3 out of 5

One of the several mini-series released under the SG banner lately (stalling before the conclusion, perhaps?), Dust to Dust explores a bit of Billjohn O’Henry’s background, which gives us a bit of grounding as to why this seemingly all-round-good-guy would wind up with Drake, who, though eventually emerging as a hero in most scenarios, is something of a scoundrel.  While Dust doesn’t really do much to expand upon O’Henry’s personality, it does enough, and it’s interesting how the one scene given to tie him to Drake is enough to solidify that relationship for us as readers, in a sort of narrative shorthand.

Billjohn’s daughter – whom he’s raising alone – is sick, and Billjohn will do anything to try to find a cure.  ‘Anything’ means taking up odd jobs for questionable types, like Pinkertons, and acting as a bandit when need-be.  Since we’re given the reasons for his actions, we can see Bill as a good guy – and the script is very aw-shucks toward him, having him hesitate on some matters that would more easily cast him as evil – but edging the tale into lightly noir territory, as his daughter gets more sickly, O’Henry gets more desperate.  By story’s end, Bunn and artist Crook try to tie together the cyclical – perhaps inescapable – nature of events, and again gives us some understanding of what may have set Bill on his eventual trajectory.

Ah, but it’s not just at story’s end: throughout Dust to Dust, Bunn clumsily has Crook insert panels which “flash-forward” to scenes we know from the main story to show how Bill’s current situation parallels his later one.  But it’s an unnecessary reminder, and often a tenuous one; this concept is better served – both in effect and how its effected – by its last, concluding usage.  So, unfortunately, these panels end up feel like buffer, space which maybe could have been used to smooth out the ebb and flow of Bill’s last ditch efforts in issues 2 and 3.

Art-wise, having seen Crook on Harrow County and some Hellboy titles, we know that he can adapt his pencils to the style of the book.  For Sixth Gun, he works rather cartoonishly, which is a very superficial way of interpreting Brian Hurtt’s Clare Ligne gorgeousity.  Whereas Hurtt’s layouts are a Marvel, Crook’s are pretty standard.  Combined with the simplified drawing style (and Bill Crabtree’s straightforward coloring), it’s not a very exciting look.  But we get more Cat Farris at bonus back-ups.

So I liked reading this: it did feel like useful connecting threads, but the overall execution was a little uneven.