Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: R.M. Guera, Lee Loughridge (colorist)
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Plot: Mr. Bad Horse is a full blood Indian, who comes back to the reservation after a long absence, and he ain’t looking for peace!
Comments: 2006 must have been a good year for writer Jason Aaron; as an unknown name in comic land, he got to do The Other Side, a mini series that he dragged along for several years that got rejected everywhere until Vertigo picked it up. And even Vertigo had rejected it twice! Usually I pick up monthlies, but for The Other Side I will wait for the trade, because artist Cameron Stewart promised some interesting extras. But I will eagerly jump on Scalped on a monthly basis.
I think it’s pretty special that an unknown writer is getting an ongoing at Vertigo. But I have to hand it to Aaron, he pulled it off. When I finished Scalped #1 I got a great feeling that this is going to be the next 100 bullets. The first thing that stands out is the dark and gritty cover by artist Jock (he of the late Vertigo title The Losers). The cover really is an indication of what to expect from this book. Dark and bloody.
R.M. Guera is a bit of a veteran artist in European graphic novels, but fairly unknown to the whole U.S. comicworld. And I have to say his art isn’t pretty at all. It kicks you in the gut and draws you into the grim world of an Indian reservation. The art is unsettling as even the day scenes are bleak and grim. This isn’t a neighbourhood where one would like to live.
Guera’s art isn’t meant to put a smile on your face. His dark ink lines are thick, moody and irregular. There isn’t one genuine smile on any of the Indian characters in this book. These people have twisted lives and nothing to be happy about. Colorist Lee Loughridge didn’t have to pull out his whole color palette, because depressing colors is all he needed. So the combination between artist R.M. Guera and colorist Lee Loughridge is overwhelmingly good. It doesn’t get grittier than this, which is just what this story needs.
When Jason Aaron wrote this script I bet he didn’t use white paper. I can imagine him using dark paper. As a newcomer, Aaron manages to show his major talent in this first issue. The set up of the first page gets you right in the mood for a rough story. The bar fight that follows is intense with good dialogue that can match any Brian Azzarello lines. Not bad for a new kid in town. The rhythm of the story is fast paced (more so than most of Vertigo’s books) with a lot of plot twists. It's even darker than 100 bullets (if that's possible). Jason Aaron is definitely a writer to watch very closely, and for Scalped he already laid out the storyline up to issue #30. Overwhelming is the right word to use for this book. It's a must buy.
Too bad Vertigo doesn’t do "Director’s Cut" issues. I would have bought one without hesitation. So let’s all buy this series and make this title a success because it deserves it.
Oh and by the way, one guy already got scalped in this series.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!