STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: COMICS/GRAPHIC NOVELS “All Star Western #1” (The New 52)
The Old West set in the DC multiverse. Things were much simpler then, right?
Written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti, and pencils by Moritat, All Star Western #1 starts the story of Jonah Hex, a bounty hunter and Amadeus Arkham, a doctor specializing in criminal psychology.
Together, they live in Gotham City in the 1880s looking for a serial killer.
However, they learn that the roots of crime have already run deep within the city’s elite and wealthy citizens.
The comic oozes imagery of the Western genre, although during this time period, the time of the lone gunfighter is pretty much gone. Gotham City is a modernized city with a police force. Still, the panels are very reminiscent of the framing of characters you would see in Western films.
Oddly enough, Jonah Hex as a character does not really appeal to me; it’s the world that he lives in. Sure, we see fantasy and science fiction collide, but one of the most famous genres is the Western, portraying life in the American Old West. And with this era in the DC Multiverse, you know it’s going to go crazy. Plus, time travel is real here, so you know that’s going to be used (and it does!) Like with Cowboys & Aliens, it’s a genre mashup.
The other reason this series appeals to me is Gray & Palmiotti themselves, who writes with my favorite tone in media: dramatic and serious, but never afraid to bring in some levity or comedy. They had already established themselves with this tone and storytelling when I read their run on Power Girl, which we’ve discussed earlier.
But what if you don’t like the character headlining this comic? Well, there’s a reason why it’s called All Star Western and not Jonah Hex: it’s not just about him. While there’s no backup stories in issue one, the other future issues would include a quick story revolving around another character set during the same time period. Sure, most if not all don’t have their own solo titles; Still, it gives writers a chance to work with other characters that have their own problems to deal with.
All Star Western is a collection of stories filled with gorgeous Western imagery combined with hard sci-fi and fantasy stories. It gives a sense of wonder and dread for a character that’s learning that the times are quickly changing and he better learn to deal with it as fast as he draws his gun.
Check it out, and DRAW!
