Superhero Origins: Jonah Hex
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VOICE OVER: Dan Paradis
One of the most feared men in the Wild West, Jonah Hex made his debut back in 1972. He was introduced as a tough hombre with a horrifically scarred face and a hunger for outlaws. As a bounty hunter, he rid the land of many despicable villains. But his own scary nature made him unwelcome in the towns he served. It was only sometime later that the true nature of his horrific disfigurement, and motivations were revealed. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we explore the comic book origin of Jonah Hex. Special thanks to our user freethinker600 for submitting the idea on our Suugest Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
*Script written by Craig Butler
The Old West could be mean and rough – especially when Jonah Hex was around. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Jonah Hex.
As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1977-1978’s Jonah Hex #7 and 8, and which was expanded upon in 1987’s Secret Origins #21 and 2007’s Jonah Hex #13-15.
One of the most feared men in the Wild West, Jonah Hex made his debut in All-Star Western #10 in 1972. The story established the character quickly. He was a very tough hombre with a horrifically scarred face and a hunger for outlaws. A bounty hunter, he rid the land of many despicable villains. But his own scary nature made him unwelcome in the towns he served.
Hex’s origin was first revealed in a two-part story in 1977 and 1978. As a boy, he was raised by a drunk and abusive father. At age 13, his father sold him as a slave to a tribe of Apaches. Two years later, Hex saved the tribe’s chief from a puma and was made an official member of the tribe.
Hex’s superior skill earned the enmity of the chief’s son, Non-Tante. When the two were sent on a mission to steal horses from a neighboring tribe, Non-Tante betrayed Hex. After securing the horses, Non-Tante left Hex to be killed by their enemies.
Hex was spared when the tribe was attacked and slaughtered by white men after their scalps. He then went to get his revenge on Non-Tante, but found his tribe had broken camp and moved on. Hex spent years looking for them, becoming a lethal gunslinger in the meantime.
When Hex finally located Non-Tante, he challenged him to a fight. Hex would have won, but Non-Tante provided Hex with a defective tomahawk. Hex ended up using his knife, killing his foe in the process. As punishment, Hex’s face was scarred and he was sent away again, beginning his career as a bounty hunter.
The basics of Jonah Hex’s origin have remained pretty consistent over the years, but a few details have been added. In a 1987 re-telling, readers learned that Hex’s father gave him his first rifle. They also learned that the father was as abusive toward Hex’s mother as he was toward the boy. This added to another detail: In later years, Hex couldn’t stand to see women or children being treated unfairly by men.
The 2007 re-boot of Jonah Hex made some further changes. Hex’s father once trapped the boy in the pit of an outhouse as punishment. More importantly, Hex’s disfigured face came about as the result of the Civil War. Previously, Hex had always been established as a Confederate soldier. In the new re-telling, he was tortured by cruel Union soldiers as a lesson to other rebels.
One of the most popular of DC’s western characters, Jonah Hex has made several appearances in other media. In addition to starring in his own feature film, the gunslinger has popped up in a number of DC Animated Universe projects. He may not be a typical hero, but his distinctive setting and character make him a welcome change to the normal capes and cowls.
Are you a fan of Jonah Hex? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Superhero Origins: Jonah Hex
The Old West could be mean and rough – especially when Jonah Hex was around. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Jonah Hex.
As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1977-1978’s Jonah Hex #7 and 8, and which was expanded upon in 1987’s Secret Origins #21 and 2007’s Jonah Hex #13-15.
One of the most feared men in the Wild West, Jonah Hex made his debut in All-Star Western #10 in 1972. The story established the character quickly. He was a very tough hombre with a horrifically scarred face and a hunger for outlaws. A bounty hunter, he rid the land of many despicable villains. But his own scary nature made him unwelcome in the towns he served.
Hex’s origin was first revealed in a two-part story in 1977 and 1978. As a boy, he was raised by a drunk and abusive father. At age 13, his father sold him as a slave to a tribe of Apaches. Two years later, Hex saved the tribe’s chief from a puma and was made an official member of the tribe.
Hex’s superior skill earned the enmity of the chief’s son, Non-Tante. When the two were sent on a mission to steal horses from a neighboring tribe, Non-Tante betrayed Hex. After securing the horses, Non-Tante left Hex to be killed by their enemies.
Hex was spared when the tribe was attacked and slaughtered by white men after their scalps. He then went to get his revenge on Non-Tante, but found his tribe had broken camp and moved on. Hex spent years looking for them, becoming a lethal gunslinger in the meantime.
When Hex finally located Non-Tante, he challenged him to a fight. Hex would have won, but Non-Tante provided Hex with a defective tomahawk. Hex ended up using his knife, killing his foe in the process. As punishment, Hex’s face was scarred and he was sent away again, beginning his career as a bounty hunter.
The basics of Jonah Hex’s origin have remained pretty consistent over the years, but a few details have been added. In a 1987 re-telling, readers learned that Hex’s father gave him his first rifle. They also learned that the father was as abusive toward Hex’s mother as he was toward the boy. This added to another detail: In later years, Hex couldn’t stand to see women or children being treated unfairly by men.
The 2007 re-boot of Jonah Hex made some further changes. Hex’s father once trapped the boy in the pit of an outhouse as punishment. More importantly, Hex’s disfigured face came about as the result of the Civil War. Previously, Hex had always been established as a Confederate soldier. In the new re-telling, he was tortured by cruel Union soldiers as a lesson to other rebels.
One of the most popular of DC’s western characters, Jonah Hex has made several appearances in other media. In addition to starring in his own feature film, the gunslinger has popped up in a number of DC Animated Universe projects. He may not be a typical hero, but his distinctive setting and character make him a welcome change to the normal capes and cowls.
Are you a fan of Jonah Hex? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
