ALL-STAR WESTERN #19

Review by: pyynk

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Avg Rating: 4.1
 
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Story by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Moritat
Colors by Andre Szymanowicz
Letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Howard Porter

Size: 40 pages
Price: 3.99

All Star Western #19 promised the return of Booster Gold and Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Moritat delivered just that. I don’t just mean that Booster Gold appeared. Instead the creative team brought back the fun loving, trying to do the right thing, with just a touch of vaudeville (thank you Keith Giffen) character that’s been missing in action since just before Flashpoint. They also delivered with the “first” meeting of Hex and Booster as well. And by delivered, I mean every scene you wanted to see with Booster and Hex happens. Yes, the scene from the cover. Yes, there’s a trip to the saloon. Yes, we get Booster looking incredibly silly in a cowboy hat and duster AND the costume. It’s all here.

The tonal shift from Jonah Hex to All Star Western has been interesting. Not every Western has to be Unforgiven or Hang ’em High and not every comic with Jonah Hex in it has to be bleak and depressing either. I really enjoyed the previous Gray/Palmiotti Hex book. I’m really enjoying All Star Western as well. Similarly while I enjoyed the partnership with Hex and Amadeus Arkham, the partnership with Booster feels more organic and the two more like equals. There are enough comedic beats that we’re reminded who the star of the story is, but not so many that Booster feels ineffective which did happen on occasion with Arkham.

I’ve gotten so used to seeing Moritat on All Star Western that I didn’t know how his superhero stuff would look. Not only does his Booster Gold look outstanding with just a touch of Kevin Maguire, he made one of my least favorite New 52 suits look fantastic. On top of that he managed to make Booster look out of place because he is, and he did so while still making the style work inside of what he’s developed for All Star Western.

The team behind All Star Western has given us a fun story. One where the plot gets bounced towards two dissimilar, but surprisingly similar characters and we get a body count, a few laughs, and exactly the kind of story I wanted to read.

Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 5 - Excellent

Comments

  1. COMPLETELY AGREE ON ALL POINTS.

    The single best issue yet of All Star Western. I gave it a 5/5 myself.

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