Jinny Hex stars in her own book this month, with DC Jinny Hex Special #1.
For those of us hopelessly out of the loop, Jinny is a descendant of yes, Jonah Hex, but with both eyes firmly on the prize. She’s hanging out in the new west, fixing up her grandfather’s car repair business. She knows people. And she’s hanging out with Young Justice, just sayin’.
The western drama kicks off with the arrival of a stranger who claims to know Jinny but has a shady, n’er do well subtext. It’s subversive, slimy, and unshaven at heart. Never mind Hearts, pay attention to Three-Eyed Jack!
Magdalene Visaggio writes this in a ‘snappy comeback’ way, full of sass and grit. The words are cutting and cunning, like daggers held behind the back. The scenes unfold like saloon doors, banging into you as you make your way to and fro. As I mentioned above, this is no place for cityfolk, or the easily confused. This story relies on the reader’s knowledge of the who, what, where, and whenabouts of Jinny in her previous days. A pity, actually, because if the team had taken time to set the stage and coach us readers from the start, this title would pack a bigger wallop in a bigger alley.
The art (Gleb Melnikov, with Luis Guerrero colorist and Gabriela Downie on letters) is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with loads of facial expressions and atmosphere. Jinny is drawn in exaggeration: very cute, very angry, very skinny (10 heads tall) and very everything. The panels, with a few exceptions, keep us traipsing along the storyline, and only wander away into the sagebrush once in a while, leaving us dusty and puzzled. What just happened?? Let’s retrace our steps and look for tracks. Signs. But the colouring, light effects, and backgrounds are powerful. The lettering is strong too, with imminently readable description boxes and dialogue balloons.
Jinny Hex is fresh, dramatic and fun, and certainly butt-kickingly Special!
DC, Jinny Hex Special #1, $4.99 for 39 pages of content. 13+
Newsdesk