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DC Comics And Beyond: Comics Reviews

Written by Wayne Hall on December 5, 2009 – 1:00 pm -

Well, the holiday and work delayed me getting to the books (and you know how important they must be to keep me from my comics).  For a change, we’ll talk comics on a Saturday and we’ll make it a “three-fer.”

1. Jonah Hex #50. As I’ve mentioned several times before, I love variety in my reading.  I enjoy superheroes as much as anyone, but I need to go other places sometimes, and Westerns have a unique lure.  My dad was a huge fan of Gunsmoke, a radio program that became a television show.  I didn’t appreciate it when I was younger, but I grew to love it over time.  The episodes were often stuffed full of plot with a dash of character thrown in.  Sheriff Matt Dillon kept the town safe, a man who would be a prototype for Western heroes.

Jonah Woodson Hex is not your typical Western hero.  Created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga for DC Comics in 1972, Hex first appeared in All Star Western #10 and quickly gained fame as an anti-hero.  An officer for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, he is usually shown wearing a tattered Confederate States Army jacket.  But what makes him stand out is the fact that the right side of his face is horribly scarred. Hex is surly and cynical, but bound by a personal code of honor to protect and avenge the innocent and is in many ways similar to Clint Eastwood‘s Man With No Name or The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Hex has appeared in Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited, among other places.  Recently, DC brought him back to his home, a monthly comic.  This week, issue #50 of Jonah Hex was released, written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti (who usually script the book).  The art was provided by Darwyn Cooke, he of Batman Beyond and the Catwoman comic fame.  It’s an larger-than-normal issue, and it tells a tragic story that only Hex could be involved in.

Here’s the basic plot: Hex allows himself a night of passion with a lady gunslinger, Tallulah, who is dark-haired and also somewhat disfigured (she has scars on her face and wears a patch on her right eye).  The two part company after that night, and Hex returns to his bounty-hunting ways.  But Tallulah soon discovers she’s pregnant, and she settles down.  The town’s sheriff takes a liking to Tallulah, but a woman named Abigail doesn’t, saying the Lord has told her about the child, and in the comics, television and movies, that’s never a good sign.

When the baby is about to be born, Abigail attacks, then takes the newborn child with her.   Hex returns to Tallulah’s life, helping her recover, then setting out after Abigail.  As usual, the ending is bittersweet, with Hex’s human side coming through.

Jonah Hex is told in chapters, each one with an appropriate title.  In this issue, for instance, you will read chapters named “You Never Know What You’ll Get” and “The Winter Of Discontent.”   Very few (if any) comics divide their stories into separate units, so when this comic does it, it helps give the series something of a literate feel.  It’s a nice change of pace, and I like it.

The story is compelling and Cooke’s art is, as usual, dynamic and intriguing.  I’m glad DC continues to publish a book that is not going to top the sales charts, but pleases those of us who like a Western saga once a month.  If you like that kind of storytelling, this is a must for you.

And if you are a Hex fan, you’ll be glad to know that Josh Brolin has been signed to play him in an upcoming feature film.  Personally, I can’t wait to see it.

2. Enter The Lost World Of The Warlord #9. It wasn’t that long ago I talked about Jon Sable: Freelance and it’s creator, Mike Grell.  Well, Mr. Grell must like different kinds of storytelling as much as I do because he also developed The Warlord.  Travis Morgan is about as different from Jon Sable as two guys can be, and I like that.

Here’s the premise: Vietnam veteran pilot Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the Earth’s crust while flying over the North Pole and landed in the underground world of Skartaris. There Travis, wielding his .44 pistol and joined by scantily-dressed female barbarian Tara, became the Warlord and fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos as well as various kings. A soldier from “our” world, he became a leader and a warrior in this new environment.

The Warlord first appeared in a six-issue mini-series done by Grell in 1992.  He has appeared in various incarnations, including the aforementioned Justice League Unlimited animated show.  Like Hex, DC Comics recently brought the character back to monthly comics.  At first, Grell was scripting the book while others provided the art.  Recently, though, he’s returned to both writing and illustrating Warlord.  And, as I said before, I truly enjoy both aspects of Grell’s storytelling talents, so it’s a double-pleasure for me.

Grell can draw action with the best of them, but this issue focuses more on romance and relationships as he sets up an extended storyline about Morgan’s kidnapped son.  And Grell’s art is just as gorgeous when he’s portraying action as he is when people interact — he has that way of making each panel feel vibrant and alive.

It’s a good start to a long story, so I would recommend that if you are interested, now is the time to jump on board.  Sorry, no Warlord movie in the works that I’m aware of.

3. Dingo #1 of 4. Boom! Studios remains one of my favorite companies because it delivers quite a wide spectrum of reading for me.  And since I like variety (Didn’t I recently say that?), I couldn’t be happier supporting editor Mark Waid and company.

The beginning of this book is definitely not for kids.  But the rest probably could be enjoyed by younger readers.

For those people who may not know, the Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) is a formerly domesticated dog that returned to its wilder roots and still lives largely away from humans.  Dingos are mostly found in Australia, but some have been discovered in Thailand.

This is important to know because the main character in this comic is called Dingo, which tells us a lot about him.  He’s after only one thing: a box. And he’ll stop at nothing to obtain it, no matter how many bad men get in his way. But the real question is, what’s in the box? And why is Dingo willing to kill to get it back? A rough-and-tumble thriller with a hint of the unearthly and a pinch of something nasty.  Oh, and it helps that he adopts a huge, black dog along the way.

The story by Michael Alan Nelson is a well-constructed one that introduces us to the world Dingo lives in as quickly as possible.  Nelson also makes sure a supernatural element is involved (he’s best known for the Hexed and Fall Of Cthulhu comics, so that’s no surprise).  I also enjoyed the art by Francesco Biagini, which has an appropriately gritty feel.

Interestingly enough, like Jonah Hex, this book divides its story into chapters, each with a title that is more direct in approach.  I continue to enjoy that.

If you want to read a comic in which nearly anything could happen, I’d recommend this one.  I’m anxious to see just where Dingo and his dog (feels funny saying that, actually) travel and who they meet.

Also out this week from DC Comics are Superman: World Of New Krypton #10, The Mighty #11 and Lobo: Highway To Hell #2; The Sword #20 from Image; The Incredibles #3 from Boom!; The Torch #4 of 8 from Marvel and Dynamite; and Doctor Who: Classic Series 2 #13 from IDW.

Time for my weekly Blackest Night update: Two books tied into the event are now available — Blackest Night: The Flash #1 of 3 and Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1 of 3.  I have to say that this event continues to exceed my already monumental expectations.  The only thing that would have made them better was another new ring or two to add to my growing collection.

Don’t miss this Sunday’s SciFiPulse Radio on blogtalkradio.com.  I’ll be talking with host Ian Cullen about Flash Gordon among many other comics.  He’ll also be interviewing comics legend Bryan Talbot, so you won’t want to miss it!

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Tags: Boom! Comics, DC Comics, Dingo, Jonah Hex, Mark Waid, Mike Grell, Warlord
Posted in Comic Book Corner, DC Comics And Beyond | 4 Comments »