quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: The series is just that good. Up next is a string of Jordi Bernet stories and he's my favorite artist working on Hex with Graypal. I can't believe the series has lasted this long and is still going strong--if anything, its better than ever.
The book is quality, no doubt.
My hunch is that it's trade sales and the upcoming movie that has kept this book alive. Should the film tank, they may well reassess.
You have a knack for being right about these things. And this time, it truly scares me.
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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The bible is in trade format and after 28 years of being Catholic I still haven't read it all!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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I read the trade of the first six issues Jonah Hex: Face Full of Violence last week. Those were some terrific one-offs, man! Though I'm usually in favor of continuing storylines, this method works really well for this book. Nice, compelling, fun done-in-ones that are a throwback to how genre comics were done back in the day.
Love the artwork, too! The art in this one was primarily by Luke Ross whose work I've seen here and there. But never more beautiful and memorable than what I saw here on Hex! I know Hex has a bevy of artists, but I'd love to see Luke Ross do more work in this genre. I know is art appears in the second volume, too, so I'll look forward to seeing more when I eventually pick up Volume 2!
Yep, more GrayPal Hex is in the cards for me!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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GrayPal bring the same Hex to this book they write in the ongoing. They write him as a solitary man, not kind to those who keep his company, even when he wants it. He's respectful when it matters, considerate even a few times, and downright vicious and stubborn for most of the book.
The bulk of the story is Jonah meeting his brother and their rather different lives. We get a chance to see Jonah can be civilized and respectful when treated as such. But he also does his best to keep his new family as distant as he keeps anyone else. There's a conflict looming with El Papagayo for most of the story, but it's very much in the background. The reslotuion is brutal, providing us with most of the violence you expect from a Hex story.
Zuniga draws the book with a texture befitting a western. From the rough characters to the dirty they wallow in, it's not pretty to look at. But I'm sure glad I did. Where GrayPal gave us their standrad Hex fare, Zuniga elevated with his artwork. This story probably could have been told in the monthly, but it would have killed to wait the 2 or 3 months it would have taken to see all the pages.
[ July 07, 2010, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: CJ Taylor ]
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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“Tall Tales” in #57 by Graypal and my favorite, Jordi Bernet, was yet another triumph in a long line of great stories in Jonah Hex. While not as serious as past issues, this one had enough charm to make me grin from ear to ear throughout most of the issue. I’m glad Graypal mixed things up with a lighter story here. The two brother’s curiosity towards Hex and little adventure reminded me some of the Golden Age tales I read last year when I was on a little Golden Age kick; in fact, this whole story felt very Golden Age.
It was awesome to see the collection of so many DC western stars, especially the Trigger Twins, who never really show up anywhere anymore. The Scalphunter/Hex fight was awesome and now I want to see a whole series of Scalphunter/Hex team-ups over the years.
The 2/3rds of a page panel by Bernet of them all on their horses is good enough to be a poster IMO.
Just when I think this series can’t get any better, the creators flex their muscles a bit more and prove me wrong. Great stuff.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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At long last Graypal have gotten to a Mei Ling story so those of us who haven't read the 70's Hex stories (like me) can really get to see Jonah's wife, who we've seen referenced countless time. If that wasn't enough to really fascinate me, the artist is none other than my favorite Hex artist, Jordi Bernet!
Once again, another fantastic stand alone issue and even though we don't learn much, we learn enough to know that I'm a big fan of Mei Ling! More than anything, the loving relationship between Jonah & Mei (where Jonah is definitely still Jonah) makes the chemistry between them something I want to see more of.
Comic book fans who *still* haven't taken a chance on Hex really need to kick themselves. Every issue is a new reader-friendly issue so don't waste time and join in on one of comic's best series for the last 5+ years.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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I obtained "No Way Back" off eBay a few months agoa and read it in mid-October. This was a handsome book just chock full of backstory on Jonah. We learn more about his father, mother and the half-brother we never knew he had. We also learn why El Papagayo has it in for Jonah and that he never wants Jonah to know exactly why he does. It's all very compellingly brutal stuff (especially the parts with Jonah's mom, IMO) which climaxes with a brutal battle between El Papagayo's gang and a town that has disavowed weaponry!
Tony Dezuniga, who illustrated many of Jonah's classic adventures, returns for this one, and his stuff looks as gritty and cutting edge as anything else being done as today's artists. Notably, his Jonah doesn't look particularly handsome on the unscarred side of his face, and the scarred side has never looked more menacing.
This was a great original graphic novel, much better IMO than Superman: Earth One. Well worth the price! Gotta start getting more GrayPal Hex, sooner than later....
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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^I think you've pretty much sold me on picking it up eventually (though probably not on the next round of TPB's, but the one after since I've amassed a large list of TPB's to grab).
Two things sealed it based on your description: the usage of El Papagayo, one of Jonah's best enemies, and Tony Dezuniga on the art, which I'm curious to see.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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The next Cooke GN (and others I missed along the way), Scalped, last 2 Air, next 2 Hellboy, Rocketo and I know there are at least two others I'm forgetting off the top of my head.
Oh, and Supreme: the Return if it's available.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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Jonah Hex #62 was excellent as always, and like usual, could easily have been an awesome 2 hour movie. It’s such a freaking shame the recent Jonah Hex movie looks like such a steaming pile of shit, when they could have made something like 60 awesome movies if they used the various stories from this run.
Graypal continues to use Hex as the beacon of their writing excellence and in this story they put among traveling circus folk, which always contains an innate creepiness about it. The combination of western & creepy (which they do at least once every 10 issues or so) works incredibly well like always. I thought to myself “only in Jonah Hex”.
One of the best parts of the series is the rotating set of artists who come through and this issue had Eduard Risso of 100 Bullets fame. His artwork worked really well with Jonah Hex and he’s a natural for the tone of the series; I think he did a great job in the western setting.
Excellent, as usual.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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With a lot of recent weeks having been a little light, I took the opportunity to by the two issues of Hex that were on the shelf as I always enjoy GrayPal Hex stories when I give them a chance.
Issue 60 featured some rare Brian Stelfreeze interior art. The lines were fairly simple but moody and effective. The colors matched the tone Stelfreeze was going for with a lot of brown, gray and other dark hues. The story was pretty entertaining as it dealt with a guy who just couldn't man up to losing to Jonah at a game of cards and then goes to great lengths to get revenge. He ends up paying an extremely high personal cost but by the end still won't back off. GrayPal end the story with a rare open end that makes it obvious we'll hear from this guy again.
Issue 61 is the Mei Ling issue Cobie mentions above. It's quite distinct from any other GrayPal Hex story with its comparative lighthearted tone. Hex with Mei is just a shade less hardcore and goes to great lengths not to kill anyone to respect her request. Their relationship is kinda cute, and that's weird to say about a Hex story! The coloring here is appropriately lighter than that of the previous issue to match the tone of the story, and Bernet's art adds the appropriate touch of whimsy to the proceedings.
Hex is a book that I'm likely to start picking up regularly. I appreciate that you can pick up any issue and get a complete, satisfying tale. I wonder where Mei Ling fits in to Hex's timeline and whether he sees her occasionally while still dallying with other women, but otherwise there are few continuity concerns. It's an entertaining break from superheroes and just damn good craft in comics storytelling.
Lardy's rating for Jonah Hex #60 &61: 3 Stars (out of five)!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Really glad you'll be getting it monthly! Like you say, every issue is essentially a jumping on point! Now we can discuss each month (er, two months later since we both are so behind ).
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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Jonah Hex #63 was yet another masterful story, this one featuring my favorite of the Hex artists, Jordi Bernet. If I shower any more praise on Bernet’s art on Hex I really run of the risk of getting repetitive so I just recommend you reread the thread!
This story had Hex facing perhaps his most brutal foe yet! It’s a full-on serial killer and much, much worse and by the first few pages, I couldn’t wait for Hex to get his hands on this guy. There are brutal implications of rape and even child-rape but Graypal is smart enough to only make these implications; I thought this was well-done for a comic, unlike so many other modern comics. The scenes from Jonah’s own past were also well done (with a cool coloring technique combined with smoother Bernet lines used to differentiate them) which was also very sad. I’ll tell you, being a father now, crazy people going after children is something that is terrifying beyond belief. They played on that fear well here.
I wonder if Tavari, the Native American tracker who Hex hires (and who double crosses him) is from prior issues? I know Graypal does that sometimes. I can’t recall if he is.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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The latest Hex was fantastic, taking a turn mid-story that caught me totally by surprise. It was Johnny Cash's 'Boy Named Sue' come to life and it was brutal and rough, but satisfying.
Jeff Lemire was the guest artist and he did a fantastic job! Though I'm a fan of writing, I'm a big unfamiliar with his art (as I dont collect Sweet Tooth). His art is both gritty and cartoony here and it ends up working really well.
Yet another top notch issue with an A+ job by the guest artist.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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