Jonah Hex and Other Western Tales (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1980. It was published on October 8, 1979.
Synopsis for "Killers Die Alone"
This story is reprinted from Weird Western Tales #14.
When Iron Jaws is bit fighting a rattlesnake, Jonah takes the wounded animal to the nearest town to find a doctor. Jonah convinces the doctor to treat his wolf, when he literally throws the doctor's current patient out a window. This patient, recognizing Hex, goes to tell a gunsel named Butcher and his brother Dave, two men who have a vendetta against Hex for killing their brother.
The two manage to get the drop on Hex as he's leaving the doctor's office, and knock him out by hitting him in the back of the head with the butt of a gun. Taking Hex out into the desert, they tie him to the ground and leave him to bake in the sun. As they leave, Hex overhears that Butcher is afraid of dying alone. Iron Jaws, in spite of his injuries and inability to use his hind legs, manages to track Hex down and free him. Succeeding in freeing Hex, the animal dies due to the experience.
Mad as hell, Hex returns to town to learn that Butcher and Dave have held up a conductor's box and skipped town while he was tied up. He tracks them down to a stagecoach heading East. Chasing them into the desert, Hex shoots Dave dead, and continues to track Butcher. Butcher is attacked by a mountain lion and manages to kill the beast, however not before it seriously injures his leg.
Being found by Hex, Butcher begs him to take him back into town. Hex only points out that the mountain lion had rabies, and that he'll be dead in hours. When Butcher begs not to be left to die alone, Hex obliges him.... by leaving him the dead body of Dave to keep him company.
Appearing in "Killers Die Alone"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Iron Jaws (Dies)
Antagonists:
- The Butcher (Single appearance)
- Dan (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Doc (Single appearance)
- General the Horse
- Willie (Single appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Stagecoach
Synopsis for "Turnabout"
This story is reprinted from Weird Western Tales #20.
The legendary gunslinger Ben Slade is challenged by a younger man who he knows will kill him. Rather than let the challenger destroy his hard-earned reputation, he turns his back at the last second so it will appear as though he was shot unfairly. His killer is thrown in jail to be hanged, and Slade goes to his grave with his record untarnished.
Appearing in "Turnabout"
Characters:
- Ben Slade (Single appearance; dies)
Antagonists:
- Blackie Harper (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for "Draw Death"
This story is reprinted from All-Star Western (Volume 2) #2.
Rick Wilson was a young boy when he wanted to be a Texas Ranger just like his father Samuel Wilson. During their time together they rescued and took in a young Mexican girl named Paloma. As Rick grew older, he soon became resentful of his father who would deny his requests to join the Texas Rangers. He would befriend an eagle which he would keep as a pet.
However, eventually Rick's resentment of being treated as a boy would force Rick to run away and start hanging out with shady characters. When he agreed to help the Fenton Gang rob a stagecoach under the promise that nobody will be hurt. However the Fenton Gang kills some of the coach riders and Rick is recognized setting his father to go after him. In a draw, Rick is forced to shoot his own father, but only wounds him and escapes.
Wilson decides to bring in the Fenton's however, he is confronted by El Diablo, who warns him that the Fenton's intend to betray him. Getting the drop on the Fenton's, Rick manages to shoot them dead, and is forced to flee and become an outlaw, determined to prove himself a man in his own way, even while his father sends out wanted posters for his arrest.
Appearing in "Draw Death"
Featured Characters:
- Outlaw (Rick Wilson) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Samuel Wilson (First appearance)
- Paloma (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Dave Fenton
- Slade
- Rita Fenton
- Unnamed Fenton brother
Other Characters:
- El Diablo (First appearance)
- Lucifer the Horse (First appearance)
- Charley
- Doc Levy
- Maria Wilson (Behind the scenes)
- Mister Brown
- Mrs. Brown
Locations:
- American Old West
- Texas
- Wild Stallion Mesa
- Wild Stallion Mesa
- Texas
Synopsis for "Face-Off With the Gallagher Boys"
This story is reprinted from Weird Western Tales #26.
When trying to stop the Gallagher Boys, wanted train hijackers, Jonah Hex is trapped in the pay-roll cart which the gang was trying to rob. When the authorities arrive the Gallagher Boys make their retreat at their farmhouse safe-house, leaving Hex to be believed to be a member of the gang and arrested.
Meanwhile, the mystery man with the eagle head cane, sends a letter to the Gallagher Boys to kill Hex for the price of a million dollars. In order to do so, the leader of the Gallagher Boys tricks the young girl who loves him to go to the jail where Hex is locked up and help him to escape. Freed from his jail cell and escaping the sheriff, Hex is taken to the safe house where the Gallagher Boys get the drop on him and are about to kill him.
The family that have been protecting the boy's are mortified that they are going to kill a human being in cold blood, free Hex and with the families shotgun, Hex manages to incapacitate and kill many of the gang members. Later as he's rounding up all the members of the gang to turn over to the sheriff and clear his name, the family offers an open door should Hex ever come by again.
Appearing in "Face-Off With the Gallagher Boys"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Sheriff Haskell (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Gallagher Boys
- Ben Gallagher
- Cole Gallagher
- Frank Gallagher
- Russ Gallagher (Single appearance; dies)
- Stubbs Gallagher
- Quentin Turnbull
Other Characters:
- Bart (Single appearance)
- Bobbie (Single appearance)
- Debbie (Single appearance)
- Hank (Single appearance)
- Jeb Turnbull (Statue only)
- Luke (Single appearance)
- Mack (Single appearance)
- Martha (Single appearance)
- Ray (Single appearance)
- Solomon (Turnbull's butler)
Locations:
Synopsis for "Town Tamer"
This story is reprinted from All-Star Western (Volume 2) #6.
Appearing in "Town Tamer"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- A bear (Dies)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Black Seer of Death Canyon!"
This story is reprinted from Weird Western Tales #41.
Appearing in "The Black Seer of Death Canyon!"
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Supporting Characters:
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Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Night of the Snake"
This story is reprinted from All-Star Western (Volume 2) #6.
Bick Lupson was a trouble making cattle minder. One night while drinking on the job, Bick leaves his post to find some more fun and ends up finding a cabin owned by a native women. The woman has a pet snake, a servant to the great spirit she worships. Bick promptly kills the snake and attempts to rape the woman. The woman's trapper husband comes home interrupting Bick but Bick shoots them both in cold blood. Before dying, the woman curses Bick with the curse of the snake. Haunted by the sound of rattle snakes, Bick races back to the ranch where his employers tell him to get back to work. The increasingly frightened Bick is dogged by the sound of the rattle snake until his horse, spooked badly enough, throws him off it and into a ravine. Bick soon finds himself confronted by a giant snake and the ghost of the woman who he killed welcoming him to Hell.
Appearing in "Night of the Snake"
Featured Characters:
- Bick Lupson (Single appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- A trapper and his wife (Only, die)
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Hangin' Woman"
This story is reprinted from Weird Western Tales #17.
When a town that Jonah Hex is passing through is terrorized by Dnaiel "Dynamite" Delvin and his gang, who had just recently blown up the sheriff with TNT, Hex finds himself hired by Judge Hatchet. Hatchet is a female judge who executes all criminals by means of hanging. He also learns from a young boy that Hatchet and her sons have the townspeople terrorized by their rule.
After rounding up and capturing Delvin, Hex turns him over to Hatchet who has him hung. Upon leaving town, Hex happens upon a farm house that has been set a-blaze, finds that there is still a little girl inside, and saves her and finds that her father has been hung. Turning the girl over to her grandparents, he learns that her brother was out fishing and would soon return home. Hex rushes to try and stop the boy from seeing his dead father, and finds the boy had already gone, taking his fathers rifle with him.
Riding to Hatchet's home, he finds her sons about to hang the boy, and shoots them dead. When Judge Hatchet herself holds Hex and the boy at gunpoint, Hex kicks her wheelchair causing her to roll backwards off a cliff. But instead of meeting her end dashed on the sharp rocks below, ironically her clothing gets caught on a tree branch and she is hung to death.
Appearing in "The Hangin' Woman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ned Haughton (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Daniel "Dynamite" Delvin (Single appearance; dies)
- Judge Hatchet (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Bart (Single appearance; dies)
- Clem (Single appearance)
- Kathy Haughton (Single appearance)
- Marty (Single appearance; dies)
- Tex (Single appearance; dies)
- Willie (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Animals:
Synopsis for "Frontier Justice"
Appearing in "Frontier Justice"
Featured Characters:
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Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Jonah Hex and Other Western Tales is part of DC Comics' Blue Ribbon Digest series. Each issue was published as a 100-page pocket-size edition special.
- This is the final issue of the series.
- Michael Netzer is credited as Mike Nasser in this issue.