Pale Horse #1 (Boom! – Cosby / Nelson / Dibari)
BOOM! Studios re-invents the Western – and you’ve never seen the Old West like this before. Ex-slave and former Union soldier Cole has spent the years following the Civil War building a reputation as the most fearsome bounty hunter in the land. But when the tables turn and a bounty is placed on Cole’s head, all hell breaks loose. Finding himself unable to protect the thing most precious to him – his family – Cole goes on a rampage of revenge, leaving only a trail of blood in his wake. With nothing but his horse, his one surviving son and his gun, Cole’s rampage leaves no stone unturned and no culprit alive! Covers by Leonardo Mancoo and Robert Adler.
These two great writers bring their best to the table and create an excellent addition and standout to the “western” resurgence that is happening in today’s modern geek culture.
This is a classic, but not tired, take on the Old West bounty hunter. Cole has a heart of a hero and father, but the skills of a killer. He is on the run and trying to teach his son right from wrong, while bringing enough bad guys in to hopefully fill the hole in his conscious left by not being home when a gang of gunslingers killed his wife. This first issue brings the reader right up close to the haunted protagonist, and we are happy to cheer him on and be behind him as he searches for a better life for his son and himself.
Like I said, this isn’t an entirely new plot, but these two excellent writers not only make it palatable and entertaining but also seem fresh. Freshman artist Christian Dibari shows he has a lot of potential with this issue. The only other work of his I have seen of his was in the now defunct Dabel Bros. Warriors books, which I thought he did a great job on. With Pale Horse, while there are a few frames that look hurried, the vast majority of the work in the issue flows and frames this dark tale well.
Bottom Line: Looking forward to issue #2
Issue Grade: A-
