Written by: Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
Art by: Mike Norton and Bill Crabtree
Publisher: Oni Press
It’s been a pleasant two weeks for fans of The Sixth Gun. Last week, Oni Press released a prequel comic called Valley of Death that explained how Death was trapped in a totem to protect mankind. Now, the publisher has upped the ante by releasing an even larger prequel story called Days of the Dead. This comic continues some aspects of Valley of Death while introducing some of the major players from the main series. Days of the Dead may not be absolutely perfect, but the comic is essential and enjoyable reading for fans.
Days of the Dead includes a lot of characters from the main series, including the Knights of Solomon, Eli Barlow, the Swords of Abraham, and Drake Sinclair. However, Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt don’t simply stick to these main characters; instead, the writers choose to weave a larger tale combining characters from the various stories. Thankfully, this means that Kalfu makes another appearance in the series. Kalfu is the keeper of the Crossroads and the best character from Valley of Death. Having him back in the story is fantastic because he doesn’t take any guff from the god of death or anyone else.
Near the end of Valley of Death, the god of death was imprisoned in a little skull that Kalfu hid in a body of water. Unfortunately, this totem didn’t work in the slightest as Yum Kimil (the god of death) escaped from the totem and ended up taking over a vessel. This unexpected event caused a manhunt that traveled to portions of America and spawned unlikely alliances. Additionally, Roberto Vargas, a Sword of Abraham, found a way to reconnect with his long-dead father in a crucial way. This connection with the father led to multiple run-ins with villains and friends alike but also added another dimension to the story.
When Roberto Vargas wasn’t swapping stories with his dead father’s skull, he was working with an unlikely ally in a man named Jesup Sutter. This man was a Knight of Solomon and the sworn enemy of Vargas, but Sutter and Vargas had similar goals in their pursuit of Eli Barlow. This creepy necromancer took control of Sutter’s lady friend and caused astounding amounts of damage in his pursuit of reviving Yum Kimil. All of Barlow’s decisions were terribly evil and involved raising the dead, so Sutter and Vargas needed to work together to achieve any resolution.
The plot may sound like an episode of Supernatural, but Bunn and Hurtt execute it to perfection. Days of the Dead features a lot of necromancy, human possession, and even more betrayal. Fans of the main series will already know that Eli Barlow is super evil, but watching him show off and become that crazy villain was an added bonus. Plus, Days of the Dead also introduced Drake Sinclair, who is one of the more entertaining characters from The Sixth Gun.
Days of the Dead was a great addition to The Sixth Gun, especially when the included characters are taken into consideration. Vargas, Sutter, Sinclair, Barlow, and Kalfu are all important characters in this universe, and they make Days of the Dead very engaging. Even better, Mike Norton and Bill Crabtree add in art that makes the comic come alive. Seriously, that panel with Zhang getting a hatchet to the head was pretty great. The Sixth Gun continues to be one of the most entertaining series around, thanks to a great story and art.
Honestly, Oni Press could probably get away with releasing a new issue every week.
