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All-Star Western (2011) #1
All-Star Western, Volume 1: Guns and Gotham
Even when Gotham City was just a one-horse town, crime was rampant--and things only get worse when bounty hunter Jonah Hex comes to town. Amadeus Arkham, a pioneer in criminal psychology, enlists Hex's special brand of justice to help the Gotham Police Department track down a vicious serial killer!
Collecting: All-Star Western 1-6
Collecting: All-Star Western 1-6
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
29 people are currently reading
772 people want to read
About the author
Justin Gray
738 books80 followersJustin currently writes Novels, Graphic Novels, Video Games, Screenplays.
He has held various jobs including, fossil hunting, microphotography of 20 million year old insects and plants trapped in amber, seminars and exhibitions on the cleaning, mining and identification of prehistoric insects for the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian. He traveled to the mountains of the Dominican Republic and mined amber.
He has also worked as a victim advocate for Victims Assistance of Westchester, a not-for-profit organization that helps victims of crime.
He has held various jobs including, fossil hunting, microphotography of 20 million year old insects and plants trapped in amber, seminars and exhibitions on the cleaning, mining and identification of prehistoric insects for the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian. He traveled to the mountains of the Dominican Republic and mined amber.
He has also worked as a victim advocate for Victims Assistance of Westchester, a not-for-profit organization that helps victims of crime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
April 4, 2018
Jonah Hex aka The Sexiest Man Alive.
Well, I didn't hate it.
And I really thought I would, because Westerns are soooo not my thing.
I don't wish I could travel back in time and be a gunslinger in the Old West.
I don't fantasize about riding a dusty unwashed cowboy into the sunset.
And I don't want to go have a drink in some establishment called Saloon.
Hell, I don't even like horses! They're expensive, time consuming, and every time you turn around those fragile bastards are sick or hurt.
I see a lot of my friends weren't too enamoured with this one, but I think they'd been reading the previous run of Jonah Hex, and just didn't like the direction this one had taken.
Me?
I'm a Jonah Hex virgin.
Ok, that's not entirely true, but I've only been to (at best) second base with this guy. There was an All Star Western issue in one of the volumes of Batman, that had something to do with a Court of Owls crossover. It made little sense to me at the time, and I dismissed it as yet another New 52 fuck-up.
Alrighty, I'm going to admit something...and you're going to promise not to laugh.
I thought Jonah Hex was some sort of gun-slinging wizard.
I mean, Hex , right?
But it turns out he's just really good at tracking down bad guys, and then shooting them in the head.
So. No magic.
He's kind of like Batman. You know, except he doesn't have any prejudice against guns, and he's horribly disfigured.
Though there was a surprising amount of supernatural stuff in this considering the poor bastard can't cast a spell.
If the cover didn't give it away, this is set in Gotham. And Hex ends up getting partnered up with Amadeus Arkham, who's the town's resident psychological profiler...of sorts.
There are quite a few foreshadowing links to the Court of Owls stuff while these two try to catch a serial killer...and then try to break up a child slavery ring.
The last two issues in the volume introduce El Diablo and the Barbary Ghost.
El Diablo is some sort of Shaman guy that got cursed, and now has a demon living inside him. And the Barbary Ghost is a chick who uses her ninja skills and fireworks to avenge her family.
All in all, it wasn't bad. In fact, I liked it enough to request the second volume from my library.
Get this review and more at:
Well, I didn't hate it.
And I really thought I would, because Westerns are soooo not my thing.
I don't wish I could travel back in time and be a gunslinger in the Old West.
I don't fantasize about riding a dusty unwashed cowboy into the sunset.
And I don't want to go have a drink in some establishment called Saloon.
Hell, I don't even like horses! They're expensive, time consuming, and every time you turn around those fragile bastards are sick or hurt.
I see a lot of my friends weren't too enamoured with this one, but I think they'd been reading the previous run of Jonah Hex, and just didn't like the direction this one had taken.
Me?
I'm a Jonah Hex virgin.
Ok, that's not entirely true, but I've only been to (at best) second base with this guy. There was an All Star Western issue in one of the volumes of Batman, that had something to do with a Court of Owls crossover. It made little sense to me at the time, and I dismissed it as yet another New 52 fuck-up.
Alrighty, I'm going to admit something...and you're going to promise not to laugh.
I thought Jonah Hex was some sort of gun-slinging wizard.
I mean, Hex , right?
But it turns out he's just really good at tracking down bad guys, and then shooting them in the head.
So. No magic.
He's kind of like Batman. You know, except he doesn't have any prejudice against guns, and he's horribly disfigured.
Though there was a surprising amount of supernatural stuff in this considering the poor bastard can't cast a spell.
If the cover didn't give it away, this is set in Gotham. And Hex ends up getting partnered up with Amadeus Arkham, who's the town's resident psychological profiler...of sorts.
There are quite a few foreshadowing links to the Court of Owls stuff while these two try to catch a serial killer...and then try to break up a child slavery ring.
The last two issues in the volume introduce El Diablo and the Barbary Ghost.
El Diablo is some sort of Shaman guy that got cursed, and now has a demon living inside him. And the Barbary Ghost is a chick who uses her ninja skills and fireworks to avenge her family.
All in all, it wasn't bad. In fact, I liked it enough to request the second volume from my library.
Get this review and more at:
April 4, 2023
All-Star Western #1 is a very much different comic book than #0. Whereas #0 has a wide-open panel design that beautifully illustrates the expansive vistas of the Old West, #1 is set in Gotham and hence the panel design is a lot more restricted, cluttered, and even claustrophobic. The artwork by Moritat is masterful, not just in the panel design, but in the renderings that marry both the dark mood of the Western Comics of my day (70s and 80s) with the glossy design of 2011. Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray write an exciting pulp story that mashes up several different genre tropes that have been done before but may appear new to a modern audience. As for me, I was entertained. The story begins with a narrator that the reader quickly learns is Amadeus Arkham. If you know anything about the Gotham mythos, yeah, that guy. If not, then you might want to read the Arkham Asylum trade paperback that I reviewed earlier this year. Jonah Hex is a bounty hunter and he’s been invited to Gotham by Arkham to solve a series of murders perpetrated by a serial killer with a penchant for prostitutes. Hex manages to acquire information that the police could not, and along the way discovers red herrings, a sacrificial lamb, and a club of wealthy men who may all have some knowledge of the killer. All this is jam-packed into 20 some odd pages.
September 5, 2023
This collects All-Star Western #1-6.
I read most of this at lunch. I assume editorial direction resulted in moving Jonah to Gotham and having some multi-part adventures. It's still a lot of fun but the prior Jonah Hex series was great because it was done in one westerns. Gray and Palmiotti haven't lost a step despite Jonah being in Gotham. I love the art by Moritat.
Anyway, Jonah comes to Gotham for a bounty and winds up with additional work. Amadeus Arkham chronicles his adventures. Jonah and Amadeus go up against the usual roughnecks plus the followers of the Religion of Crime plus some slavers. There's a lot of fun mayhem and Jonah capping people but he feels out of place in Gotham. Fortunately, he's headed to New Orleans in the next volume so we'll see how that plays out.
I read most of this at lunch. I assume editorial direction resulted in moving Jonah to Gotham and having some multi-part adventures. It's still a lot of fun but the prior Jonah Hex series was great because it was done in one westerns. Gray and Palmiotti haven't lost a step despite Jonah being in Gotham. I love the art by Moritat.
Anyway, Jonah comes to Gotham for a bounty and winds up with additional work. Amadeus Arkham chronicles his adventures. Jonah and Amadeus go up against the usual roughnecks plus the followers of the Religion of Crime plus some slavers. There's a lot of fun mayhem and Jonah capping people but he feels out of place in Gotham. Fortunately, he's headed to New Orleans in the next volume so we'll see how that plays out.
April 4, 2018
Jonah Hex comes to Gotham and teams up with the founder of Arkham Asylum to track down the Gotham Butcher. Lots of little tie-ins here with the Court of Owls and the Religion of Crime. Then Hex and Arkham go after a missing child ins a story ripped out of Temple of Doom. I like Moritat's moody art for a Western. The backup stories of El Diablo and Barbary Ghost were subpar.
July 28, 2014
This was a good read. Jonah Hex is a hero whose demeanor is as disreputable as his appearance. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and probably enjoys violence too much. But he's not an amoral killer either. He makes his way to Gotham, and that place is definitely in need of a tough hero like him. Set in the late 1800s, more than a 100 years before Bruce Wayne is born, but Gotham is already a cesspool of corruption in the making. There is already a secret society who really runs things, and they are committing murders to send a message. Jonah teams up with the future founder of the Arkham Asylum, a psychologist who cannot help analyzing him, and there's a lot to analyze. He eventually comes to respect Hex for his methods, because there is no better man to have at your side or cutting a swathe of destruction in front of you to clear the way.
I'm not sure how much Bruce Wayne would respect or get along with Hex. Probably a certain level of respect, but I'm sure Batman wouldn't be as fond of all the killing that Hex does as a matter of course.
Other stories feautured different western heroes like El Diablo and the Barbary Ghost. I liked the Barbary Ghost because she is a kickbutt Chinese woman who takes on the crime syndicate who wiped out most of her family. How could I not like her?
This graphic novel is fans of good, old-fashioned western action. The supernatural elements are light here, but that's okay. There's plenty of action to keep this reader happy.
I already picked up the next volume.
I'm not sure how much Bruce Wayne would respect or get along with Hex. Probably a certain level of respect, but I'm sure Batman wouldn't be as fond of all the killing that Hex does as a matter of course.
Other stories feautured different western heroes like El Diablo and the Barbary Ghost. I liked the Barbary Ghost because she is a kickbutt Chinese woman who takes on the crime syndicate who wiped out most of her family. How could I not like her?
This graphic novel is fans of good, old-fashioned western action. The supernatural elements are light here, but that's okay. There's plenty of action to keep this reader happy.
I already picked up the next volume.
November 10, 2012
Gotham, 1880s, and Jonah Hex rocks up to the burgeoning city with his eye on a bounty for a trio of bank robbers but gets more than he bargained for when he becomes embroiled in a plot involving Gotham’s richest and most powerful and a series of grisly murders.
I was hoping for a more inspired take on the western genre but unfortunately all the stories here are pretty standard hero + sidekick vs. the baddies templates. Joining Hex is Amadeus Arkham, a prominent psychologist yet to establish the infamously easy to break out of prison for the criminally insane Arkham Asylum, and whose presence allows he and Hex to banter while fending off goons.
The second Hex/Arkham adventure is basically a “Temple of Doom” rip-off and, like the first story, is predictable in the way both manage to overcome impossible odds, etc etc. The book rounds out with 2 very dull shorts, one about some guy called El Diablo and some zombies, and the other featured a woman called Barbary Ghost.
The art by Moritat is pretty bad. If you’ve read the Wonder Woman New 52, it’s like that artwork but scratchier. It does have its moments, for some reason his women characters’ faces are very clear but the rest all look too roughly drawn like a storyboard.
I was hoping “All Star Western” was going to be a guns-blazing, inspired action-fest but it’s a collection of weak pseudo-detective stories and brief appearances by forgettable characters. A disappointing addition to the New 52.
I was hoping for a more inspired take on the western genre but unfortunately all the stories here are pretty standard hero + sidekick vs. the baddies templates. Joining Hex is Amadeus Arkham, a prominent psychologist yet to establish the infamously easy to break out of prison for the criminally insane Arkham Asylum, and whose presence allows he and Hex to banter while fending off goons.
The second Hex/Arkham adventure is basically a “Temple of Doom” rip-off and, like the first story, is predictable in the way both manage to overcome impossible odds, etc etc. The book rounds out with 2 very dull shorts, one about some guy called El Diablo and some zombies, and the other featured a woman called Barbary Ghost.
The art by Moritat is pretty bad. If you’ve read the Wonder Woman New 52, it’s like that artwork but scratchier. It does have its moments, for some reason his women characters’ faces are very clear but the rest all look too roughly drawn like a storyboard.
I was hoping “All Star Western” was going to be a guns-blazing, inspired action-fest but it’s a collection of weak pseudo-detective stories and brief appearances by forgettable characters. A disappointing addition to the New 52.
December 11, 2012
An interesting and varied addition to the New 52, though the fact that the main protagonist is little more than a grumpy gunslinger kind of hurts it. If not for Dr. Arkham, I don't think this would have been quite as good. The back-up stories are also great, considering how short they are, and I'd like to see both characters appear in the main series at some point too.
June 28, 2013
Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti really know what they're doing when it comes to Jonah Hex. They've been the writers behind his best adventures for years if not decades now, and even the New 52 can't knock them off track.
Set in 19th century Gotham, Hex ends up on two adventures with unlikely sidekick Amadeus Arkham, the founder of the asylum (still in the future). The odd couple team-up works really well, as Arkham spends half of his time psychoanalyzing Hex's behavior, and the other half shrinking away while Hex solves the cases.
Hex is fascinating in the hands of Gray and Palmiotti - he's an antihero, doing the right thing the wrong way, and not caring how many he kills on his way. There's a scene where he attends an upscale party in the north in full confederate regalia that works really well.
Actually, the entire book works really well. The pair are fun to watch together, the stories are interesting (although a turn in the middle of the second story seems a little strange), and the staging in Gotham allows for a goodly number of callouts to Batman's mythology, and even sets up pieces for the Court of Owls storyline. This is definitely on the high side of the New 52's creations.
Set in 19th century Gotham, Hex ends up on two adventures with unlikely sidekick Amadeus Arkham, the founder of the asylum (still in the future). The odd couple team-up works really well, as Arkham spends half of his time psychoanalyzing Hex's behavior, and the other half shrinking away while Hex solves the cases.
Hex is fascinating in the hands of Gray and Palmiotti - he's an antihero, doing the right thing the wrong way, and not caring how many he kills on his way. There's a scene where he attends an upscale party in the north in full confederate regalia that works really well.
Actually, the entire book works really well. The pair are fun to watch together, the stories are interesting (although a turn in the middle of the second story seems a little strange), and the staging in Gotham allows for a goodly number of callouts to Batman's mythology, and even sets up pieces for the Court of Owls storyline. This is definitely on the high side of the New 52's creations.
June 14, 2013
Not bad. At first I wondered what Jonah Hex would be doing in Gotham City, but they came up with a plausible reason. The backup stories weren't bad, though the El Diablo one was kind of meh. I wish I were more familiar with DC's western heroes because I honestly have no clue who that guy at the end of the Hex story is. All will be made clear in volume 2, I'm sure.
March 9, 2019
Fabulous! Loved the time period, the setting, Jonah Hex in Gotham, the Barbary Ghost and El Diablo plus zombies.
February 21, 2013
Reprints All-Star Western (3) #1-6 (November 2011-April 2012). Jonah Hex is a bounty hunter and just rolled into Gotham City. Matching wits with a serial killer, Jonah and his unlikely ally Amadeus Arkham find themselves in more trouble than expected. A trip to the underground in search of stolen children also leads to a confrontation with the legendary Miagani and a demon of immense size. Also El Diablo confronts a town overrun by the undead and a girl known as the Barbary Ghost sets out to avenge the murder of her family.
Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham was part of the New 52 relaunch of the DC Universe and features a more incorporated Jonah Hex with the DC Universe plus featured back-up stories in issues All-Star Western #2-3 (El Diablo) and All-Star Western #4-6 (The Barbary Ghost).
I like All-Star Western. I have a soft spot for both the DCU and the Marvel Universe’s Western characters since I find it rather interesting that they exist in the world of superheroes as the first superheroes of the universe. In the New 52, the stories are much more incorporated and contain many more aspects of the present day stories since the Jonah Hex story is set in Gotham City.
The Jonah Hex stories essentially are two mystery/suspense Westerns. The Jonah and Arkham combo is kind of fun and almost equals a Holmes and Watson...with a mostly violent Holmes. The quest to find the serial killer leads to a fun showdown and a secret society like a Western Illuminati with appearances by ancestors of some of Gotham’s upper crust. The second story of kidnapped children leads to Gotham’s underground and an encounter with the Miagani which played a prominent role in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. It also features Bruce Wayne’s ancestors Alan and Catherine Wayne and an early visit to the Batcave. Plus, the story sets up the next storyline with a cameo by Cinnamon and Nighthawk (and hints to the Night of the Owls).
Other than All-Star Western #1, each issue features a back-up story. The El Diablo story is a bit undercooked and could have used more development. All-Star Western #4 (February 2012) is the first appearance of the Barbary Ghost, and I hope that she has a future and possible feature stories in upcoming issues. The character shows a lot of promise and is rather interesting.
All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham isn’t going to be everyone’s thing since Westerns are a bit of a niche culture, but with more incorporations to the DCU, I hope this series will survive. Jonah Hex the movie didn't help this series, but hopefully people will overlook that and take a trip to the Wild West (or Wild East in this case). All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham is followed by All-Star Western 2: The War of Lords and Owls.
Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham was part of the New 52 relaunch of the DC Universe and features a more incorporated Jonah Hex with the DC Universe plus featured back-up stories in issues All-Star Western #2-3 (El Diablo) and All-Star Western #4-6 (The Barbary Ghost).
I like All-Star Western. I have a soft spot for both the DCU and the Marvel Universe’s Western characters since I find it rather interesting that they exist in the world of superheroes as the first superheroes of the universe. In the New 52, the stories are much more incorporated and contain many more aspects of the present day stories since the Jonah Hex story is set in Gotham City.
The Jonah Hex stories essentially are two mystery/suspense Westerns. The Jonah and Arkham combo is kind of fun and almost equals a Holmes and Watson...with a mostly violent Holmes. The quest to find the serial killer leads to a fun showdown and a secret society like a Western Illuminati with appearances by ancestors of some of Gotham’s upper crust. The second story of kidnapped children leads to Gotham’s underground and an encounter with the Miagani which played a prominent role in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. It also features Bruce Wayne’s ancestors Alan and Catherine Wayne and an early visit to the Batcave. Plus, the story sets up the next storyline with a cameo by Cinnamon and Nighthawk (and hints to the Night of the Owls).
Other than All-Star Western #1, each issue features a back-up story. The El Diablo story is a bit undercooked and could have used more development. All-Star Western #4 (February 2012) is the first appearance of the Barbary Ghost, and I hope that she has a future and possible feature stories in upcoming issues. The character shows a lot of promise and is rather interesting.
All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham isn’t going to be everyone’s thing since Westerns are a bit of a niche culture, but with more incorporations to the DCU, I hope this series will survive. Jonah Hex the movie didn't help this series, but hopefully people will overlook that and take a trip to the Wild West (or Wild East in this case). All-Star Western 1: Guns and Gotham is followed by All-Star Western 2: The War of Lords and Owls.
August 16, 2014
After catching P/G's fun run on Power Girl, I figured these guys would have a fun take on the old Jonah Hex & company mythology. Not. Even. Close.
Why did they decide to suck out all the fun by narrating this story with a psychological discourse on the inner workings of a cypher like Jonah Hex? Talk about bashing in the skull of a great universe - turning it into a lecture or treatise, deconstructing Jonah. Bo-ring. Aaron did a great thing with Bullseye trying to get into Frank Castle's head in that amazing Punisher MAX run. These guys make me feel like I'm sitting in a shitty psych lecture.
What makes this so tiresome is the old "show don't tell" principle - the damned 'doctor' (a fucking wet sock and intellectual arsehole if I ever met one) just won't shut UP about how much Hex does violence, and why that shocks him so. Jaysus jumping legbone guys, you're mashing any shock value into a pulp. Put down the fucking pen guys, and give the artist a sliver of room to breathe.
It's like someone had never seen a protagonist beating up goons to get info out of them, and wanted to protect our delicate sensibilities from the horrors of fisticuffs. Go read a Spider-Man or Daredevil comic for the sake of all that's bloody.
And setting the story in Gotham? Of all the places in the US to pick, isn't it getting a *little* tiresome to keep dragging this place out, as if it's the only cesspool of human degradation and corruption? Deifying Gotham just makes it that much *less* impressive every time. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear about some nowhere place for once? Or drag in Star City and show where it came from? Anything but another "this town is the worst I've ever seen" old saw.
FFS, this book officially jumped the shark when they brought out a giant man-sized bat. Is there any specific reference to modern Bat-verse these tools *won't* try to shove up our drug-smuggling orifices? Killing the damned thing (which was presented as a horrifying cliffhanger not two pages before) so easily was especially boner-killing (as if this book didn't smear grandma-boob-level excitement killers all over my imagination already.)
Some good art in this book, but filled with boring action and stiff acting.
Why did they decide to suck out all the fun by narrating this story with a psychological discourse on the inner workings of a cypher like Jonah Hex? Talk about bashing in the skull of a great universe - turning it into a lecture or treatise, deconstructing Jonah. Bo-ring. Aaron did a great thing with Bullseye trying to get into Frank Castle's head in that amazing Punisher MAX run. These guys make me feel like I'm sitting in a shitty psych lecture.
What makes this so tiresome is the old "show don't tell" principle - the damned 'doctor' (a fucking wet sock and intellectual arsehole if I ever met one) just won't shut UP about how much Hex does violence, and why that shocks him so. Jaysus jumping legbone guys, you're mashing any shock value into a pulp. Put down the fucking pen guys, and give the artist a sliver of room to breathe.
It's like someone had never seen a protagonist beating up goons to get info out of them, and wanted to protect our delicate sensibilities from the horrors of fisticuffs. Go read a Spider-Man or Daredevil comic for the sake of all that's bloody.
And setting the story in Gotham? Of all the places in the US to pick, isn't it getting a *little* tiresome to keep dragging this place out, as if it's the only cesspool of human degradation and corruption? Deifying Gotham just makes it that much *less* impressive every time. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear about some nowhere place for once? Or drag in Star City and show where it came from? Anything but another "this town is the worst I've ever seen" old saw.
FFS, this book officially jumped the shark when they brought out a giant man-sized bat. Is there any specific reference to modern Bat-verse these tools *won't* try to shove up our drug-smuggling orifices? Killing the damned thing (which was presented as a horrifying cliffhanger not two pages before) so easily was especially boner-killing (as if this book didn't smear grandma-boob-level excitement killers all over my imagination already.)
Some good art in this book, but filled with boring action and stiff acting.
May 26, 2012
The old Jonah Hex series that just ended before this was great,gritty western series. One of the most acclaimed series on the US comics market. I enjoyed it because it was the only great western out there.
This series is not badly written or bad art but it has completely sold out its western genre,fans who enjoyed Jonah Hex. The title lies the stories are more supernatural Gotham stories i read 8 issues and they were all set in Gotham,about Batman villains,sects. About Dr. Arkham and recent issue is involved contemporary Batman comics event.
Sure sellout to Batman comics to get more Batman fans reading and not caring for western fans like me is one thing but the creators i respected lied in interviews saying it would be the same series. There is no western set in Gotham city every issue.....
Shame they couldnt leave one series to survive only its quality and not only care for quantity. There are many other titles to connect to Batman world.
This series is not badly written or bad art but it has completely sold out its western genre,fans who enjoyed Jonah Hex. The title lies the stories are more supernatural Gotham stories i read 8 issues and they were all set in Gotham,about Batman villains,sects. About Dr. Arkham and recent issue is involved contemporary Batman comics event.
Sure sellout to Batman comics to get more Batman fans reading and not caring for western fans like me is one thing but the creators i respected lied in interviews saying it would be the same series. There is no western set in Gotham city every issue.....
Shame they couldnt leave one series to survive only its quality and not only care for quantity. There are many other titles to connect to Batman world.
January 8, 2013
All Star Western features Jonah Hex, an anti-hero so grizzled that Hollywood executives decided they had no choice but to cast Megan Fox by his side when producing the movie edition:
Alas, this book does not feature the talented Ms. Fox. Instead, Jonah spends the six issues in this collection running around 19th century Gotham City. In the first half, the hardworking whores of Gotham are being targeted by a serial killer, and the inept Gotham police department isn’t able to solve the problem (I guess some things never change). Jonah is forced to team up with Amadeus Arkham to go after the ringleaders, the ‘Brotherhood of Cain.’ In the second half, Jonah and Arkham go looking for some missing children that have disappeared off Gotham’s streets. This story is not as strong as the first half, but does take Jonah to the Batcave, for what that’s worth. There are also two B-stories told in this volume, one featuring ‘El Diablo’ and the other ‘the Barbary Ghost.’ Both are completely independent from the other action, and neither are particularly memorable (the El Diablo story is pretty damn lame).
This was my first time reading a Jonah Hex story, and he did not disappoint as a main character. Jonah is a mean, hard-drinking man of few words, cursed with an ugly mug and an itchy trigger finger. Amadeus Arkham provides a nice foil as Jonah’s bumbling academic sidekick. But the two stories here just aren’t all that interesting. Neither is terrible, but both use violence as a substitute for a compelling plot. Now, that’s not to say that anybody wants to read a Jonah Hex story where he goes around hugging it out with all his enemies. He’s a cowboy with half a face and two big-ass guns – somebody’s getting blown away. But at times that seemed to be all this volume was – Jonah grunting and growling from scene to scene where he could pump lead into someone. There are no important supporting characters (other than Arkham) that he gives a damn about, and he doesn’t seem to have any interests other than drinking and shooting people. That started to get a little old for me about 1/3 of my way through this collection. The B-stories did next to nothing for me; the Barbary Ghost one was tolerable, while the El Diablo tale was very weak. The artwork throughout this collection is solid, but not enough to lift some uninspired storytelling all by itself.
That said, this wasn’t a terrible read and I liked Jonah Hex enough as a main character that I’ll consider returning in the future to see if they give him something more interesting to do. At the end of this volume, Hex heads south to 19th century New Orleans, which could be a better setting for an ol’ cowpoke like Hex in volume 2. 2.5 stars.
Alas, this book does not feature the talented Ms. Fox. Instead, Jonah spends the six issues in this collection running around 19th century Gotham City. In the first half, the hardworking whores of Gotham are being targeted by a serial killer, and the inept Gotham police department isn’t able to solve the problem (I guess some things never change). Jonah is forced to team up with Amadeus Arkham to go after the ringleaders, the ‘Brotherhood of Cain.’ In the second half, Jonah and Arkham go looking for some missing children that have disappeared off Gotham’s streets. This story is not as strong as the first half, but does take Jonah to the Batcave, for what that’s worth. There are also two B-stories told in this volume, one featuring ‘El Diablo’ and the other ‘the Barbary Ghost.’ Both are completely independent from the other action, and neither are particularly memorable (the El Diablo story is pretty damn lame).
This was my first time reading a Jonah Hex story, and he did not disappoint as a main character. Jonah is a mean, hard-drinking man of few words, cursed with an ugly mug and an itchy trigger finger. Amadeus Arkham provides a nice foil as Jonah’s bumbling academic sidekick. But the two stories here just aren’t all that interesting. Neither is terrible, but both use violence as a substitute for a compelling plot. Now, that’s not to say that anybody wants to read a Jonah Hex story where he goes around hugging it out with all his enemies. He’s a cowboy with half a face and two big-ass guns – somebody’s getting blown away. But at times that seemed to be all this volume was – Jonah grunting and growling from scene to scene where he could pump lead into someone. There are no important supporting characters (other than Arkham) that he gives a damn about, and he doesn’t seem to have any interests other than drinking and shooting people. That started to get a little old for me about 1/3 of my way through this collection. The B-stories did next to nothing for me; the Barbary Ghost one was tolerable, while the El Diablo tale was very weak. The artwork throughout this collection is solid, but not enough to lift some uninspired storytelling all by itself.
That said, this wasn’t a terrible read and I liked Jonah Hex enough as a main character that I’ll consider returning in the future to see if they give him something more interesting to do. At the end of this volume, Hex heads south to 19th century New Orleans, which could be a better setting for an ol’ cowpoke like Hex in volume 2. 2.5 stars.
February 9, 2017
I've been looking forward to this one, and it didn't disappoint. I'm a fan of westerns and love them in any format. This is kind of an anthology of stories all taking place in the 1880s in western America. The first and longest story features Jonah Hex who takes up two different cases in Gotham City with Dr. Amadeus Arkham as his sidekick. Next up is El Diablo helping out a town under an Indian curse and finally, we meet The Barbary Ghost and her mission of vengeance against the man who killed almost her entire family. Of course, I enjoyed the stories taking place in Gotham the best which had famous last names popping up: Arkham, Wayne, and Cobblepot. The others were good too, though.
February 16, 2015
I bought this because I like the Jonah Hex character, but this collection was a tie-in work bringing Hex to a western age Gotham City. There were various setups to connect this story with the future Batman tales and I didn't think they worked all that well. The writing and art are fine but I didn't find the story lines very compelling. I normally finish graphic novels in a day but this one took me a while just because I wasn't that interested in it. Others might feel differently.
November 2, 2012
one of the best of the New 52. top of my pile every month.
September 8, 2015
Not bad but no where close to the pre 52 Jonah Hex run. Interesting enough to keep going.
January 21, 2025
“Dammit, ah HATE Gotham!”
Jonah Hex returns!
Kinda…
Glibness aside, I do think this is an interesting follow up to original recipe Hex. I think maybe a lot of the power and singularity of vision is lost by making it a longer form story and the opening team-up with Jeremiah Arkham is…certainly A Thing New 52 Era Detective Comics Comics really, REALLY thought we cared about.
But honestly I’m just happy to be having more adventures with Hex again. Moriat delivers some incredible action and the lean into horror/“weird western tales” definitely keeps the momentum up. As does the El Diablo and Barbary Ghost backups.
I dunno, I feel like I had more fun with this when I was actually buying it. It could have been that I started kinda deep into the run, where Grey and Palmiotti started to really get weird with it. But it’s a lower key start than I would have expected from this. Especially with most of the original team coming back for this follow up.
Jonah Hex returns!
Kinda…
Glibness aside, I do think this is an interesting follow up to original recipe Hex. I think maybe a lot of the power and singularity of vision is lost by making it a longer form story and the opening team-up with Jeremiah Arkham is…certainly A Thing New 52 Era Detective Comics Comics really, REALLY thought we cared about.
But honestly I’m just happy to be having more adventures with Hex again. Moriat delivers some incredible action and the lean into horror/“weird western tales” definitely keeps the momentum up. As does the El Diablo and Barbary Ghost backups.
I dunno, I feel like I had more fun with this when I was actually buying it. It could have been that I started kinda deep into the run, where Grey and Palmiotti started to really get weird with it. But it’s a lower key start than I would have expected from this. Especially with most of the original team coming back for this follow up.
May 16, 2012
I started reading this series solely because I have a soft spot in my heart for classic Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, and thought it'd be interesting to see a comic book twist on it. It also didn't hurt that Palmiotti & Gray's year-spanning run on this series has reached relative acclaim.
It gets the job done, I guess. It had less of the wacky spaghetti western feel, and more of a realistic western atmosphere, kind of like the movie Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (in my opinion, one of the most overrated movies of all time). Sure, there was fantasy elements and what-not, but just the overly depressing atmosphere everything had just threw me off. I also found the characters of Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham to be rather one dimensional and very predictable, which in turn made the adventures they went on rather predictable. And why does Hex have to say 'Ah' instead of 'I'? I've rarely read comics that actually go out of their way to show a character has an accent. It was cute the first couple times and I appreciated the effort, but after awhile, I got that he has a southern accent. I didn't need it shoved down my throat fifteen times an issue.
If you know what you're getting into and are a seasoned Jonah Hex fan, then I'm sure this will be an enjoyable read. But as a newcomer, I was ultimately left disappointed.
2/5
It gets the job done, I guess. It had less of the wacky spaghetti western feel, and more of a realistic western atmosphere, kind of like the movie Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (in my opinion, one of the most overrated movies of all time). Sure, there was fantasy elements and what-not, but just the overly depressing atmosphere everything had just threw me off. I also found the characters of Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham to be rather one dimensional and very predictable, which in turn made the adventures they went on rather predictable. And why does Hex have to say 'Ah' instead of 'I'? I've rarely read comics that actually go out of their way to show a character has an accent. It was cute the first couple times and I appreciated the effort, but after awhile, I got that he has a southern accent. I didn't need it shoved down my throat fifteen times an issue.
If you know what you're getting into and are a seasoned Jonah Hex fan, then I'm sure this will be an enjoyable read. But as a newcomer, I was ultimately left disappointed.
2/5
December 25, 2012
Holy F@&$. I'm so sorry for just straight out dismissing this book from jump street. It's just... I mean, your Jonah Hex run was just so damn terrible, unreadable even, that I thought this would be more of the same. Gray and Palmiotti though must have had a serious education in both Sherlock Holmes media and a boatload of spaghetti Westerns to boot. Because they nail this one. They nail it and own it. I can't recommend the book enough.
But before I go too far, really, the shining star here is Moritat. I mean, I don't know where this artist has been hiding, but the work is so beautiful, I fell in love. Actual love. It's rich and well-worked, fleshed out and bold. The coloring worked on so many levels with the bold outline that it nearly floored me. You ever see Alphonse Mucha's work? Imagine if that genius (who gave birth to modern graphic design) made comic books. Yeah. Blowing your mid, right?
Story-wise, most of this may not be groundbreaking but its damn sure entertaining. The running monologue of Arkham as the Watson of the group makes this an altogether better book than if we were rooting around in Hex's head. We get a sever and stark contrast between the characters, and every one of them has a very distinct voice. Seriously, bravo. No one makes Western comics anymore. I hope this one can last because its done so damn well.
Writing: A
Art: A
But before I go too far, really, the shining star here is Moritat. I mean, I don't know where this artist has been hiding, but the work is so beautiful, I fell in love. Actual love. It's rich and well-worked, fleshed out and bold. The coloring worked on so many levels with the bold outline that it nearly floored me. You ever see Alphonse Mucha's work? Imagine if that genius (who gave birth to modern graphic design) made comic books. Yeah. Blowing your mid, right?
Story-wise, most of this may not be groundbreaking but its damn sure entertaining. The running monologue of Arkham as the Watson of the group makes this an altogether better book than if we were rooting around in Hex's head. We get a sever and stark contrast between the characters, and every one of them has a very distinct voice. Seriously, bravo. No one makes Western comics anymore. I hope this one can last because its done so damn well.
Writing: A
Art: A
December 31, 2012
I read a lot of the pre new 52 jonah hex trades by Palmioti and Gray and I really liked those. So naturaly I did pick up the new 52 jonah hex series by those two. Jonah Hex has by editorial decree relocated to Gotham city and solves murders, finds criminals and rescues people over there. He is allied with doc Arkham, an early adaptor to psychology and scientific ways to crimesolving.
I liked the jonah hex in gotham story less than I liked the pre 52 run of jonah hex. I feel that there is something missig in this story. It all boils down to much to a bastard from the west collapsing with eastern city mentality. I'm also not impressed by the artwork by Moritat. For some reason it seems like a rush job to me. I would give the jonah hex story a 2.5 star rating.
But as you can see I gave the book a 3 star rating. That is because this collection also has the backup stories that appeared in the original comicbooks, and those are very good. They are stories about other western themed heroes and here Palmiotti and Gray showcase what made their pre new 52 jonah hex run so great. Especially the barbary ghost is a great revenge story.
I liked the jonah hex in gotham story less than I liked the pre 52 run of jonah hex. I feel that there is something missig in this story. It all boils down to much to a bastard from the west collapsing with eastern city mentality. I'm also not impressed by the artwork by Moritat. For some reason it seems like a rush job to me. I would give the jonah hex story a 2.5 star rating.
But as you can see I gave the book a 3 star rating. That is because this collection also has the backup stories that appeared in the original comicbooks, and those are very good. They are stories about other western themed heroes and here Palmiotti and Gray showcase what made their pre new 52 jonah hex run so great. Especially the barbary ghost is a great revenge story.
August 17, 2018
I read the series a little out of order. The first book last.
It didn’t even occur to me I had missed it, although I always thought I was missing something. Of course, that would be the first meeting between Hex and Dr. Arkham.
A big gaffe in the timeline, there.
I can never read enough Hex. It’s not like he’s another shining example of Captain America (whoops, that’s Marvel). He’s not a shining example of good versus bad like Superman.
Too bad there’s NOT a clamoring for more personal moral responsibilities in the world. Then, I think Hex issues would be rolling out left and right.
The character and the world he lives in is just too raw.
It’s too unpredictable.
It’s subjective to personal moral responsibility.
It’s the Old West.
Harsh, brutal, cold and trying to where personal ethics and moral responsibilities meet with the good of the whole. Society is funny that way. People are inherently social creatures.
They must find ways of getting along.
Truthfully, I have no idea why Hex comics appeals to me more than any other.
They just do.
Perhaps it’s because the stories are just that great.
It didn’t even occur to me I had missed it, although I always thought I was missing something. Of course, that would be the first meeting between Hex and Dr. Arkham.
A big gaffe in the timeline, there.
I can never read enough Hex. It’s not like he’s another shining example of Captain America (whoops, that’s Marvel). He’s not a shining example of good versus bad like Superman.
Too bad there’s NOT a clamoring for more personal moral responsibilities in the world. Then, I think Hex issues would be rolling out left and right.
The character and the world he lives in is just too raw.
It’s too unpredictable.
It’s subjective to personal moral responsibility.
It’s the Old West.
Harsh, brutal, cold and trying to where personal ethics and moral responsibilities meet with the good of the whole. Society is funny that way. People are inherently social creatures.
They must find ways of getting along.
Truthfully, I have no idea why Hex comics appeals to me more than any other.
They just do.
Perhaps it’s because the stories are just that great.
February 16, 2013
Characters I haven't read before but good enough to try another volume.
April 1, 2017
Jonah Hex to Clint Eastwood DC. Zgorzkniały, ale nie bezduszny facet po przejściach. Hard boiled na 100%. Świetnie działa w parze z jego przeciwieństwem - Amadeuszem Arkhamem , wykształconym, elokwentnym, niepewnym siebie doktorem. Nie sądziłem, że wydarzenia ze stulecia przed "rokiem 0" będą aż tak ciekawe i pełne akcji.
July 30, 2022
Never quite lives up to the glory of its first sequence (the one that so impressed me in the New 52 compilation I reviewed recently).
The remainder of this particular Jonah Hex story grows a bit repetitive and less focused as it progresses, eventually becoming a weird sort of wink to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom before petering out in a "to be continued in New Orleans" tag featuring a character who probably means something within the DC universe but didn't to me.
The artwork throughout the Jonah Hex story remains spectacular -- wild and gory and beautiful.
One particular sequence made me laugh out loud -- a three-page sequence that is literally nothing but Jonah shooting people. A solid three pages of just "blam crash pow boom crunch blam blam pow pow pow." Looking at it again just now ... yep, still makes me laugh.
This collection ends with two other stories from the All-Star Western series: El Diablo and The Barbary Ghost. They were perfectly fine (the El Diablo story was certainly the weak link), but I would have preferred to see what Jonah Hex got up to in New Orleans, if I'm being honest.
The remainder of this particular Jonah Hex story grows a bit repetitive and less focused as it progresses, eventually becoming a weird sort of wink to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom before petering out in a "to be continued in New Orleans" tag featuring a character who probably means something within the DC universe but didn't to me.
The artwork throughout the Jonah Hex story remains spectacular -- wild and gory and beautiful.
One particular sequence made me laugh out loud -- a three-page sequence that is literally nothing but Jonah shooting people. A solid three pages of just "blam crash pow boom crunch blam blam pow pow pow." Looking at it again just now ... yep, still makes me laugh.
This collection ends with two other stories from the All-Star Western series: El Diablo and The Barbary Ghost. They were perfectly fine (the El Diablo story was certainly the weak link), but I would have preferred to see what Jonah Hex got up to in New Orleans, if I'm being honest.
April 5, 2014
This was a breath of fresh air!
I've been making my way through most of the new 52 titles and I thought I would give this one a go!
I have to say it was a very exciting ride. I love everything Batman so the fact it was set in 1800's Gotham was probably my tipping point. And whether it's 200 years ago or present day Gotham will always be a filthy pot of corruption and crime. It sets up the vibe so well to make it feel like the same cursed city, and that was before Hex came to town!
I have never read anything with Jonah Hex before, to be honest the only time I've encountered him is briefly on the Justice League cartoon and that god awful movie with Josh Brolin and John Malkovich (urgh). This version of Hex blew all of them out I the water. Gruff, dark, brutal as hell, and he doesn't take s**t from nobody! And his dialogue is the real shiner here. Making very sentence remind you he is a cowboy bastard. His "partner" Amadeus Arkham gave the pair a fun/strained chemistry, and the narration from Arkham brought a bit more depth to his character. Although to be honest I would rather see narration from Hex. With him being a man of few words it often means you have no clue what he's thinking most of the time. The story itself was very action packed and kept me well entertained. Lots of western gun-slinging mayhem. It took an interesting turn at the end which I'm excited about continuing.
As for the art it wasn't my cup of tea, but it definitely doesn't hinder the story telling. Moritat work is very simplistic with his colours and line work, almost to the point of being sketch-like. Personally I like my comics a bit more detailed, but from previews I've seen of later volumes in the series the art does change (for the better). In saying that, the minimalist colours paint the city as a very morbid depressing place.
I can't wait to grab the next volume!
I've been making my way through most of the new 52 titles and I thought I would give this one a go!
I have to say it was a very exciting ride. I love everything Batman so the fact it was set in 1800's Gotham was probably my tipping point. And whether it's 200 years ago or present day Gotham will always be a filthy pot of corruption and crime. It sets up the vibe so well to make it feel like the same cursed city, and that was before Hex came to town!
I have never read anything with Jonah Hex before, to be honest the only time I've encountered him is briefly on the Justice League cartoon and that god awful movie with Josh Brolin and John Malkovich (urgh). This version of Hex blew all of them out I the water. Gruff, dark, brutal as hell, and he doesn't take s**t from nobody! And his dialogue is the real shiner here. Making very sentence remind you he is a cowboy bastard. His "partner" Amadeus Arkham gave the pair a fun/strained chemistry, and the narration from Arkham brought a bit more depth to his character. Although to be honest I would rather see narration from Hex. With him being a man of few words it often means you have no clue what he's thinking most of the time. The story itself was very action packed and kept me well entertained. Lots of western gun-slinging mayhem. It took an interesting turn at the end which I'm excited about continuing.
As for the art it wasn't my cup of tea, but it definitely doesn't hinder the story telling. Moritat work is very simplistic with his colours and line work, almost to the point of being sketch-like. Personally I like my comics a bit more detailed, but from previews I've seen of later volumes in the series the art does change (for the better). In saying that, the minimalist colours paint the city as a very morbid depressing place.
I can't wait to grab the next volume!
January 11, 2013
All Star Western’s main tale is about Jonah Hex and his “sidekick” Dr. Arkham (who later founds Arkham Asylum, natch) and their adventures in Gotham City, circa 1880s.
Jonah has his own brand of justice and Jimmy Palmiotti knows how to write a good yarn. Lately there have been a lot of early history comics on Gotham involving Batman’s ancestry and this book is no exception.
Loved the early Batcave, with cannibals and ancient Indians plus a prehistoric bat the size of a horse. The book is not really for kids, with villains and heroes taking bullets in a spray of red across the panels. Women shot, blood everywhere.
But Jonah gets his licks in too. Great scenes with guys dressed like the KKK riding in to make an example of Jonah, as Hex greets them with “Evenin’, boys!”.
Decent art by Moritat, but I’ve seen better.
The shorts are pretty entertaining, somewhat original. Also in the same time period we meet El Diablo. Interesting character, reminds me of Spectre (rising from a body he inhabits and gets vengeance), and the Chinese gangs of “The Barbary Ghost” get their comeuppance in a story written by Palmiotti and excellently drawn by Phil Winslade.
Acceptable western entertainment, some blood and mean justice. Great to see DC Comics is not just into superhero comics anymore. Can’t wait for Volume 2!
Jonah has his own brand of justice and Jimmy Palmiotti knows how to write a good yarn. Lately there have been a lot of early history comics on Gotham involving Batman’s ancestry and this book is no exception.
Loved the early Batcave, with cannibals and ancient Indians plus a prehistoric bat the size of a horse. The book is not really for kids, with villains and heroes taking bullets in a spray of red across the panels. Women shot, blood everywhere.
But Jonah gets his licks in too. Great scenes with guys dressed like the KKK riding in to make an example of Jonah, as Hex greets them with “Evenin’, boys!”.
Decent art by Moritat, but I’ve seen better.
The shorts are pretty entertaining, somewhat original. Also in the same time period we meet El Diablo. Interesting character, reminds me of Spectre (rising from a body he inhabits and gets vengeance), and the Chinese gangs of “The Barbary Ghost” get their comeuppance in a story written by Palmiotti and excellently drawn by Phil Winslade.
Acceptable western entertainment, some blood and mean justice. Great to see DC Comics is not just into superhero comics anymore. Can’t wait for Volume 2!
November 29, 2014
(NOTE: This review is more for the entire series rather than this one volume.)
I'm a huge Jonah Hex fan, and this series didn't disappoint. I was sad to hear it was canceled. Jonah Hex remains the all time coolest "Weird Western" character ever, and he lived up to it in this series. I really liked the Jonah Hex comic series that preceded this series slightly more, but this was a good follow up.
This series tried to put him more firmly into the DC Universe than prior series had, as it was set in old time Gotham and featured characters who had famous modern counterparts (Waynes, Cobblepots, Arkhams, etc.) Amadeus Arkham was actually a supporting character through most of the series, and Arkham Asylum is mentioned as well. In one volume he even met Jekyll and Hyde.
This series will of course appeal to any Jonah Hex or Weird Western fan, however, it will probably appeal to more DC Universe fans than prior series due to the firmer DCU setting. I highly recommend it.
I'm a huge Jonah Hex fan, and this series didn't disappoint. I was sad to hear it was canceled. Jonah Hex remains the all time coolest "Weird Western" character ever, and he lived up to it in this series. I really liked the Jonah Hex comic series that preceded this series slightly more, but this was a good follow up.
This series tried to put him more firmly into the DC Universe than prior series had, as it was set in old time Gotham and featured characters who had famous modern counterparts (Waynes, Cobblepots, Arkhams, etc.) Amadeus Arkham was actually a supporting character through most of the series, and Arkham Asylum is mentioned as well. In one volume he even met Jekyll and Hyde.
This series will of course appeal to any Jonah Hex or Weird Western fan, however, it will probably appeal to more DC Universe fans than prior series due to the firmer DCU setting. I highly recommend it.
December 24, 2017
Tak tohle můžu. DC umí a věřím, že Marvel (i když umí líp jiný věci) by to takhle nedokázal pojmout. DC představuje univerzum, kdy je Gotham uvržen do kombinace westernového a viktoriánského prostředí. Hlavní postavou je sice Jonah Hex společně s doktorem Amadeem Arkhamem, ale celý komiks je prošpikován jednou velkou narážkou na Batmana (zejména ve druhé polovině), což je na tom nejvíc úžasné. Jedná se na první pohled o samostatný komiks, který k ničemu nepatří, ale přitom má pevnou souvislost s netopýřím mužem a spoustou narážek i na jiná díla. Luxus.
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