FOR SERIOUS CONSIDERATION: JONAH HEX #36 REVIEWED.
It’s not a secret that I’m big fan of DC’s Jonah Hex; in fact, I’ve been raving about this book since the first issue hit stands three years ago. I don’t do a lot of comic book reviews anymore but when I read something good that deserves credit for being good—I “come out of retirement” so to speak.
I know it’s early but I firmly believe that Jonah Hex #36 should be nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-shot) for 2009.
The story, entitled “Seven Graves Six Feet Deep”, is an exploration of the origin of Jonah Hex’s desire to wear his Confederate uniform—long after the end of the Civil War. The story, which takes place in Tennessee in 1866, is framed by structured narrative which recounts Hex in a historical context—acting as a pseudo-historical vetting mechanism in regards to a man “whose bloody exploits have marked him as one of the most figures in the American West.”
In truth, the story is nothing more than a tragic misunderstanding in lieu of the ramifications and remnants of social turmoil left in the wake of the Civil War. Further, it would seem that Jonah Hex is ultimately the biggest victim in the story: he’s beaten by unaware ex-slaves who happen upon him as he is saving a drowning black woman; he’s saved by malicious ex-Confederates who kill the confused ex-slaves and promise to “wear white” in the hope that the South will rise again; and he is forced to kill the same ignorant men who saved him for their dubious behavior.
SPOILER: It’s revealed that he wears his Confederate uniform out shame for his collusion with the Confederacy—but the real proof is in the pudding, so to speak, as Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray reveal through Hex’s own words why he took up with Confederates in the first place…
(That means buy the book and read it. I’ve given enough away as it is, dear reader.)
This grim and gritty genre Western is a flawless composition that ties an exceptional narrative with the most sublimely abrasive artwork by Rafa Garres. One of the few points of contention that I have heard about from other fans of this series is that the book lacks a regular monthly artist. Well, look no further DC—Rafa Garres is the man for the job!
Don’t get me wrong—I love the classic work of Jordi Bernet or the beautiful work of J. H. Williams III or Darwyn Cooke but Rafa Garres captures the garishly naturalistic rawness of the environment, the stark realism of the types of characters that inhabited the rough frontiers of post-Civil War 19th Century America; but most of all, he recreates the iconic and savagely gnarled visage of the murderous Jonah Hex himself much like Luke Ross did for most of the first 12 issues of the series.
Jonah Hex simply radiates, month after month, with rock-solid storytelling that doesn’t bog a reader down for months on end. Palmiotti and Gray successfully prove that comic book storylines need not be 6 or 12 issue epics that tend to run out of steam mid-story—they prove that an amazing story can be “done in one”. This monthly gem is consistently one of mainstream DC Comics best publications—bar none. Without a doubt, this single issue exemplifies everything that is exceptional about the medium of comic books and the artistry behind sequential storytelling.
