All-Star Western #19 Review

I have a pretty dim view of DC's "WTF Month" marketing initiative, but it has led to some intriguing cover images. Perhaps none more intriguing than All-Star Western #19, which features Jonah Hex held at gunpoint by none other than Booster Gold. And why not? It's not as though any other books have been making use of Booster, and Hex is in need of a new sidekick since leaving Gotham in the dust. It's a pairing that immediately elevates what was already a solid, entertaining Western series.

Despite the copious amount of bloodshed in this issue, the tone of the book becomes more lighthearted thanks to the addition of Booster. All-Star Western is quickly becoming the answer to DC's depressing lack of earnestly fun books. Booster and Hex have arguably an even more dysfunctional dynamic than Hex had with Arkham. The fact that Booster seems to have no clear memory of his life prior to popping up in the 19th Century only enhances the humor. The shift from Gotham to a more traditional Wild West setting is also a welcome change of pace.

The only problem I had with the script this month is the slightly awkward structure. The writers immediately dive into the first encounter between the two characters with little in the way of establishing material. Only later on during an awkwardly inserted flashback do readers get a sense of why Booster is present and how he managed to become sheriff of a frontier town. But with that material out of the way, the writers can get back to focusing on the fun of this pairing in future chapters.

The backup tale is slightly more grim but still entertaining in its own right. Palmiotti and Gray continue their slow process of building the 19th Century Stormwatch group, focusing this time on the Master Gunfighter. This segment is a bit front-loaded with exposition as Master Gufighter ruminates on his origin story. But from there the comic focuses squarely on cowboy vs. werewolf carnage, and there's nothing to complain about in that combination.

Staz Johnson's pencils show a flair that is sometimes lacking in Moritat's work in the main story. Johnson offers up some dynamic page construction and framing that, coupled with the moody inking and coloring, effectively blend Wild West action with a more foreboding sense of horror. I'm eager to see where these backup features are headed once the full roster is finally assembled.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.