Prostitutes in Gotham City are being murdered one by one in the first issue of 'All-Star Western,' but who can solve the mystery behind these deaths and what does it all mean? Jonah Hex makes his return in the relaunch of DC's 'All-Star Western.'
The Good
Gun-slinging action, murder, mystery and mayhem are all prevalent in the pages of the first issue of 'All-Star Western.' Jonah Hex makes his return, but rather than being back in the old west, Hex is in Gotham City and has been hired to solve a murder mystery that has left several sex workers dead. If you read Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti's 'Jonah Hex' then you know that the stories in that series rarely featured Hex in a big, developing city; so it's interesting to see how All-Star Western differs with both these creators writing Hex.
Palmiotti, Gray and Moritat get the tone of the time period perfectly; it's spot on. Everything from the characterization of the characters, the tone, dialogue and the gorgeous art by Moritat serve to perfectly capture the true essence of Gotham City during the height of the second industrial revolution following the American Civil War.
One thing I really liked about this issue are the two perspectives. The narration in this book reads like Doctor Amadeus Arkham's journal entries; and when Dr. Arkham isn't writing about the murders in Gotham, he's psychoanalyzing Jonah Hex. This not only serves to establish Arkham's character, but it's a great way to introduce new readers to Hex and to help them fully grasp his character.
The Bad
Honestly, there's nothing bad about this book. Fantastic read.
The Verdict
I'm a big fan of Jonah Hex, but I definitely wasn't expecting this issue to be this good. We are introduced to Hex in the beginning as a wandering bounty hunter who still wears his Civil War uniform because "it's the only one that fits." He has his own brand of justice and if he's paid enough, is happy to do the work some people would rather avoid. The narration of Amadeus Arkham serves to guide the reader through the story and help them understand just what kind of a man Jonah Hex is. What we get is an interesting and entertaining dynamic between two characters. Top that with a collection of murders and you have yourself an edge of your seat mystery that everyone should be reading. The story is brilliant, the art is breathtaking and the characterizations are fantastic. One of the issues I am most looking forward to reading consistently, and one that any new reader will enjoy.