'All-Star Western' #1 scores again

Here's another glowing notice, this time from TimeOut Chicago. Let this speak for itself: the site states that its previous reviews of the entries in DC Comics' New 52 relaunch focused on books featuring the big-name characters, but for this last week of the relaunch they chose to kick things off with a look at All-Star Western #1, and the roundtable reviewers were previously not exactly Jonah Hex fans.

'Listen to Jimmy' over at Where Monsters Dwell

This week's Listen to Jimmy podcast finds our James expounding on All-Star Western #1 and other vital issues of the day, over at Where Monsters Dwell. Be sure to tune in!

Short & Sweet

A short (but enthusiastic) review for All-Star Western #1 can be found over at News and
News and Sentinel.com.

Kudos from Alaska for 'All-Star Western' #1

The Alaska Dispatch gives All-Star Western #1 some love here, proclaiming it "a great start to a compelling story that combines a classic Western character with a Victorian murder mystery."

'All-Star Western' #1 declared "glorious in its goriness" by Bleeding Cool

There's nothing like a little hyperbole to get the audience's attention — just look at the movie marquees during the glory days of Times Square — and Bleeding Cool certainly provides that with its declaration that All-Star Western #1 is "glorious in its goriness." An equally apropos observation cites the issue as "less pulp fiction or wild western, this is closer to penny dreadful fiction," and that distinction is key when nailing down the industrial age tone of the relaunch. The full review can be read here.

'All-Star Western' #1 in with a win over at IGN

IGN reviews All-Star Western #1 and makes a number of interesting observations while doing so. Click here to benefit from their insights (and obvious good taste).

Four stars for 'All-Star Western' #1 over at Schizopolitan

And now, some support from Schizopolitan. Their four-star recommendation (out of a possible five) can be peeped here.

A Comic Book Blog is totally down with 'All-Star Western' #1

The imaginatively-named A Comic Book Blog weighs in quite favorably on All-Star Western #1 here. Hmmm...I'm sensing a trend...

iFanboy's short but sweet love letter to 'All-Star Western' #1

VinceTwelve over at iFanboy sums up the numerous charms of All-Star Western #1 in the most concise rave review yet. Wanna read it? Well, go here to do just that!

Cosmic Book News digs 'All-Star Western' #1

And the raves keep rolling in, like this one from Cosmic Book News, from the point of view of a reader who knew squat about Jonah Hex prior to picking it up.

Rave review for 'All-Star Western' #1 over at Nerdy Things

All-Star Western #1 has arrived and it's a damned good read. But don't take my word for it, read the glowing review of it found here at Nerdy Things.

(And, speaking as a consumer, this morning I went to my favorite comics shop in Manhattan to pick up a copy of the book, and I was pleased to see that after I bought mine, only three copies remained on the shelf. It was barely just after 10 am. Let that speak for itself.)

'All-Star Western' #1 on sale today!

At last the wait is over: All-Star Western #1 hits comics shops across America today, brought to you by co-authors Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, and illustrator Moritat, so get out there and pick up your copy!

'All-Star Western' profiled at Comic Book Resources

All-Star Western co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray elaborate on their narrative plans for the latest ongoing adventures of bad news bounty hunter Jonah Hex in a detailed interview over at Comic Book Resources. Among other juicy bits of info found there, readers are clued in on the team's plans for placing Hex into not just an urban environment, but a wild and woolly Gotham City that might have been imagined during a story session with John Ford and Sam Peckinpah that ended in a fist fight. Jonah Hex on the loose in the DC Universe's most dangerous city during the industrial age? C'mon, you know you're intrigued! You can read all about these grand designs here.

'All-Star Western' spotlighted over at True West

True West, the website of the magazine dedicated to "preserving the American West," has a feature on the upcoming All-Star Western #1 that includes some exclusive preview artwork by series illustrator Moritat, so click here to check it out. (When you get to the site, click on the image of Jonah Hex to see the art gallery.)

Jimmy & Justin chat with Comic Vine about 'All-Star Western'

Oh, that Jonah Hex, spreading sunshine and making friends wherever he goes.

Another interview, this time over at Comic Vine, and it's made quite clear that the interviewer is psyched about the prospect of co-authors Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray scribing more adventures of Jonah Hex in All-Star Western. (Hell, I'm this site's administrator and I know I'm supposed to remain objective and just present the facts and info but, damn! All this coverage and no copy of the comic itself is making me nuts! Come on, Wednesday!) And while the co-authors get to say more on the series — which debuts tomorrow, let us not forget — this article also features a ton of art by series illustrator Moritat, and it looks terrific. So what are you waiting for? Click here to get in the know!

In-depth 'All-Star Western' interview with Palmiotti & Gray at Comic Book Resources

All-Star Western co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray elaborate on their narrative plans for the latest ongoing adventures of bad news bounty hunter Jonah Hex in a detailed interview over at Comic Book Resources. Among other juicy bits of info found there, readers are clued in on the team's plans for placing Hex into not just an urban environment, but a wild and woolly Gotham City that might have been imagined during a story session with John Ford and Sam Peckinpah that ended in a fist fight. Jonah Hex on the loose in the DC Universe's most dangerous city during the industrial age? C'mon, you know you're intrigued! You can read all about these grand designs here.

Jimmy Palmiotti to promote 'All-Star Western' in person on 9/28

As you are no doubt aware — since by reading this blog you clearly prove yourself to be one of the cognoscenti of quality comic book entertainment — this Wednesday marks the release of All-Star Western #1, and to help promote that momentous debut, co-writer Jimmy Palmiotti will be making appearances at three Coliseum Comics locations in Florida. Come on down and meet and greet with Jimmy, asks him questions, get your stuff signed, and keep in mind that the first fifty people will receive a free — repeat, FREE — copy of All-Star Western #1. Hey, any way you look at it, it's a win/win! Here's the schedule:

KISSIMMEE - 11 am to 12 pm
MILLENIA - 2 pm to 3 pm
FASHION SQUARE MALL - 4 pm to 5 pm

So mark this Wednesday, September 28th, on your calendars, and get ready to schmooze with Jimmy and be blown away by the return of the one and only Jonah Hex!

Supergirl bust by Amanda Conner

Amanda's latest design for DC Direct's Women of the DCU series is this charming, chains-a-burstin' Supergirl, which you can see in considerable detail here. (Attention, DC Direct: How about getting Amanda to do Big Barda and the Female Furies? It's be a must-have, and you know it!)

More 'All-Star Western' previews over at Newsarama

Head over to Newsarama to check out a new interview with All-Star Western co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray that also features three exclusive preview pages of the stunning interior art by Moritat. Click here to go straight to the good stuff!

'All-Star Western" trailer #2

Here's another sample of the all-new leather-slappin' yarns about to be unleashed on September 28th.



Seriously, where are Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone when you need them?

A wee taste of Moritat

All-Star-Western debuts on September 28th, returning co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray to the down-and-dirty horse opera landscape bestrode by uglier-than-a-hungover-lamprey bounty hunter/western badass Jonah Hex, and along for the ride is artist Moritat, who brings a crisp and evocative visual flavor to the proceedings. Check out this wee taste of his artwork. (Click on the page to embiggen.)

Gorgeous, no? And while the gray tones will be present in the published work, they serve as a richly textured accent when the pages are colored by Gabriel Bautista, though the first issue will be rendered in a mood-setting sepia. Rest assured, you can expect the same high standards brought to the character during the recent critically-acclaimed Jonah Hex run, only with new creative ground to be broken and more deserving motherless rat bastards being ushered to an early dirt-nap in old Gotham by Hex. It's the kind of thing that just warms one's heart.

Trailer for 'All-Star Western'

Sometimes it's tough to be objective about this kind of thing when serving as a site's administrator, so please indulge me when I say this looks pretty damned good.

'The Ray' spotlighted at MTV Geek

More coverage on The Ray, this time over at MTV Geek and making note of the intriguing nature of seeing a totally new character rise from the tumult of the "DCnU" relaunch, as opposed to seeing the same familiar faces donning their mantles for the first time (again). Go here for the skinny.

Palmiotti and Gray discuss 'The Ray' at Newsarama

Over at Newsarama, Jimmy and Justin enlighten the curious on their plans with their upcoming take on the Ray, a character who first debuted back in 1940 under the Quality Comics imprint and has enjoyed a handful of reinterpretations since being acquired by DC Comics during the early 1970's. Among other intriguing bits of information, the co-writers reveal:

• During their previous Freedom Fighters runs, they were extrapolating from character notes written by Grant Morrison. The upcoming series allows them to start from scratch with an all-new re-thinking, which is only appropriate for DC's current "DCnU" company-wide reboot.
• The tone of the series will reflect that found in works like Power Girl and Terra, namely "a ton of action and such...but we are looking at a character that deals with light...so we are keeping the book away from the really dark and angry and going more towards the fun and fast paced."
• The series is being written to the strengths of artist Jamal Igle, whose stunning work on Supergirl garnered no small amount of critical acclaim and fan kudos

There's a lot more discussed in the interview, and it can all be found here.

The return of horse opera's butt-ugliest leading man: Jonah Hex in 'ALL-STAR WESTERN'

(art by Moritat)

DC Comics' most venerable and visually-repellent western protagonist — he can't exactly be called a hero, and he'd probably punch you in the face if you referred to him as such — is back for "the New 52" relaunch in All-Star Western #1. Hitting the stands on September 28th, this new series is written by the critically-acclaimed team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, who returned the character to prominence in recent years with the eponymous (and long-running) Jonah Hex, and the art is handled by Moritat (The Spirit). Here's the spin on the new run:

Even when Gotham City was just a one-horse town, crime was rampant – and things only get worse when bounty hunter Jonah Hex comes to town. Can Amadeus Arkham, a pioneer in criminal psychology, enlist Hex's special brand of justice to help the Gotham Police Department track down a vicious serial killer?

Find out on September 28th!

DC Comics announces 'THE RAY' miniseries

(art by Jamal Igle)

With the excitement and critical acclaim building for its line-wide relaunch ("the New 52"), DC Comics has just greenlit The Ray, a four-issue miniseries written by the co-writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (the double-threat behind Jonah Hex, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, and the upcoming All-Star Western), with art by Jamal Igle (Supergirl).

With its first issue due out on December 14th, the series will center on Lucien Gates, a new character who will become the fourth to wear the mantle of the Ray. Lucien’s life is forever changed when a mysterious beam of energy transforms him into a glowing gladiator, a transformation with the good timing to occur as his city finds itself under siege by giant monsters. Unfortunately for Lucien, his girlfriend is not delighted at the prospect of her boyfriend's new-found light powers and superheroic calling!

Stay tuned for more developments!