All-Star Western (Volume 3) #26 is an issue of the series All-Star Western (Volume 3) with a cover date of February, 2014. It was published on December 31, 2013.
Synopsis for "What is and what will never be."
In the Old West, Tallulah Black runs afoul of some rival bounty hunters seeking to kill a preacher whom she has already killed. Their annoyance turns to violence, and she is forced to kill every one of them in the church - a feat for a very pregnant woman. As they help her place the preacher's corpse in the back of her cart, the villagers ask where she intends to go next, and she responds that she's going to get married.
Jonah Hex, meanwhile, is spending the day of his wedding in a saloon, getting drunk. None to fond of him, the bartender Sammy urges Hex to finish his drink and catch his train lest be late for his nuptials. Naturally, the other passengers on the train aren't eager to spend their journey with a drunken, disfigured bounty hunter, but when one man who speaks up gets thrown from the train in a violent manner, the others hold their tongues, and Jonah takes his seat.
Upon arriving at the church, Jonah is surprised to be informed that there are actually guests in attendance, but the guests themselves are of a strange sort, made up with face-paints resembling skeletons. The ceremony is presided over by a woman dressed as an angel, who consecrates the union by pulling two golden pistols on Jonah and Tallulah, resulting in a gunfight that leaves only the bride and groom alive. Turning to Tallulah, Jonah asks what they should do next, and she responds that they should get on with their happily ever after. Hearing this, Jonah shoots her in the gut, realizing that none of this has been real. He's still in the future, victim to a Black Mercy flower.
With the illusion broken, Jonah tears the plant from his chest, and seeing that Gina Green has been affected too, he cuts it away from her body as well. Unfortunately, the Swamp Thing has been covered in the stuff, and it won't be so easy to save him. Grimly, Jonah suggests they seek out John Constantine for help.
Constantine determines that the flower comes from outer space, and comments that he isn't well versed in alien rather than magic. Jonah tires of his hesitancy, though, and warns him to help or die. Annoyed, John thrusts his foot through the Swamp Thing's chest, and begins stomping the flower to paste. Thinking Constantine has gone mad, Jonah attacks him, but Gina intervenes as the Swamp Thing, newly regrown, explains that while Constantine probably deserves it, he has done the right thing. Moving on, Jonah presses Swamp Thing for information on how to get back to his own time, and Swamp Thing directs him to the Metropolis, where he believes the House of Mystery is still standing.
As he rushes off, Gina struggles to catch up, and he cruelly warns her to hurry up or get left behind. Insulted, she responds that he can't talk to her that way, and if he insists on treating her like garbage, he can go ahead without her, and it will be his loss. After a pause, Jonah can't help but kiss her, and he drags her into a nearby tent, kicking the hippies out before having his way with her.
Within a week, Hex and Gina have arrived in Metropolis, arriving in the middle of a broad daylight bank robbery. His guns incite the criminals into a firefight, but not a single bullet reaches its mark. Their battle has been intervened upon by Superman.
Appearing in "What is and what will never be."
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Gina Green
- Tallulah Black (Hallucination)
- Swamp Thing
- John Constantine
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Superman
- Sammy (Hallucination)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- The Black Mercy's arrival on earth is depicted in Batman/Superman #8.
See Also