Scalped #46 – Review

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

The Story: The ongoing saga of Office Falls Down and Catcher continues…

What’s Good: I’m mostly just excited that Scalped is back into telling an ongoing story again (with this being the second issue of the arc).  I did love the done-in-one stories that we’ve been served the last few months, but getting back into plotting, deception and intrigue as the essential characters of the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation (who all have their own agendas) start their journey through one of Jason Aaron’s intricate plots is the bee’s knees.

Another good thing is that it seems we’re going to be exploring the character of Catcher a little more in this arc.  Catcher has been an important character all along and he is the biggest of free agents among the main characters.  He’s also the least explored, so I’m looking forward to learning a little more about him.

As for the plot in this issue, we’re in the middle of the arc, so we don’t expect “shocking conclusions”, but the main story deals with Catcher holding Officer Falls Down hostage.  Falls Down is another great character as he is seemingly the last honest man on the reservation.  He’s just a great example of that “honest man” fixture in an organized crime story (which is what Scalped really is).  There usually isn’t any room for such men in these stories, but they are important characters because they are someone you can identify with as a reader.  Falls Down hasn’t gotten much reward for his honesty.

Guera’s art is again just great.  There are a few places where he get’s a little heavy with the ink, but he sells the nasty/gritty/horrible so well that I don’t mind too much.  And an extended B-story in this issue between Red Crow and Lawrence (the Leonard Peltier character) is largely a silent story by Guera.  Glad to have him back after a run of guest artists.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Thunderbolts #153 – Loved the way the Tbolts came together as a team to pound Hyperion while their handlers were kinda looking the other way.  I want Jeff Parker to get his paws on an in-continuity X-book asap.  The guy really knows how to handle a team book!

Most Anticipated: Scalped #46 – After a bunch of one-shot type issues, Jason Aaron got his next big Scalped story cranked up last week.  This will be a highly anticipated comic for a long time.

Other Picks: Detective Comics #874, American Vampire #12, Morning Glories #7, Turf #4, Amazing Spider-Man #655, Who is Jake Ellis #2

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: S.H.I.E.L.D. #6 – The worst thing about SHIELD #6?  The fact that we won’t be getting any more for a while as the series goes on hiatus.  That said, it goes out with a bang.  This is epic craziness unleashed with absolutely mind-blowing art and a ridiculously huge scope.  There’s no book like it and SHIELD #6 is, for me, one of the best issues thus far.

Most Anticipated: Iron Man 2.0 #1 – In a week so packed with quality releases, you’d think picking what I’m looking forward to most would be hard.  But it’s actually pretty easy.  Nick Spencer is on absolute fire right now and a smart, high-tech book like this new War Machine title seems right about his alley.  I’m really curious to see how Spencer fairs in the Marvel Universe and the short preview we got in Invincible Iron Man #500 certainly has my hopes up.

Other Picks: Fantastic Four #588, Detective Comics #874, Action Comics #898, Morning Glories #7, Amazing Spider-Man #655, Thor #620, American Vampire #12, Avengers #10, Secret Avengers #10, Captain America #615, Invincible Iron Man #501, Scalped #46