Some spoilers below.
The Good
The last we saw Jonah Hex he and Arkham had come face to face with a giant bat, as well as the indigenous people who worship that bat, the Miagani. All-Star Western's sixth issue picks up where the last one left off with Hex battling this giant Bat and winning over the Miagani for having defeated the massive creature. Who would have thought that forcing innocent children into child labor against their wills would lead the two heroes to this very point?
If you have been keeping up with the main Batman title then you know that the alluding to all those owls at the end of this issue probably aren't a coincidence. In fact, this is a pretty big deal. Scott Snyder has been cementing the Court of Owls into Gotham's history, so the fact that this issue alludes to that solidifies the concept as having existed long before Bruce Wayne. Things are definitely heating up in All-Star and will keep you at the edge of your seat. I am certainly looking forward to seeing how all of this ties into the current ongoing books at DC.
Really great pacing, lots of fun clues for the reader to find and another gorgeous issue by Moritat.
The Bad
Although it was certainly entertaining to see Bruce Wayne's ancestors (Catherine and Alan Wayne) appear in this issue, I didn't feel that their appearance was entirely necessary. except to tie together Bruce Wayne's family history to Gotham and solidify this story in old Gotham City. Other than that, there is really nothing to complain about: great issue.
The Verdict
If you are one of those people who is really stuck on continuity, then you won't mind taking a trip back in time to find out how some of the concepts we see in current continuity relate to Gotham's past. How far back goes the history of the Court of Owls really go? Definitely an interesting read, but not altogether new reader friendly.
The concept of the Barbary Ghost is definitely a lot of fun. The third chapter of her story will have you at the edge of your seat. She's a great character, and I hope to see a lot more of her in the future. This is another gorgeous book from this creative team. Great pacing, interesting story and fun characters. I cannot wait to see Hex in New Orleans!