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Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex: No Way Back by Jimmy Palmiotti
One of the most feared bounty hunters in the West, Jonah Hex has spent his entire life roaming from town to town searching for his next paycheck and earning it with a fierceness that's earned him a reputation for being a stern dealer of frontier justice. But behind that hard exterior exists a man who longs for the same comforts as any man - including love. This original graphic novel sets Hex on a collision course with his past and future as he struggles to reconnect with his dying mother and searches for his missing lover Tallulah Black. By the end, the hard-living anti-hero will have to face the truths behind how his upbringing shaped the man he became and decide where to place his fate - in the arms of a woman who cares for him, or in the vast, unforgiving American West he's come to call home. But can he handle family life? Never, in the history of the character, has a story explored the motivations of Jonah Hex more than this self-contained tale from regular monthly JONAH HEX writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and returning artist Tony De Zuniga, one of Hex's original co-creators.
Hardcover
First published June 8, 2010
4 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Justin Gray
740 books79 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 56 reviews
March 30, 2017
3.5 stars
Revenge is a dish best served cold - by psychopathic cowboys.
Yee Haw!
There’s nothing like a tale about screwed up family members looking for vengeance. Jonah Hex, disfigured bounty hunter, is still smarting about being abandoned by his mother and left with his cruel father. When he gets word that she’s wanted for murder, Holy Oedipus, he’s in hot pursuit.
To make matters worse, El Papagayo’s family was wiped out by Hex’s father and he’s looking for Hex to even the score.
Does anyone see this ending with hugs and a handshake?
If you’re interested in Jonah Hex, the collection gives good insight into what motivates him.
The writing’s good; the artwork, not so much. Tony DeZuniga style is much like Richard Corben’s but its muddier and lacks definition.
Very violent and not for the kids.
Revenge is a dish best served cold - by psychopathic cowboys.
Yee Haw!
There’s nothing like a tale about screwed up family members looking for vengeance. Jonah Hex, disfigured bounty hunter, is still smarting about being abandoned by his mother and left with his cruel father. When he gets word that she’s wanted for murder, Holy Oedipus, he’s in hot pursuit.
To make matters worse, El Papagayo’s family was wiped out by Hex’s father and he’s looking for Hex to even the score.
Does anyone see this ending with hugs and a handshake?
If you’re interested in Jonah Hex, the collection gives good insight into what motivates him.
The writing’s good; the artwork, not so much. Tony DeZuniga style is much like Richard Corben’s but its muddier and lacks definition.
Very violent and not for the kids.
November 18, 2022
Jonah Hex is a character that I am somewhat familiar with. I have not read many comics with him in it. Former Confederate, bounty-hunter, and all-around dickhead- Jonah Hex is a mix of Clint Eastwood Western starring the Punisher.
This GN acts as a sort of "origin" story. I enjoyed it because I had little to no clue about Hex's origins.
Hex rides into a town, after claiming a bounty. He finds a wanted poster for his mother, who had run out on the family when he was a child. Hex's journey to confront his mother exposes us to a glimpse of the miserable childhood Jonah had at his abusive, drunkard father's hands.
As Hex seeks his mother, another bounty hunter also seeks to fulfill a contract on her. This confrontation, stemming from Jonah's past, will lead to a conflict that will draw in his preacher, half-brother, and the entire town of Heaven's Gate.
A pretty good tale overall. I learned something about Jonah Hex and the story was rather entertaining. The artwork is decent throughout. If you like a dark, violent Western with an interesting anti-hero- then you will enjoy this GN.
This GN acts as a sort of "origin" story. I enjoyed it because I had little to no clue about Hex's origins.
Hex rides into a town, after claiming a bounty. He finds a wanted poster for his mother, who had run out on the family when he was a child. Hex's journey to confront his mother exposes us to a glimpse of the miserable childhood Jonah had at his abusive, drunkard father's hands.
As Hex seeks his mother, another bounty hunter also seeks to fulfill a contract on her. This confrontation, stemming from Jonah's past, will lead to a conflict that will draw in his preacher, half-brother, and the entire town of Heaven's Gate.
A pretty good tale overall. I learned something about Jonah Hex and the story was rather entertaining. The artwork is decent throughout. If you like a dark, violent Western with an interesting anti-hero- then you will enjoy this GN.
September 16, 2023
Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti team up with 1970s Jonah Hex artist Tony DeZuniga in this brutal tale. Someone gives Jonah Hex a wanted poster for his own mother, sending Jonah into confrontations with his own past and his arch enemy, El Papagayo.
This is one bad ass book. Jonah meets his mother and soon finds himself face to face with a half brother, all with Papagayo nipping at his heels. I hesitate to call it a masterpiece but it's a damn good book. Five out of five stars.
This is one bad ass book. Jonah meets his mother and soon finds himself face to face with a half brother, all with Papagayo nipping at his heels. I hesitate to call it a masterpiece but it's a damn good book. Five out of five stars.
May 23, 2025
'High Plains Drifter'ish story about trying to find your lost identity. Jonah Hex (JH) is really an unusual character; he kind of reminds me of a guy who is trying to find a way out of a situation he was forced into by powers beyond his control. In JH stories I have noticed there is always a question about the way things look - and what is really 'ugly'. Great rainy day read.
November 12, 2018
Hex finds his mother while heading towards a final confrontation with El Papagayo. Gray and Palmiotti outdo themselves with this tale of lost family and revenge. It's a story that speaks to Hex's past and future. Tony DeZuniga was the original artist on Jonah Hex. His art may have worked at the time, I found it muddy and scratchy with too little detail.
October 10, 2016
I just love Jonah Hex. Another bloody, good story.
February 28, 2018
Typical Jonah Hex which equates to awesomeness
August 28, 2017
My intro to Jonah Hex - and it was a good one. Gray and Palmiotti do not sugarcoat the character, who is such an antihero he makes the Punisher look nice. Nor do they sugarcoat the other characters in this world. Like A Game of Thrones - there are few people that are good enough to hang on to in this world. Bad guys run free, and worse guys are the only ones who can catch them.
But a great tale, with great art by Tony DeZuniga. Gray and Palmiotti have now got me into Jonah Hex, and for that I am grateful!
But a great tale, with great art by Tony DeZuniga. Gray and Palmiotti have now got me into Jonah Hex, and for that I am grateful!
December 3, 2011
Instead of the stories I have read before, this is a novel. Jonah Hex should have heeded Thomas Wolfe's advice: You can never go home again. Even if no one else has changed, you have changed.
I liked the novel, but it wasn't as good as the short stories. The art was not great.
I liked the novel, but it wasn't as good as the short stories. The art was not great.
November 11, 2018
A bit of an origin behind Hex’s depressing anti-hero travels through the wild west. I enjoyed seeing the family interplay and past sins. It was nice to read a longer story with this character as most stories I’ve previously read are one and done comics collected into trades chronologically. If I were female, I’m not sure how I’d feel about the portrayal of women throughout this story.
The art seemed basic and too muddy at times but I felt it fit well with the storyline and character.
The art seemed basic and too muddy at times but I felt it fit well with the storyline and character.
November 17, 2011
De Zuniga's art is the best i have seen with Jonah Hex along with Jordi Bernet. He could draw Hex in so many different emotions.
The story was very good too as always when its about Hex's family,nemesis.
The story was very good too as always when its about Hex's family,nemesis.
January 26, 2021
Not one of the better Hex stories.
Read
November 6, 2023This is billed as a standalone graphic novel, but it might as well be part of Gray and Palmiotti's main series, not least because it follows the events of The Six Gun War.
In any event, it's a great story about family and vengeance. There's plenty of hard-nosed dialogue and action, but also a surprising amount of emotion (or as much emotion that can be in a Jonah Hex series). The elephant in the room, though, is Tony DeZuniga's ugly, scratchy art. DeZuniga co-created Hex in the 70s, and all respect goes to him, but like most creators who worked in the Bronze Age and earlier, his work in the modern age doesn't look great. I'll say again though that the story is really strong. It's right up there with Gray and Palmiotti's best.
In any event, it's a great story about family and vengeance. There's plenty of hard-nosed dialogue and action, but also a surprising amount of emotion (or as much emotion that can be in a Jonah Hex series). The elephant in the room, though, is Tony DeZuniga's ugly, scratchy art. DeZuniga co-created Hex in the 70s, and all respect goes to him, but like most creators who worked in the Bronze Age and earlier, his work in the modern age doesn't look great. I'll say again though that the story is really strong. It's right up there with Gray and Palmiotti's best.
June 6, 2022
This was a fun read. Great illustrations. Gives you an insight on Jonah Hex's background (childhood) and his motives/way of thinking, or why he thinks the way he does.
May 25, 2023
Arts not my favorite but this is a good, self-contained story
February 5, 2015
Jonah Hex Offers No Way Back
Jonah Hex. He really has had a troubled life. To put it mildly.
And the graphic novel Jonah Hex No Way Back clearly shows this.
This tale, created by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Tony DeZuniga takes the decades old DC Comics old west character and not only refine and redefine him, but adds new vibes to the who and what of Hex.
Jonah Hex, and please ignore that movie claiming the same title, has always been a bounty hunter who lived by his own code and has absolutely no compunction about killing. This plus a seriously disfigured face, a nasty anti-social attitude, and a massive almost destructive taste for alcohol and woman, make Jonah someone you love reading about but never want to meet. DC mucked Hex up in the 1980’s by pushing him into a Mad Max future, and in the 1990’s by having him face over the top supernatural menaces.
But Palmiotti and Gray were given the keys to Hex some years back and did wonderfully great things over the course of two series, including the recently cancelled All Star Western.
No Way Back shows us a Jonah Hex who is just going about what he always does, collecting bounties and spending the money on vices, when he finds out about a reward offered for his mother. This sets Hex out on a quest to find her, eventhrough he has not seen her since he was a child.
Hex finds his mother, makes no peace with her, but finds out he has a half brother. Hex seeks the man out, and in a lot of ways this becomes a road not traveled type of story. To compound this feeling, flashbacks are liberally scattered in the tale showing Hex’s childhood with his caring mother and violently abusive and sadistic father. The brutal punishment Jonah tolerates and survives is an obvious factor of who he is, but not something Hex himself would never ruminate on.
To complicate his journey, a mysterious and vicious villain is carrying out a vendetta against all things Hex. El Papagayo and his gang causes endless death and misery on his mad quest to take on and destroy Jonah.
Which reminds me, Jonah Hex is fairly violent even before Palmiotti and Gray took over, but these creators take this up a notch to HBO levels. This graphic novel pushes that even more with the violence and subject matter and deeper questions asked.
Jonah Hex No Way Back slams headlong into the nature nurture question, just as so many alternative worlds stories DC has done featuring Kal-El. Jonah himself is not one for introspection, an act he would consider a colossal waste of time, but this tale is structured to make Hex face so many of his childhood traumas. But really it is the reader as bystander who sees and feels and lives what Hex goes through and the processing of it all. As I said earlier, Jonah is not one for dwelling in the past, and what little learned morality Hex does express in this story still says volumes about who and what he is.
The Hex presented here, tweaked and even more grounded in reality than ever before, is a character who can generate countless grad school essays of a psychological and sociological basis. The final few pages alone provide endless fodder for speculation of how Jonah came to be Hex.
I have a strong feeling No Way Back was the impetus for adding Arkham to the Hex mythos when All Star Western was launched as part of The New 52. Which makes this another reason why I love this book so much.
Jonah Hex. He really has had a troubled life. To put it mildly.
And the graphic novel Jonah Hex No Way Back clearly shows this.
This tale, created by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Tony DeZuniga takes the decades old DC Comics old west character and not only refine and redefine him, but adds new vibes to the who and what of Hex.
Jonah Hex, and please ignore that movie claiming the same title, has always been a bounty hunter who lived by his own code and has absolutely no compunction about killing. This plus a seriously disfigured face, a nasty anti-social attitude, and a massive almost destructive taste for alcohol and woman, make Jonah someone you love reading about but never want to meet. DC mucked Hex up in the 1980’s by pushing him into a Mad Max future, and in the 1990’s by having him face over the top supernatural menaces.
But Palmiotti and Gray were given the keys to Hex some years back and did wonderfully great things over the course of two series, including the recently cancelled All Star Western.
No Way Back shows us a Jonah Hex who is just going about what he always does, collecting bounties and spending the money on vices, when he finds out about a reward offered for his mother. This sets Hex out on a quest to find her, eventhrough he has not seen her since he was a child.
Hex finds his mother, makes no peace with her, but finds out he has a half brother. Hex seeks the man out, and in a lot of ways this becomes a road not traveled type of story. To compound this feeling, flashbacks are liberally scattered in the tale showing Hex’s childhood with his caring mother and violently abusive and sadistic father. The brutal punishment Jonah tolerates and survives is an obvious factor of who he is, but not something Hex himself would never ruminate on.
To complicate his journey, a mysterious and vicious villain is carrying out a vendetta against all things Hex. El Papagayo and his gang causes endless death and misery on his mad quest to take on and destroy Jonah.
Which reminds me, Jonah Hex is fairly violent even before Palmiotti and Gray took over, but these creators take this up a notch to HBO levels. This graphic novel pushes that even more with the violence and subject matter and deeper questions asked.
Jonah Hex No Way Back slams headlong into the nature nurture question, just as so many alternative worlds stories DC has done featuring Kal-El. Jonah himself is not one for introspection, an act he would consider a colossal waste of time, but this tale is structured to make Hex face so many of his childhood traumas. But really it is the reader as bystander who sees and feels and lives what Hex goes through and the processing of it all. As I said earlier, Jonah is not one for dwelling in the past, and what little learned morality Hex does express in this story still says volumes about who and what he is.
The Hex presented here, tweaked and even more grounded in reality than ever before, is a character who can generate countless grad school essays of a psychological and sociological basis. The final few pages alone provide endless fodder for speculation of how Jonah came to be Hex.
I have a strong feeling No Way Back was the impetus for adding Arkham to the Hex mythos when All Star Western was launched as part of The New 52. Which makes this another reason why I love this book so much.
June 27, 2010
Like most of the Jonah Hex stories by Palmiotti and Gray, this was outstanding. All the stuff with Hex's mother and El Papagoyo probably has more significance for people who know more about the history of the characters than I do, but I enjoyed the book anyway. (Hex killing El Papagoyo is like Batman killing the Riddler. He's not his #1 foe, but he's up there. Plus, this is a comic book. "Dead" characters show up again all the time.)
I'm sure a lot of people will be turned off by Tony DeZuniga's artwork, but I enjoyed the stylistic manner of it. I think it worked well for the series. Plus DeZuniga co-created Jonah Hex back in 1972. Bashing his art is like saying Joe Shuster drew Superman poorly. There are some things you just don't do.
I'm sure a lot of people will be turned off by Tony DeZuniga's artwork, but I enjoyed the stylistic manner of it. I think it worked well for the series. Plus DeZuniga co-created Jonah Hex back in 1972. Bashing his art is like saying Joe Shuster drew Superman poorly. There are some things you just don't do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2024
A full length epic, a gritty, brutal spaghetti western of a comic boo/graphic novel. Lots to get your teeth into. Not sure, if I approve of finding more Hex relations, but a great contrast of the family and the damage that can happen. It is nice to know that Tony DeZuniga is still drawing, but not as sharp as his earlier work and there is some historically inaccurate clothing in a couple of panels, but this might have been editorial inking.
Not for the faint-hearted and great to see the western comic book firing on all cyclinders.
Not for the faint-hearted and great to see the western comic book firing on all cyclinders.
September 17, 2012
I've been a fan of the "Jonah Hex" comics for years, and this book's a favorite... but the best thing about it for me is the personal touch... I had it autographed on the inside front cover by both Jimmy Palmiotti and Tony DeZuniga (Palmiotti even added an original "Hex" sketch for good measure).
July 25, 2015
This one's a fun volume, but the real stand-out is DeZuniga's art. He does great things with his thick lines and bare spaces, bringing a great deal of emotion and savagery to every panel. Good, good stuff.
December 19, 2013
More Jonah Hex greatness that I read this year & forgot to add to my list. This book is just western fun. Gray and Palmiotti flex their writing muscles and kill it on this volume. If you are a Jonah Hex fan, this is a great read!
September 21, 2017
This is the first Jonah Hex book I didn't love completely.
I don't know if it's me or the book.
The title is apropos. There is no going back after you've read this. You can't undo or unsee it within your mind's eye... nor help thinking about it over again.
I don't know if it's me or the book.
The title is apropos. There is no going back after you've read this. You can't undo or unsee it within your mind's eye... nor help thinking about it over again.
December 10, 2010
An interesting peak at Jonah's past, and the importance of family to a man who has none.
July 13, 2014
Every trade of Jonah Jex that I own is a blast to read. Seeing Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti working along side Jonah Hex legend Tony DeZuniga was awesome.
August 9, 2014
Even in a well traveled world, there is still room for surprise.
October 6, 2017
Jonah Hex is always the character that I've thought doesn't work within the DC Universe but works very well when just gets to be a gunslinger. Here, Palmiotti crafts a dark and mostly sad tale of family and what it means to different people. The story isn't for the faint of heart. Its not an easy read because Hex isn't a terribly "likable" guy. He has his own set of rules and morals. The antagonists are cartoony bad at times and that doesn't fit here but overall, the story was good. The art is gritty and sketchy, which is a very good match for the tale told. Overall, a pleasant surprise.
May 12, 2020
What a great return by comics artist Tony DeZuniga, who co-created the character Jonah Hex way back when we were much younger.
You have to like a darker Western to like this. If you do, this is among the best of the long-running Jonah Hex series. Gray and Palmiotti give a long story the cahnce to both illuminate Hex's dark family saga, and give artist DeZuniga quirky, ugly, compelling scenes.
Recommended.
You have to like a darker Western to like this. If you do, this is among the best of the long-running Jonah Hex series. Gray and Palmiotti give a long story the cahnce to both illuminate Hex's dark family saga, and give artist DeZuniga quirky, ugly, compelling scenes.
Recommended.
August 4, 2022
One of comics best anti-hero’s gets a wee bit of an origin story in what starts out turns into a tale of family and revenge. Nothing shockingly new here but Gray and Palmiotti, two very reliable veterans, keep things interesting. Along the way DeZuniga keeps things looking good. A heads up this is as mature a comic as you can get and still be a mainstream DC imprint. A solid read for fans of westerns and Jonah Hex.
April 25, 2021
A violent story that delves into Hex's past and reveals things he never knew about his own family. Readers also discover what it is that set El Papagayo on course to slaughter Hex and everyone ever associated with him. Not for the squeamish. I felt the character development worked. Seeing more into Hex's childhood, it is easier to understand how he came to be the man he is.
October 29, 2024
Gray and Palmiotti are right up there with Joe Lansdale on being the best creators for Jonah Hex. This is a mini-series I do not believe I've read and it was great. There's a lot about Jonah's origins and the story is good, but honestly - how Hex is portrayed and acts in the story is my favorite part. He is a BAMF and I'm not sure it has been done better.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews