All Star Western - Overview

Had a request about what I think about All Star Western. I'm not wanting to go into a detailed review of the books because I haven't completed the 70 issue run of Jonah Hex by Palmiotti and Gray, but I think I can write down my thoughts on the series thus far.

  Let me say right off, I really enjoyed the recent Jonah Hex series. Some issues knocked it out of the park but there were a few stumbles as well. Overall, the run was good and a worthy addition to the character. At one point there was talk of a story where Jonah ran into a family that would eventually birth Harvey Dent. At the time I was somewhat livid about the whole idea since I felt that Jonah was 'outside' the DCU.

  So, when All Star Western was announced and whole "Jonah Hex in Gotham" came to light, I kinda held my breath, buy the books (they're JONAH HEX!), and make my decision later. Well, later is now.

  Palmiotti and Gray have six issues under their belt and they have kept Hex in Gotham the whole time. In that time frame Hex comes to Gotham tracking a few bounties. During that time he is hired by Detective Lofton of the GCPD to assist in tracking down a serial killer. He gets teamed up with Amadeus Arkham. During their investigation, Hex and Arkham stumble onto the Lords of Crime (as well as Mayor Cobblepot).

  While they catch the man actually committing the crimes and the police break up the Lords of Crime,, Jonah still hasn't located the bounties he came for. He is offered a position with the GCPD (which he turns down) and then he finally locates his bounties when they murder a girl they had kidnapped. Jonah dispatches the bounties per his usual method and is then hired on the street by the fabulously wealthy Thurston Moody.

  Moody's son has been kidnapped and Hex turns down the job, citing a burning hatred for Gotham. Moody tosses out the sum of $50,000 as a reward and Hex takes the job. During the investigation, Hex and Arkham once again cross paths and they uncover a massive operation deep beneath Gotham where children are being used as slave labor to build the city sewer system. The pair are discovered and tossed down a whirlpool and find themselves stranded on a ledge in total darkness.

  They are eventually set upon by the Miagani, a lost tribe of Indians living far beneath Gotham. During their attempted escape from the Indians, they are attacked by a giant (no, really GIANT) bat. Jonah kills the bat and earns the respect of the tribe, which show our heroes the way out. Upon emerging from the cave, they find themselves outside Wayne Manor.

  They obtain the help they need from the police to break up the child slave ring and go after the man who started it all, Thurston Moody. Thurston, whose home has quite a few owls, is gone from Gotham and is supposed to be in New Orleans. Hex heads out to find him and we are unaware if Arkham comes along for the ride or not. However we do have the promise of Nighthawk and Cinnamon waiting in the wings.

  So what do I think? I am loving the hell out of this book. The Gotham elements aren't too heavy handed. Mayor Cobblepot makes sense and I liked the fact that the Wayne Manor looked like the house in the Return of Bruce Wayne books (and I'm hoping that horrendous appearance of Hex has been retconned out since this is the New DCU). I'm not reading the Batman books but I have heard some of the Council of Owls but not enough to get excited or have an opinion about the owls in Moody's house (other than they looked creepy).

  A lot of folks have compared Hex and Arkham to Holmes and Watson, but I think that Arkham serves another purpose. He is the narrator of their adventures, he is the voice we hear, we experience his insight into the mind of Jonah Hex. Rather than the omnipresent narration of the past (Meanwhile at the the ranch) or the current practice of having the heroes tell their own stories, we get what Palmiotti and Gray do very very well, stories told from a viewpoint of bystanders. I do like that Gotham and the whole mythos does not overshadow Hex as a character.

  It will be interesting to see if Hex returns to Gotham and Arkham and how long he might stay. I have to admit I am looking forward to having him meet Cinnamon and Nighthawk and see what that adventure holds.

  The artwork is fantastic, at times looking like woodcuts and really evoking a look of the time period. The colors are strong and the whole atmosphere of the book is spot on. On top of that, we also get a backup story of older characters (El Diablo) and a new one (The Barbary Ghost).

  I guess to sum up my opinion of the book thus far is that All Star Western is a heavy hitter in the New 52 roster and that it appeals to Western fans as well as the Batman folks. At least once a month I read of someone picking up the book and loving it, someone that formerly had no interest in Jonah Hex or westerns. I think that people that are looking for a hidden gem in the DC universe would be well advised to spend the $4 to try out this book.

Out of Tragedy....

If Swamp Thing is the embodiment of the ‘Green’, Firestorm is a Fire Elemental (or at least he WAS) , and The Flash(s) is the manifestation of the ‘Speed Force’, I would therefore postulate that Jonah Hex is the DCU personification of Tragedy.

 

  Under the guidance of Michael Fleisher, the realm of Jonah expanded to include Turnbull, Mei Ling, Woodson & Ginny Hex and all the sorrow that accompanied the growing cast of supporting characters. However, under the deft hand of Justin & Jimmy, Jonah Hex has moved from melodrama into out and out tragedy. They have kept the Fleisher contributions, adding their own twists, and brought in characters of their own.

  J & J have closed the tragic book on Ginny Hex, acknowledged the strained relationship with Jason Hex, peeled back the layers on the abusiveness of Woodson Hex and allowed us to see the end of it as wel, and violently laid El Papagayo to rest. In addition they have given us Tallulah Black, a woman almost as fiercely damaged as Hex, tossed in a small ray of hope and redemption for her (via a child) and then dramatically snatched that away from her and from us as well; and revealed Joshua Dazzleby, a half-brother completely at odds with Jonah, leading his own scarred life.

  The book is so much more than a Western. It’s an ongoing tale of everything that can possibly go wrong in a person’s life. It is simply and truly a tragedy.

  My wife asks why I read such a potentially depressing book. Granted, I do get enjoyment from the action and adventure but I also do it in order to appreciate my own life. Viewing my own relationships through the broken glass of Jonah’s life, I appreciate what I have, but I am also inspired to work to make mine better. So much of Jonah’s life has been spent turning his back on his pain and those who abandoned him that it spurs me on to take action, to make the phone call, to reach out, to connect with my family so that there will never be the chance of us drifting apart.

  So, yeah, Jonah Hex is a Western comic book. But thanks to Mr. Albano, Fleisher, Palmiotti, Gray, and I guess even Lansdale , we have more than a comic book Western. We have a tragedy and, hopefully, a better appreciation for the things in our own lives. 

Weird Western Tales #43 "Feather for a Savage!"

Weird Western Tales #43 Dec 1977
"Feather for a Savage!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers and George Evans, art - George Evans, cover

We start off with a three page recap that brings us to the point where Scalphunter and Sixteen Hands are bound hand and foot as the bank robbers decide what to do with them. Pete, the leader, gets the idea to use the dynamite they had been saving for a big job.

The robbers set the dynamite a short ways from the captives, put an incredibly long fuse on it, light it and ride off chortling. Alone, Sixteen Hands confesses of his plan to kill Ke-Woh-No-Tay. Ke-Woh tells him to shut his yapper and then rolls upside down to dislodge a knife in his boot. Holding the knife he tells Sixteen Hands to cut his own bonds. Sixteen Hands does this, grabs the knife from Ke-Woh, cuts loose his feet and then throws himself onto the dynamite to save Ke-Woh-No-Tay.

The dynamite goes off and then Ke-Woh-No-Tay has to wriggle across the snow, pick up the knife in his teeth and cut himself loose. After all of that, Sixteen Hands is still not dead. He still has time to wish Ke-Woh-No-Tay luck on his Death Stalk and gives him his own feather, making him a warrior.

Off in the distance, the bank robbers hear the explosion and celebrate. Pete tells everyone to break up and head back to their old jobs. They can lay low for awhile since nobody knows it was them that robbed the bank. However, Ke-Woh-No-Tay overhears everything since he is high above them in the trees.

Several days go by and Pete and Bart are working in the barn. Suddenly they smell smoke. Pete runs out and finds some rags on fire on the ground and a huge white man raised by Kiowas leaping from the barn roof. He puts up a gallant effort, but Ke-Woh-No-Tay holds him down and stabs him repeatedly. Bart tries to intervene, but the Kiowa brave reacts instinctively and scalps both men.

A few days later, Mike and Red are hanging out in the blacksmith shop wondering why they haven't heard from Pete. They decide to mount up and mosey on over and see what's up. On the way over, Mike's horse falls into a huge covered pit and Ke-Woh-No-Tay leaps from an overhanging tree. As Read panics and turns tail, we hear the agonizing screams of Mike.

Red pulls up in front of the sheriff's office and runs in pleading his brother, Brett, for help. Red tells MOST of the story and gets Brett to help him find the Indian. Brett and Red use a shortcut to lie in wait for Ke-Woh-No-Tay and Brett gets a shot off, knocking the Indian off his horse and into the tall grass and cattails. When they rush down to inspect the body, Ke-Woh-No-Tay is gone. The men decide to split up and in a short time Red is ambushed by a bent sapling.

On his knees begging for mercy, Red watches as Ke-Woh-No-Tay slowly walks forward, grabs Red by the hair on his head and then buries his tomahawk into the man's skull. As Ke-Woh-No-Tay is taking Red's scalp, Brett shows up and his horse kicks Ke-Woh-No-Tay as he rushes Brett.

Brett, slips a rope around the Indian's ankles,, drags him to a nearby tree and hangs him upside down as he takes careful aim with his rifle...

Statistics for This Issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 4
Running Total - 23
Compared to Jonah Hex - 23 vs 22
Scalps taken - 4
Running Total -10
Injuries - Shot in head, kicked by a horse
Timeline - Several days and then a few days in Winter, 1865 (can we say a week?)

A seventeen page story with three pages of recap doesn't leave much room, but this one is packed with action. True, the dynamite was terribly slow and Sixteen Hands appeared to be able to live through almost anything, but the out and out savagery depicted in the scalpings really helped the book live up to its name. One thing bothered me, it seems like two weeks has gone by, so I'm wondering if Scalphunter is a dead man when he gets back to the tribe. (I'm not really wondering, I've already read all of these books. Just trying to build suspense.)

I'm liking the ongoing storyline and it's interesting that Ke-Woh-No-Tay's task is done, but he isn't out of the woods yet.

Next Issue: The wagon train of death, a killer cougar and...APACHE RAID!

House Ad #39

Man, I'm drooling just remembering this book. The greatest thing about it was that each person spoke in their won font and each character had their own inker. The book had one crazy look to it, but it was fantastic!

Weird Western Tales #42 "Death Stalk!"

Weird Western Tales #42 Oct 1977
"Death Stalk!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers and George Evans, art - Alan Weiss, cover

Cantwell, Missouri, 1865. We last saw the town of Cantwell two issues ago, ya know, back in 1862.  Now, three years later, six men on horseback ride into town. They pull up in front of the bank and tell Brandy to keep watch. They go inside and rob the bank and the patrons, gunning down one old farmer. The bandana slips off of Red's face and a woman recognizes him as the younger brother of Sheriff Brett Harley.

The robbers are left with no choice but to kill the teller and the other three patrons. They run from the bank, mount up and ride off into the growing snowstorm.

Meanwhile in the snowy hills above town, Ke-Woh-No-Tay is teaching Little Bear how to hunt for food using only a bow and arrow. Little Bear wishes that Scalphunter had brought his rifle but gets a lesson on Kiowa preparedness instead. While Scalphunter cleans the deer, Little Bear chases down a fox and while trailing the fox, he comes to a cave where Bart and his gang of robbers are holed up. The robbers spot him and give chase, thinking that he heard something and can snitch on them.

Little Bear is running away but is soon surrounded by the six men on horseback. Little Bear panics and fires an arrow at Pete, who in turn get angry and shoots Little Bear. The shots alert Scalphunter and he arrives on a hillside overlooking the scene. As he draws back his bow, the robbers fire on him, grazing his head and the men ride off.

Hours later, Scalphunter comes to and rushes to Little Bear. He picks him up and sings his Death Song. Much later Scalphunter walks into the village with the body of Little Bear. He tells the story and Little Bear's mother is distraught. Another brave, Sixteen Hands Horse berates Ke-Woh-No-Tay as being a coward, afraid of the white man. Scalphunter responds..

Sixteen Hands pulls a tomahawk and rushes Scalphunter but is quickly cooled off by being thrown into the lake. The Chief finally shows up to see the ruckus and tells Scalphunter that there is only one way to remove the dishonor that he has brought upon himself. Scalpy must track down these six men and count coup with only a tomahawk and a knife and he has only two weeks (the Chief states that the moon is hiding and he has until the moon is full. That's two weeks, isn't it?) to complete this mission, otherwise, Scalphunter will die at the stake in place of the killers of Little Bear.

Scalphunter rides off and the Chief tasks Sixteen Hands Horse with following Scalphunter and if Scalpy wavers in his task, Sixteen Hands is to bring him back to the village. However, Sixteen Hands plans on exacting revenge upon Scalpy himself.

Five days later, the robbers are riding through a narrow pass and Scalphunter is hiding in the snow above them. Brandy, the alcoholic of the bunch, falls behind to take a snort on his flask and it's true that liquor will kill ya....

After a while, one of the men rides back to see Scalphunter holding up Brandy's bloody dripping scalp. Scalpy rushes him and plunges his knife into the man's ribs.

Up above, in the hills, Sixteen Hands is taking aim with his rifle in order to kill Scalphunter. Just then a grizzly bear (Seemingly possessed, as indicated by the red glowing eyes) rushes Sixteen Hands. Scalphunter hears the screams and realizes that Sixteen Hands is in danger. He grabs a rope from the dead man's horse and lasso's an outcrop and scales the cliff. He then rushes into the arms of Wa-Noh-Nah (the bear) and finally vanquishes the beast.

As Scalphunter turns to Sixteen Hands and demands to know why HE is there, the two Indians suddenly find themselves set upon by the four remaining robbers....

Statistics for This Issue

Men Killed by Scalphunter - 2
Running Total - 19
Compared to Jonah Hex - 19 vs 20
Scalps taken - 2
Running Total - 6
Injuries - Shot in head
Timeline - Six days in Winter, 1865 (really?)

I liked this book a lot, mainly because of the interior inking of George Evans. Evans is a gritty inker and it really makes the book shine. We also have the beginning of an ongoing story and I'm happy to see some continuity (even though it is three years off the mark...maybe).

Also, this is the first time that we have seen Scalphunter interacting with other Indians and it appears that he even is a member of a tribe. In past issues we have seen how Brain is not accepted by the White men but in this issue we see how he isn't fully accepted by his own tribe. The last we saw of the Kiowa tribe was back in issue #39 where a large bunch of them were killed. I liked the cover. At first I thought it was Alfredo Alcala, but then I saw the Weiss signature.

And this brings up one other thing. Our hero has four names; Scalphunter, Brian Savage, Ke-Woh-No-Tay, He Who is Less Than Human. In the book, he is rarely referred to as Scalphunter or as Brian Savage. The Indians always call him Ke-Woh-No-Tay (which they never translate as He Who is Less Than Human) but refer to each other as their translated names (Sixteen Hands Horse, Little Bear). So, with all that information, how shall I denote our hero? I would like to stay consistent (and I have tried three of the four names to see how they 'feel')

Next Issue: Things get really really bloody and there is a transfer of plumage!

House Ad #38

So who remembers Star Hunters? I don't but it looks like it could have been fun.

Pitchman-A-Go-Go #89

I don't care what he was selling, I always loved the Jack Davis ads. They were like visual poetry.