Another summer comic book movie is coming for you and your $9. If you’re a comic book freak, you already know what’s coming down the pipe…or you may THINK you know. My research has turned up glaring differences between DC’s Jonah Hex and Warner Bros.’ version. Bottom line, if you’re going to the theater to see a Jonah Hex’s interesting life story laid out, you may be disappointed as it seems that Warner Bros. has simply bought the title and concept as a skeleton and left the guts behind for their vision. The 1970’s DC Comic’s antihero is somewhat dismantled for this big screen adaptation. Jonah Hex is the epic story of a stoic and scarred man’s quest for the ultimate redemption as played out on the canvas of battle with pure evil. What looks like supernatural elements combine in a Western theme for a rowdy and especially bloody ride. The back-story of Jonah Hex is wilding interesting and multi-layered in the comic but how it will play out on screen is unclear based only on previews. Crank co-writers created the biggest adventure yet for the dark and shadowy figure who is Hex. Hex doesn’t have necessarily super powers or even super strength. He does, however, have a deformed face, a burnt “Mark of the Demon” by the hand of a yet to be determined series of events. Josh Brolin embodies the disfigured gunslinger and bounty hunter for hire who is the big screen’s interpretation of Jonah Hex. Brolin’s ugly and disfigured face has become a character in its own rights, as his smoky voice and swagger holds up the dangerous and iconic role. The movie plot will take us through a little of Jonah Hex’s violent and tragic history , which is steeped in myth and legend. Hex survived a vengeful death, because of this, he is cursed with one foot in the waking world and one in “the other side”. The story centers around Hex running from the law with multiple warrants on his head. The U.S. military soon makes him the one offer he can’t refuse. In exchange for freedom from his warrants, he must find and stop a dangerous terrorist and villain from Hex’s past, the one and only Quentin Turnbull. (Hex has a visceral talent for tracking; he can find anyone and anything.) The always entertaining and talented John Malkovich has been tapped to play the maniac villain Quentin Turnbull. Turnbull was a blustery Southern plantation owner, very wealthy and powerful. In the comic book, Quentin blamed Jonah for the death of his son for a reason known only to him. Turnbull, along with his group of marauding former Confederate soldiers, plans to overthrow the government. Turnbull is less supernatural, though he does appear in some of Hex’s aberrations. It just so happens that Turnbull is amassing an army in his ambition to unleash Hell, yes, the Hell. This army of undead will be comprised of undead bent on liberating the South. Hex is Turnbull’s oldest and most lethal enemy, he is consumed with the thought of destroying Hex. Though friends in real life, Malkovich said in interviews that he didn’t take it easy on the evil-ness towards buddy Brolin. He was also upfront about it being Brolin’s enthusiasm that attracted Malkovich to the film over other projects. Career hottie McHotsauce Megan Fox is Leila, a hard living hooker with a corset full of guns and a sordid past. Leila is Hex’s only real link with humanity. My girl crush on Megan Fox has been true blue since the beginning; however I do feel that she is slipping into the “this is all I can do” category before forgotten obscurity. Sadly, every trailer has her hasty delivery of smart ass-y dialogue with a terrible Western accent. If you like adventure/ thrillers about redemption and good and evil, you’ll dig Jonah Hex. The trailers that I’ve seen look fresh and slick. Westerns can go sideways on you but with this wash of tongue in cheek sexiness and slick sensibilities, I think it will pay off. Is Jonah Hex a slave to the DC comic? Not necessarily. But does it entertain? All of my secret decoder comic book rings point to yes. It hits all of the major points; cool burn-y face effects, smart ass-y comments, Megan Fox is in charge of the hotness and Malkovich is doing his wild eyed, gray haired villain. Nine dollars well spent.