Pick of the Week
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
Pulls
Art and cover by JORDI BERNET
Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99
It takes a really special comic book to be so good every single month that is takes a really great issue to jump up and slap you in the face and make you take notice. Captain America used to be the flagship series that was just so damn good month in and month out, but sadly, it’s just not at that level anymore. No, just about the only book that I read on a monthly basis that has sustained such a uniformly high level of quality over the course of years is Jonah Hex.
Yes, Jonah Hex stands alone and that’s just how he likes it.
We are four and a half years into this current run on Jonah Hex, which is four years longer than I ever thought it would last. That’s four and a half years of misery and misanthropy and, most importantly, four and a half years of great comics.
Jonah Hex has been, for the most part, a series of self-contained issues and that’s one of the things that set the series apart from everything else in my stack. When you pick up an issue of Jonah Hex you know that you are going to get a complete story contained entirely in those 32 pages. It seems like such a simple concept but it’s one that’s quite rare in the comics published by the major companies.
Jonah Hex #54 has all of the elements that are needed in a classic Jonah Hex tale. There’s a betrayal that puts Hex in an impossible situation. There’s a morally ambiguous and reluctant ally. There’s a girl who vies for Hex’s attention. There’s a lot of dudes who find themselves on the wrong side of Hex’s irons. And there’s an ending that socks you in the gut.
There’s almost a formula for a great Jonah Hex story, but to say that makes it sound simple and easy to create one. It’s not. What writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray have done that makes this book so great is plug a wagon load of emotion into their stories. In that way, Jonah Hex is almost like a great formulaic television series. I watch and enjoy many television shows that follow similar plot structures and formulas, but that doesn’t bother me as long as the characters and the emotion that go along with them are heartfelt and relatable. When an issue of Jonah Hex hits all its marks and brings with it the powerful emotional moments, it’s really hard to beat.
I’m almost embarrassed when I think back to my initial reaction to artist Jordi Bernet’s work. Bernet first drew Jonah Hex #13, and I didn’t like it at all (This is something that Augie De Blieck enjoys reminding me of from time to time). His slightly cartoony European style was a big departure from the more realistic art style that had been on the book and I wasn’t happy about the change. But by the end of that three issue arc I was into it. I became a big Jordi Bernet fan. And it’s funny, when I think about the art in Jonah Hex now, I think of Bernet. He has left such an indelible mark on this book and on me as a fan that I was shocked to find out that he has only drawn 13 of the 54 issues. I thought it was at least twice that number.
This issue here is one of Jordi Bernet’s best. He doesn’t do anything overly spectacular with his pages — the layouts fall into your standard grid formations. What he does is tell a story and he does it expertly. His panels are full of detail and atmosphere. Whether it’s inside a dank and dark saloon, out on the wide open prairie, or standing in the middle of a bustling main street, Bernet’s detail heavy work always gives you a fantastic sense of place and atmosphere. There’s no skimping on the backgrounds when Bernet’s in town. It sounds minor but when the art does a great job of creating the entire world (and not just the characters) it’s much easier for the reader to immerse themselves in the story and then become emotionally invested in the characters and their lives.
It’s hard to love a man like Jonah Hex when you know that, in the end, he will always disappoint you. It’s a testament to the quality of the writing that, like everyone else in his life, I keep trying; thinking that maybe this time it will be different. It never is different. By the end of this issue he has, once again, allowed his own misery and self-loathing to infect those around him. By the end of this issue he has wrecked two more lives. And by the end of this issue I found myself marveling at another great issue of Jonah Hex.
Conor Kilpatrick
We all got it comin’, kid.
conor@ifanboy.com
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Whatt!!
Jordi Bernet, man. These pages are gorgeous.
Finally Jonah Hex is a pick of the week!!! Flipping through this I realized that Bernets women have a Sailor Jerry’s look to them.
@JesTr: It’s not the first time! 🙂
@JesTr – Good call. Definitely a Sailor Jerry look to the birthday girl.
Wow. I was pretty sure it was going to be Shield #1. That was quite a surprise.
The only issue I have ever read of Jonah is 50 and I loved it. Cook’s art was amazing. So today, being the light week it was(go figure on the week that I am home on break right), my friend recommends that I should pick up Hex. I just start bad mouthing westerns and how the only reason I read the 50th issue of Hex was cause of Cook. Next thing I know, on some gut intuition, I pick up every issue from 51 to 54. After seeing this, I see that sometimes it is a great thing to rely on your gut. I am about to read the issue, but am glad to see that you made it the pick of the week and that I didnt waste money purchasing it. On a side not: isn’t supposed to be Josh that picks the obscure books? LOL.
Sweet! I jumped on Jonah Hex this month, and it’s nice to know I’m starting on a good issue.
(I order through DCBS, so my comics won’t be arriving until tomorrow)
Hex, baby!
The first time this was pick of the week (issue #26 or 27) was what got me into this book.
Jonah is in my top five favorite books.
Good to see this getting more pick of the week love.
wow with the bat books coming out this week i was sure it’d either be B&R or Robin
[shakes fists at the skies] Kilpatriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!!!!!
I almost, almost picked this up at the store. I guess I’ll snag a copy next week if there’s any left.
First pick of the week after Wonder-Con is Jonah Hex? Coincidence?
I too have only read issue 50 but I may have to give it another go.
Almost every issue of this has been wonderful. That Darwyn issue was fine, but the writing has been consistent all the way through, and you’re not gonna find many titles that you can say that about. Just buy them. Every month.
my first exposure to this book was #26 with Bernet. I loved it. It seems like I’m always waiting for a Bernet issue and here one is. POW no less. I loved that I could jump on at 26 and not have to worry about back issues and continuity to enjoy this title (although I have tracked down a few earlier issues). anyone could pick up any issue at anytime and just thoroughly enjoy this book. Does anyone know of any book similar? Not theme-wise, but one-and-done/variety of artists format-wise.
I do reckon that Connor has gone crazy from the heat!!!
For anyone curious, this is the third time JONAH HEX has been made POW.
Jonah Hex #4
Jonah Hex #27
Jonah Hex #54
Jonah Hex makes for the perfect single issues. You get your three dollars worth and they can always be revisited. In that sense it’s in a class by itself.
I like Hex and all, but I didn’t think this was as good as the past couple of issues.
Nice pick. I really need to stop figeting and start reading this series. Especially with the film coming out soon and all.
My pick was Deadpool and Cable #25 for the pure fun and nostalgia it brought back from the original series. God I missed these two together so much. *sniff*
hmm, makes sense based on what i hear. But Shield man…
I could cut and paste NextChamp’s reply verbatim, and let me tell you, that scares me a little. (J/K) But he’s not wrong.
@ohcaroline: Yay! I have an ally 🙂
Sorry know it’s offtopic, but man that was a great issue wasnt it caroline?
Jordi Bernet is so unbelievably talented it’s almost unfair. For those who love his work on Hex, I would commend IDW’s fantastic new oversized hardcovers of Torpedo. Getting back to Hex, I read Hex in trade so I can’t weigh in on this particular issue, but I can definitely say that it’s perennially one of the best books on the shelves and yet so few people seemingly pick it up. Hopefully this POTW adds a few more folks to put this book on their pull list.
In my defense, I’ll say that I also thought ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Luke Cage’ were great, and objectively one of them probably should have been my pick. But Deadpool & Cable, sparking just the right way, it made me so happy.
Ok i will give this a shot
Sweet! I’m reading this issue next, can’t wait!!!!!!
For me, this was a stronger week than I would’ve expected looking at the solicits. I read Hex in trade, so that wouldn’t have been my POTW (not because it isn’t deserving).
My POTW was SHIELD #1, but it was VERY CLOSE with Cable & Deadpool #25, which was such a nice surprise. I’ve really struggled with the monotonous pace of Duane’s Cable run but this was such a refreshing issue. A prequel to the run actually, and really more of an endcap to Cable & Deadpool: The Series which ended with Issue #50. Duane wrote Deadpool to perfection, which isn’t easy to do. There’s a fine line between annoying Deadpool and hilarious Deadpool.
@Conor I didn’t even know you read Jonah Hex. I must have missed it in the past looking over your previous pull lists.
@conor: Thanks for clearing that up. I’ll go back to my back issues and see which issues those are. I’m surprised none of the Darwyn Cooke Hex stuff made POTW. After listening to the video show I really hope he does some more Hex work sometime soon.
I have to get on the trades here, and I quite agree that Bernet is a master of the medium. That sweet Darwyn-designed Torpedo HC is sitting on my stack calling out to be read.
Great pick! I’ve been reading Jonah Hex for a while and I’m never disappointed. It’s the best $2.99 bet out there.
We talked about the first Jonah Hex issue on the first or second podcast we ever did.
@josh: Thanks, I’ll go back and listen to it. I’ve only been a member for a year so I need to hit the iFanboy back log on the podcasts. Now that I have a Roku box I’m catching up on the video shows. 🙂
Granted, those early audio shows… ugh.
I don’t know why I’m not reading this… Time to go grab some trades.
Great review. I recently binged on issues 50-53 the past weekend and enjoyed every single one. I’ll have to pick this one up too.
This was a great issue. I love how Hex has more and more showing that it has a continuity. Great pick Conor.
Don’t read Hex. I’m sure it was quite good, but DAMN Shield #1…
@Conor, @Josh, why are you guys always talking about and picking Johan Hex? (Felt like I had to make the joke. Sort of a book-end to the comments.)
Okay, seriously, this is a great example of why digital comics are great. You see, I didn’t buy this issue when I was at the store, but if I could just download it right now I could get in on the action. (I also fear my LCS has sold out of this issue.)
they picked Joneh Hex #27 in the pick of the week episode #114. In that episode they also make fun of a new ifanbase member named egbdoherty, who sheepishly emailed in a total innocent question about the nature of continuity. Disillusioned and disenfranchised that member grew up to be…. edward!!!
and from that point, i re-named the internet as ‘the sadness machine’
I just finished reading this as I was able to snag a copy over the weekend. This was a great issue of Hex. I’ve been picking it up here and there for the last few years, but everything I’ve read has been majorly awesome.
@edward-finally the secret origin of edward is revealed! Now you just need Geoff Johns to retell it. BTW, that story actually explains a lot.
Hearing you guys @ iFanboy rave about this book month in and month out has convinced me to start picking this up. But can someone tell me the list of trades for this series are and in what order.
@edward… I’m in awe of that story. They created their greatest villain. Makes sense considering the subject matter.
Listen to the episode. see what i’m talking about.