Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s run on Jonah Hex can be described as nothing short of amazing. Their ability to offer interesting and fresh stories from issue to issue has been fantastic. Add to it the fact that they are approaching 70 issues and it’s impossible to not be impressed. Jonah Hex #69 is another great issue to add to this already stellar run.

In this issue, more than revenge or even justice, Jonah seems to be seeking closure. The story has Jonah observing four men plotting to knock off an old prospector who has finally struck gold. He follows the group from a distance and sees how their plan unfolded. Ultimately this leads to Jonah’s real interest in these individuals, a portion of his past that he wants to see play out. From start to finish this is a beautifully written story. From it’s structure to it’s dialogue, everything works and the story flows at a smooth and almost poetic pace. The last half of the book could be some of Gray and Palmiotti’s best work. It’s such a solid story.

While many people will love it, I was not overly impressed with Jeff Lemire’s art. He does capture the rough and dirty look and feel of the characters and the period to a degree. And while I understand his vision and intent, I wasn’t drawn to his character depictions. They’re sometimes to scribbly and look inconsistent from one panel to the next. The style doesn’t completely fall flat but it wouldn’t be my top choice to tell this story. Even with these gripes, there is something about the look and tone of the art that does fit.

I really enjoyed this book mainly due to the incredible storytelling by Gray and Palmiotti. Lemire’s work isn’t my favorite but there is something about it that compliments the story. If you haven’t been reading Jonah Hex do yourself a favor and grab this book. This is just a taste of some of the brilliance that these writers have been providing us.