GRAY & PALMIOTTI ON THE ORIGIN OF JONAH HEX

[MattBrady]

November’s Jonah Hex #13 begins something that’s never been shown in the character’s over three decades of existence – his origin. Joining regular series writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti for the story will be European comic book legend Jordi Bernet, making a rare appearance in American comics.

We caught up with the writing team for a look inside not only Jonah Hex’s life, but also the production of the series.

Newsarama: Okay to begin with, Jonah’s been around for 35 ish years, and there’s been no definitive telling of his origin? How much of his history is known?

Jimmy Palmiotti: Well, unlike a superhero that wakes up and has powers one day, Hex’s origin is really about a lifetime of events that have driven him to become the man that he is portrayed to be in the books now. With these issues of Hex, we cover the main things that have formed him and we think… the events that the readers would be most interested in reading about.

Justin Gray: His origin was covered very briefly in the past and what we’ve done is expanded on the facts and given deeper insight to the creation of his personality and code of ethics.

NRAMA: Why now for his origin? Was there any resistance to the idea that you were going to put it down as canon?

JG: It evolved over time as part of Jordi’s involvement and amazingly it was the first script we’d written for Hex and it transformed into his origin tale.

JP: We wanted to start the series with this origin tale but the editor at the time, Steve Wacker, thought it would be a story better told later in the series and we all agreed to that. Again, unlike a superhero book, we didn’t need to know the entire backstory to understand the character. He is iconic in many ways because of that fact.

NRAMA: That said then, can you shed a little light on what you mean in regards to his “origin?” It’s not like he came form another planet, or found an alien with a ring in a spaceship…how much of his early years will this story cover?

JG: We’re looking at a non-linear telling of his time in the Civil War, his childhood and time with the Apache. This harkens back to the original idea of telling “Legends of Jonah Hex” as opposed to a continuity-based format so prevalent in comics. We’re showing more of his relationship with his father and the weight of the Civil War on his personality.

NRAMA: While the full story of his younger years hasn’t been told A-Z, there have been milestones mentioned – his father selling him, his being branded as a turncoat to the Confederacy, getting the scar from the tomahawk…how much are you going to be sticking to what’s been mentioned before? I’m gathering that his isn’t a convoluted history like the X-Men, and the pieces of his past are pretty plastic in regards to responding to tweaking…

JP: We’re very loyal to what has come before and are not tying to re-invent the character. That said, we do get to build on past work and give the readers a more complete story. That’s the beauty of writing a book like Jonah Hex…you can make the word as colorful as you want and there is so much noted history and research done, the amount of stories to be told are endless. It’s like painting on a never-ending canvas.

JG: Right - we’re sticking to the established continuity and building on it for a more intimate portrait of the man. There are details and history we left out because they were covered extensively in his first series.

JP: Totally. This is our chance at the same time, to make our mark on the character. It’s all about building a legend.

NRAMA: What’s the setup for him telling this tale? Is there a framing sequence that sets the stage?

JG: As you might expect the framing for this is one of revenge. The Civil War may be over but there are debts to be paid by members of the Union forces that slaughtered a troop that Hex spent some time with.

JP: What we tried to do in this three part tale is give you Jonah Hex: The Movie. It has a beginning, middle and end, and it’s bookended by certain events. I personally think this is some of the best work I have seen Jordi ever do.

NRAMA: With all of the examination that you’ve done on the character, in your view, what elements are crucial to Jonah Hex becoming “Jonah Hex?” Scar aside, he didn’t come out of his momma spittin’ and cussing…what are some of the keys that turned him into the man he is as an adult? Or was there a single moment?

JG: Nah, it was a lifetime of abuse and injustice, but not the kind we so often see in a Hollywood film or even a country song. Jonah Hex starts out as a rather weak and timid child who discovers in himself strength of virtue in direct response to his environment. Growing up in the Wild West was extremely difficult you had to make life and death decisions immediately without hesitation. Hex experiences the cruelty of life in all its gory details and yet he still manages to carve out a path that keeps him one step ahead of insanity.

NRAMA: And as you said, you’ve got Jordi Bernet illustrating this…good lord – who’s you have to kill? Seriously, how did you land him?

JG: Steve Wacker must have sacrificed goats and other livestock.

JP: Very true…we thank Steve Wacker and Mark Chiarello for that magic. I have been a fan of Jordi’s work since I first read the Torpedo books years ago…he’s famous in Europe, especially Spain and Italy, but over here his work is winning an audience a little at a time. His solo book was a brilliant introduction of his work to America and I think these Hex books will seal the deal. This is familiar territory for the man and we all couldn’t be more of a fan of his work. I have over 12 private commissions by him in my home. Nutty but true.

NRAMA: What does he bring to the table, and why are you looking to get him illustrating this story, rather than, a one-parter?

JP: He brings a classic storytelling feel to the book, comparable to Will Eisner and Joe Kubert, and having him available, it would be nutty of us to just give him a one part story. It’s pure greed that drove us to create this three parter [laughs]. I wish we thought of that when we got a chance to work with Paul Gulacy recently…would have been nice to see more by him than only issue #12.

NRAMA: That said, who’s responsible for landing the artists on the series?

JG: It has become a collaborative effort. Steve brought in artists at the onset and Jimmy and I had suggestions and names of people we’d love to work with if at all possible. The same idea transferred over to Mike Siglain when we moved offices. We talk and say, wouldn’t it be great if so-and-so did an issue.

JP: The greatest thing about doing this book and having people love it so much is that we get a lot of offers from big name artists to work with us…and we try to take advantage of this as much as possible. The editor Michael Siglain hits us with artists all the time and we all see if we agree or not at the choices. With Jordi Bernet…well that was an easy one.

NRAMA: So who’s on the short dream list for the book?

JP: Dream guys would be Darwyn Cook, Joe Kubert, Milo Manara, Kevin Nowlan, Moeibus and so on…the list really is never ending.

JG: Darwyn is the man! Also manly are Paul Pope, JH Williams, and Ryan Sook.

NRAMA: What do you look for in artists? Obviously, there’s something…

JG: Obviously storytelling is a huge component of a book like Hex. Much of the story lies off panel or in subtle nuances just like a good western should. We look for artists with an understanding and love of the genre as well. Some people are more suited to a specific genre and some can do it all.

JP: Being an artist I look for everything I wish I could do. I look for storytelling and facial expressions first and foremost. You know… a real talent for bringing us to a time and place and making us feel emotion…after that, just plain skill with rendering and so on. I expect a lot from artists and being a bit of a control freak, make them work harder than most. Ask out colorist Rob Schwager, he’ll tell you

NRAMA: Back to this story…any elements that either of you added in there that you’re particularly proud of?

JG: Personally I love the defining scene between Jonah and his father or what we call the outhouse of horror scene.

JP: I like it all much better after seeing what Jordi did to it.

NRAMA: Finally, since you’re looking at the full scope of his life, c’mon – you’ve got to have an opinion on his controversial end…killed while he was playing cards before he could get a shot off, and then stuffed and mounted and carried around in a Wild West show, his corpse dressed as a singing cowboy. C’mon – there were lots of legends in the Old West…can we really believe that story is true?

JG: I think that works really well as a metaphor for how people viewed the west for a period of time; romantics would like us to believe it was the noble west, historically we know otherwise, but to see that done to Hex only illustrates the way people sugar coat the past.

JP: It is one story told by a storyteller…like all legends, there are different takes on how a famous person died and the Old West was no exception to this. We have our own ideas but really do not have to go there…with so many great tales to be told about the man’s life, the one about his death doesn’t need to be told for a very long time.

[Hobowatcher]

I loved Bernet's SOLO, and these pages are fantastic. I can't wait for this.

I'd also like someone completely out of the left field on Hex. I'd love to see Joshua Middleton on here since he's DC exclusive.

[c_andrew_s]

Jonah Hex is amazing; I love this series. I am looking for to seeing his origin being told.

[O.J. Flow]

...from Bernet as an individual talent, but his style strikes me as a tasty blend of Joe Kubert and Alex Toth.
Pretty awesome in my book.

[Kevin T. Brown]

Hopefully these issues will kick start this series. It's barely holding on to 21,000 readers.... This title deserves at least double that.

[Bevbos]

Great. Just great. The art looks wonderful. More Hex, now!

[christosgage]

Hex is one of my top five favorite DC books, and that's saying something, because I read 'em all and so many are so good. Can't wait for this.

CNG

[Titansmaster]

This title deserves FAR MOREthan the 21,000 readers it gets each month.

It is well written, well-drawn solid western story month in and month out. I have been a collector for far too many years and paid just occassional attention ot the original Jonah Hex run and even less to that "thank God it's not in play anymore" HEX series.

I guess I would ask readers to give this book TWO MONTHS. Add three bucks to your budget for two months or skip another book for those two months but give this book two issues and you won't be sorry and my further guess is that you won't stop there.

Love book.

And now there is a BAT LASH mini-series planned for next year!!

[venus_redsca]

This was actually the first monthly title I started reading. Before I use to just read trades.

I don't think it will be cancelled. I think Didio is looking at launching other Western Titles...

[Texaslon]

Jonah Hex has been consistently an excellant book. With the exception of this upcoming 3 parter, each issue has been "one and done". I would venture to say that Gray & Palmiotti have crafted a series that is heads and shoulders above the majority of what DC is publishing. Pick up these three issues, buy the trade. Support this book!! You won't be sorry.

[Doc Holiday]

I hadn't heard that there is a bat Lash book planned. Any creators attached yet?

I think I'd prefer an El Diablo book. The most recent issue of Jonah Hex, with Diablo in it, was absolutely excellent. Palmiotti and Gray gave us the best and fullest characterization of Diablo I have ever seen, a,nd created a relationship between him and Hex that was perfect. What a team! The page with Diablo and Hex riding into the Bad Gys, shooting while introducing themselves, made me think that this is the World's Finest Western team. Hex's reluctance to open up and allow a friendship to develop, all the while it appears it is there but he will not allow himself to recognize it--very subtle, very nuanced storytelling.

Palmiotti and Gray (what a team!) fully understand these two characters and the chemistry between them, that P and G created on paper, was absolutely perfect. It is a team-up that is very easy to get wrong, or only adequately, but these guys wrote something special.

So I am interested in an El Diablo miniseries.

Incidentally, about Hex's demise--Diablo mentions it in the story--the stuffed effigy on display. I took that to mean it is canon.

[Skinshark]

Looks pretty good, despite the coloring. Hopefully it's less saturated on the page.

Can't wait.

[cynic79]

Originally Posted by Doc Holiday

Incidentally, about Hex's demise--Diablo mentions it in the story--the stuffed effigy on display. I took that to mean it is canon.

Really, it's a great ending for Hex. None of the romance of the West tied up into it. A truly awful ending for a man who lived an awful life. It's very...Hex.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by Bevbos

Great. Just great. The art looks wonderful. More Hex, now!

Ditto. Jordi is simply fantastic. Everyone should read his Torpedo and thank him for it.

[Kamandi2]

Are we ever going to see Mei Ling (think that's how it was spelled) show up or are all of the current stories taking place before Jonah met and married her? She was one of my favorite characters in the old Jonah Hex series.

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by Doc Holiday

I hadn't heard that there is a bat Lash book planned. Any creators attached yet?

Aquaman #44 had the DC Nation column for Sept. 27th (huh?) - it mentions a Bat Lash mini being scheduled. That's the only place I've heard the news.

Originally Posted by Doc Holiday

Incidentally, about Hex's demise--Diablo mentions it in the story--the stuffed effigy on display. I took that to mean it is canon.

I think it was the fortune-teller - part of the whole "If you're so good at seeing the future, why didn't you see this coming?" exchange. But yeah, that sorta implies that it's still canon at this point.

[chbryan]

Originally Posted by Kolimar

Ditto. Jordi is simply fantastic. Everyone should read his Torpedo and thank him for it.

Ditto Ditto.

Good work, DC, on this title generally, and on landing such a great talent as Bernet. I'll look forward to these issues!

[MichaelBrowning]

I've been pushing this comic in my weekly newspaper column since before it was released. These are the best stories written, with the best art in comics and it's all in a done-in-one package.
I've been buying extra copies to try to get others to start picking up this title, too. I want it to stay alive as long as possible. If the numbers dip below 20,000, then it will be in danger. I just wish DC would do more to promote it.
It's definitely my favorite comic.
Check out my gallery of Jonah Hex original art, including one of the unpublished Jordi Bernet pages:
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=30319
Bernet is so perfect for this title. It'd be nice if they could get him on it for good. I have loved each and every artist on the series. I know Phil Noto is coming back for a multi-issue arc and that's good news. Anyone who read his alligator tale in Jonah Hex 10 knows what I'm talking about...
Mike Browning

[MichaelBrowning]

What would really be nice is if we could ever get second and third volumes of Showcase Presents Jonah Hex. I really want DC to continue reprinting his stories in black and white. Heck, I've even offered to let them use the original art I own (the 16 pages of JH co-creator Tony DeZuniga's breakdown pencils to All-Star Western 10, which is Jonah's first appearance, plus the 16 pages of drawn--out-in-cartoon script done by Jonah Hex creator John Albano; I'd gladly let DC use those for a reprint volume. It'd at least let people see what Hex was initially going to be called before Albano came up with the name "Jonah Hex" and it would let them see how Albano envisioned him to look).
Mike Browning

[batlash]

Mmmm... looks like I may actually start reading this book again.

[Travel Exiter]

How many books have Palmiotti and Gray done in the last 5-6 years.


My recollection of their first book was 21 down. It seems like they've had 2-3 or more books out every year since then

[rock334]

This, by far, is the best book on the market at the moment. I buy practically everything Marvel and DC put out every week with a handful of independents. Jonah Hex is always the 1st book I read on the week it comes out. Honestly, If I had to cut back to one book a month, I would choose Jonah Hex as that one purchase. It's that good people. If you are not reading this book, you are definately missing out. Do yourself a favor and pick up the trade paperback that came out this week. The only thing better then reading an issue of the new Jonah Hex series is being able to read 6 issues in a row of it. I envy the people that bought the trade this week and read these stories for the first time. It deserves to be at the top of the charts every month.
On another note, since Mr. Palmiotti reads these boards, I have a couple of questions for him: What are the chances of seeing Jose Garcia Lopez return for an issue or two? How about a guest issue written by Michael Fleischer? Is Michael Fleischer still around? Haven't heard anything about him since the trial in the 80's.
OK I'm outta here...
Once again people. READ THIS BOOK!

Billy

[canugrok]

Originally Posted by Titansmaster

And now there is a BAT LASH mini-series planned for next year!!

YES!!! Where did this get announced? Any artistic team slated yet?

Bat Lash has been a favorite of mine. Those Nick Cardy/Aragones issues are amazing.

I hope that there's a return more to that Bat Lash and not the later generic "bad guy" version.

Yes Yes Yes!

btw...and yes...try Jonah Hex. One of the best comics out there now, western or not.

Hex and Bat Lash. I'm one happy camper.

[BlackDog]

JONAH HEX is an OUTSTANDING BOOK!!! It's poetic, timeless, epic, fun, visually stunning, inmaginative, and a classic in the making. No hyperbole man, this really is a great book, and I recommend it to everyone!

[jza1218]

I love Jordi Bernet's work. I can't wait to see him on this