Scalped #45 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer), R.M. Guera (art), Giulia Brusco (colors), Steve Wands (letters) & Will Dennis (editor)

The Story: A new story arc begins on our favorite Lakota reservation.

What’s Good: It’s nice to get plunged back into an ongoing Scalped story.  For quite a few months, we’ve has done-in-ones and short arcs that were around the periphery of the Scalped universe.  They were outstanding stories and we are richer for knowing more about Shunka and Agent Nix, but it is still nice to head back into something that feels a little bigger.  It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the beginning of the next ~30 issue big story in Scalped.

There are lots of points for tension introduced in this issue as Aaron kinda arrays his chess pieces on the game board.  They are all intriguing and really make me anticipated the boiling point(s) that we’ll see in the next couple years.  Probably the biggest development is that Dash Bad Horse seems to be Red Crow’s new right hand man.  His addictions are gone and Red Crow values his toughness and brains.  Of course, that isn’t going to go over well at all with Shunka who seems to be losing his “chief advisor” role for Red Crow and will now merely be muscle.  Shunka seems to be a ticking bomb and the explosion is going to be pretty badass!  There are a lot of other neat angles tossed into this issue that hold a lot of promise for the future.  A few of them are only touched on, leaving you saying, “What the hell was THAT?”  It should be fun!

It is nice to have Guera back on art duties.  The guest artists have all been very good, but this is kinda Guera and Aaron’s series, so it’s nice to have all the characters back to they way they “should” look.  Guera has a very dark and gritty style that is perfect for this series.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Scarlet #4 – Even in spite of the awful shootings in AZ, this book is really speaking to the Libertarian in me.  I’m most happy to see that Bendis hasn’t lost his “fastball” for telling an edgy story after years of writing mass-produced superhero stuff for Marvel.  And, oddly….I love Alex Maleev’s art.  I almost wish his art wasn’t so enticing because I don’t think anyone else pulls off this photo-reference style very well.  Runner-up: Memoir #1

Most Anticipated: Detective Comics #873 – I can’t wait to see how Dick Grayson gets away from the room full of gas-mask wearing freaks.  Why are gas masks so freaky?  I am loving Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla’s opening arc on Detective.  This is a grounded Batman and the Dick Grayson story that I really wanted as soon as he took over for Bruce about 2 years ago.  Must read!

Other picks: American Vampire #11, New York Five #1, Scalped #45, Echoes #2, Fantastic Four #587

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Scarlet #4 – Finally, everything really clicked for me.  It’s now clear what kind of book Scarlet is going to be, and it’s clearly one I’m going to love.  Just a great comic all around, with the only thing bad about it being that I’m going to have to wait two months for the next installment.

Most Anticipated: Fantastic Four #587 – There are a lot of books this week, especially from Marvel, but for me, one stands out.  It’s no surprise really, given that this is the “death issue.”  One member of the FF dies this Wednesday and Jonathan Hickman has built it up to the point where it could truly be any one.  Curiosity and my love of the Fantastic Four would have this as my pick anyway, but it doesn’t hurt that Hickman’s FF may very well be my favourite book from Marvel right now.

Other Picks: Detective Comics #873, Action Comics #897, Avengers #9, Secret Avengers #9, New Avengers #8, Wonder Woman #606, American Vampire #11, Fables #101, Scalped #45, Captain America #614, Thunderbolts #152