Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death #1 Review
Sometimes ghouls walk amongst us. Some people let the ghosts of regret and past selves keep them half-alive, so they’re nothing more than ghosts haunting the mortal realm. Something holds them to this Earth, and they have no idea what it is. Jonah Hex is one of those ghouls, standing with one foot in the grave in Michael Walsh’s Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death. Jonah Hex serves as a living ghost, having stepped away from the life he lived as a “hero” to be haunted by the ghosts of those he killed. Walsh crafts a western horror story that reframes the character for a chilling jumping-on-point for readers looking to meet the deathless Jonah Hex.
Jonah Hex cannot die. After everything he has lived through and all the sins he has committed, he is stuck with one foot in the land of the living. Having retreated from the adventures of the Wild West, he spends his days in isolation, only going into town to wet his whistle. Violence is a thing of the past for him. But those sins come a-knocking, and Hex finds himself pulled from the darkness back into the affairs of those who may need him.
Michael Walsh is a master of horror. Every project he works on or creates has his unique tinge of horror. As the scribe and artist on this book, along with the fantastic colorist Toni-Marie Griffin and superstar letterer Becca Carey, he delivers another example of how good horror comics can be.
Even if you don’t know Jonah Hex, his burden is laid out right for newcomers. When you first meet the character in the first issue, he’s still wearing his Confederate uniform before killing someone who may not actually deserve his wrath. There has always been a part of me that wanted to see the character grapple with his sins, because many of his stories follow him on different adventures while always moving forward. Hex has always been a character running from his sins, but taking the time to unpack those ghosts and make him sit with them is a great way to explore the character in ways he hasn’t been represented before. It makes this character, who is over 50 years old, approachable for new readers looking for a story about the death of the Wild West and the titular cowboy.
While the first issue doesn’t verge much into anything too horrifying, it still has its own ghosts. Literally. They’re everywhere. With Jonah’s past kills appearing all throughout the comic, we see the sword swinging metaphorically above his head the entire time. Even if he’s alive, is he truly living? Walsh has given Hex a fantastic new twist with the curse of the undying. Forcing him to face those he killed while being unable to die creates an interesting dynamic that makes the character even more tragic. Walsh’s art style lends itself so well to these ghosts that haunt them, making every appearance stand out. The way Walsh paints Jonah’s half-scarred face is the best the character has looked, rivaling even Darwyn Cooke’s depictions. While Cooke gave him life, Walsh drains the essence of life from him to give him more of the fitting walking-corpse look that fits with the story he is telling.
Griffin’s colors amplify Walsh’s art style in this issue. The color palette is vibrant while still keeping everything dusty and muted. Some beautifully rich colors depict the town Jonah haunts at the edges. I found the use of red particularly fascinating, especially in how it appears with different characters. The child characters in this issue also have a bit more vibrant coloring, which I really like as a representation of innocence and the future they bring to the world. While the age of the Wild West dies, these characters are just coming up and are depicted with apt color choices that make them stand out against the deathless Hex. Along with the color choices, Becca Carey’s lettering guides you through this issue seamlessly, with typography that blends into the vibe the art and story need.
Ghost stories don’t always have to be about the dead. Jonah Hex haunts the world he no longer fits neatly into. He himself is haunted by the blood on his hands, the choices he has made, and the understanding that for some reason he isn’t allowed to die. The creative team breathes new life into a character who hasn’t had a new story in some time. It’s a fantastic jumping-on point for anyone looking to find their in with the character. Just mind the ghosts at the edge of your line of vision.
View on Kindle Store
Buy from Third Eye
This post contains affiliate links. We receive a small commission if you buy through this link.
