Jonah Hex is the solution if you like DC but are weary of the showy supernatural crap. If you’re looking to enter into the DC universe but aren’t familiar with its superhuman features, Jonah Hex is the book for you. If you enjoy grim stories, Jonah Hex is the book for you.
He was born in the 1800s, namely in the year 1838. His mother abandoned him ten years later, in 1848. In 1851, he was sold as a slave to the Apache tribe (pronounced -Apaa-Chee). After being deceived by his adopted brother Noh-Tante(pronounce:-Noh- Taante) in 1854, he finds himself at a fork in the path.
Cassie, his future wife, is assassinated in 1859. In 1863, he served in the US Army and had a number of unpleasant events. In 1866, he was marked with the Demon’s Mark. In 1876, his wife Mei-Ling abandoned him and their son Jason. In 1880, he lost his biological mother. His stuffed body was discovered in 1987, and he joined the Black Lantern Corps in 2010.
The more you study his character and learn about him, the more you realise how difficult his life has been. Anti-heroes frequently have a more tragic origin than heroes. He was forced to watch his house fire while his wife and son were inside in the film.
Jonah is cynical by nature and has a bad reputation, thanks to a horrific scar on the right side of his face. However, his own code of honour is unyielding, and after experiencing a great deal of sorrow in his life, he is committed to defending and avenging the innocent. And it’s for this reason that we adore him.
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The Debut Of Our Favourite Anti-Hero Cowboy
Before you see a movie, you watch a teaser. In a similar manner, Jonah Hex made his debut in an in-house commercial for DC Comics’ All-Star Western No. 10. This full-page ad took up space in several DC Comics during November and December in 1971, finding its way into a couple of DC’s war comic lines. In the ad, we see Jonah Hex’s first ever published pictures alongside two comic strip panels with dialogues that set the tone for the character and his story.
Jonah Hex made his debut full-story appearance during the February-March month of the following year, 1972. However, the advertisement’s snippets were not included in the narrative. At this time, All Star Comics had been renamed as Weird Western Tales. In 1977, Jonah Hex got a self-titled series for 92 issues. Michael Fleisher, who is also known for writing for Spectre, was the main writer while Tony DeZuniga took over the art department for the comics.
Jonah Hex: Origin Story
Jonah Hex was born in Missouri to Woodson and Virginia ‘Ginny’ Hex as an only child. They were housed in a little farmhouse. A gang was on the lookout to eliminate fugitive Mormons who had taken refuge in nearby houses. When they encountered the Hex household, Woodson Hex began to attack them with his axe relentlessly, killing each one of them. Virginia stepped out of the house with a newborn child in her arms – Jonah Hex.
However, as you may have guessed, Jonah’s childhood was far from idyllic. Woodson subsequently succumbed to drinking, and his aggressive attitude reached new heights. He would frequently vent his rage on Jonah or his mother.
Woodson entered Jonah’s house on his ninth birthday and began abusing Virginia. Jonah, as a child, took up a revolver and pointed it at his father. Enraged, Woodson turned his attention to Jonah, dislocating his arm and dragged him outside to beat him up. Virginia picked up the gun, pointing it at Woodson and asked him to leave and come back only when he was sober again.
Virginia left the Hex home with a travelling salesman while Woodson was away. She said her goodbyes to Jonah but left him to deal with Woodson on his own.
Woodson came to California with Jonah when his wife left, expecting to mine for gold during the California Gold Rush. He came upon a group of Apache American Indians while travelling. He spoke to the Apache chief to get passage through and sold Jonah to the tribe for the right to do so and some fur pelts.
Because Jonah was just thirteen at the time, the Apache reared him from then on, instilling in him the Apache tribe’s customs and methods. Jonah honed his tracking, hunting, fighting, and survival skills. During a terrifying incident, Jonah had saved the chief of the Apache tribe from a puma. For this feat, the tribe who had initially purchased him, granted him freedom. Jonah could leave the tribe whenever he wished to but having had a better life with the tribe compared to his own family, Jonah decided to stay in the Apache camp.
Noh-Tante, the chief’s son, refused to recognise Jonah as a member of the tribe. Jonah was ridiculed as a result of his taunts until a gorgeous girl from the tribe, White Fawn, stood up for him. The two developed a liking for each other, much to Noh-Tante’s distaste who grew jealous as he harbored feelings for the girl as well.
The Apache chief intended to put Jonah and Noh-Tante to the test one night to see if they were good warriors. They were given the objective to sneak into the nearby camp of the Kiowa Indians and steal their horses. Noh-Tante thought that passing this test would significantly amplify his chances of being with White Fawn. As they raided the camp, they got into a battle with the tribe.
Taking advantage of the situation, Noh-Tante struck Jonah and knocked him out, allowing the Kiowa chief to murder and dump him. He then stole the horses and brought them back home along with a fabricated rumor where he stated that Jonah was killed off by the Kiowar during the raid.
When it came to family, Jonah was once again on the short end of the stick. The Apaches believed that Jonah was dead but a group of bounty hunters conducted their own raid on the Kiowa tribe.
Jonah opted to flee the Apache camp after being betrayed and mistreated by those he called family for the second time. He became a buffalo hunter, vowing to never return to the Apache tribe again.
Jonah grew into a grownup over time. Jonah enlisted in the US Army and served as a cavalry scout. Due to slavery, the county became embroiled in the Civil War between the northern and southern states in 1861. During this time, Americans allied with two opposing ideals regarding issues of slavery and Southern rights as the Southern Confederacy wished to preserve slavery.
Jonah Hex affiliated himself with the Confederate army and joined their fourth cavalry as a lieutenant during the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy from the north. As he served in the army, he met Jeb Turnbull(pronounce:-Turn-Bull), a fellow soldier who went on to become Jonah’s closest friend. Having formed this relationship and having been a slave in the past, Jonah realized he could not support an ideology and system that would hold Turnbull in bondage. So, he abandoned the Confederacy and surrendered at Fort Charlotte to the Union Camp.
The Union camp’s captain demanded that Jonah divulge the whereabouts of the Confederate force. Jonah, on the other hand, disputed it. Samples of clay were taken from the iron hooves worn by Jonah’s horse and they were able to figure out where the Confederate unit was stationed.
They tracked down the insurgents and penetrated their hideout. The regiment was caught off guard by the surprise onslaught and fell victim to the Union soldiers. As they were being arrested, the captain of the Union thanked Jonah in public for assisting them. The soldiers of the Confederacy considered Jonah to be a traitor, following that incident. Jonah punched the commander in the face for which he was sentenced to solitary confinement.
The detained troops were transported to Fort Charlotte, but the camp lacked the necessary rations to feed all of the detainees. The captain of the Union squad misled Jonah into conducting an escape due to a supply shortage. Beneath his cell, Jonah found a shaft that allowed him to access the compound which contained the prisoners, including his friend Jeb Turnbull. Jonah tried to help them escape but this entire act was something the Union’s captain had already planned for, which is why he manipulated Jonah into breaking them out.
As the convicts attempted to flee, Union forces opened fire, killing every escapee, including Jeb Turnbull. This is a historically canon event known as the ‘Fort Charlotte Massacre’. A stray bullet hit Jonah but he somehow managed to kill the captain who pulled the trick on him.
Colonel Akerman, the fort commander, was aware of Jonah’s history as an Apache and sought to utilise him as a role model for the other Rebels. They tied Jonah to a cross on the raft and beat him up brutally until he floated away in the Cumberland River. Later, some villagers found Jonah as he floated, nailed to the cross, and nursed him back to health.
Jonah returned to the Apache tribe, where he was reunited with the chief. But it wasn’t all roses for him when he learned that the legendary Noh-Tante had married his ex-sweetheart, the lovely White Fawn. As the chief of the tribe saw Jonah being alive, he questioned every information he had acquired from his son with reference to the raid on the Kiowa camp. Jonah confessed that Noh-Tante had betrayed him.
Meanwhile, Noh-Tante once again lied about Jonah’s demise, fabricating the myth that Jonah had returned to exact revenge on the Apache.
To get to the bottom of the truth, the chief forced them to fight a trial-by-combat for honour. Jonah, according to Noh-Tante, was the more proficient warrior. They could only use tomahawks as their weapon in the duel so Noh-Tante sabotaged Jonah’s weapon before they could fight. As a result, Noh-Tante was succeeding against his old rival during the combat and attacked brutally.
They slid over a cliff while fighting and ended themselves in an area where no one could see them. Taking this unfair opportunity, Noh-Tante kicked Jonah in the groin and Jonah, unable to use his tomahawk efficiently due to Noh-Tante’s tampering, retaliated by thrusting his Bowie knife into Noh-Tante’s throat. A sacred law prevented him from murdering an Apache which meant that even though Noh-Tante had cheated first, Jonah was to be punished.
He tried to persuade the chief that he killed Noh-Tante in self-defense, but he was ignored. Plus, because that section of the combat took place away from the public view, no one knew Noh-Tante had cheated initially. The final verdict stated that Jonah was to bear the ‘Mark of the Demon’, a mark that signified how he was a man of both good as well as evil. The Apache chief heated a tomahawk and used it to sear the flesh off of one side of Jonah’s face. Jonah had to leave the tribe and could never return. He moved to the wild, wild, West and using the skills he had acquired from his time with the Apache, became the most feared bounty hunter.
However, there are a few differences in this origin narrative in the 2006 Jonah Hex series. Jonah Hex was a soldier in the American Civil War who served in the Southern ranks in this rendition. The reason a side of his face was scarred forever here was not because of the Apache Chief but because of a cruel Union officer.
During his mid-to-late 30s, Jonah married Mei Ling, an Asian-American lady. They lived near the mountains as they settled down but she was vehemently against his job as a bounty hunter.
Jonah Hex had once picked up a tablet that was endowed with magic. He was transported to 1985 when he stuffed it into his waistcoat. He returns to his own time after a demon steals the tablet. He later goes on to being transported to 2050 and spends time living there before returning to his era.
How did Jonah become a bounty hunter?
As you can see, Jonah’s life has been filled with adversity. He once went to the boomtown to drink himself silly and drown his sorrows. He met ‘Mad Dog,’ an outlaw who was attacking a woman, at this period. This reminded him of the time his own father used to be abusive towards his mother. As Mad Dog spoke, his violent sentiments lined up with those of Woodson Hex’s. Triggered by the incident, Jonah’s repressed memories came rushing back and he ended up shooting Mad Dog in the middle of the street.
Following that, a deputy complimented Jonah for capturing Mad Dog and advised that he pursue a career as a bounty hunter, as it is a lucrative business. This inspired Jonah to become one and hunt down felons with bounties on their heads.
Jonah was later slain by George Barrow, but he rose from the dead and gained extraordinary abilities. Following that, he travelled across the American West, China, and South America.
Jonah Hex: Weapons and Skills
Because the majority of Jonah Hex’s stories are grounded in a realistic depiction of reality, unlike numerous other popular DC storylines that are predominantly supernatural, most of Jonah Hex’s adventures are devoid of supernatural powers and superhuman feats. However, having undergone severe training, Jonah has honed his skills to the point of being exceptional.
Jonah’s right eye is blind, yet he has exceptional marksmanship. He has outstanding speed and seldom misses. In a gunfight, he can easily dispatch multiple opponents before they can even start shooting at him. He takes things a step further as he uses two guns in two hands with equal proficiency in wielding both. Legendary gunslinger Windy Taylor was Jonah’s mentor when it came to shooting. His reflexes often rive Batman.
In combat, Jonah is a force, primarily due to his resourcefulness and battle IQ. He uses stealthy tricks, improvises weapons, and traps his enemies with ease. After being transported to the 21st Century, Jonah Hex learns to drive several vehicles and becomes an expert at them.
Jonah carries a pair of Ruger(pronounce:-Roo-ger) Blackhawks in the future. 375 Magnums as they are single action revolvers like the ones he used in the West and with his abilities, overpowers shooters wielding much more modern and superior weaponry.
Aside from his marksmanship and combat IQ, Jonah excels at tracking down foes. He is unaffected by natural disasters. His opponents trying to cover their tracks cannot stop him. Nothing can stop him. His danger sense warns him of traps and it is a skill honed through experiences in hunting and fighting. He can sustain himself in combat despite being severely injured.
Jonah Hex could revive the dead and make them talk in the live-action film, but he has never done it in the comics.
Live Action Adaptation
A live-action adaption of Jonah Hex was published on August 6, 2010. Josh Brolin played Jonah, Megan Fox played Tallulah Black, and John Malkovich(pronounce:-Malko-Which) played Quentin Turnbull. The film had a budget of $100 million.
Jonah’s experience as a Confederate cavalryman during the American Civil War is shown in the film. His superior officer, Quentil Turnbull, is his boss. He obsessively tries to make the Union fall and orders Jonah to burn a hospital down. Jonah, who refuses, is forced to kill Jeb Turnbull, his closest friend.
Turnbull exacts vengeance on Jonah after the battle by forcing him to watch as he burns down his house while his wife and kid are inside. He also tattoos his initials ‘QT’ on Jonah’s face and abandons him to die. Jonah is rescued by Native Americans with mystical powers. They used those powers to bring Jonah back but failed at bringing back all of him. And so, Jonah acquired the power to communicate with the dead and temporarily resurrect them if he maintained physical contact with the corpse. However, the resurrected body still remains to be a lifeless corpse to others.
Hex becomes a bounty hunter after Turnbull’s death to quench his hunger for revenge. This does not come without its own set of issues. In Stunk Crick, Jonah is caught up with the mayor and sheriff who do not intend to pay him for his kill and instead, wish to kill Jonah for the bounty on his head. He kills the sheriff, collects his money and leaves.
Jonah is shot by Army Lieutenant Grass to stop Turnbull from planning a terrorist assault on July 4th. Adleman Lusk, a corrupt aristocrat, assists Turnbull in his search for a weapon. Meanwhile, Jonah resurrects Jeb Tunrbull who tells him that Quentin was at Fort Resurrection.
Jonah discovers the superweapon being built in the Fort. It was a weapon with enormous devastating potential, which is why the US military opposed its development. After Jonah and Turnbull confront one another, the latter escapes while Jonah sustains a fatal blow from Burke and yet, escapes as well. Turnbull tests the weapon in Georgia, leveling a small town to ground and killing innocent civilians. Jonah rides to Independence Harbour by himself to stop Turnbull after being low-key resurrected from a near death situation by his Native American allies.
As Jonah tries to penetrate, Burke fights him, but Hex kills him. Turnbull used Lilah(pronounce;-Lie-Lah), a prostitute he cared for, as bait to entrap Jonah. Lilah is set free, and he and Jonah engage in a combat with Turnbull. Their fight takes them into the engine room where he traps Turnbull’s neck in a gear after beating him up brutally. In the end, he received reward money from President Grant and was asked to be the sheriff of the country. However, Jonah declines the offer and leaves the city with Lilah.
Hex’s Appearance in Other Media
Jonah Hex has featured in a variety of mediums other than comic books, such as anime and cinema. He appeared in Batman: The Animated Series in the episode ‘Showdown’ where Ra’s Al Ghul narrates a story of meeting Hex in 1883 to Batman as the bounty hunter chased after his son Arkady Duvall.
He also featured in an episode of Justice League Unlimited in which modern-day western heroes travelled to Jonah’s historical period.
Jonah Hex first debuted in Batman: The Brave and the Bold in the episode “Return of the Fearsome Fangs,” in which he is nearly killed by the Royal Flush Gang, but Batman saves him. Together, they capture the gang. He appears in ‘Duel of the Double Crossers’ as well, trying to capture Despero for Mongul’sWarworld.
With the 2010 film Jonah Hex, we’ve already seen his portrayal on the big screen.
He also appears in Legends of Tomorrow, when Jonah encounters Rip Hunter, who was hiding with his crew in the Old West in 1861. Together, they fight Jeb Stillwater and the Hunters dispatched by the Time Lords.
He also fought the Shadow Demons and Monitor with Cyborg, Bat Lash, Firebrand, Scalphunter, Johnny Thunder, Johnny Stewart, Nighthawk, and Psimon in the Crisis of Infinite Earths.
Is There Going To Be Another Jonah Hex Movie?
Jonah Hex was expected to return as part of the Crisis of Infinite Earths for a long time. However, the wild, wild west’s winds have calmed down since its publication. Fans are eager to see their favorite anti-hero cowboy back on screen but the movie’s failure has prevented the franchise from being expanded upon.
Jonah Hex, on the other hand, has been able to attract more fans because to shows like Legends of Tomorrow and Crisis. We can only wait for studios, particularly Warner Bros., to come up with anything new for the time being. A reboot or a spin-off would be cool but nothing would please the hardcore DC fans more than a canon adaptation of the comics.
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