Once again, another solid issue from superstar creative team Gray and Palmiotti! Spoilers below.
The Good
Lately writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have been hitting it out of the park with every issue of Jonah Hex. This week, artists Ryan Sook and Diego Olmos were brought on to accompany Gray and Palmiotti, and they could not be more perfect for the book. These two artists are absolutely perfect additions to the creative team, and even though they have slightly different styles, the story flows effortlessly.
The issue opens in the future, or what the reader will presume to be the future. Here, Hex is 66 and has outlived most of the people he's known throughout the course of his life. He is sitting at a poker table doing two things he loves most, playing cards and drinking whiskey, when all of a sudden Hex is shot by a very familiar face. This scene repeats, playing out with a new supporting cast, forcing Hex live out some of his greatest fears. These scenes are the result of Jonah Hex being stranded in limbo, stuck someplace between life and death and being forced to fact the people he has betrayed as well as the people he's never had the chance to meet.
This is another beautiful Jonah Hex story, eloquently written, and one that subsequently draws the reader closer to understanding what makes Jonah Hex. There is a resounding theme in this issue which involves a character that Hex had never met. The big question is, will this character return to haunt Jonah?
The Bad
There is nothing bad to say about this one, it was fantastic!
The Verdict
What does the future hold for Jonah Hex with the launch of the new 52 titles at DC this fall? Will we have the opportunity of revisiting this mysterious character connected to Jonah Hex? To a certain extent, there needs to be a follow up. This issue spent a lot of time telling us about Jonah Hex's character and digging deeper toward uncovering his mistakes and fears. The introduction of this stranger is important, and I hope to see her return. Overall, though, this issue was fantastic. Highly recommend the book!