All Star Western #1 - First Impressions

WOW! Oh, you want a little more specifics that that? Well, okay. Let's break this down little by little:

Writing: It's Palmiotti and Gray. And it's GOOD Palmiotti and Gray! The dialogue, the phrasing, pacing, cadence, everything about the language rings true for the place and period. There isn't a missed note in the speech of these characters.

Art: I had never seen Moritat before but his work here is fantastic, especially with the coloring work. The art is detailed and yet somehow loose. Hex is a little bigger and bulkier than thatof Noto or Bernett, but it works here. The GRIT and DIRT of Gotham is almost overpowering, in fact, it overwhelms sunlight to the point that the entire town is encased in smoke and dirt, muting all the colors. There is just enough color to keep this book from being a black and white book, but the palette is very ominous and depressing.

Story: Remember when Jonah ended up in Brazil? How hard it was for him to cope with society? Remember when he went to China? Remember when he went to 2050, well, okay, don't remember THAT! Hex in Gotham is somewhat like that, Jonah Hex not in his natural element, shooting and bunching the living hell outta anything that moves, BUT it's different in that, while he has a 'guide' in Arkham, he is also the scout, leading Arkham through the underbelly of his own town.

There are a lot of things I could compare this to: McCloud; a gun-toting Batman; Victorian version of Firestorm (Arkham = brains, Hex = brawn). But this is a new book and I think it will stand well on it's own two feet. The story has peril, action, depth, and mystery and for about $4, it's well worth the cash.

Can't wait for next month to see where this is headed and the onset of the backup feature.