Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Brian HurttIn a decaying mansion in the blackest heart of the Louisiana bog, Drake uncovers more secrets of the Six… and angers a spirit that wants to ensure the gunslinger never leaves the swamp alive! It’s man versus some of the meanest man-eaters to ever crawl out of the marsh!
One of the most horrendously underrated ongoing series out there today, The Sixth Gun continued to fire on all cylinders with its latest chapter. Wanna know what I thought? Click it up, son!
The story picks up where last issue ends off as the truth behind Drake Sinclair’s trip into the New Orleans swamps is revealed. As it turns out, Sinclair is seeking the help of the occult artifact master Henri Fournier in order to rid him of the curse of The Six as well as reviving his friend Billjohn O’Henry from the dead. As it turns out, Fournier can not help Sinclair, however his assistant, and more importantly the demonic spirit giving him his marching orders, seeks the power of The Six for themselves, and for that Sinclair needs to be dead. Enter: a GIANT DEMONIC CROCODILE. Frankly, it’s Sinclair’s triumph over this beast that, in a nutshell, makes this book as amazing as it is. Meanwhile, Becky asserts her independence by cavorting around with the still very mysterious gunslinger Kirby Hale and some shadey figures ride into town, bringing this newest chapter of one of the most engaging stories running in graphic fictional form that also happens to be a totally badass horror western to a close.
On the art side, Brian Hurtt proves himself once again to be a legend in the making. His conventional, yet dynamic pencil work really is something to behold. His use of shadow is also something be admired as he uses it effectively to convey dread without darkening the ambiance of the entire book. His lines are crisp and his proportions are accurate, and with those two facts in place, there really isn’t a lot to dislike here. If he were of the mind, I have no doubt in my mind that Hurtt could find a LOT of work with the Big 2, since lord knows the mainstream industry needs more consistent, dynamic and fresh pencil slingers.
Overall, this book has a charm that is hard to replicate (and occasionally, hard to define as well), but that charm is infectious and is earning itself some immensely high level fans. With Scott Pilgrim put to bed, The Sixth Gun is proving to be Oni’s next big hit, and it can only get better from here.
Final Verdict: 9.4 – Buy
