Scalped #57 – Review

By: Jason Aaron (writer), R.M. Guera (artist), Giulia Brusco (colors), Sal Cipriano (letters), Mark Doyle (associate editor) & Will Dennis (editor)

The Story: Haha!  Did you really think there’d be a happy ending?

A few things: [with SPOILERS]

Shit’s about to get real! – Last issue was very unexpected as we leapt forward a few months, but it also painted an almost idyllic scene for the denizens of the Prairie Rose Reservation.  Probably no body thought we’d end this series on a calm note, so this issue isn’t a huge surprise.  Plus, we really can’t have a happy ending for Dash like at the end of Shawshank.  He’s done too many bad things along the way and they’re starting to bite him in the ass. Eventually your sins won’t stay buried.  I like the figurative idea of Dash’s sins being dug out of a shallow grave by a pack of stray dogs that then drag them all over, for everyone to see.   It’s like the dogs are saying, “Look!  He’s not a hero!  He’s a bad man too!”

Catcher. – What an odd character Catcher is!  On one hand, I thought he was dead when we saw his horse stomping on him a few issues ago.  But, he is clearly back and acting as some kind of avenging angel for the Reservation.  He’s also changed his animal totem from a scrawny old horse that seemed to have a moral code, to a pack of dogs that are intent on exposing and punishing sin.  I’m sure that more clever readers will be able to put all the figurative stuff together better than me, but even with my literal brain it is still pretty cool: Catcher is washing the Reservation clean.

Red Crow. – In some ways, Red Crow is more the central character of Scalped than is Dash.  He’s also a more moral man than Dash at this point, but as much as he loves Dash, he loves his daughter more.  I love the way Guera draws Red Crow.  I mean, he’s an older guy….so he can’t maintain washboard abs and he’s going to have some floppy skin on the backs of his arms, but every image of him just exudes power.  Even as a 60-something man, he doesn’t look like anyone you’d want to get into a scrap with.  It’s really a pleasure to see an artist who can draw something besides generic superhero bodily perfection.

WCBR’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Prophet #23 – This series is probably legit now: Three really HOT issues in a row.  The world-building is great and the art is great, but what sets the series apart is this sorta stoicism  that I’m not getting from any other comic right now.  Everything in this comic is very direct and blunt and sometimes it’s nice to creators do that than try to show us how clever they are.  The only thing this series wants you to “get” is what is on the page, yet it isn’t a kiddie-comic either.  As a bonus, this issue gave us our first BIG reveal of the series.  Hop on now while we’re only three issues into the series!  Runner-up: Batman #7

Most Anticipated: Scalped #57 – That last issue was kinda unexpected, right?  There are only 3 issues left after this one and I’m sure it won’t be happy endings for the good guys of the Prairie Rose Reservation because that just wouldn’t be Scalped.   Something awful is probably going to happen to Dash, but what will it be given that most of his antagonists are already dead?

Other Picks: American Vampire #25, The New Deadwardians #1, Spaceman #5, The Unwritten #35.5, Choker #6 (after ~2 years!), Elephantmen #38, Morning Glories #17, The Walking Dead #95, Daredevil #10, FF #16

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Wonder Woman #7 – Honestly, this issue went buy in a flash and really sticks to one locale, but there’s so much coolness here.  The designs for Hephaestus and Eros were fantastic, Azzarello’s tinkering with Amazonian culture/history is great, and Diana’s lesson in assumptions making an ass of you and me was a solid character moment.  Oh, and Cliff Chiang returns.  Hurray!  A really fantastic book that every DC fan should be picking up and one that’s easily in my top 5 of the new 52. (for the record, the other four are Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Batman, and either Batwoman or Flash)

Most Anticipated: Spaceman #5 – Yes, I realize there’s a proverbial elephant in the room written by two of my favourite writers in AvX #0 this month, but there are two reasons for picking Spaceman this week.

1.  While I’ll be picking it up, I’ve never been a huge fan of zero issues.

2.  I have completely and utterly fallen in love with the world of Spaceman.  Every issue is like a vacation to a favourite destination.

Other Picks: Avengers vs. X-Men #0, Aquaman #7, The Flash #7, American Vampire #25, Scalped #57, Daredevil #10, FF #16, Mighty Thor #12, Moon Knight #11, New Avengers #23, Secret Avengers #24, Uncanny X-Force #23