I loved the art style of this comic! It really brought the world to life. The storyline of the main character was great as well, I can't wait to pick up the next volume when it's available.

This is a gorgeously illustrated book,but it was a tough read. If graphic violent scenes are not your cup of tea, it might be best to avoid this one.

this comic about Calamity Jane was really well done. I enjoyed the story and the art. It was a great start to a western comic series.

3 Stars (I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
*Trigger Warning* - Sexual Assault, Violence Against Women, Rape

The story went all kinds ways and was not what I was expecting but I did enjoy it over all. It follows a mercenary, a brothel with disgusting and corrupt men, a women forced into prostitution and ultimately getting her revenge against though all those who have used and abused her. I am interested in seeing the next volume of this graphic novel series when we get more of calamity Jane.

Sadly this graphic novel was not quite what I was hoping for when I read the premise. Although I love the idea of an origin story for the iconic and enigmatic Calamity Jane, I'm baffled that it would include just SO MUCH violence against women in a story about.... a woman. While I understand there are elements of this that fit the time period, the plot points themselves, and how they were portrayed/how much was shown on page was entirely up to the creators, and I think they should have gone in some different directions. The art style was definitely gritty and fit the tone of the story, but there was a bit too much gore for my taste. Overall I think a strong concept wasn't executed to it's potential, and I was left grossed out and disappointed. Martha had so much potential that was ultimately left unexplored, in my opinion.

Westerns are hit or miss for me and sadly this one fell into the latter category.

I tried three times to get into it but with no success. Although I physically read the whole of the graphic novel, I never managed to care about the characters which made the whole of the story feel a bit flat overall.

Loved the atmosphere though that was mainly due to the stunning illustration work! So I would encourage you to look it up if not just for that aspect!

Did you know that Calamity Jane had another name? It is Martha Cannery. When her parents moved out west, she lost her parents — her mother died and then her father. She did work in a brothel, cleaning up after a prositute had a client. Martha doesn’t work as a prostitute until she is raped. She is saved by one of the men who work at the brothel by taking her to see the doctor. When she is finally well, she is told that she will be in debt forever. Her solution is to be a prostitute to pay him back but hates it. When she finds out that a gun can equal strength, she goes and gets one. Who does she want to kill or shoot? Martha as several twists and turns when it comes to surviving. At one point in her life she becomes a soldier. When she saves a wounded soldier, she gets named Calamity Jane.

This is volume one of the Wild West. It is expertly written graphic novel and beautifully illustrated. It is a partial biography of Calamity Jane as it does represent what the beginning of the Wild West life was. It is an important book to show parts that is not always remember especially for women. There is also the good reminder that America for all people.

Calamity Jane was a much more interesting historical figure than this graphic novel gives her credit for. Focused more on the men of the story than an actual story of female empowerment.

Trigger warning for rape and drug use.

I am always hopeful that women can re-write some of the wrongs done to the stories of the old west. There had to be compelling stories that include women because babies were born and the great white expansion to the west did not die out. Unfortunately, this is not that story.

As expected, the violence is glorified and frequent, the sex is for the eye of the male viewer, there are no important women in the story except for Calamity Jane, and besides making a nice tragic backstory that does not ring true to what is factually known about this real life figure, the story somehow centers around the men in the story. Calamity Jane's character and plot are all based on abuse and drug addiction. I do not recommend this read.

The artwork was good and the story was interesting but the violence was off putting especially the beatings and a rape scene. The book needs to have some kind of warning so that readers can avoid it if thye wish too.

The story is about Calamity Jane who was orginally called Martha Cannery. The artists are trying to show that Martha's experiences in a brothel are what hardened her to disguise herself as a man, join the army and eventually become Calamity Jane. The real story about Calamity Jane is very different.

In any case I just think if artists are going to depict rape scenes in their graphic novels warn the reader and also give an age guidance. Some young person might buy this thinking it is a good old cowboy story.

Needless to say I was underwhelmed.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley

I’m a big fan of European comics. because they simply dont hold back in the name of keeping a novel pg 13

Wild West is a quick read. but it tells its story well and doesn’t linger too long.

its the story of her beginnings and her first encounter with Wild Bill Hickock and up to her enlistment into the US Army under the pretense that she’s a boy rather than a woman. thats my sadness that all revolutionary woman has to start by changing their name and personality or by hiding the fact that they are women

I assume a lot of this was embellished, and sadly we’ll never know for sure. Not much is said about her time working as a prostitute (which is the focal point of this story), so I imagine there is a lot of artistic liberty here, with something that already had some to begin with.

All-in-all, this was a great comic detailed artwork. for fans of history this would be a great addition to your collection.
•Character development- 4☆
• Story Plot- 3.5☆
• Side characters- 4.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Overall - 4☆

TW: rape, abuse, death, violence

This is a graphic novel about the Wild Wild West and boy is it wild. It follows the main character of Martha as she starts out in a boarding house cleaning up after the ladies when she's raped by one of the patrons of the saloon. The owner of the saloon takes care of her but ultimately makes her a prostitute as well. The side story follows a bounty hunter who helps out Martha when a man tries to abuse her during one of their sessions together. Martha starts out as a innocent girl and ends as a hardened woman who's ready to take charge of her own destiny.

Overall I enjoyed the ruggedness of this graphic novel. It's rough around the edges and very much embodies what the West was all about. I liked the art for the novel as well. All the characters looked different and had their own physical personalities. Some of the dialogue felt a bit clunky at times and some of the scene changes were a bit confusing, but a great graphic novel nonetheless!

Wild West is a visual action adventure story with suspense and vivid artwork. There are harrowing moments, all within a graphic novel context.

** spoiler alert ** Wild West
1. Calamity Jane
by Script by Thierry Gloris & Art by Lamontagne Jacques
Europe Comics

This looked like it would have great graphics and it was about Calamity Jane, I was intrigued. I was thankful for the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book. Now having said that, there are things I was not told before agreeing to read it.

No. 1, there is lots of graphic violence and a majority is against women. No. 2, there is also a graphic rape scene. Any one of these would have stopped me from requesting the book.

The book does have great graphics and easy to read fonts. I gave one star apiece for those. The story, if it is true which I am not sure of, could have been told without such graphic violence to women.

Spoiler ahead!


The story centers around a young orphan girl, Martha, too young to be a prostitute, but helps out with other chores. Men want her because she is young. Her boss sets up an ambush where she is raped on the way home and he "saves" her after the fact! The shooting is fake! Then he beds her and encourages her to work as a prostitute since she will make money now.
Meanwhile, she and other prostitutes are beat and whipped if the client is not happy. Even if the client is violent. It's in this salon she meets Bill Hickock and they become friends.

In the end she shaves her head and leaves to join the military. She looks like a young boy because she is young.

Other graphic scenes are in here too so definitely an adult book. My suggestion, if you want to learn about Calamity Jane, this is not the way. It's also a multi part series.

I loved the art style of this comic! It really brought the world to life. The storyline of the main character was great as well, I can't wait to pick up the next volume when it's available.

This is a gorgeously illustrated story of revenge. It has believable if revolting villains, and an unflinching attitude towards showing the reader the darker sides of the story, reminiscent of Steve Dillon's great work on Preacher. The characterisation is great, and the story moves fast enough to keep us interested but slowly enough to appreciate the painstaking attention to detail it carries. The twists and turns in the plot give us a good look into the future of what will turn into a gripping epic.

The artwork and colour palette creates a dark and gritty atmosphere and shows the hardships of pioneering life.

I'm not sure how historically accurate this origin story is but it is not easy reading with a trigger warning for rape. I did enjoy how the story progressed to give Jane her strength back. I would read more in this series.

A beautiful illustrated origin story of Calamity Jane. This is not the tv westerns of the 1950s and 60s. This is the brutal struggle for survival it was, particularly for a woman without a family. I’m not sure how historically correct this story is—for one it doesn’t mention anything about her younger siblings that she cared for when she became the head of the family at age 14—but it does seem she was a prostitute at one time. This is definitely not suitable for children but I was very impressed with the illustrations and the story is compelling, though not complete within itself.

Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this somewhat violent Calamity Jane origin story. The artwork and colour palette is gritty and dark. I thought it was great and I'm looking forward to reading further volumes.

Trigger warning for rape scene and general violence.

This was okay. I'm not the biggest "wild west" style of entertainment fan, but I found this to be a fun shift of the paradigm.

This is basically a female John Wayne story, but a little different. If you enjoy feminist style of retellings or just feminist stories in general, this one will definitely pique your interest.