Broken Frontier

Jonah Hex gets himself into trouble while collecting a bounty that may very well end up having a noose fitted around his neck.

I am going to go on record right now and proclaim Jonah Hex to be one of the best books currently published by DC Comics. I know the company is currently going through a major renaissance with the resurgence of Crisis connecting all the superhero titles, but there are other books outside the loop that are equally important. I believe Jonah Hex to be one of those important titles.

Why is it important? Well, besides having quality art, the storytelling is superb for a genre comic detailing the Old West. In fact, this story in particular manages to wax poetically the permeating idea of outlaw justice and Jonah Hex always seems to be knee deep in the heart of it. This time around good ol’ Jonah is returning a bounty to Tall Pines, Colorado. Along the way he faces off against a group of rival bounty hunters, and after taking out all six men, Jonah corals his captor and heads off to his destination.

Upon arriving in Tall Pines, Jonah is greeted with less than a warm reception from the Mayor’s daughter. The mayor quickly apologies for his daughter’s actions and explains that the man Jonah has brought in raped his daughter. Jonah remains quiet, but as he waits for the mayor to bring his money to him, he quickly realizes that all isn’t as it seems here. There’s a deeper mystery to uncover, and as usual once Jonah finds out the truth about why the mayor intends to have the captured man hanged, he sticks his nose right in the middle of things to right the wrong that he himself was a part of.

Now that you know about the gist of the story, writers Palmiotti and Gray have truly crafted a genuine pager turner. At first I wasn’t sure self-contained stories were the way to go with this character, but the writers are proving me wrong every issue. I am enjoying their take on a classic western character, and for my money Jonah’s portrayed as the meanest cuss that walks on two feet. He’s handled extremely well for a character that teeters on the moral brink and both Palmiotti and Gray has successfully culled together thought provoking stories thus far.

Again, as I mentioned in an earlier paragraph, the art of Luke Ross is handled in an ultra realistic style with tons of grit thrown in for good measure. Luke has a really good handle on facial likenesses, and I love the way he is able to bring out the uglier side of Jonah Hex. I am hoping his stay here on the title isn’t a short lived one, since he’s the final piece of the puzzle comprising a solid creative team.

So I think it’s safe to say Jonah Hex is a quality read for a book existing without the benefit of superheroics every time out. I have nothing against superheroes per se, but I find this title to be refreshing on many levels for the simple fact there are no guys in tight spandex running around here. Instead you’ll find likeable and honest-to-God characters, and it’s great to see the archetype of the western hero thriving again. I say more Jonah Hex please!