Why is Jonah Hex so popular?

[Bo_Hogg]

All the golden age western comics are totally dead. They are all going down in price in the guide. Kids no longer look up to cowboys and there are no westerns on tv. So why in the world is Jonah Hex so popular??!!!!!!!

 

[Cimm]

Great stories, nice art, and well-developed character... most westerns are one-and-done anthology type short stories... Jonah Hex is a narrative, and it crosses a couple of genres, if you include the modern version into the mythos.

[Grimace-migration]

i spoke about this in the "What is the new key investment book for the Bronze Age now??" last week

 

i have no idea why this character is valued at what it is. WAAAAAAAAY over valued!!! first off i will say i'm not commenting on the character itself i'm commenting what the books are valued at. having said that now, the books didnt sell well when there were being published in the 1970s, a no name artist for most of the run, a western comic, a 1970s dc book and a movie that failed bad. i just dont get it. ok i'll give you his 1st appearance should be a few dollars but $725 in last years guide? the 1st edition of his series is i think over $200 now. does that make any sence to anyone? its worth 2x as much as star wars #1. yes there are more start wars #1 but theres allot of jonah hex #1s and star wars appeals to a wider range of people not just comic people AND believe it or not some women.

 

i know theres a bias for dc in the guide that they always have to have the highest valued books. if a marvel book gets real valuable with in 2-3 years a dc book will beat it. take a look at the guide history.

 

then people will say well its harder to find. so, just cause somethings hard to find doesnt mean its worth more. look at all the goldenage comics that guide for nothing and are impossible to find. or then best example is dc 100 page super spectacular #5. at one time the most valuable bronze book,why? who ever wanted it? i had my copy for 20 years before i could get rid of it. i have never in all my years of collecting ever had someone ask me for it or anything from jonah hex.

continued

if jonah hex's 1st app is worth $725 then conan #1 is a $3000+ book. more important to the collecting world, top notch artists, huge seller, a currently more popular genre, created spin off and magazine line, and 2 hit movies and a spin off with red sonja and a well know part of the culture. looks to me its everything jonah hex isnt.

 

 

[James Howlett]

It must be because of the awesome movie.

[HouseofComics.Com]

[HouseofComics.Com]

Btw, Jonah Hex is one of my top selling DC titles of the 1970s. I also have good luck with the Tim Truman miniseries, though those are horror westerns.

[500Club]

The current Hex series is a great read. Single issue stories for the most part, no massive crossovers, Deadpool doesn't guest star etc etc

[shadroch]

Everybody and his brother bought multiple copies of Conan #1. Few if any bought multiple copies of Hex's first appearence. Conans have been valued from the get go and have been preserved as collectibles. Hex didn't get hot for many years and most of his books were three for a dollar box material, not bagged and boarded like early Conans.

Go to any show. Every dealer will have at least one copy of Conan #1, usually in good shape. At most smaller shows, you are lucky to find a single All Star Western #10.

[Grimace-migration]

Everybody and his brother bought multiple copies of Conan #1. Few if any bought multiple copies of Hex's first appearence. Conans have been valued from the get go and have been preserved as collectibles. Hex didn't get hot for many years and most of his books were three for a dollar box material, not bagged and boarded like early Conans.

Go to any show. Every dealer will have at least one copy of Conan #1, usually in good shape. At most smaller shows, you are lucky to find a single All Star Western #10.

 

why were hex's in discount bins, cause no one wanted them.

 

i used conan as an example of a non super hero marvel comic book from the same time period. i also used star wars for the same reason. the only difference with star wars is that its a true 1st app where as jonah hex is a series #1. star wars had an up and coming artist some people knew about but the art sucked.

 

i never said conan was rare. i said all jonah hex book are waaaay overvalued. just cause something is uncommon doesnt make it valuable.

 

the character and stories may be amazing. i never read enough of them to comment on the character. i'm just saying the books are way over valued for what they are.

 

 

 

[Cimm]

It's simple... there is more demand than supply, so the price will rise until the demand slacks off or the supply reaches saturation level... neither of which has happened in the last ten years or so...

[Jeffro.]

why were hex's in discount bins, cause no one wanted them.

 

Perhaps, but now people do want them. The fact is that Jonah Hex was (and still is) a popular character. Popular enough for DC to publish the character from the early 70's until the mid 80's. Popular enough to survive the infamous DC implosion of the late 70's. Popular enough to warrant additional comic series. Popular enough to warrant a major hollywood movie (admittedly a stinker though) to be made.

 

 

then people will say well its harder to find. so, just cause somethings hard to find doesnt mean its worth more. look at all the goldenage comics that guide for nothing and are impossible to find. or then best example is dc 100 page super spectacular #5. at one time the most valuable bronze book,why? who ever wanted it? i had my copy for 20 years before i could get rid of it. i have never in all my years of collecting ever had someone ask me for it or anything from jonah hex.

 

Demand plus "harder to find" = worth more.

"harder to find" plus little demand = less worth

 

I will grant you that Jonah hex 1 is overvalued. I don't think anyone gets guide for that book raw. ASW 10 is another matter.

 

 

[MisterX]

Say, Bo-Hogg and Grimace, have you guys ever read the comic?

 

Jonah Hex, I think, is hands-down one of the best comics from the 70s, and is probably one of the most well-written comics out there, period.

 

Sure, the Western genre is a fading, but Hex was always done in the Man With No Name anti-hero-style of the Clint Eastwood pics. As far as I can tell those movies are considered even more popular and iconic today, even though westerns hardly ever get made anymore (they get dressed up in spaceman costumes instead).

 

The anti-hero aspect of his character is what keeps him more popular today, I think, than, say, the Lone Ranger or Zorro, or Hopalong Cassidy.

 

OK, now, that said, I also think Jonah Hex 1 is probably overpriced, and I think the main reason has to do with the big Number One on the cover, even though it's really more like Number Thirty-Eight.

 

All-Star Western 10 continues to go up in price, I think, because a segment of our collecting community will (and always will) be more comfortable parking their money in Key Books that they believe will give them some sort of return on their investment in the future. The Investment Potential of ASW 10 was hyped before the movie and now the book will probably settle back down to a more logical price.

 

ASW 10 also goes up in price because it is full of awesome.

 

 

 

 

[the blob]

overvalued in the market or overvalued in guide are two different things. jonah hex is a character introduced in the early 70s via a title that didn't have a mammoth print-run or collecting of it that has hung around (with a few lapses) for almost 40 years and currently has a somewhat popular series. jonah hex is certainly not the tw0-gun kid or anything like that genre, he's an anti-hero and just like clint eastwood spaghetti westerns are still favorites on TV, we like out jonah. you don't think if they "found" a lost never released eastwood / sergio leone spaghetti western and put it out today that it wouldn't gross several hundred million?

 

whatever AS Western #10 goes for in 9.8 is definitely no less logical that what WWBN 32 or Marvel Spotlight 2 in 9.8 are going for.

 

yeah, JH 1 at $200 makes less sense. not a hard to find book at all. but i suspect a genuine (even raw) NM copy was probably cracking $100 before the movie hit.

[Grimace-migration]

once again i'm not talking about the character. i havent read enough of jonah hex to comment of the quality of the series. i just talking about the overstreet stated value of the books.

 

i think jeffro has made some good points especially the "Popular enough to survive the infamous DC implosion of the late 70's." point. around here back then jonah hex was dead it was selling less than charlton was. although it seems charlton was selling higher here than other places. in all my years of collecting no one has ever asked for any issue of jonah hex.

 

everything else jeffro said can also be applied to warlord minus the movie. well written, at least the issues i read, great artist, survived the dc implosion, currently more popular genre, and one of only two dc bronze age character to last the bronze age. the only difference is its very under valued. over the years i've had way more people ask me if i had any warlords than hex's.

 

all star western #10, yes it a key book but should it be a valued over say marvel spotlight #5? thats a tough book to find in real high grade and everyones been looking for it for the last 10+ years. the character has a bigger presence in the comic world and pop culture. which explains the successful movie. is it a uncommon as all star western #10. lets see

 

all star western #10

9.8 2

9.6 7

9.4 16

 

marvel spotlight #5

9.8 1

9.6 18

9.4 54

 

i was real surprised that marvel spotlight #5 was so low in numbers. i think its pretty close with the exception of 9.4. considering the lower print run of all star western looks like a lot survived in in relation to marvel spotlight who's print run was what 2-3x all star western. AND theres more 9.8s of all star westerns. i didnt expect that.

 

in last years overstreet all star western #10 is valued at $750nm-, marvel spotlight #5nm- $450.

looks to me when you factor in all the point about both books marvel spotlight #5 has more going for it. it seems like all star western #10 is overvalued. and i'm not even going to start with jonah hex #1. that and werewolf by night #32 are the 2 most overvalued bronze age books.

 

[Gatsby77]

Funny you should mention that because I'm a huge fan of Jonah Hex and Ghost Rider, and think they parallel each other--have a lot in common.

 

Each tends towards picaresque single-issue stories--anti-hero rides into town, fights bad guy, saves damsel in distress, and rides off into the sunset alone, a tortured (and damned) soul.

 

And both were darn good reading.

[shiverbones]

Sounds like a classic case of "what I like is the best & what you like is no good."

 

 

[Grimace-migration]

Sounds like a classic case of "what I like is the best & what you like is no good."

 

 

if you are referring to me not liking the character i have stated it 2-3 times i'm not knocking the character. i'm using evidence of whats available and my experiences to explain my point of a book thats overvalued, in my opinion. i havent said one negative thing about the character or anyone who reads it. i have actually given the book credit as to its staying power. I also think some posters have good points.

 

it just useless internet chatter.

 

the last thing i'm going to do is make fun of what some one likes or collects. i love charlton books and you cant get any lower than that.

 

 

 

 

[shiverbones]

Hey Grimace, I have never met you, so it's not personal, but I have to say your post rankled me a bit.There were several points in your post based on comparisons you are making that show your feelings about the book. A lot of statements just struck me as odd, or not thought out.

 

A few points to random statements

 

- Your comments about a no-name artist - There were very few "Name artists" when the book came out. Sure you had the classic giants of the field, but it was not like it was today, artist worship was in it's infancy then. The Dominguez art is gorgeous, Kubert worked on covers throughout Weird Western & Jonah Hex, the Writer, Michael Fleischer was actually what would have been considered a "Hot Writer" then.

 

- A failed movie has nothing to do with the book or why it is collected. This has been on the radar for well over a decade.

 

- What is more popular with the general public has little importance on what has value in the niche of comic collecting. Star Wars may be more popular with average people, but 99% of those people will never buy a vintage comic. A comic being as common as Conan #1 or Star Wars #1 hurts their value dramatically, it is not about popularity, it's supply & demand. There may be only 4 people who want a particular comic in the entire world, but if there are only 3 copies, it's going to be expensive.

 

- The 70's DC argument. You mention that as a slam in the opening rant of things wrong with it. Some of the most desirable bronze books are DC, some are Marvel, that is the way it goes. "DC" isn't a detractor unless you only care for Marvel, which is the only company you pulled examples of to pit ASW10 against. The statement about Overstreet DC bias is completely unfounded too, it's a bizarre theory & simply not true.

 

- Ghost Rider is no more relevant to the world than Jonah Hex. To comic collectors what is relevant is supply & demand. In terms of the amount of people who would actually plunk down crazy cash for either MS5 or ASW10, the numbers you posted show why ASW10 is worth more. There are WAY more 9.4 & 9.6 copies of MS5 in terms of satisfying the pool of people who play in the high end market. Obviously both are popular enough & tough enough in high grade that they both have a great deal of value, unlike Star Wars #1.

 

- Overstreet is meaningless when it comes to value, it doesn't matter what they say something is worth, market sales show any true picture.

 

Jonah Hex #1 is very overvalued in the guide, that is 100% true

[Grimace-migration]

hi shiverbones thanks for replying.

 

a lot of what i said is looking back over the years at the book instead of, for instance when all star western came out. back then the only real 'name' artist were kirby, ditko, adams, maybe steranko and maybe one or two others. when i mentioned the artist i'm not commenting on the art itself. in the collecting world mike grell art has a premium over dominguez art. we both know just cause an artist has a name doesnt mean he's a great artist.

 

yes a failed movie has a part to play in a books value. we see it all the time that before a movie comes out the books go up when the movies is successful the books lose less ground. when a movie bombs it can plummet the value of the books. plus for someone new coming into the collecting/investing field a negative movie can effect a person choice of buying the book.

 

sorry the general public has importance on our collecting field. or stated a little differently non comic collecting/investing people from a different collecting field has some influence on what we collect. heres three examples priced at nm-

 

barbie & ken dell 1962-94

1 750

2-4 580

5 600

 

beatles,the dell 1964

1 850

 

ronald mcdonald charlton 1970-71

1 130

2-4 70

special not for sale reprints

1,3 85

 

now of those three series none of the have any play in the comic universe. why are they so valuable, pop culture and the people who collect those from other genres drive up the price.

 

yes popularity does have major factor in determining the value of a book a good example is

 

wolverine 1982 mini series

1 75

 

is that book rare? uncommon? the number of cgc'd books from 9.2nm- to 10.0mint is 4307 yet it still sells. if popularity didnt have a major factor most mainstream 80s book would have taken a huge hit.

 

yes supply and demand is a big part and yes conan #1 has a bigger supply but will also always have an overall bigger demand in the collecting/investing field. my opinion of course.

 

superman #75 "death of superman" bagged version overstreet value $18, why? over supply and 0 demand yet guides for almost $20 in an age that comics have no value, for the most part to collectors, cause theres too much of it out there. how many of millions of these were produced, yet still guides for $18.

 

dc and the 1970s "some of the most desirable bronze books are dc", no, not when you compare it to all of what dc was producing. its not spread out all over most titles like it is with marvel.with the dc comics it always the same few titles over and over again. dc comics didnt sell well in the mid 1960s or through the 1970s. if they sold so well then we wouldnt keep hearing the same old 'well dc had a smaller print run' or 'dc are harder to find cause less were made'. its not like they were harvey or archie comics that sold big and here read to death. marvel and dc were collected. dc didnt produce one iconic character in the 1970s. maybe i might say swamp thing but i dont think he really did. by iconic character i mean a character that breaks out into pop culture. thats where companies really make their money, its not producing comic books. marvel and dc both almost we out of business doing that in the 1970s. marvel had at least two to three big characters that broke out into pop culture. dc started off the bronze age with the most important artist/creator every in the history of comics, jack kirby. how did that work for them? jack was still on top of his game, not like when he went back to marvel. plus the fact he had his own personal inker, mike royer, and that did help. marvel was probably selling more comics of jack's reprints than dc was selling his new books. dc has be using the same characters that started in late 1930-40s. yes i prefer marvel, doesnt mean i hate dc. one series i really liked from the 1970s was steel by dc. no one likes that series or has even read it. i know marvel produce some junk but marvels junk to me was a lot better. i used dc and marvel because they were the only ones producing such a wide range of comics. who else was creating as many characters as these two companies?

 

ghost rider is a more popular character over all in the collecting/investing world. " To comic collectors what is relevant is supply & demand." and being convinced through forums, magazines, websites and ebay what the next hot thing is. in the stock world its called "pump and dump". all the out side factors play a part in the value of a book. it's what we do as humans is being influenced to buy a certain product or think a certain way. if your reasoning of supply and demand was true than movie hype would have no major effect on a book because the supply is there for a lot of comics that are valuable but no demand. i have already explained my take supply and demand. there is a difference between real demand, like neal adams batmans or a fake demand like valiants

 

i tend to agree with you on overstreet. it is getting less and less relevant to our hobby. but it is still the only guide we have and i used it here as a something to base my crazy theories off. otherwise i'd just be some nut

 

before i go i want to say again i'm not knocking the character, art or stories of jonah hex. i based my thoughts from the collectible stand point and if someone new was entering our hobby.

 

[MisterX]

Grimace, what's your horse in this race?