MLGG: Pop Culture News, Reviews & Interviews

Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt’s supernatural Western series The Sixth Gun debuted to great acclaim back in 2010 – and for good reason: it’s an absolutely fantastic comic book.

When Becky Montcrief comes into possession of a supernaturally-infused pistol, she crosses paths with Drake Sinclair and his companion, Billjohn O’Henry. When it becomes apparent that there are some very dangerous men – who have their own super-powered pistols – determined to get rid of Becky and claim her gun for themselves, Drake takes it upon himself to protect her – but more importantly, the gun – at all costs. Yet Drake has his own history with the dastardly, supernatural varmints who want the gun; leading Becky to wonder whether or not she can, or should, trust him. Meanwhile, Becky’s newly acquired gun has plenty of secrets of its own that it’s about to reveal to her…

Despite a lore-heavy premise, The Sixth Gun kicks off at a lightning pace that barely pauses for breath over the entire six-issue run that makes up the first volume. Bunn’s writing is fantastic, drip-feeding the backstory without the exposition ever feeling awkward or clunky – and the dialogue is full of Wild West lingo that really brings the characters to life in a way that makes them feel authentic. Becky Montcrief is a compelling protagonist as well as our eyes into the strange, supernatural Weird West that lurks under the surface of the one we know. The villains all feel distinct, both in terms of their visual design and their characters (not to mention the unique power of each gun they wield) and newly resurrected Big Bad, the undead General Hume, is a truly nasty bad guy that you’ll love to hate (his wife, Missy Hume, is equally detestable).

Hurtt’s art is superb too; a nicely cartoony, though still detailed, style – that capably and clearly renders small and big scale action sequences, as well as the less frequent quieter moments – which is a great match for the Weird West setting.

Despite being over a decade old now, the first volume of The Sixth Gun hasn’t aged a day – and is still an impressively constructed, wonderfully entertaining comic. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

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