Comic Title: Weird Western Tales #18
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Jul/Aug 1973
On Sale Date: April 5, 1973 Newsstand Date April 5, 1973
Source: Comic Reader, #95

Copyright Date April 5, 1973
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1973

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.20
Page Count: 32
Editor: Joe Orlando

Title: "The Hoax"
Pages: 23

Feature(s):
Jonah Hex (of Earth-1)

Writer: John Albano
Artist: Tony DeZuniga

Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents Jonah Hex Vol. 1 TPB (2006)
Weird Western Tales:Jonah Hex Vol. 1 HC (2020)

Feature Character(s)

• Jonah Hex (last appearance in Weird Western Tales #17; next appearance in Weird Western Tales #19)

Supporting Character(s)

• General (see comment; last appearance in Weird Western Tales #17; next appearance in Weird Western Tales #19)

Villain(s)

• Clem and Schuyler (claim robbers; both die in this story; no further appearances)
• J.M. Marberry (a side show owner; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• An outlaw's father and a hired gun (both die in this story; no further appearances)
• An actor (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• A prospector (dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Sue Coursen (a prospector's daughter; no further appearances)
• Colby and his son (a rancher; no further appearances)
• Several townspeople (Clem named; no further appearances)
• A sheriff and his duputies (Jed named; no further appearances)
• A farmer and his wife (both die in this story; no further appearances)
• Two indians (both die in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story marks the second time Jonah's horse, General, is named. It can therefore be inferred that he rides the same horse from story to story.

Synopsis:
Two outlaws kill a prospector and steal his claim to a gold mine. Jonah Hex witnesses the murder, but he doesn't want to get involved. When the outlaws try to kill him anyway, he shoots them. He then takes the claim and gives it to the prospector's daughter in exchange for payment for services rendered.

The townspeople believe Hex swindled the woman and try to lynch him. J.M. Marberry, a side show owner, defends Jonah, then offers him half his business to act as security. Jonah agrees.

Marberry's star attraction is a wolf boy. A rancher named Colby believes the wolf boy to be his long lost son and offers to buy him from Marberry. J.M. receives payment, then blames Jonah for the hoax when the boy is proven to be a fake.

Jonah goes after Marberry. First he catches the boy and forces him to confess to the hoax. He also admits to faking the claim that the prospector died for. Jonah continues his search for Marberry who guns down two indians during his escape. A white man dressed in indian garb shoots the swindler. Marberry recognizes him as Colby's true son.