There’s a young space cowgirl with her feet firmly planted on the ground. She’s inherited a box full of oddities. Some of them are apocalyptically dangerous. She’s only twenty right now, but she’s had a hell of a life so far. It’s been a hell of an adventure for her, but she’s been without much in the way of a blood family for a while. She’s about to discover a bit about her past in Jinny Hex Special #1. Writer Magdalene Visaggio weaves a dizzyingly enjoyable adventure story that is stylishly brought to page and panel by artist Gleb Melnikov and colorist Luis Guerrero. Modern westerns are a tough sell, but Visaggio makes this special fun enough to make one wish for a long-running Jinny Hex series.

Jinny’s not expecting much. She’s hanging out at an auto repair shop in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her girlfriend, Lady Bird. Wouldn’t have expected to suddenly run into an old guy claiming to be her father. It’s not easy for him to convince her that he’s worth a damn given the fact that he ran out on her mother when she was pregnant with her. The guy’s got plenty of experience with people, though. It doesn’t take long for him to find his way in..., but he’s not what he seems. His name’s Jack Duckett, but he’s got another name that has something to do with an artifact of great power that’s rolling around the box Jinny got from her great, great grandfather. 

Visaggio rolls straight into the action only a couple of pages into the story. Jinny’s charm is sharp enough that she doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction. Visaggio is sharp enough to construct a story that delves into her history without slowing down a sharp sense of weird, pulpy sci-fi supernatural adventure. Jinny’s past is placed right in the heart of the story, where it belongs. Jinny’s been around for a couple of years now. Still, Visaggio manages a very charming introduction for her that will appeal to those who haven’t had the pleasure of hanging out with her on any of her previous adventures.

Melnikov and Guerrero have a sharp handle on dramatic nuance. Jinny has a beautiful swagger about her that is given a witty counterpoint. by her girlfriend Ladybird. The gothy dark-haired girl has a sharp resolve about her, but she’s also got a very earthbound posture that contrasts against the pulpy title character. The two heroes dive into a dangerous situation that’s thrust upon them with atmospheric bits of fantasy that feel suitably immersive thanks to delicate work by Guerrero. Melnikov and Guerrero lend the proper darkness to the monster that is Ginny’s father. Given the guy’s overall description, he could have come across as a profoundly silly-looking villain, but Melnikov and Guerrero make him look seedy and sinister at the same time.

Visaggio, Melnikov, and Guerrero find a strikingly unique appeal to a relatively new character. The issue feels a lot like a pilot episode of a whole new series. Ginny and Lady Bird are great fun to follow in a one-shot that makes a very strong case for further adventures. The two characters work well together, carving out a potentially intrepid trail through the shadows of major landmarks in the DC universe.

Grade: A