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Voluminous Vertigo Week: Scalped #14
- by Brian Cronin
- in Comic Reviews
DC's Vertigo line of comics puts out some of the best comics by either Marvel or DC, and this week, a staggering FIVE good Vertigo comic books were released - let's talk about them - BC.
I know that I speak about it often, but the transformation of Jason Aaron's Scalped from a fair enough book to one of Vertigo's strongest titles month in and month out is still one of my favorite "feel good" comic book stories of 2007.
The comic itself, though, is certainly not feel good, but it also continues to be an engaging and intriguing read.
The current storyline is titled Dead Mothers, and that is just what it is about - our star, Dashiell Bad Horse, is trying to solve the murder of a meth addict with a bunch of kids (last issue, there is an absolutely BRUTAL scene where the kids are given a bag full of hamburgers to eat, and the oldest, who takes care of his brothers and sisters, takes the first hamburger and begins to tear it up into smaller pieces for each of his siblings, before he realizes that they are being given a hamburger EACH - such a great scene), while meanwhile also dealing (or attempting to NOT deal) with the murder of his own mother.
Aaron, as usual, does a good job of capturing the sort of awkward interactions that often make up lots of people's interactions. His flashback scene to Dashiell interacting with his mother as a youth as she attempts to teach him about their heritage is brilliant in how well he captures the effortless cruelty of youth. It reminds me of Skyscrapers of the Midwest (which is one of my all-time favorite comics) in this regards.
Dashiell is a cop working for the reservation where he grew up, but secretly, he is an FBI agent working undercover to bring down the Chief of the reservation. This storyline, Dashiell's "fake" job conflicts with his "real" job as the murderer of the meth addict is ALSO involved with the FBI, and is therefore protected. As you might imagine, Dashiell takes this news poorly.
Meanwhile, though, I love how Aaron has Dashiell's mind thinks - his plan to deal with the meth addict's murderer is designed in a way as to please the FBI, as well, but you know that is not his motivation - he just wishes to come up with a way to have the bad guy killed. It's subtle stuff by Aaron.
R.M. Guera's artwork continues to evoke the noirish feel that Aaron is going for in his story. That is helpful.
The mystery of how killed Dashiell's mother continues, and it appears to be a good one.
Just like this series.
Recommended.
- Posted on February 7, 2008 @ 01:38 PM
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11 Comments
Olly McPherson
February 7, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I collected it through issue 13, but it was just moving too slowly for me. None of the plot threads seemed to be progressing; Casino Boogie, the second arc, seemed to rehash the same points with each issue.
Also, I understand the point Aaron is trying to make about the legacy of centuries of horrible mistreatment of the Native American community, but the overwhelming depravity of every character and situation just felt over the top.
comb & razor
February 7, 2008 at 2:25 pm
"Casino Boogie" did in some ways move in circles (especially when you consider that at the end of that arc, we are at exactly the same spot that we were at the end of the previous arc!) but i don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.
there was movement... just that it wasn't necessarily plot movement. not very rapid plot movement, anyway. what i would say about SCALPED is the same thing i still say in defense of the latter seasons of The Sopranos when people complained about "nothing happening" and not enough people getting whacked: it's character-driven storytelling.
Tim Callahan
February 7, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Brian, I still don't understand what you mean about the "transformation" of Scalped.
The series didn't all of a sudden get better, it was good from the first issue. You may have started to connect with the series a few issues in, but the quality was there from the start. I defy you to show me how the early issues show weakness that went away by the more recent issues.
And yeah, it is one of the best comics on the stands these days. Reading the most recent, relatively minimalistic (but powerful) issue of "Scalped" right after I read the newest issue of the overwritten, over-expository "The Twelve" cemented my opinion of Jason Aaron's genius.
comb & razor
February 7, 2008 at 6:59 pm
i dunno, Tim... a lot of people i've exposed to the book all agree that while the first three issues were decent, it seems like the book didn't really take off until issue 4.
i wouldn't say it was so much a complete "transformation" as a shifting of gears maybe.
Brian Cronin
February 7, 2008 at 7:00 pm
The first three issues of Scalped were too plot-driven, since then, it's been character driven.
That's it in a nutshell.
I'd add that Guera has grown as a storyteller, as well, but the change from plot-driven to character-driven is the main stuff. And it's been a highly appreciated change!
Dan Bailey
February 8, 2008 at 7:21 am
"a lot of people i’ve exposed to the book all agree that while the first three issues were decent, it seems like the book didn’t really take off until issue 4."
Maybe that's why I dropped this one after reading the first 3 (I think) ishes. They seemed rather leaden to me.
DubipR
February 8, 2008 at 8:23 am
Best Vertigo title out right now. Plotting's a bit slow but its more character driven. I knew this was going to be a good title, when in issue 2 Red Crow explains to the media of the plight of the modern American Indian. The research taken to make this real was nailed beautifully. I'm loving this book
TimCallahan
February 8, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hmm...You're saying that R.M. Guera, who was already an experienced European artist, has improved as a storyteller over the course of a handful of issues? That seems unlikely. His work on the first few issues was excellent, and what's more likely is that it took you a while to get used to his style. He was new to you, but he's not a new artist. And I think the same thing is true for the story as well--it has been character-driven from the start, but you didn't know the characters yet. Go back a re-read those early issues now that you have gotten into the groove of the book and see if the first few are of a weaker quality. I think you'll find Jason Aaron and R. M. Guera started strong.
sgt pepper
February 8, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I liked the first issues and see no problem with opening with a plot driven hook.
What about the coloring in this series? It does a great job of matching the mood of the story (and it's gorgeous).
TimCallahan
February 9, 2008 at 9:43 am
For the record, I asked Jason Aaron about whether or not HE felt that the book improved after the first few issues and he said that Guera has been consistently excellent (although someone else pointed out that the colorist changed a few issues ago), but Aaron felt that the series really started to click for him with issues 4-5. He mentioned that the first three issues were really difficult to write, and he didn't really start doing what he wanted to do until 4 or 5.
So, there you have it, Brain. The creator agrees with you.
Brian Cronin
February 9, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Huzzah!