REVIEW: ‘Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death’ Issue 1

Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written and drawn by Michael Walsh, colors by Toni-Marie Griffin and letters by Becca Carey.

In Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1, Jonah Hex still explores the Old West, but his days of fighting evil are behind him. Some changes are made to this Western vigilante that make him and this comic perfect for Halloween. This version of Jonah is now unlikely, adding a mystical and unearthly quality to the book. Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 starts slowly and sedately, but it’s still eventful. The hero walks through towns, enters saloons and encounters all sorts of personalities within the town.

The story includes both innocents and malfeasants, with flickers of cowboy violence. But Hex is unresponsive and idle, a sign he’s reached the point he’s lived. The atmosphere is unsettling from the beginning, and that quickly escalates into a full-on horror by the end of the issue. Here, the comic kicks into gear and becomes instantly captivating.

Walsh’s writing of Hex is unsettling but fantastic. Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 is a story about a very, very old cowboy after many years of not being able to die, and killing many people in the process. That has killed many parts of him, and he has very little to live for. Some go to Hex for help, others for a fight, and both find little there while looking for the legend, but he’s so jaded that barely anything gets a rise from him.

But there’s one very unique little girl with a very disturbing father, and that is the only thing in this town that raises a slight rise from the very old man. This personality of someone so burned out only causes the evil around him to fester more.

The art is gloriously disturbing. Hex is already a startling fire to look at, but Walsh takes it even further in this scarier iteration. He’s a haggard, ghoulish figure. Hex doesn’t seem to eat. Beyond the gory, scarred face, he’s gaunt and skinny. There are scars across his body that should be fatal, but instead serve as a patchwork of untold stories. If there weren’t worse monsters to come in this supernatural tale, you could be forgiven for thinking he was one of the creatures.

There are figures that make up a stereotypical western town. Rough drinkers, a young boy who looks after the horses, a soiled dove, and even an old, insidious sheriff. None of these really get a reaction from Hex. Annie is a young girl, innocently collecting flowers. But there are instant signs of her being afraid and upset, hiding something sinister. What appears at the end of this comic is extremely terrifying and unexpected, transforming Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 into something very different.

The colors stay at a similar level of opacity and intensity, but they do shift as this opening chapter progresses. For the entirety of Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1, Hex is colorless. He is very pale, from his skin to his eyes to his hair to his clothes. It’s what makes him sickly and ghostly.

There is often a mixture of yellows, oranges and browns to create the texture of wood, but the whole page is covered in a close range of shades. These change with each scene, especially in the opening and ending scenes, but no shades are bright or vibrant, reflecting the atmosphere of Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1. The lettering is scratchy, which denotes vibes and fits the world the words are spoken in.

Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 is a tale of age, regret and the death of the Wild West. Jonah Hex is such a harrowing husk, and that’s what crafts such a fascinating world. So much of this story may seem listless, but it’s actually just a level of sadness that has reached a numb, aching level.

It’s intriguing to get glimpses at stories that have died a man’s soul away and left only scars behind, all while genuinely terrifying creatures are making themselves known.

Jonah Hex and the Shadow of Death Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.