Jonah Hex V2 #25 "My Name is Nobody"

Jonah Hex V2 #25 Jan. '08

"My Name is Nobody"
Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray - story, Russ Heath - art, Garres - cover

Mexico, 1899

We are treated to excerpts from An Oral History on the Old West, co-written by Woodson Hex, private detective in the 1930's and 40's. During the recap of Jonah's life we see the aged bounty hunter setting up camp overlooking a desert valley. Off in the distance, dust clouds rise, driven skyward by several men on horses being chased by other mounted riders. Jonah figures it's bandits running from the local law so he takes cover so that he has a chance against the fifteen desperadoes. 

  As the bandits get closer, Jonah picks off one and the rest scatter. The bandits regroup, trying to decide how best to flank the unknown gunman up the rocks. Meanwhile, Jonah bides his time, hoping he can hold them off long enough for the rurales to show up. Jonah unloads his pack mule and lets it wander off into the mountains. He pulls out a photo of Mei Ling and a young boy, about the age of ten. 

  Jonah takes up a vantage point with his rifle. Soon enough, one fo the bandits tries to make a move and Jonah kills him. Drawing a bead with his rifle, he spots the backside of another bandit and Jonah manages to shoot the pistol in the man's holder. The bandit jumps from cover and.... thirteen left.

  The bandit leader shouts to Jonah to stop shooting his men. Jonah replies that it might be safer for them to turn themselves in. The Bandit asks Jonah's name to which Jonah replies with rifle fire. Five bandits suddenly rush Jonah and ..... nine left. That's when Jonah notices that they shot and killed his horse.

  The bandit leader tells Hex that they need his location to ambush the rurales. He asks Jonah's name again, announcing that HE is Jesus Escobar Ramirez. Jonah replies that he is Jonah Hex. The bandit's stare at each other and then decide Hex is lying. Everyone knows that Jonah Hex is dead. 

  They rush him once more, managing to hit him in the left shoulder but Jonah takes down three more of them....six left. Another quick attack and Jonah takes out two more, the rest coming at him with knives. Jonah smashes one in the head with a pistol and starts punching the crap out of him to boot. The others come up, about to shoot Jonah in the back of the head when a hail of bullets cut them down. Jonah kicks his combatant over the edge of a cliff.

  The rurales have arrived in time. A man leading them doesn't appear to be Mexican. The man says that Hex looks familiar, maybe they know each other? Jonah says that the man doesn't know him.

  Later that evening in a cantina the man offers to buy Hex a drink, asking his name. Jonah replies with  "Mister Albano".  Jonah says that he would like to drink alone. The man introduces himself as Jason Hex. He's a tracker, helping the locals. Jason says that the Mexicans ain't against folks of mixed blood as much as the folks up north. He is half Celestial on his mother's side and his father was a bounty hunter... and that's when Jonah attacks him. 

  They get into a knock-down drag out fight which ends with Hex on the floor and Jason holding a iron on him. Jason says he has no intention of killing Jonah, he only wants to talk. Jonah says they have nothing to talk about. Jason asks if Jonah wants to know about Mei Ling. Hex states he ain't the one that left and folks have a right to do as they like. Jason states that Mei Ling is dead and that not everyone dies from a bullet. Jason still wants to talk but Jonah has none of it.

  He says that what you see is what you get and that's the reason Mei Ling took Jason away. She didn't want Jason to know him and that's that. Jonah exits the cantina and meets a Mexican woman in the street, holding a baby. She tells Jonah, who is still drinking from a bottle, that the stuff will kill him. Jonah replies that he hopes it does.

  Jonah mounts up as the woman approaches Jason as he, too, exits the cantina. She asks who that ugly old man was. Jason takes the child from her arms and answers "That was nobody".

Statistics for This Issue

Men Killed by Jonah - Eleven. The Banditos didn't fare well against Elder Hex.
Running Total - 664 (432 past, 55 future, 15 Vertigo, 172 V2)
Jonah's Injuries -Shot in the left shoulder.
Timeline - At most, one day and a night.

Rape Percentage -  32% (8 out of 25).

One the greater Hex tales because of so many things. Russ Heath is back and illustrating another tale of 'old' Hex, we meet Jason as an adult trying to reconcile a meeting with his absent father, Jason's quick appearance of Jason's wife and his son, a quick nod to Mr. Albano, the black borders, and a slight reference to Johnny Cash (Boy Named Sue lyric "and ya got the right" vs. Jonah's "Ya earned the right.").

We see so many people encounter Hex and die a quick death, friends that pass through and are forgotten. Any time we are treated to something that builds upon the Hex family tree or revisits a known character, I feel that we are getting a deeper glimpse into the agony, tragedy, and the tortured mind of our favorite bounty hunter. 

Next Issue: A heavy Tarantino influence and ya never wanna watch the sausage getting made.

Personals of the Old West

Estranged SW Bounty Hunter ISO woman. 

Prefer exotic passionate type.

Should enjoy having good clean fun.

Must be willing to cut loose and kick up her heels.

Jonah Hex #90 "Starlight, Star Bright,... First Star I See Tonight!"

Jonah Hex #90 Apr 1985
"Starlight, Star Bright... First Star I See Tonight!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Gray Morrow, art - Mark Texeira, cover

Jonah Hex has had enough of Mrs. Crowley's boarding house and is saddling up his horse when Mrs. Crowley tries to stop him. Hex states that no matter what the doc has said, he needs to help a friend and he rides off.

Meanwhile, many miles away, J.D. Hart is hanging out with some kids. The kids toss coins in the air and the Marshall shoots all of them before they hit the ground. Just then a silver haired young woman rides up and introduces herself as Silver Ames. She states that last month in Abilene she gunned down Kingfish Belden, the third fastest gun in the west. She tells Hart that folks say he's the second fastest and she's going to kill him. Hart waves her off and turns to leave, but Silver draws anyway and pumps three slugs into Hat's back, right in front of the kids. As Hart lays there dying, Silver jumps on her horse & rides off.

Several hours later Jonah is riding in the mountains trying to decide how to pick up Emmy Lou's trail when there is a sudden avalanche. As he & his horse start sliding among the falling rock, Jonah unleashes a lasso and misses snagging an outcropped rock. He and his horse fall to the bottom of the cliff and are knocked out.

Much later that night, Mei Ling is called into the office of the local undertaker to identify the body of J.D. Hart. She starts crying that men & their guns have destroyed her life but the sheriff tells her that is a woman that killed Hart.

Speaking of that murderous female, we find Silver Ames camped out, having a handy flashback. She remembers her father, a sheep herder, telling her that a man needs to learn to use a gun. Just then a bunch of cattle ranchers ride up and gun down her father. Silver makes a vow that she would become the deadliest gun in the west and starts practicing with her father's pistols. When she is grown she tracks down her father's killers and avenges her father, but she doesn't stop there, slowly working her way across the west.

Back at Jonah, he finally wakes up to a pouring storm. He pulls himself to his feet and walks off in search of shelter. He finally finds a cave, thinking that he will more than likely stumble upon a sleeping grizzly, but, surprisingly, Jonah isn't attacked by a bear...

Meanwhile, at the hideout of Brett and his gang, Brett finds that Emmy is sulking about having shot Jonah. Brett goes into her room to 'cheer' her up but Emmy jams a chair under the doorknob, locking the other two women out of the room. Emmy pulls a knife on Brett and slashes him across the face. A fight ensues and Emmy throws an oil lamp to the floor catching the cabin on fire. She throws a chair through the window and manages to escape on horseback.

Meanwhile, Jonah has managed to drag his busted clawed up self to a cabin. He is bloody and drenched to the bone and asks for a horse. The old man in the cabin lets him take a horse and stands in the barn door waving goodbye when there is a sudden flash of light from the sky. A bolt of light flashes past Jonah and strikes the barn, causing the old man to disappear. Jonah figures that he went back in the barn & rides off.

The next morning, Jonah is back in down in the doc's office. The doc patches him up and asks if Jonah has considered hiring a doc to follow him around full time. The doc then hands over a telegram that came to the sheriff's office yesterday. Jonah takes the telegram and leaves the office. Standing on the sidewalk, Jonah reads that J.D. Hart has been gunned down and just them Silver Ames shows up.

She tells Hex that she killed Hart and she will kill Hex as well. Jonah says that she may be the fastest girl, but she won't outgun him. Her gun is slung too low, she hasn't filed off the front gun sight, her stance is way too broad. Silver tells Hex to shut up and draw on three..

ONE...

TWO...

THRE.. and Hex shoots her dead on the spot and walks off.

Statistics for this Issue
Men killed by Jonah - 1 (technically a woman, but it counts)
Running Total - 423
Jonah's Injuries - still recovering from Emmy shooting him , Hex survives an avalanche and being mauled by a cougar
Timeline - I don't know how long has passed from last issue and this one, Let's toss out a few days and this issue covers two days. I would say that we are at the end of July 1878.

I'm somewhat conflicted about this one. Let's take both sides:
PRO:

• The mauling by the cougar was pretty funny. Almost like Fleisher was having some fun with Jonah's "prophecies of doom" that always come true.
• Silver Ames was an interesting character and it was a hoot how she met her end, with Hex just walking off. When I first read this book I thought that Jonah had just killed her before she could draw, but rereading it, it appears that her pistol has left the holster and Jonah did wait until she drew before gunning her down. That is even better! Jonah was way too fast for the likes of Silver.
• Emmy giving Brett some of what was due him.

CON:

• The death of J.D. Hart. A terrible way for the man to go. I never cared for him as a character (too goody goody for the book) but he didn't deserve this.
• The light from the sky. Sheesh. You can tell the end is near here with a plot device like this.
• The artwork by Gray Morrow was a downer for me. The coloring (also by Morrow) made everything look murky and smeared. Morrow used a lot of ziptone which doesn't translate well to newsprint. It will be interesting to see how these look in a black and white Showcase format. I'm thinking not so great because in some frames Morrow used only coloring to convey what was happening.
  

We did get a small teaser in the letter column last issue showing Jonah Hex on a motorcycle and Crisis on Infinite Earth was gearing up. It was at this time I was thinking that the new direction for Jonah would be tied into CoIE but even though he did make an appearance, the weirdness in the final three issues of Jonah Hex, weren't tied into it at all.

Next Issue: The circus comes to town, more of the weird ray, and a Neal Adams cover.

Jonah Hex #84 "Carnival of Doom!"

Jonah Hex #84 May 1984
"Carnival of Doom!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Tony DeZuniga, art - Ed Hannigan & Tony DeZuniga, cover

Jonah Hex is in the gunsmith shop of one R. Hayes, shopping for new firearms. Mr. Hayes is completely baffled that Jonah would throw away his matching dragoons. Jonah explains that they 'fell' into the lake and ends up deciding to purchase a Colt Peacemaker and a Smith & Wesson Schofield .45. The gunsmith admits that they were previously owned by a man who was gunned down when one of them hung in his holster.

Jonah concedes that he can understand why that happened, since the sights are so huge. He grabs a hammer and knocks the sights off both of the pistols (how he does it without damaging the pistols is a mystery to me). The store owner is writing up Jonah's purchase when two thugs burst into the store and grab the strongbox the owner has. The thugs start backing out the door and state that they can't leave no witnesses. Jonah draws on them, killing both.

The owner is aghast. He states that one thug has a bullet right between the eyes and the other has a hole over his right eye. Jonah agrees that the Smith & Wesson does pull to the left and takes the robber's money as payment for his saving the shop owner's life.

Out on the street Jonah is hailed by a telegram boy who delivers a telegram from New Orleans. Jonah makes mention that he has been invited to Mardi Gras.

Okay, let's stop here for just a second. Mardi Gras normally ends on Ash Wednesday which occurs 46 days prior to Easter. Looking at the dates for Easter in the 19th century, (new style, Catholic) for 1875-1878, they all land in April. Now, in the books we have established that we are in 1878 and by counting days that have passed we are at the end of April or possibly the beginning of May. Suddenly we are to believe that Jonah is going to make it to Mardi Gras? The book states that two weeks pass before he gets to New Orleans. So, if Easter of 1878 falls on April 21, 58 days prior (46 plus two weeks) puts us at Feb 22nd. And that is just so Jonah can make the last day of Mardi Gras! (on a side note, the 1879 Mardi Gras was canceled due to Yellow Fever.)

Meanwhile, JD Hart is talking with Mei Ling and he starts to tell her about his feelings for her. Suddenly Jason runs in with a wooden sixgun and 'shoots' Hart. Mei Ling scolds Jason, demanding where he got the toy pistol. Hart confesses that he made it for Jason along with a small holster. Mei Ling demands the gun from Jason and he shouts NO!

Hart tries to calm Mei Ling down, but she turns on him, saying she doesn't want her son to be a gunfighter and Jason runs from the room crying. In this scene, Jason not only shouts 'no' but also says "bang bang Marshal Hart! You're dead!" Jason has just turned two since he was born in the Spring of 1876 (?)

But enough about that, two weeks pass and we are now in New Orleans and Jonah is being addressed by a wealthy man in a large mansion. The man is Mr. Sterling and he wants to hire Jonah to protect his daughter Adrian from a kidnapping scheme. Jonah is stunned to meet Adrian, a beautiful young lady. Upon meeting Jonah Hex, Adrian states "I'm delighted to meet you, Mr. Hex. And may I say I feel safer already."

Jonah stammers back "Ah only wish Ah could say the same thing Ma'am"

Just then Clifford Mapely, Adrian's fiancee, enters. Sterling states that Hex will be their bodyguard for the next 5 or 6 days. Clifford doesn't think that it is needed but relents to Sterling's wishes.

A thousand miles away (putting us in New Mexico or far western Texas) Emmy Lou is screaming and pounding on the door of the room that Brett has locked her in. Brett opens the door and Emmy starts crying about how poorly she has been treated (tied up and locked up). Brett says that she can be freed if she promises not to escape and to also join his gang. She screams that she never will and Brett slams her back into the room, muttering that she'll come around very soon.

Back in New Orleans a cloaked woman knocks on a door and is allowed entrance to the home of Mr. St. Pierre. It is Elsa, the maid of the Sterling household! She reveals that Adrian will be at a private party at 10 PM in the Latin Quarter at 33 Rue Madeleine (don't bother looking, it ain't there!). Elsa explains that Adrian's fiance, Clifford will be escorting her and they will both be accompanied by Jonah Hex.

Later that night Jonah & Adrian are at the aforementioned party and a very snobby party goer is having a good laugh at Jonah's expense. He makes snide remarks about the war and how Jonah Hex belongs with the drunken revelers in the costume out in the street. Adrian tries to reprimand him but Jonah calmly grabs a drink, tosses it into the man's face, punches him in the gonads, lifts the man over his head and throws him the length of the buffet table. Several men decide they can take Jonah Hex on and Jonah pulls his pistols and drops a huge chandelier into the middle of the room.

Needless to say, Adrian, Clifford and Jonah shortly end up leaving the party. As Adrian & Clifford walk the streets of New Orleans (with Jonah closely behind), three men in skeleton outfits are stalking them from a nearby rooftop. Suddenly the three men jump down into the street and shoot Jonah Hex and start to grab Adrian. Clifford runs like a deer (getting help, he says!) and as one of the skeletons draws a bead on the unconscious noggin of Jonah Hex, Adrian shouts that he is her fiance. Rather than try to untangle the mess, the skeletons abduct Jonah along with Adrian.

Quite some time later, Jonah regains consciousness to find that he and Adrian are tied up in a wine cellar somewhere in the city. Adrian explains what has happened, including her tells the thugs that Jonah was her fiance. Jonah asks why she did that & she confesses that from the first time she saw Jonah, she knew that he WOULD be her fiance.

Upstairs, Mr. St. Pierre and his thugs suddenly hear a scream from the wine cellar. They run downstairs and open the cellar to find Adrian standing in front of them. She is untied and they demand to know how she got her ropes loose. She calmly replies "My friend over there has a bowie knife." Jonah then quickly tosses said knife into the throat of one of the thugs and then dives behind the wine casks.

As thug number two searches for him, Jonah sneaks up behind him and then knocks him out with a wine bottle. Just then St. Pierre emerges behind Jonah with a pistol aimed at Jonah's back. Adrian steps forth brandishing a pistol and demands in a stuttering voice that St. Pierre drop his weapon. St. Pierre says he won't because Adrian doesn't have what it takes to shoot hi... BLAM!!!!!!!

Adrian has killed St. Pierre and she drops the pistol and runs to Jonah where they get into a a post-pistol-packing lip lock.

Much later (5 AM by the clock on the mantle) Adrian and Jonah get back to the Sterling mansion. Adrian explains to her dad how great Jonah was and Hex explains that the maid was in cahoots with the kidnappers. Mr. Sterling says that he is happy that Adrian is safe, even though Clifford 'fought like a tiger' to save Adrian. She suddenly interrupts her dad and tells Clifford to leave & never comes back.

The p-whipped Clifford sulks out of the house and Mr. Sterling asks "what about the engagement?" Adrian grabs Jonah arm and as they leave the house she says that there may still be a wedding but Clifford won't even be invited to it.

BLAM!!!

Statistics for this Issue
Men killed by Jonah Hex - 3
Running Total - 416
Jonah's Injuries - Shot (hard to tell where. The shoulder? A grazing of the scalp?)
Timeline - Whew! It's Mardi Gras but it's May (or possibly even June by now with the extra two weeks to travel to New Orleans). The only thing I can say is that Easter takes place at an entirely differently time in the DC Universe.

A pretty good story advancing the emotional complications of Jonah Hex and his women. Adrian looks to be a pure firecracker, knowing what she wants and knowing how to get it. Jonah had better watch his step around this one.

The storyline with Emmy is getting a little hairier with the psychological abuse that Brett is throwing at her.

I find it strange that Jonah Hex is now in New Orleans and that is where the bulk of the Jonah Hex movie was filmed. Was Michael Fleisher psychic?

Next Issue: Turnbull decides to make good on his promise... to kill Jonah Hex!!!

Jonah Hex #83 "Blues in the Bottle Stopple in My Hand!"

Jonah Hex #83 Apr 1984
"Blues in the Bottle....Stopple in My Hand!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Tony DeZuniga, art - Ed Hannigan & Tony DeZuniga, cover

Last week I said that this would be the end of Matching Dragoons. It is & all will be explained later.

The title is from an old Blues song, according to Mr. Fleisher (who is now also the editor, having taken over from Ross Andru) and we'll learn how it fits in right quick. But first, Jonah is still beating the crap out of J.D.Hart (this issue backing up just a few minutes before last issue finishes. This seems to be a new pattern here.) After Jonah finishes up and gets yelled at by Mei Ling, he rides off into the night. But he is being watched by two thugs who follow him into the darkness.

The next afternoon, Jonah rides into town, mentally griping about Mei Ling and looking forward to finding solace in the arms of Emmy Lou. However, when Jonah gets to the hotel, he learns that Emmy has left for St. Louis and in his anger, he stomps off to the saloon.

Several townsfolk watch Jonah head for the bar and one of them asks the sheriff what HE is going to do about Jonah. The sheriff wisely says that he can't do anything until the law is broken.

Meanwhile, many miles away, Emmy Lou and her kidnappers finally stop to set up camp. That is when Emmy notices that two of her abducters are female. The ring leader, Brett, tells Camille to start cooking and Sandy to lay out the bedrolls. He orders Emmy to get some firewood and when she refuses, he slaps her right upside the head and demands she get the wood.

Back in town, Jonah is getting more & more drunk, bottle after bottle. At one point a cork is jammed in a bottle so he smashes it across the table and pours out the remainder. Suddenly there is a shout from the street. The two men that have followed him are calling him out. Well, one of them is calling Hex out, the other is telling the first one that they should wait for their boss and the rest of the gang.

The brave/stupid one knows that Jonah is drunker than a skunk and figures that the two of them can take him on. Jonah staggers out with a bottle in his hand and takes a long draw on it. He wipes his mouth on the back of his hand and outdraws both men, dropping them in the street where they stood.

Much later that night, Emmy is convinced everyone is asleep so she slowly starts to sneak away. Just as she starts to run, she is suddenly lassoed and Brett hogties and gags her before he goes back to sleep.

In town, Jonah, unable to obtain a hotel room, is continuing his drinking binge in th eloft of the local livery. Sinking deeper into a drunken stupor, Jonah doesn't hear the locals leading out the horses as they prepare to torch the entire structure (promising the owner that they'll all picth in to build him a new one). The place lights up like the fourth of July and Jonah is awakened by the heat and smoke. He manages to jump out a window on the lower roof, locate his horse, jump on it and take off, but not before kicking the ring-leader into a large puddle.

Later, Jonah is resting near a lake, still drunk, still bemoaning his life. He's the fastest gun in the west and what good does it do him? He has no woman, no money, no family, just a big fat nothing. He takes his matching Dragoons and heaves them into the center of the lake (see? I told you it was the end of Matching Dragoons! What? You thought I was...what? hee hee). He grabs a bottle that he has brought along and following in his father's footsteps, drinks himself unconscious.

The next morning, Jonah is suddenly and rudely awakened by one Catherine Rebecca Smollett, owner of Christian Temperance Farm, a place for men driven to the squalor of liquor to dry themselves out and find redemption in the Lord Jesus. Smollett picks up Jonah's hat and reads his name in the hatband. She notes that Jonah, in the Bible was swallowed by a great fish. Hex appears to have been drinking like a great fish!

Still groggy from his previous day and night, Jonah staggers up onto her wagon and allows Catherine to take him to the farm.

Back in town, the friends of the dead gunmen show up and demand of the sheriff which way Jonah Hex went. The sheriff tells them that he has no idea, but they head out to find Hex anyway.

Back at the farm, Catherine & Jonah pull up. Catherine tells Jonah that it's about suppertime and he can clean up in the bunkhouse. Jonah goes inside and pulls a small bottle out of his pocket. As he takes a swig, another resident of the farm grabs the bottle from him, telling Hex that Catherine works hard to keep that terrible poison out of their bodies. He tilts the bottle back and Jonah tosse s left hook into his jaw, sending the bottle sailing through the air. Jonah dives for the bottle, just as Cathering enters the bunkhouse. She takes the bottle and announces that dinner is ready.

Over the next few days, Jonah dries out at the farm, repairing fence, splitting wood, fixing wagons until finally the three men that have been searching for him come riding up to the farm. The bunkhouse buddy comes running to tell Jonah about the three men just as they show up using Catherine as a human shield.

Jonah raises his hands in surrender, grabs his knife and buries it in the chest of the first thug. The other two open fire and Jonah goes running for cover among the out buildings on the farm. The two thugs decide to split up, one checking the bunkhouse, the other checking the toolshed. The first looks into the bunkhouse window and...

that brings the second one running, who fires into the bunkhouse. But, Jonah Hex is not IN the bunkhouse, he is on top of it and... Jonah proves that he can be pretty violent even without his pistols.

Shortly thereafter, Jonah is mounted up and bidding farewell to Catherine. She says that she wishes Jonah could stay, but for the sake of the Farm, she feels that he should go. She wants him to stay long enough to be truly saved and Jonah replies that he is pretty nearly saved, least as he is ever likely to be.

Statistics for this Issue:
Men killed by Jonah: 5
Running Total: 413
Jonah's Injuries: none
Timeline: I would say this one covers about a week. So we are probably still in April 1878. I know we are because I read the next issue, but I'll cover that then.

A nice gruesome issue, pitchfork to the face, sickle to the head, ya know, fun stuff! Ed Hannigan starts designing the covers and I have to tell you that the next 9 covers are some of the best in the entire series. The perspective through the whiskey bottles, the antagonistic blurb at the top, the gruesome glare of Jonah's eye...perfect!

The story overall was a good one. Catherine Smollet reminded me of Katherine Hepburn in Rooster Cogburn and the Lady. I don't know if it was intentional, but it was a nice touch with a few slightly comedic elements thrown in when Jonah first arrives at the farm.

Next Issue: Jonah's life gets even more interesting as he ends up in Mardi Gras!!

Jonah Hex #81 "The Alliance!"

Jonah Hex #81 Feb 1984
"The Alliance!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers & Tony DeZuniga, art - Ross Andru, cover

The sad thing about this issue is that the first four pages are a recap of the last two pages from the prior issue. Turnbull has just been bitten by a rattlesnake (the snake survived the bite) and Jonah is going to leave Turnbull to succumb to the poison.

Then, suddenly for no reason at all, Jonah changes his mind and does his best to suck the poison from Turnbull's hand. It would have been better if he had done it for Jeb's memory, or maybe realizing that he needed Turnbull to clear him of the Governor's murder, but none of that is stated.

Meanwhile, J.D.Hart is turning in the thugs that he captured last issue. Hart learns about Jonah Hex's escape from jail and then heads for the hotel to get some grub.

Much later, Jonah & Turnbull are heading back to town in Turnbull's buggy when there is a sudden avalanche in front of them. Jonah is able to get the horses stopped and then there is another avalanche behind them. They find themselves boxed in the narrow canyon and that is when the gunfire starts. Turnbull has recovered enough from the venom to beat a hasty retreat to a nearby cave with Jonah close behind him.

Once in the cave, they hear shouting from above them and it turns out it is none other than El Papagayo, seeking revenge. Things aren't looking good at all.

Elsewhere, Emmy Lou Hartley has packed up and decided to leave town to try to get Jonah Hex out of her mind and her heart. On the way to the stage depot she shoved an ignorant goon into a horse trough.

Darkness is now falling on the canyon where Jonah & Turnbull are trapped. Turnbull reasons that Papagayo has nothing against HIM, so he pulls a white hanky, and waving it as a sign of peace, starts to leave the cave. Of course, the Mexican bandit is a bloodthirsty bastard so his band opens fire. Jonah leaps out of the cave, kills a couple of bandits and then drags Turnbull back into the cave, but not without getting a slug in the right thigh first.

Later that night, Hart & Mei Ling are having dinner in town. J.D. is telling his life story, but Mei Ling doesn't want to hear about the guns. Hart reasons with her, telling her that guns aren't evil, they are a tool to be used.

Back in the cave, Jonah has fallen asleep and Turnbull has finally figured a way to make his escape. He will use the derringer in his pocket to kill Hex and then drag the body into the open, proving that he sides with Papagayo. Just as Turnbull is about to pull the trigger, several Mexicans show up at the mouth of the cave and Turnbull shoots at them while shouting for Hex to wake up. Jonah wakes up and kills two of the three men.

Back in town, it is after dinner and J.D & Mei Ling are getting closer under the gaze of the moon.

At the cave, Jonah has rescued the injured Mexican (the one Turnbull shot) and is going to use him as a human shield. Jonah holds a pistol to the man's head and all three of them make their way out to the buggy. They climb into the buggy, make their way around the avalanche and head out. Turnbull notices a letter in the seat that reads "Jonah Hex, my good friend, adios"


Up on the cliff, Papagayo asks a henchman for the field glasses, trains them on the buggy, and despite the bad focusing that the henchmen had put on the glasses, Papagayo is barely able to make out the dynamite strapped to the bottom of the buggy.

Of course, the dynamite goes off and the entire buggy is blown clear to hell.

Statistics for this issue
Men killed by Jonah - 4
Running total - 412
Jonah's Injuries - Shot in the right thigh
Timeline - This one takes place in one evening.

Despite the waste of pages up front, this was a good issue. It may have seemed like we were jumping from one character to the next, but it supplied a nice break between the scenes and allowed for the passage of time. Mei Ling and Hart are letting their hearts get entwined, Emmy is running away with a broken heart and if Jonah survives this, he will have a heck of a lot of surprises waiting for him!

Since Turnbull and Papagayo are teaming up in the current Jonah Hex run, it's nice to see that they weren't always so buddy buddy (and it also helps me to place the current story arc into the timeline as well). The cover is a nice one, with the huge shadow of the parrot giving a clue that El Papagayo lurks inside this issue.

Next Issue: A night on the town turns ugly, Hex & Turnbull kiss and make up, and we finally meet Zombie Papagayo!!! (just kidding on that last one!)

Jonah Hex #80 "Day of the Rattler!"

Jonah Hex #80 Jan. 84
"Day of the Rattler!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers & Tony DeZuniga, art - Ross Andru, cover

JD Hart runs across the desert sands, sixguns blazing, frightening off the vultures that have started pecking at Jonah Hex's prone form. Hart reaches Jonah and detects a very faint heartbeat. He forces some water down Jonah and after a few minutes manages to get Jonah to his feet and they start heading towards Harts horse. They are suddenly interrupted by the local sheriff and his posse.

Hart identifies himself as a U.S. Marshall but the sheriff says it doesn't matter who brings Jonah Hex in, but Hex will be spending time in his jail.

The next morning, in the aforementioned jail, the local doctor pronounces that Jonah will be a lot better with a few days of rest. Once the doctor leaves, Hart asks the sheriff if he can speak with Jonah. The sheriff allows it.

Hart tells Jonah that he gathered all of Hex's gear but Jonah tells him it ain't that important, he needs Hart to fetch the letter from the Governor. Hart agrees to it and heads out at once. However, Hart doesn't know that he is being watched by Quentin Turnbull, who send out three of his goons to follow Hart and return with that letter.

Emmy Lou Hartley, meanwhile, is mulling over her love for Jonah Hex while she waits at the blacksmith for her horse to get new shoes.

Elsewhere, Mei Ling is leaving Jason Hex with her brother's family as she mounts her horse and rides off to find Jonah Hex herself.

Turnbull's goons lose sight of Hart but they come over a ridge to find his horse alone, grazing in a clearing. As they get closer, Hart suddenly drops from a tree and commences with the severe kicks to the head and the punches to the jaw. One goon manages to pull a pistol, but Hart shoots it from his hand and shoot the weapon four more times before the pistol drops from the sky square onto the head of the goon.

Sadly, Hart was unaware of the third goon, who rides up and pulls a rifle on Hart.

Emmy Lou rides into town and meets Jonah in jail. Jonah tells her not to worry, because Hart is getting the letter and everything will be fine. Emmy says that she loves Jonah and Jonah tells her that he loves her as well. The sheriff is sitting in his chair, eavesdropping and chuckling to himself when through the door walks Mei Ling.

Mei Ling asks if she can see Jonah Hex and the sheriff points her toward the cells, mentally making a note that all the hot blooded women go after the bad men.

Mei Ling walks in just in time to see Emmy & Jonah in a jail embrace. In an awkward moment, Mei Ling starts to leave, Jonah begs her to stay, and Emmy tells her not to go, she will leave, for Jonah has always loved Mei Ling more than herself. As she walks out crying, the sheriff thinks that he might be able to get lucky by picking up Jonah's castoff on the rebound.

Meanwhile, JD Hart is tied up in a cabin and is having to listen to the rants of Quentin Turnbull. Turnbull gives Hart until sundown to divulge the location of the Governor's letter or else.. On that note, Turnbull leaves.

Back at the jail, there is a traveling salesman who is about to unveil his wares. This salesman specializes in selling an electric chair. You merely strap the condemned into the chair and wait for a storm to come up and for lightning to strike the lightning rod that will zap the skull of the prisoner.

Inside the jail, Jonah is starting to get worried about how long it is taking Hart to return with the letter. Suddenly he hears a sound outside the jail. It is Man of Two Bloods. Man of Two Bloods states that a blood brother of a chief cannot possibly be guilty of murder so Man of Two Bloods honor demands that he free Jonah Hex. He quickly pulls several sticks of lit dynamite from behind his back and blows up the entire back wall of the jail.

Inside, the sheriff is rudely startled out of his daydreams about night things in the middle of the afternoon. He runs back into the jail to see the carnage and he unlocks the cell door to view the he in the wall. Just then Jonah steps out and clubs the sheriff over the head. Jonah wasn't going to leave without his pistols, hat & coat.

Jonah runs out and jumps onto a spare horse that Man of Two Bloods has provided and as he rides off, he is spied by none other than Quentn Turnbull. Turnbull gets into his buggy and decides that he shall have to handle this circumstance himself.

Meanwhile, back at the cabin where Hart is being held. hart manages to kick over the stove in the cabin. As the cabin starts to fill with smoke, one goon runs out to get water while the other two attempt to right the stove. During this time, Hart holds his wrists over some coals and manages to burn himself free. He launches into the two remaining goons like a rocket and grabbing a gun from one goon, he shoots the pistol from the hand of the returning goon.

Some time later, Jonah rides up to a stand of rocks. As he advances towards them, Turnbull shows up with a pistol, demanding that Hex stand back. Turnbull reaches into a hole in the rocks to retrieve the letter, but ends up getting bitten by a rattler.

Jonah says that is to be expected when you stick your hand in a snake's nest. He breaks off a forked stick, uses it to hold down the snake's head and gets the letter. Turnbull, his heart racing the venom through his system, begs Jonah not to let him die. Jonah replies that is exactly what he is going to do. As Jonah walks off, Turnbull falls to the ground, clawing at his pistol, his shaking hands taking aim at Jonah's back.....

Statistics for this issue
Men killed by Jonah - none
Running total - 408
Jonah's Injuries - none
Timeline - This appears to be the same day as last issue. A few of the panels seem to indicate that it is nighttime, but there is nothing in the text to support it.

This issue is rocking with action and drama and has more supporting characters than any issue yet. I have to give this issue a thumbs up. It keeps the current arc clipping along nicely and has a great cliffhanger.

The only sour note was an artistic one regarding Hart's ropes. In one panel the ropes are near his elbows and two panels later, his wrists are tied.

Next Issue: Turnbull's final fate, and the return of.......

Jonah Hex #79 "Duel in the Sand!"

Jonah Hex #79 Dec. 1983
"Duel in the Sand!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers & Tony DeZuniga, art - Ross Andru & Dick Giordano, cover

Jonah stops to offer a stranger a drink from his canteen, unaware that he has been set up by Homer & Wilbur so they can collect the bounty on the head of Jonah Hex. Jonah hears the click of the rifle pointed at his back and he starts to dodge but isn't quick enough. He takes a bullet in the side as he dives from his horse. Jonah swiftly draws his pistol and shoots Homer right between the eyes.

Wilbur opens fire and Jonah is barely able to mount his horse and ride off. Wilbur comes out of hiding and runs to his brother. But sadly, his brother has been shot dead center between the eyes, so he is only able to get out two whole sentences before he expires. Wilbur is racked with grief over his brother's death and vows to make Jonah Hex pay for what has happened.

Meanwhile, back at the state pen, Quentin Turnbull is riding roughshod over Warden Davies, berating him for allowing Jonah Hex to escape prison. Davies points out that even if Jonah gets the letter from the late Gov. Phelps, they can still frame Jonah for the murder of Phelps.

Several hours later, Jonah, wounded, is riding across the desert with Wilbur dogging his trail. Sadly for Jonah, Wilbur has a Sharps 74 long rifle (with a range of 500 yards) against Jonah's 30.06. Wilbur lets Jonah sweat it out under the desert sun and at just the right time Wilbur shoots the horse out from under Hex. Jonah gets tossed into the sand and ends up having to finish off his horse. He grabs his canteen and starts walking.

Meanwhile, Emmy Lou is trying to figure out where Jonah has gone since he left a week ago and she just keeps getting madder & madder.

Back in the desert, Wilbur is conserving his canteen of water and gets the bright idea to relieve Jonah of his supply. Wilbur takes careful aim and just as Jonah is getting a drink, he drills a hole right through that canteen. Jonah claws madly at the sand as his water seeps through his fingers. From a rocky outcrop, Wilbur shouts that he is going to watch Jonah die a slow death. Hex grabs his pistol and fires, but the bullets fall far shy of their target.

Elsewhere, J D Hart has located the body of Homer. He knows of Wilbur & Homer and figures that this is some of Jonah's handiwork. JD realizes that he needs to hurry up not just for Jonah's sake, but Mei Ling's as well.

While the time has passed, a sandstorm has picked up, blocking out the sun and pelting Jonah with stinging sand. Staggering through the blasting sand, Jonah comes upon a water hole. He drops down and starts to drink when he sees the sign indicating that the hole is poisoned. In a wild rage, Jonah grabs the sign, breaks it in half, tosses it amidst the storm and then curses God Himself.

Meanwhile, Mei Ling is lighting candles and praying for the safety of Jonah Hex.

The storm has abated as swiftly as it started and Jonah is crawling across the cracked desert floor. He is begging for water when he hears the voice of his father, Woodson, berating Ginny for giving him such a spineless son. Ginny starts crying about how she has failed her husband and Woodson blames all of his drinking upon his tramp of a wife and his worthless son.

Jonah starts shouting at the hallucination, telling his mother that he can stand on his own two feet and with a strength from center of his being, Jonah Hex stands up in the desert and struggles on.

Meanwhile (yup, we're gonna check up on everyone here), Quentin Turnbull is dining as best he can in a western town. He gloats that Jonah Hex will soon be destroyed and that he can return to his own business. Turnbull makes mention of advising President Grant on inflation and debt (placing this, at the latest, between Jan 1877 & March 4th, 1877) .

Back in the desert, Wilbur is starting to suffer the effects of the sun as well. He has reached the last of his water, following Jonah Hex in the circles of his wandering. Wilbur comes over a rise and finds Jonah Hex dead, next to a watering hole. Wilbur starts laughing at the irony of Hex being dead just inches from water and he starts gulping down the liquid. Suddenly he realizes how foul the water tastes and he starst getting cramps. That is when he sees the remnants of the shattered Poison sign. Wilbur curses Hex for having killed him and then collapses next to Jonah.

The vultures descend to start their feast when suddenly JD Hart runs up, guns blazing...

Statistics for this Issue
Men Killed by Jonah - I can't really give credit to Jonah for the death of Wilbur, but he nailed Homer a good one. 1
Running Total - 408
Jonah's Injuries - Shot in the right side, heatstroke
Timeline - This one happens all in one day and despite the reference to President Grant, I'll still place this one in April 1878 (maybe Grant still needed financial advice even after he was out of office.

From the great cinematic cover to the full page end, this one was one hell of a roller coaster ride. Fleisher kept the suspense up just enough by cutting back to the supporting cast and when Jonah finally had to confront the vision of his dad, it wasn't overly melodramatic, it was just right. Jonah was in a situation where nothing could save him except for his own determination not to die.

The only downside to the story was the length that Homer was able to converse after being shot square between the eyes.

The poisoned water hole had been used once before, but that was by Albano ten years prior. All in all, one of the best stories there was.

Next Issue: Explosions! Electrocutions! Snake Bites! Dehydration! Cheating Hearts!

Jonah Hex #78 "Man of Two Bloods!"

Jonah Hex #78 Nov 1983
"Man of Two Bloods!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers & Tony DeZuniga, art - Ross Andru & Pablo Marcos, cover

Jonah Hex is crouching on the roof of a hotel and inside, Head Rat Bastard Quentin Turnbull is having his thugs slap around Emmy Lou, trying to get a letter from her. Finally things escalate to the point where the thugs pull a knife and Turnbull starts to leave the room because violence makes him queasy.

Just then Jonah Hex comes crashing through the window and launches like a savage into the two thugs. While Jonah is dishing up the Whoop-Ass parfaits, Turnbull heads out the door and escapes. Suddenly a thug with a knife charges Jonah and ends up getting himself thrown out the window into the street. Rather than chase after Turnbull, Jonah turns his attention to Emmy.



Jonah tells Emmy that he has to retrieve the Governor's letter and that she is to go to the next town to the south and wait for him. Emmy agrees to follow his orders.

The next morning, Warden Davies is having a tough time explaining to reporters how a dead Jonah Hex can be responsible for the murder of the Governor.

Meanwhile, fifty miles away, three men hold up a bank, murdering several folks along the way, and then ride off. After a short time they come to a place in the road where a huge herd of goats are blocking the road. They shout at the skew-eyed hayseed herding the goats but he is hard of hearing and can't understand what they want. As the thieves come closer the hayseed quickly draws a pistol from his hat and shoots the ringleader. Suddenly gunfire erupts from a nearby haystack, killing the other two bandits.

With a hearty hyuk hyuk hyuk, Wilbur climbs from the haystack and congratulates his brother Homer on how smart they were to wait on the only road coming from Carterville in order to collect the bounty on these bandits.

Meanwhile, Jonah is on his way to retrieve the Gov Phelps letter but he suddenly comes upon over a dozen Indian women & children massacred in a river. On the riverbank he finds a young Indian boy, barely surviving his wounds. Jonah gives the boy some water and the boy says "white....men..." before passing out.

Several hours later, Wilbur & Homer are collecting the bounty for the bank robbers in the local sheriff's office. They spy the wanted poster for Jonah Hex and decide to earn a quick 10 grand.

The local deputy confides in the sheriff that he can't see how these two homely hayseeds can shoot anyone properly, but the sheriff explains that they are probably the most deadly bushwhackers in the entire west.

Several hundred miles away, Mei Ling is working in the garden with Jason by her side. Just then J.D. Hart rides up. Hart visits with Mei Ling and comments on how Jason is. Mei Ling comments that Jason is nearly two now (with the Hex wedding being in 1875 that would place this in 1878, which lines up with my calculations for last issue). Hart mentions that Jonah is in a lot of trouble and he is going to try to help Jonah get this mess cleared up.

Several nights later we find Jonah sitting near a campfire with the young Indian boy. The boy, Little Raven, is the son of the chief, and has the manners of a brat. He gobbles down all the food and leaves none for Jonah. He states that he is 12 and that he plans on avenging his tribes death and that Jonah will help him.

The next morning has Homer & Wilbur coming across the massacre site as well. They notice that one of the horse prints has a shaky left shoe, just like that describes by a rancher that claimed to have had his horse stolen by Hex. The brothers are now on Hex's trail.

Several hours later, Jonah and Little Raven are on a hill overlooking a camp of buffalo hunters. The hunters are poaching buffalo on Ojibwa (Chippewa) land. That is probably the reason for the massacre, the Indians stumbled onto the poaching activities. Anyway, there are 9 hunters and before Jonah can concoct a plan, Little Raven runs down the hill and sneaks up to the buffalo hunters wagon. He reaches in and grabs a barrel of gunpowder and starts leaving a trail of gunpowder along the ground.

The hunters see him and Jonah has to provide cover fire for Little Raven. The Indian finally tosses the barrel aside and heads for the hills, allowing Jonah to make the shot of the century, hitting the metal rim on the barrel, sparking the gunpowder and igniting the trail until it heads back to the wagon and explodes all the dynamite contained therein (because all buffalo hunters carry dynamite.)

Eventually, Jonah gets Little Raven back to his tribe and late that night, the chief performs a sacred ceremony making Jonah & Little Raven blood brothers. The chief bestows a new name on Little Raven. He is now Man of Two Bloods.

The next morning, Jonah continues on his way to get the letter when he comes across Homer standing in the road. Homer says that his canteen sprung a leak and asks for a drink from Jonah's. Jonah starts to oblige and we see the barrel of a rifle slide out from behind a rock and hear the thought balloon of hyuk hyuk hyuk.

Statistics for this Issue:
Men Killed by Jonah: 1 buffalo hunter shot & 8 blown to hell.
Running Total: 407
Jonah's Injuries: none this issue
Timeline: In keeping with last issue, this one happens in April of 1878. This is also supported by Mei Ling's statement of Jason being nearly two. This issue covers about a week.

The action just keeps coming from here on out. In this issue we have:

• Jonah fighting Turnbull.
• Jonah trying to get the Phelps letter.
• An introduction of two bounty hunters trailing Jonah.
• A side story of the young Indian boy.
• The return of J.D. Hart

There was no real climax to this issue, just ongoing action and more plot developments.

Wilbur & Homer are two poor characters, what with the hyuk hyuk and the wandering eye (a la Jack Elam). J.D. Hart has changed from wearing tan buckskins and having dark hair to being blond and wearing blue buckskins. The plot with Little Raven is fairly close to the storyline with Little Fawn way back in WWT #12.

Can't give this issue a big thumbs up, but it sure had a lot packed into it.

Next Issue: Everybody gets what they deserve. (It's about time!)

Jonah Hex #76 "Caged!"

Jonah Hex #76 Sept 1983
"Caged!"
Michael Fleisher, story - Dick Ayers & Tony Dezuniga, art - Jim Aparo & Rodin Rodriguez, cover

Slowly, Jonah stalks a large buck through the woods, his mind not really on the task at hand, but rather on his current relationship with Emmy Lou Hartley. He mulls to himself that he really needs to tell her, and soon. What he needs to tell her is that he is not in love with her. When he tells her he loves her, he feels like a liar and when he doesn't tell her, he feels like a skunk. Sadly when they are alone, Jonah finds himself imagining he is back with Mei Ling and that isn't fair to Emmy. Jonah finishes up his mental ruminations with a killing shot to the buck.

Later Jonah totes the buck into camp where he and Emmy are staying and she runs up to greet him. Emmy pulls out a knife and starts dressing the deer but Jonah notices a muzzle flash up in the hills and Jonah barely knocks Emmy to the ground in time to avoid being shot. Jonah tells her to keep her head low and he starts heading through the woods to get the drop on whoever is shooting at them.

Jonah works his way up the back of the hill, lamenting the fact that he didn't have any dynamite handy since dynamite always makes things easier. As it is, he sneaks up on the men and dispatches them one by one. Checking them out more closely, he realizes that he doesn't recognize them, assuming they are bandits wanting to rob he & Emmy for their gear and horses.

Ten days later, in an all too familiar mansion outside Richmond, Virginia, the eternally sour Quentin Turnbull is trying to track down his manservant Solomon. Solomon is out by the woodshed, cutting kindling for the stove. Turnbull says that he isn't hungry and hasn't been ever since...

Solomon finshes the thought, ever since word came that Jonah Hex killed the three men that Turnbull sent to kill him. Turnbull starts lamenting that there is no justice for him in this world but then notices that Solomon has a possum in a cage. Turnbull asks what Solomon is doing with the creature.

Seems like a hot pot of water and several vegetables are soon to be the future home of the possum but Turnbull demands that the creature be released. It's one thing to shoot and kill an animal because death is usually instantaneous but to subject a creature to the prolonged cruelty of prolonged.......

EUREKA!!!! Turnbull has a huge flash of brilliance!



Later that same night (almost 1000 miles away according to the caption, thus putting them in eastern Texas or western Arkansas), Jonah and Emmy ride into a small town and Emmy is lamenting their lifestyle of camping and bad hotels. Jonah says that he is in no mood for a talk about settling down. He has Emmy get a room while he gets the horses into the livery. At the livery, an old man asks if he is Jonah Hex. When Jonah confirms it, he is quickly struck from behind by a pistol and is knocked out.

Later Jonah awakens near a campfire to be greeted by a man in a suit and hat. The man apologizes for having to abduct Hex, but he couldn't have it known that Hex was having a secret meeting with the Governor of the state (which state is never mentioned, but is probably Texas or Arkansas). Gov Phelps explains that he wants Jonah to be sentenced to a long term stay in the state penitentiary. It doesn't matter what crime is committed, but Jonah will be Phelps' eyes & ears in the prison. After a month, Hex will be freed and paid for his time.

Phelps explains that the warden & guards are corrupt but he cannot gather any evidence against them, so that will be Jonah's job. It would not arouse a whole lot of suspicion if Hex were to turn outlaw. Jonah points out one flaw in Phelps' plan. Namely, if anything happens to Phelps, Hex is in prison for the length of his sentence. Hex demands a handwritten letter from Phelps explaining the whole scheme as well as Hex's innocence. Phelps isn't too happy with this request but relents and provides the document.

An hour later we find Jonah Hex, saddlebags over his shoulder, storming down the stairway at the hotel, Emmy Lou trying to keep pace. She keeps asking where is he going, who is he meeting, why does he have to go, but Jonah merely brushes her off, saying that he can't explain and that Emmy will probably be a whole lot better off without Jonah Hex in her life. Emmy loses it, shouting that she probably WILL be better off if she finds a man who cares for her instead of just being a stand-in for a wife that walked out. Hex replies that it ain't true but Emmy says that it is and then Jonah rides off.

Two weeks later a Western Pacific locomotive pulls up to a water tank to take on more water. However, when the fireman pulls down the water chute he finds that Jonah Hex is right there, politely asking for the payroll money that's in the mailcar. The fireman complies and then Jonah rides off with the loot. In the days that follow, Jonah robs a stage and the Western Pacific Railway Express office and there is quickly a $5,000 bounty on his head. Late one night Jonah hunkers down in his camp and is suddenly apprehended and taken to jail.

Two weeks later he is declared guilty of four counts of armed robbery and gets twenty-five years in the state pen.

That evening, Mei Ling is feeding Jason supper when her brother, Mei Wong, comes in waving a newspaper around. The headline proclaims that Jonah Hex is guilty and Wong gives forth with a wonderful "I told you so" speech, telling his sister to fall to her knees and pray that the evil blood in Jonah's veins don't also run through those of her son. Ling demands that Wong leave.

Also that evening we find Emmy Lou reading a similar paper, but she refuses to believe it and she is not about to sit back and let the man she loves rot in prison!

The next morning, Jonah is delivered to the prison where he is issued his stripes (#26150) and encounters the head guard, Bull Kozrak. Kozrak, being a concise kinda fella, explains to Jonah just exactly how the pecking order works in the prison by punching Jonah square in the chops.

Later at dinner, Jonah is talking to another prisoner about the low quality fare being served. The other con, explains that the warden and the guards skim money off of the budget, buy garbage with the remainder and go home happy.

The next afternoon, Jonah and his new buddy are breaking up rocks when the buddy collapses from the heat. Jonah goes to his aid, but Kozrak tells Hex to step away. Kozrak pulls out a whip to help persuade Jonah, but Jonah grabs the end of the whip and lands a hearty left onto Kozrak's jaw. Just as the second blow lands, a chain is thrown around Jonah's neck and while three other guards hold Jonah, Kozrak beats the wholly living hell outta Jonah Hex.



Later a couple of guards drag Jonah down a long cold hallway and throw his bloody broken body into the light-less hole of solitary confinement.



Statistics for this Issue
Men killed by Jonah - three
Running Total - 397
Jonah's injuries - knocked on the head with a pistol and beaten to a pulp
Timeline - This issue covers about 47 days from start to finish. One point references 'several days' so I went with seven. There are a few problems with pinpointing the year for this in the timeline:
1) The Western Pacific Railroad started operation in 1903.
2) I'm still struggling with getting the timeline correct as to when Emmy Lou fits in. With Emmy appearing at the end of the Cassie Wainwright revenge saga (which was supposed to take place in 1874) as well as after Jonah's wedding (probably in 1875 and PRIOR to the Cassie saga), I'm just really beside myself plugging dates onto things. UPDATE: After revisiting the marriage timeline and deciding that the Cassie saga DOES take place after Mei Ling leaves, I will place this in the regular continuity and place this one probably Feb of 1878.

Let's say that at a minimum of a week passed since the last issue in the continuity (#72), we now stand at almost two months from the end of that issue.

Storywise, this is where Fleisher really gets the ball rolling, throwing in almost every character in the Hex universe and the continuity is pretty much intact from here to the end of the run in issue 92. The pacing on the stories is good and the drama of the relationships between Hex/Emmy & Hex/Mei Ling keeps building.

My only gripe was this. Obviously Phelps is working for Turnbull. So, rather than concoct this elaborate ruse to jail Jonah, why didn't they take the unconscious Jonah and rather than take him to Phelps, just toss him into a the prison with the corrupt warden and guards? He would never have gotten out. With a corrupt system owned by Turnbull, no trial was needed.

Next Issue: RATS!!! Both the four-legged and two-legged variety.