Written by: Cullen Bunn
Art by: Brian Hurtt
Publisher: Oni Press
The Old West has inspired some of the best movies around, including Silverado, 3:10 to Yuma, True Grit, and Support Your Local Sheriff. However, the Old West hasn’t been covered as frequently in the comic world, save a few exceptions. Thankfully, some creators have started tapping into this untapped potential with newer comics, and they have gone the extra distance by incorporating some supernatural elements. In 2010, Oni Press started publishing a new comic created by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt that dealt with powerful weapons, secret societies, and a lot of weirdness. Now, Oni Press has compiled issues of this comic, The Sixth Gun, into two massive volumes that follow a group of entertaining characters through some unexpected situations.
The Sixth Gun: Volume Two is a compilation of issues #12-23 of the supernatural comic about six guns that are bound to their holders. These guns would be scary enough simply given their unlimited ammo, but each gun also has a unique trait. For example, one gun can raise the dead, another can spread a flesh-eating disease, and a third can set enemies on fire. Each gun can be used on their own to devastating effects, but their combined powers can actually destroy the world if used improperly. The Sixth Gun follows various factions as they each fight over the guns and try to determine the world’s fate.
One such group is the Sword of Abraham, whose goal is to prevent the end of the world. The Sword of Abraham primarily spends their time fighting the Knights of Solomon, another secretive group dedicated to collecting artifacts and unleashing destruction on the world. Technically, the Sword of Abraham don’t possess any of the six guns, but one of their agents is dedicated to protecting the gun’s holders while keeping the villainous General Hume in his casket. Hume is a terrible person that has been killed multiple times, but come back to life just as many. Hume and his wife both want to gather all of the guns together and unleash Armageddon. Unfortunately for the Sword of Abraham, the General’s wife is in possession of one gun that provides regeneration, and she is out for vengeance against a rogue named Drake Sinclair, a young lady named Becky Montcrief, and a former slave named Gord Cantrell. These three heroes are all bound to the guns in different ways, and they have terrible things to deal with including restless spirits, gigantic mummies, and disfigured townspeople.
Gigantic mummies may not be common fare for the Old West, but there is nothing wrong with that. These supernatural enemies are part of The Sixth Gun’s charm. The Old West is very entertaining, but the addition of super powered guns, characters that never die, and disfiguring water just make the story that much better. You never know what is going to happen because of all the different elements. One gunfight even drastically changes when a character shows off two extra arms on his torso, each bearing a revolver. Honestly, who doesn’t love four-armed characters?
The Sixth Gun may be a compilation of later issues in the series, but this shouldn’t stop new readers from picking up the deluxe edition. The story is easier to follow, and each issue does a decent job recapping past events. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt created a very interesting story that perfectly combines supernatural elements with traditional Old West charm and gunfights. These stories draw inspiration from a multitude of sources, which makes everything more interesting. Even the Sword of Abraham and the Knights of Solomon can be compared to Templars and Assassins because of their rivalry that has lasted thousands of years.
Another aspect of The Sixth Gun that is fantastic is the fact that the story is more serious, but nothing feels overly dramatic. Obviously, Bunn and Hurtt didn’t create a comedic take on the Old West, but nothing feels heavy-handed or needlessly serious. The entire story is absolutely enjoyable from start to finish and is long enough to help with your need to keep reading. Plus, the characters are created so well that they all fit a specific role quite well. Even the villains and random side characters (poor little Bunt) are a great part of the story. One part of volume 2 is dedicated to learning the history of Asher Cobb, a character who can see the future in unfortunate ways.
The Sixth Gun Volume 2 as a compilation of comics is well worth the price of admission. The story is endlessly enjoyable, and the art by Brian Hurtt, Tyler Crook, and Bill Crabtree makes the volume even better. Thankfully, Oni Press made this compilation of issues as the perfect package for old and new fans alike.
