Here we have it, the first proper glimpse of comic book antihero Jonah Hex played by former Goonie Josh Brolin. Cynical and world weary yet also bound by a personal code of honour to protect the innocent, Hex is very much in the mould of Clint Eastwood’s iconic Man With No Name from the classic Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns.

Here is a synopsis for the film in case you are wondering what the heck Jonah Hex is all about,

Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is a scarred drifter and bounty hunter of last resort, a tough and stoic gunslinger who can track down anyone…and anything. Having survived death, Jonah’s violent history is steeped in myth and legend, and has left him with one foot in the natural world and one on the “other side.” His only human connection is with Leila (Megan Fox), whose life in a brothel has left her with scars of her own. But Jonah’s past is about to catch up with him when the U.S. military makes him an offer he can’t refuse: in exchange for his freedom from the warrants on his head, he must track down and stop the dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). But Turnbull, who is gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, is also Jonah’s oldest enemy and will stop at nothing until Jonah is dead. Based on the legendary graphic novel, “Jonah Hex” is an epic adventure thriller about one man’s personal quest for redemption against the vast canvas of the battle between good and evil.

It has been pointed out that 2009 has seen a slight lull in the release of comic book movies in comparison with recent years. True the only notable comic book films this year were Watchmen and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. However this could just be seen as the calm before the storm as next year we are set to see a glut of comic based releases with films such as the highly anticipated Iron Man 2 as well as Kick-Ass, The Losers, Priest, Scott Pilgrim vs The World The Green Hornet and of course Jonah Hex. Personally i’m most looking forward to the Scott Pilgrim film, partly because it’s the only one i’ve read but also because of Edgar Wright’s involvement as director.

Which of next years comic book adaptations are you looking forward to most? Do you think the trend of comic book based blockbusters will continue forever or will there come a point when superheroes no longer continue to capture peoples’ imagination?

Sources: Collider, Latino Review