All-Star Western Johan Hex # 0 2012 NM-

All-Star Western # 0, released on September 26, 2012, is part of DC Comics’ line-wide "Zero Month" event for the New 52 initiative. The issue provides a brutal origin story for the title character, Jonah Hex, and reveals how he earned his iconic facial scar. 

Plot Summary: "The Mark of the Demon" 

The story is framed by Dr. Amadeus Arkham reading the life story of a captured Jonah Hex in the present (the New 52 past). 

• A Brutal Childhood: The narrative flashes back to the night of Jonah's birth in 1838 and details his abusive upbringing by his father, Woodson Hex. His mother eventually flees the family, leaving Jonah with his father.
• Sold to the Apache: In 1851, Woodson sells a 13-year-old Jonah to a tribe of Apache in exchange for safe passage through their lands. Jonah endures a harsh life as a slave and is eventually forced to battle other youths to survive. He saves the chieftain from a puma and is adopted into the tribe.
• The Betrayal: The chieftain's son, Noh-Tante, becomes Jonah's rival. During a coming-of-age ritual, Noh-Tante tries to kill Jonah. Jonah survives and later returns after the Civil War to challenge Noh-Tante in an honorable duel.
• The Scarring: Noh-Tante cheats by using a hidden knife. Jonah kills him in self-defense, but the tribe brands him a cheater for surviving the "dishonorable" attack. As punishment, the chief presses a red-hot tomahawk blade against Jonah's right cheek, permanently branding him with the "Mark of the Demon" before exiling him from the tribe. 

Key Characters and Creative Team 

• Jonah Hex: The protagonist and legendary bounty hunter.
• Dr. Amadeus Arkham: The founder of Arkham Asylum, who serves as the framing device narrator.
• Noh-Tante: Jonah's rival who orchestrates his scarring.
• Creative Team: Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art by Moritat.