Jonah Hex – Shadows West #1–3
Genre
đ§♂️ Horror Western | đ€ Dark Comedy | đ« Supernatural Adventure
“Shadows West” blends the traditional grit of a Western with grotesque horror elements, creating a nightmarish, offbeat ride through the darkest corners of the Old West. It straddles genres with ease, incorporating zombie lore, Lovecraftian monsters, and carnival oddities, all wrapped in grim satire.
Main Characters
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Jonah Hex – The disfigured, tough-as-nails bounty hunter known for his scarred face, quick draw, and moral code as twisted as the world around him.
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Buffalo Will – A flamboyant Wild West showman with secrets of his own, leading an eccentric troupe on the road.
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Doctor Arzen – A mad scientist obsessed with reanimation and dark experiments.
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The Demonic Baby – A monstrous infant hiding a horrifying truth, central to one of Hex’s most chilling investigations.
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Underground Worm Creatures – Ancient, ravenous beasts hidden beneath the Earth, tied to arcane mythologies and forgotten civilizations.
Writer
✍️ Joe R. Lansdale
The Eisner-winning horror novelist brings his signature blend of grotesque imagination and Texan wit to Jonah Hex’s world. Known for his Southern Gothic storytelling in novels like Cold in July, Lansdale injects this series with wicked humor, unsettling atmosphere, and visceral action.
Artist
đš Tim Truman & Sam Glanzman
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Tim Truman handles pencils and layouts, infusing panels with a rough-hewn style that enhances the grim tone.
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Sam Glanzman brings inking prowess and gritty textures that give the comic its pulpy, aged appearance.
Their collaboration makes the artwork feel lived-in and dangerous — perfect for a supernatural Western.
Editor Details
đ§ Shelly Roeberg
Roeberg's editorial guidance ensures the balance between horror and humor doesn’t unravel, allowing the wild, unpredictable narrative to stay grounded in Jonah Hex’s mythos.
Publisher and Brand
đ DC Comics
đ Published under the Vertigo-inspired banner of DC in the 1990s — though not officially part of Vertigo, it shares its mature themes and experimental storytelling.
Release Year
đ 1999
Brief Plot Summary
In Shadows West, Jonah Hex is dragged into a series of increasingly bizarre and horrific adventures. It begins with a deranged doctor who seeks to turn Hex into a zombie for his undead army. Escaping that fate, Hex joins the peculiar Buffalo Will’s Wild West Show, only to uncover a monstrous baby with an unholy origin and a deadly secret. In the final chapter, Hex descends into the earth where he encounters an ancient race of flesh-eating worms — remnants of a forgotten age, still alive and hungry.
Each issue pushes Hex into morally gray and supernatural territory, far removed from his usual bounty-hunting exploits.
Notable Arcs or Storylines
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“The Show Must Go On” – Jonah joins Buffalo Will’s traveling show, discovering horrors beneath the glitz and fake gunfights.
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“The Dark Child” – A mystery involving a devilish baby explores the idea of innocence corrupted and ancient curses.
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“The Worms of the Earth” – A Lovecraftian tale of subterranean horror where Hex becomes mankind’s last hope against ancient evil.
Fan Theories or Interpretations
đ Some fans speculate that Shadows West serves as a metaphorical purgatory for Jonah Hex — a spiritual punishment for his violent past, manifesting as surreal, horror-laced encounters.
Others view the comic as a genre satire, skewering both the myth of the noble gunslinger and pulp horror tropes through Hex’s cynical eyes. There’s also speculation that the underground worms tie into DC’s broader cosmic horror lore, possibly connecting to forgotten multiversal threats.
Review Summary
đš Art: Truman and Glanzman create an atmosphere soaked in grime and shadow, emphasizing the grotesque and the uncanny.
đ Story: Lansdale's script is witty, horrifying, and unpredictable, blending gore with gallows humor.
đ€ Character Depth: Jonah Hex remains stoic and sharp-witted, but is tested emotionally and morally in fresh, unnerving ways. His evolution is subtle yet impactful.
Final Verdict:
Jonah Hex – Shadows West is a brilliantly strange Western horror hybrid. It’s not for the faint of heart — but for fans of Hex, Lansdale, or genre-bending stories, it's a haunting, hilarious ride. đ„đđ
Comic Resource / Read Online (External Source)
