Everyone loves a good western, whether it’s classics like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, or more recent series like Yellowstone and American Primeval — there’s a gluttony of fantastic stories out there. Today, we look at 6 of the best western graphic novels published by Image Comics!
Over the years, Image Comics has become home to numerous beloved western comics. From renowned writers like Ed Brubaker, to comics written by up-and-coming creators, there’s a variety to choose from. In this list, we look at some of the very best out there, focusing on a range of styles, including contemporary westerns and Neo-westerns. Let’s dig in!
The Enfield Gang Massacre
Creative team: Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips
This comic isn’t the only work from Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips that you’ll find on this list. In fact, their 2023 comic, The Enfield Gang Massacre, serves as a prequel to That Texas Blood (which we’ll get to later on). Despite the connection, Enfield Gang Massacre serves as a fantastic standalone comic of outlaw revenge.
The story is set in Ambrose County, Texas, following Montgomery Enfield and his gang of outlaws. When the gang is blamed for numerous brutal killings, they become the prime targets. The comic is brutal and gritty, brought to life by visceral and atmospheric art by Jacob Phillips.
You can buy The Enfield Gang Massacre on Amazon here.
Pretty Deadly
Creative team: Kelly Sue DeConnick & Emma Ríos
On the surface, Pretty Deadly doesn’t look much like a western. And you’d be right. In the same vain as Sandman, for instance, the comic from Kelly Sue DeConnick bends and transcends genres. It’s poetic and gorgeously illustrated, telling a unique mythic western tale. The story follows Ginny (the daughter of Death), also known as Death-Faced Ginny, who rides the wind on a horse made of smoke. She travels the land in a quest of vengeance, which is very much where the western-elements come into play.
This comic is perfect if you if you’re seeking something a little different. Folklore-focused with a fantastical edge, but still very much a western in its own right– Pretty Deadly is truly a comic that you need to read to understand its beauty.
Buy Pretty Deadly on Amazon here.
That Texas Blood
Creative team: Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips
Upon returning to Texas after the killing of his brother, Los Angeles-based writer Randy Terrill finds his grieving disrupted by a violent confrontation, causing Ambrose County sheriff, Joe Bob Coates, to investigate. This description merely scratches the surface of what’s an epic modern, neo-noir western. It’s perfect for fans of No Country for Old Men.
Buy That Texas Blood on Amazon here.
Ain’t No Grave
Creative team: Skottie Young and Jorge Corona
Described as a Western/fantasy tale with inspirations from legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Ain’t No Grave follows Ryder, who thought she’d put her violent past aside after becoming a mother. However, there’s no escaping the past. And after learning that she’s very much wanted, she embarks to the city at the edge of the world to kill the one trying to rob her of her life…death.
The genre-bending comic comes from Eisner Award-winning Skottie Young and Jorge Corona.
Buy Ain’t No Grave on Amazon here.
Pulp
Creative team: Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
Choosing my favourite between East of West and Pulp is an almost impossible challenge. Both of them are masterful in their own right. But as you can see, Pulp just misses out on the top spot. Written by comics legend Ed Brubaker (Books of Doom, Houses of the Unholy), Pulp is set in 1939 New York City and follows ageing pulp fiction writer Max Winter — a man who once lived the life of an outlaw gunslinger — is drawn back into the world of crime when pursued by bank robbers and enemies from his past.
The story is one of the most compelling (and visually stunning) comics you can pick up. And it would be my #1, if not for East of West…
Buy Pulp on Amazon here.
East of West
Creative team: Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta
Where do I start? East of West takes everything you love about westerns and blends it all together in a 45-issue epic. It’s a sci-fi and dystopian saga, all wrapped up the quintessential western style. The comic sets the scene in an alternate version of the United States, where country is divided into seven nations. We follow Death — one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse — on his journey of revenge. But it’s so much more than that. The story combines everything from political intrigue, to pure fantasy, to biblical themes.
And, of course, the artwork throughout is breathtakingly good. I could rhapsodise about East of West all day. If you’re a comics fan and haven’t yet picked it up, I implore you to do so!
Buy East of West on Amazon here.
Honorable mentions:
Of course, we can’t feature every western comic in our top 6, so let’s include some honourable mentions.
- Reckless (Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips)
- Above Snakes (Sean Lewis & Hayden Sherman)
- The Scorched (Sean Lewis & Stephen Segovia)
- Dust to Dust (JG Jones & Phil Bram)
- Redneck (Donny Cates & Lisandro Estherren)
Do you have any favourite western-themed comics? Tell us in the comments down below!
