the lawmen and his inmates slumber. In the negative space, a cartoony “BOOM!” rings out. In the panel below, the occupants of the jailhouse are violently awoken by the bright explosive light. This level of story telling is rare in monthly comics, and elevates the issue to an immensely high standard.
With the current direction the DCU seems to be heading, it may be quite some time before we see Jonah Hex again. Thankfully, his farewell can leave fans of the character feeling assured in his future. As far as finales go, “All-Star Western” #34 is about as strong as they come. With fantastic art and an ambiguous yet satisfying end for our protagonist, Palmiotti and Gray bring the series, as well as their 100+ issue run on Jonah Hex to a close. Congratulations to them on a job well done.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – “All-Star Western” #34 is a simple but gorgeous book, one that might make even the most casual reader mourn the series’ passing.
