By: Kevin Watkins
Creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, from The Damned fame, bring us a new on-going western-horror tale set after the Civil war.
Summary: From the opening, the legend of The 6th Gun is a creepy story, told by a creepy women, who is hiring some creepy men to do some creepy things. Man… that’s creepy. Well, that’s the feel you get from the outset of this brilliant debut issue. Mix in a shady gun-for hire, a poor unsuspecting woman, monks with guns (yes…monks with guns), and some Pinkertons, and what you have are just the right elements for a great yarn. But hey, who are these characters you are talking about? Easy there fan-boy, just relax and read the first issue. You are in very capable hands with these creators. I could summarize the issue for you, but why ruin it?
Thoughts: When I first heard that Bunn and Hurtt were doing The 6th Gun, I was interested to see their take on western-horror. They had already succeeded with their first two collaborations, The Damned and The Damned: Prodigal Sons, both set during The Untouchables gangster era with a HP Lovecraft horror element. Needless to say, they have outdone themselves with The 6th Gun. Bunn’s script is clearly focused and the dialogue is sharp. He reveals just enough in the first issue where you’re like, What’s with that eerie rider with the burlap sack on his head? And he calmly responds, with a shit eating grin on his face, You’ll just have to keep reading. A clear example of confidence in your script. Hurtt’s artwork–(take note aspiring comic artists) pencils, inks, and colors, has completely entered into the fourth dimension. He conveys nothing short of a passion for his trade from his meticulous town details to the ensemble of characters throughout the first issue. Did I mention that he lettered it too? The 6th Gun is a western-horror (or weird-west) fan’s wet dream. It’s as if David Milch was filming an episode of Deadwood and in strolls John Carpenter from the 80s (yes fan-boy, the 80s was the decade with the best horror) and Guillermo del Toro to tell him how to do it better. I can’t wait to see where Bunn and Hurtt take us with this story. They both show complete and utter respect for the material that shines in this first issue.
Rating: 10/10. Completely reminds us why we go to the comic shop every Wednesday. Fully realized and focused.
