Hex Appeal!

So we are two months into the DC re-vamp; some of it I totally passed on - I’d dropped Batgirl by issue two; Action will get to #3, and I am enjoying what we see Grant Morrison bring back to the character, but it is falling short for me. Batwoman got to issue two, probably not an issue three from me, but Animal Man I’m loving and All- Star Western I am smitten by! And today saw the release of #2. This comic replaced the series DC series Jonah Hex after a wonderful seventy issues.

Co-written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, we, of course, are still reading about that same character, and as Jonah high-tails it into town, he is still this comics’ star. We see Palmiotti write the main story and the back-up feature in every issue; he is joined by Spirit artist Moritat. These new  stories are set in the wild frontier of Gotham City at the height of the 1800s, introducing  characters which are related to both Batman’s history as well as to DCs western titles. Certainly it can be said that Palmiotti and Gray have helped re-popularize this character, as well as bringing him back to All Star Western after a staggering thirty-four years!

Jonah Hex originally appeared in the pages of "All-Star" in 1972, created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga, which then became Weird Western Tales, and then stopped being printed in 1977. Then Hex became the star of his own title, which lasted right through to the mid-eighties.

2005 saw Palmiotti and Gray revive Hex, and he was placed back his own series, which gave him that needed limelight. So we now see these two guys work their magic again on some long forgotten western characters like the original El Diablo (also a back-up feature during Hex’s original run), Bat Lash and the Indian lawman Pow-Wow Smith.

At this stage of the game I must also point out that the back-up El Diablo strip has the wonderful art of Jordi Bernet.  As much as I admire Moritat, I do feel it is a real shame that Bernet was not asked to continue with the headliner strip after his astounding work on Hex.

pic from: ronniedelcarmen.blogspot.com

While reading this comic, you can feel the grit between your teeth. Filled with suspense, intrigue, and brutal encounters; I certainly want to read more, and for my money this is certainly the best read on the shelves at present.