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The Sixth Gun #5
The Sixth Gun, Vol. 5: Winter Wolves
Together, Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief hold five of the Six - a set of pistols that can rewrite all of creation! This makes them targets for the living and the dead... for the human and the inhuman. As otherworldly spirits align against them, Drake and Becky find themselves trapped at a trading post frozen in a preternatural winter. If the cold doesn't kill them, the hideous beasts lurking in the shadows will!
151 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2013
About the author
Cullen Bunn
2,090 books1,071 followersCullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 8, 2019
This was probably my favorite volume so far. Drake and Becky, reunited, have to go up against a wendigo. Hume is stirring, and Gord finds himself making some unlikely alliances in his quest to find Becky and Drake. Sacrifices are made and characters make surprising choices. This just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait for Vol. 6!
July 19, 2024
Becky and Drake get trapped in a Winter realm when going through a crossroads. Now they must defeat a Wendigo to return. Meanwhile, Gord is gathering the troops and headed their way while being hounded by the Sword of Abraham. And our 9 foot mummy returns. Woohoo for more Asher Cobb! Becky brings down the thunder on Missy Hume in the final issue and Hell's coming with her. Plus, we find out the what the deal is with the snake people from the previous arc.
I don't understand how Bunn's writing for DC and Marvel can be so lackluster when this is so damn good.
I don't understand how Bunn's writing for DC and Marvel can be so lackluster when this is so damn good.
April 2, 2014
Drake and Becky are looking for a tracker to help them find the evil witch, Missy Hume, and accidentally stumble into a winter realm where they are hunted by a dangerous woodland spirit: the Wendigo. Meanwhile, in his search for Drake and Becky, Gord makes some unlikely allies in Kirby Hale and Asher Cobb - but the Sword of Abraham is hot on their heels.
I’ll just come right out and say it: filler. That’s what Book 5: Winter Wolves reads like. The Sixth Gun’s story is excellent - six enchanted guns which, when united, allows the wielder, good or bad, to remake the world their way - and I love the colourful cast of rogues, bandits, witches, golems and mummies against the romantic frontier days of the wild west. But the story of Becky and co’s mission to defeat the widow Hume is put on hold for this book while the two putter around Narnia slowly figuring out how to defeat the Wendigo, and Gord and the others run in circles.
It’s still written well by Cullen Bunn and there are flashes of brilliance like when we find out about Drake’s past and his last encounter with a Wendigo, and Brian Hurtt’s artwork is as gorgeous as ever, but for me the book didn’t come to life until the final chapter when Becky takes the fight to Missy Hume single-handedly.
The Winter Wolves storyline isn’t bad but I’d have preferred it to be a done-in-one or two story rather than pad out an entire book - the story doesn’t hit the high gears until the final few pages with the reveal of some new characters and an exciting new direction for the next book. I’m looking forward to the sixth book but the fifth one felt like a bit of a wash - the first time the series has been less than brilliant!
I’ll just come right out and say it: filler. That’s what Book 5: Winter Wolves reads like. The Sixth Gun’s story is excellent - six enchanted guns which, when united, allows the wielder, good or bad, to remake the world their way - and I love the colourful cast of rogues, bandits, witches, golems and mummies against the romantic frontier days of the wild west. But the story of Becky and co’s mission to defeat the widow Hume is put on hold for this book while the two putter around Narnia slowly figuring out how to defeat the Wendigo, and Gord and the others run in circles.
It’s still written well by Cullen Bunn and there are flashes of brilliance like when we find out about Drake’s past and his last encounter with a Wendigo, and Brian Hurtt’s artwork is as gorgeous as ever, but for me the book didn’t come to life until the final chapter when Becky takes the fight to Missy Hume single-handedly.
The Winter Wolves storyline isn’t bad but I’d have preferred it to be a done-in-one or two story rather than pad out an entire book - the story doesn’t hit the high gears until the final few pages with the reveal of some new characters and an exciting new direction for the next book. I’m looking forward to the sixth book but the fifth one felt like a bit of a wash - the first time the series has been less than brilliant!
October 19, 2022
October themed reading continues!! Another Awesome volume. Drake and Becky are heading out to find some help in tracking down General Hume’s wife who got away and has the only gun left. But they get caught up in a very dire situation. There, wr learn a possible new deadly layer to Becky. Is it true ?? Meanwhile, Gord had rounded up his own crew of characters from previous volumes to try and find Drake and Becky. Plus now a new and very deadly foe has entered the scene. General Hume’ mother?!?! This can’t be good.
February 16, 2014
Volume 5 of this series doesn't just take the world building to a new level, it nukes it from orbit (just to be sure). There is so much going on in this book it's hard to know where to start, so lets begin with the revelation from the last book, where Drake realises that . Then there's the revelation that Becky . Finally, we learn that General Hume is not the worst of the villains out there, that
In between all that, there is a sequence where Becky and Drake become trapped in the spirit world, and face a showdown with a Wendigo. The series has made good use of Native American lore before, most notable in the use of a Thunderbird in book 2, and the battle here is extremely well done.
Meanwhile, Gord Cantrell has teamed up with Asher Cobb (a dead 9 foot mummy in case you had forgotten) and Kirby Hale (a no good varmint)and are being pursued by the Sword of Abraham. The two stories come together when Cobb uses the priests of the Sword to rescue Becky and Drake by trapping them in the spirit realm in their place. Whilst I was ambivalent about the true motives of this secret society, this seemed like a particularly nasty thing to do as the spirit realm is the home of the Wendigo and its a nasty place to get stuck.
Finally Becky uses the power of her Gun to confront Missy Hume in spirit form, and ends up showing just how powerful she has become as she literally brings the house down around Missy and her followers. Missy is forces to run to her mother-in-law, and it is there that we leave the story, as our new big bad is revealed.
I couldn't quite bring myself to give this 5 stars, but it came very close, so lets call it 4 1/2 stars.
In between all that, there is a sequence where Becky and Drake become trapped in the spirit world, and face a showdown with a Wendigo. The series has made good use of Native American lore before, most notable in the use of a Thunderbird in book 2, and the battle here is extremely well done.
Meanwhile, Gord Cantrell has teamed up with Asher Cobb (a dead 9 foot mummy in case you had forgotten) and Kirby Hale (a no good varmint)and are being pursued by the Sword of Abraham. The two stories come together when Cobb uses the priests of the Sword to rescue Becky and Drake by trapping them in the spirit realm in their place. Whilst I was ambivalent about the true motives of this secret society, this seemed like a particularly nasty thing to do as the spirit realm is the home of the Wendigo and its a nasty place to get stuck.
Finally Becky uses the power of her Gun to confront Missy Hume in spirit form, and ends up showing just how powerful she has become as she literally brings the house down around Missy and her followers. Missy is forces to run to her mother-in-law, and it is there that we leave the story, as our new big bad is revealed.
I couldn't quite bring myself to give this 5 stars, but it came very close, so lets call it 4 1/2 stars.
October 25, 2013
Winter Wolves is book five in my beloved, kickass Sixth Gun series. A western horror gem filled with chills, thrills, and BLAM! An adventure still very much alive and kicking at book five.
We find our heroes—Becky and Drake--trapped in a cold, cold-to-the-bone snow covered land between worlds. A place filled with its own brand of damnation. Caught, cold, and out of options. Will our heroes deal with a devil? Could this be the end of the road for Becky and Drake?
“Two worlds…one layered right over the other. One place of spirits and demons and creatures older than the sun and moon. The other filled with the kind of desperation that only human beings could muster. Two worlds, scraping against each other like a knife scraping bone.”
As much as I loved seeing Becky, Drake, Gord and a few other disreputable cohorts—this chapter of the journey felt bogged down to me. Plenty of action, but the story didn’t go anywhere. Past revelations were grazed over. Problems left unsolved. Nothing really moved forward. In fact, more issues and Big Bads were piled on top of the heap. Don’t get me wrong—I love all the horrors and creatures whipped up and put on the page here. Every single one makes me “GAH!” in jaw dropping horror awe—just look at page 62! BUT can’t we deal with some of the creeps and crawlies already in play first? One bitch at a time please. Haha…
My favorite part of this book was the language. The illustrations will always get huge love from me, but this time out I found myself reading certain words and lines again and again. The old-timer language created such a strong atmosphere and mood on the page. I loved every---“reckon” and “hide nor hair”. Made me want to saddle up to the bar for a shot or two. :D
I had fun here, but I’m ready to mosey on down the trail a bit, boys. Let’s do this! Showdown at high noon!
April 12, 2023
If you're looking for a good series to settle in with, THE SIXTH GUN has been consistently excellent and Volume 5 is exceptional, featuring some great character development and team building.
As they flee from the events of Volume 4, Becky and Drake head north and unknowingly enter a spirit world where Drake has to make some hard decisions in a turning point for his mindset. Cullen Bunn's take on the Wendigo legend enhances the power, motivation and creepiness of the winterland monster/god. I thoroughly enjoyed his version.
The nine-foot mummy Asher Cobb returns and forms an unlikely alliance with Gord Cantrell and Kirby Hale. While they search for Becky and Drake, they are tracked and harassed by agents of the Sword of Abraham. All three want to obtain the six guns, albeit for completely different reasons.
There are more developments, but I'll not comment on those so that readers can still have some discoveries of their own. The art and coloring, as always, is stellar and takes this to a higher level.
I am hooked.
As they flee from the events of Volume 4, Becky and Drake head north and unknowingly enter a spirit world where Drake has to make some hard decisions in a turning point for his mindset. Cullen Bunn's take on the Wendigo legend enhances the power, motivation and creepiness of the winterland monster/god. I thoroughly enjoyed his version.
The nine-foot mummy Asher Cobb returns and forms an unlikely alliance with Gord Cantrell and Kirby Hale. While they search for Becky and Drake, they are tracked and harassed by agents of the Sword of Abraham. All three want to obtain the six guns, albeit for completely different reasons.
There are more developments, but I'll not comment on those so that readers can still have some discoveries of their own. The art and coloring, as always, is stellar and takes this to a higher level.
I am hooked.
August 16, 2021
(4,3 of 5 for I just may copy-paste my previous comment...)
At this point, there is very little to comment on. Cullen holds the bar, moves the story forward, gives us a lot of action, new pieces, side stories and it is great reading.
At this point, there is very little to comment on. Cullen holds the bar, moves the story forward, gives us a lot of action, new pieces, side stories and it is great reading.
February 16, 2015
Becky and Drake travelers to Fort Treadwill to find a tracker to find Missy Hume but they don’t get so far before something unnatural happens. They have ridden to close to a crossroad and they get stuck in a blizzard and soon their whole word has turn to winter and they are stuck in world controlled by the Windigo who is of course after the guns...
Becky and Drake really can’t catch a break, they are always hunted and not only by men but by mystical creatures of our world. But I have a feeling they are underestimating Becky, especially after I read the ending of this volume, she has grown a lot from the first time we met her in the first volume and her control of the gun is getting stronger...
Review also posted on And Now for Something Completely Different and It's a Mad Mad World
Becky and Drake really can’t catch a break, they are always hunted and not only by men but by mystical creatures of our world. But I have a feeling they are underestimating Becky, especially after I read the ending of this volume, she has grown a lot from the first time we met her in the first volume and her control of the gun is getting stronger...
Review also posted on And Now for Something Completely Different and It's a Mad Mad World
November 20, 2013
A bit of a slower volume, but that's ok sometimes. Especially when the previous one had a ton of action. The big bad of this volume was very creepy, and the newly introduced villain could end up being interesting. I'm loving this series, and a little sorry to have burned through the first five volumes so quickly.
June 4, 2015
This was my favorite volume of The Sixth Gun so far. The things that I like about this is that there is a lot of team building and character development. The action is a bit slower, so you get the chance to get to know the characters better. Also, there are some big developments in some of the major and supporting characters. Also, I felt that the slower pace allowed the horror elements to come through a little better.
April 20, 2018
Becky and Drake are trapped by a freak blizzard of magical origin and they take refuge in Fort Treadwell. Gord is looking for them and teams up with Asher the mummy and Kirby the thief. While Gord wants to destroy the Six, Asher wants them to fulfill their destiny and Kirby wants to steal them for Missy Hume. The monks from the Sword of Abraham are also on their tracks and they are armed with powerful supernatural weapons.
January 15, 2019
This series is still really good. I did not enjoy this one as much as the last four but it was still good and the story moved right along!
May 18, 2013
Love this series. One of my absolute favorites. I don't know why no one else has ever tried this combination of western and supernatural before, because it works, and it works damn well. At least in the hands of Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt. This volume takes a step back from the all-out action of the last volume, as Drake and Becky travel to an isolated fort in the wilderness, looking to hire a tracker who can lead them to the Widow Hume. When they arrive at the fort, everyone is gone and, in the blink of an eye, the weather takes a turn for the worse, as snow and cold magically appear. Gord Cantrell and his crew (including the mummy, Asher) are on their trail, followed closely by agents of the Sword of Abraham. When the three groups finally come together, look out. Things do move at a bit of a quieter pace this time out, but there's still a lot going on and a number of bits and asides set things up for the next arc of this story (which I hope continues for a long time to come). I continue to think that this could be the basis for a great movie or television series, if the right, creative-minded people got interested in it. Strongly recommended. **ARC provided by NetGalley
April 16, 2015
Sixth Gun knows how to tickle me just right, taking us in all kinds of new directions and locales. Volume five sees us in wintery wilds, as Drake and Becky do battle with a wendigo spirit. What I initially feared to be filler ended up being an impactful narrative, full of excellent character development, and a staggering amount of world building. The momentum halts for a minute, just long enough for us to resolve some threats, meet new enemies, and learn more about the Six. All of that comes complete with stag-demons, a Gord and Asher heavy story, and sweet snow golems.
The Sixth Gun continues to be excellent, and has yet to skip a beat.
The Sixth Gun continues to be excellent, and has yet to skip a beat.
May 3, 2014
Another great entry into this series. The mystical/supernatural elements of the series are expanded delving into more uniquely Native American mythos.
June 8, 2019
This one is far more a character driven book. Our attention is split between Becky and Drake--who are trapped in a spiritual winter by a new supernatural foe--and Gord who has teamed with the mummy Asher Cobb, and Kirby Hale to try to find the Drake and Becky. The opposition in their arc is a once again active cadre of S word of Abraham operatives.
Fascinating hints at Drake's history, man he's gotta have a one hell of a story. And this character arc shows Drake capable of surprising mercy and light. Meanwhile, as Becky and this trip seems to be drawing the best out Drake, we're definitely seeing some expanded darkness from Becky--which leads to one of my favorite sequences in the volume.
Gord and Kirby for the most part do the western style chase thing, although rather than repeatedly ending in shoot-outs or fisticuffs--the easy way out and also the gate way to the "good guys hit everything/bad guys hit nothing" trap--Gord and co. continually use superior knowledge of the supernatural to outwit/escape the following Sword of Abraham posse.
I was especially excited to see some use of Native American folklore, and the appearance of Native American characters as that seems a natural addition to the world building here.
Fascinating hints at Drake's history, man he's gotta have a one hell of a story. And this character arc shows Drake capable of surprising mercy and light. Meanwhile, as Becky and this trip seems to be drawing the best out Drake, we're definitely seeing some expanded darkness from Becky--which leads to one of my favorite sequences in the volume.
Gord and Kirby for the most part do the western style chase thing, although rather than repeatedly ending in shoot-outs or fisticuffs--the easy way out and also the gate way to the "good guys hit everything/bad guys hit nothing" trap--Gord and co. continually use superior knowledge of the supernatural to outwit/escape the following Sword of Abraham posse.
I was especially excited to see some use of Native American folklore, and the appearance of Native American characters as that seems a natural addition to the world building here.
June 12, 2024
4.5 stars
Becky and Drake arrive at Fort Treadwell, but discover it enveloped in an unseasonal & unnatural winter. The Winter Wolf is guardian here and rallies real wolves to attack...elsewhere, many are still looking for the Six Guns, especially those in the hands of Becky & Drake, not least Kirby and Gord.
The Knights of Solomon still hold the coffin-bound body of the General, but the Grey Witch, revealed in the last few pages here is one very determined & power-hungry sorceress...
A huge amount happens in this volume; allegiances are sorely tested, and whilst it can be a little confusing jumping from group to group in the narrative Cullen Bunn hold it together fantastically, about helped by the art of Brian Hurtt.
Highly recommended.
Becky and Drake arrive at Fort Treadwell, but discover it enveloped in an unseasonal & unnatural winter. The Winter Wolf is guardian here and rallies real wolves to attack...elsewhere, many are still looking for the Six Guns, especially those in the hands of Becky & Drake, not least Kirby and Gord.
The Knights of Solomon still hold the coffin-bound body of the General, but the Grey Witch, revealed in the last few pages here is one very determined & power-hungry sorceress...
A huge amount happens in this volume; allegiances are sorely tested, and whilst it can be a little confusing jumping from group to group in the narrative Cullen Bunn hold it together fantastically, about helped by the art of Brian Hurtt.
Highly recommended.
November 26, 2024
"Winter Wolves" follows Drake and Becky as they track down a tracker who can help them track a witch named Missy Hume. Their adventures take them into the wilderness, where they are stalked by the Wendigo, a malevolent spirit. A fun, entertaining volume, but undeniable a placeholder volume for more story to come. Some character development work is done here, particularly with respect to Drake's own past with the Wendigo. A final fight between Becky and Missy rounds out this volume, and its solid fare with great artwork. This could have been a shorter volume, but nonetheless, a decent midpoint arc for the series.
August 3, 2023
This was probably my least favourite volume so far of The Sixth Gun, but it's still more entertaining than 90% of the dreck you'll find on the newstands today. The art is still great and the writing, especially the character work, is good, but something about this one wasn't as enjoyable as the past. It might have to do with the lack of a strong central villian in this part of the tale. You've got the Wendigo in this one but it pales in comparison to the previous bad guys. Still worth reading and the set-up for the next volume looks like promising.
April 9, 2020
I'm starting to get a little concerned. Two straight collections that have progressively worse. Here, I feel like we're given a filler arc. The Wendigo storyline didn't feel heavy enough. It never seemed viable. I liked that the entire group each got their moment to shine, for the most part. I would love to see more of the widow Hume. Brian Hurtt continues to excel on art duties. Overall, the book needs a shot of adrenaline.
June 27, 2017
READING THE SERIES, GOOD LOW/MEDIUM FANTASY WESTERN. LIKABLE CHARACTERS THAT GROW ON YOU AND BECOME DEEPER. SEVERAL GOOD TWISTS AND TURNS IN THE STORY. I LIKE THE SETTING, MORE THAN JUST A WESTARN, AS IF ALL THE WIVE'S TALES AND STORIES WERE TRUE. AND ALL THE PROBLEMS THEREIN. GRITTY AND INTERESTING, AND WITH AN ART STYLE TO MATCH.
July 21, 2017
A creepy and arduous tale for our heroes. Drake feels like he's at his lowest here, putting Becky in a position to kill him and then asking her to do so. And Becky has reached a scary point too, lashing out at Missy Hume with the power of the gun. I love the dynamic between Gord, Kirby and Asher as very tenuous allies.
September 5, 2017
En este quinto volumen, Becky y Drake deben sobrevivir al más frío de los inviernos cuando son atrapados en un cruce de caminos por el mismísimo Wendigo. Un tomo mucho más gélido de lo habitual, que sigue con el excelente nivel de la serie. 100% recomendado.
May 5, 2019
Jestli minule dily byli akcnim Westernem s jistou Fantasy nadsazkou, tak tohle volumr je cira deprese. Drake s hlavni hrdinkou uviznou v zasnezene a neuprosne verzi realneho sveta a bojuji s Wendigem, snazi se prezit a resi sve vnitrni demony. Cullen Bunn ma neuveritelne promyslene postavy a jejich chovani.
Vraci se navic i Kirby Hale, jehoz linka s mumii je prijemne rozredeni deprese a nabizi prijemne nahlaskovanou jizdu.
Jop, tohle radim do sve ultimatni top 5.
Vraci se navic i Kirby Hale, jehoz linka s mumii je prijemne rozredeni deprese a nabizi prijemne nahlaskovanou jizdu.
Jop, tohle radim do sve ultimatni top 5.
July 30, 2019
Not since the early days of BPRD have I enjoyed a series so much.
Lovecraftian fiction has a place in modern horror, but the ghostly, ghastly, and spiritual world of The Sixth Gun takes horror to a new level.
Lovecraftian fiction has a place in modern horror, but the ghostly, ghastly, and spiritual world of The Sixth Gun takes horror to a new level.
July 7, 2025
There's a lotta threads making quite the quilt here, and it continues to be sewn with great care and interest. Everything moves along with an eye for balance, and it sure feels like the reckoning is gonna be a blowout. Until then, it's a hoot, even in the bad times (or spirit world).
May 31, 2017
Love this series! Everyone should be reading Cullen Bunn!
August 23, 2017
Winter! Wolves! Wendigo!
March 9, 2018
This series is pretty consistently bad-ass.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews