Aaron abandons Dash. He embraces Lincoln, big shock, but he abandons Dash after a gunfight with Catcher. Why? Because it’s easier. To be fair, Aaron created such a weak character with Dash–and Catcher–there’s nothing much to do with them. The dialogue’s awful between them and it’s unimaginable someone could’ve made it through FBI training and not understood Catcher’s confession.

Or fifth grade. Aaron writes Dash like he’s got less than a fifth grade education.

But Guera’s gunfight art is outstanding and the sequence is exciting, even if the characters are lame. Falls Down moves through the issue a little, without much to do, but he’s at least visually present.

And then there’s Lincoln. Aaron goes for the unexpected with Lincoln–twice this issue–and it’s great both times.

Even though the issue was a lot of problems, they’re endemic to Scalped overall; those aside, it’s an excellent issue.

CREDITS

You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, Conclusion, Ain’t No God; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Sal Cipriano; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Batman, Inc. 7 (July 2011)
• The Unwritten 25 (July 2011)
• The Sixth Gun 13 (July 2011)
• Venom 3 (July 2011)
• Planet of the Apes 4 (July 2011)

I’m fairly impressed… Aaron tries for another concept issue and he actually succeeds. It’s a fractured narrative with Dash in the center of it, playing him off Lincoln, Catcher and Nitz, all at different time periods–in fact, it’s unclear where the cliffhanger fits.

Some of Aaron’s success with it might have to do with Dash as a character. Forty-eight issues into the series, Aaron knows he can’t possibly have Dash be a decent human being and have anyone believe it. So all he has to do is set up a problem where Dash can still be a twit and make all the steps through it be complex enough it rewards the reader.

Guera’s art seems a little off though. The issue starts on the wrong foot with a full page close-up of Dash. Guera’s too hurried, his details lacking.

But it’s the best issue of the arc.

CREDITS

You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, Part Four of Five, Are You Honest Enough to Live Outside the Law?; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Sal Cipriano; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Batman, Inc. 6 (June 2011)
• The Sixth Gun 12 (June 2011)
• Venom 2 (June 2011)
• Planet of the Apes 3 (June 2011)
• Osborn 5 (June 2011)

Is Catcher narrating this issue? It’s Dino’s issue, but Aaron doesn’t use him to narrate. Until the Catcher appearance–and Aaron ripping off narration from Ed Brubaker’s Criminal–it’s an okay issue. Dino is in love with Carol, Carol’s still in love with Dash or whatever. Poor Dino’s heart gets broken.

Dino crushing on Carol, who’s nearly old enough to be his mom probably, distracts from Aaron making Dino such an unlikable character the last time he showed up in Scalped. I think Dino’s supposed to get sympathy for losing the eye from the reader as well, which is just weak.

Once again, Aaron’s showing an utter lack of planning on the series. Had he layered in Dino’s crush on Carol from the start–he had to have known her–it might actually play well. Instead, Aaron just slaps on another coat.

Still, Aaron has written worse issues. Much worse.

CREDITS

You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, Part Three of Five, Hearted; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Batman, Inc. 5 (May 2011)
• Jennifer Blood 3 (May 2011)
• Venom 1 (May 2011)
• Planet of the Apes 2 (May 2011)
• Blue Estate 2 (May 2011)

Catcher isn’t a crazy man or a prophet, he’s Hannibal Lector. The other half of the issue is Lawrence–the guy in prison–and his half of the issue is great.

Maybe his name’s not Lawrence, but whatever. The guy in prison. Aaron does a great job with him.

As for the stuff with Falls Down and Catcher? Well, Aaron certainly seems to enjoy writing about Catcher torturing Falls Down. Maybe enough it’s concerning,

And I misspoke a little when I said Catcher is now Hannibal Lector; Aaron’s probably going for more of a “Twin Peaks” vibe. He’s not really accomplishing anything–the issue’s entirely disposable as a part of the narrative. Except the prison stuff, of course.

But the Catcher stuff? I don’t see the need. Aaron could’ve established it all in a page or two and had a great done-in-one at the prison.

Aaron disappoints again.

CREDITS

You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, Part Two of Five, At Her Majesty’s Pleasure; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Batman, Inc. 4 (April 2011)
• Blue Estate 1 (April 2011)
• Detective Comics 874 (April 2011)
• Osborn 3 (April 2011)
• Doctor Strange: From The Marvel Vault 1 (April 2011)

Maybe I was wrong. I thought I could shake off a bad issue and move along, but I find myself unable to trust Aaron anymore. This issue, starting a new arc, is a little bit of a soft reboot. Dash and Carol aren’t together, Lincoln’s bringing Dash into politics, there’s a bunch of new characters… but then Aaron reminds the reader about Falls Down and Catcher.

But instead of being a big revelation, it’s more a reminder Aaron’s terrible about following up on plot threads.

Guera’s art is good this issue without being great; he draws Lincoln really well. Lincoln’s about the only thing in Scalped ever done really well.

And even Aaron’s handling of the hippies out to rid the reservation of Lincoln’s corruptness is good. It’s hard to like them; Lincoln’s convinced himself (and the reader) he’s right.

But I can’t get hopeful; Aaron’s failed once too often.

CREDITS

You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, Part One of Five, Running To Stand Still; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Orc Stain 6 (March 2011)
• Batman, Inc. 3 (March 2011)
• Jennifer Blood 2 (March 2011)
• Detective Comics 873 (March 2011)
• THUNDER Agents 3 (March 2011)

Holy God, is this issue trite. Aaron’s been trite and obvious before, but never to this degree. The entire issue poses Dash and Carol as tragic, star-crossed lovers. It felt like Aaron had just got done reading Twilight and wanted to homage it with some Scalped fanfic. It doesn’t even feel like the same comic.

Though Guera’s art is back on target again. Faces aren’t funny anymore.

Aaron opens it with a collective dream sequence, then does his whole split declarative statement first person thoughts thing. He’s done it before and it’s worked occasionally. It belly flops here. Belly flops so hard I’m angry I read the comic.

He even gets rid of Wade. The one thing he’s got going for him, Aaron drives him off the rez.

Apparently, Aaron never thought through Carol and Dash hooking up.

I hate this issue. But Aaron’s abject mishandling isn’t a surprise.

CREDITS

Unwanted, Conclusion; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• The Sixth Gun 7 (December 2010)
• The Unwritten 18 (December 2010)
• Incognito: Bad Influences 2 (December 2010)
• DC Universe: Legacies 6 (December 2010)
• Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs. Jekyll and Hyde 1 (December 2010)

Guera’s art is something of a disaster this issue. A managed disaster. Everyone looks off. Men’s faces are too skinny, women’s faces are too full. I was surprised Guera didn’t have any credited help. It really doesn’t look like him, but an impression.

As for the rest of the issue… it’s incredibly trite.

Wade’s back because Dash hasn’t been looking for Gina’s killer. The guy who has been looking for Gina’s killer–Falls Down–hasn’t been in the comic for about five or six issues, so it’s hard to say where the investigation’s going.

Oh, wait, did Catcher kill him too?

It ends with a montage of Carol and Dash, both cured of their drug addiction (Dash through the ancestral sweating out, Carol through methadone), searching for each other.

It’s inane and only reminds Aaron still hasn’t dealt with Dash telling Carol he’s an FBI agent.

Filler issue. Big time.

CREDITS

Unwanted, Part Three; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Orc Stain 5 (October 2010)
• Nancy in Hell 4 (October 2010)
• The Unwritten 16 (October 2010)
• Incognito: Bad Influences 1 (October 2010)
• DC Universe: Legacies 4 (October 2010)

Reading about Dash detoxing is about as interesting as watching paint dry. Oh, Aaron throws him naked into the snow, hallucinating about Heaven, but it’s still no good.

Gina’s detox story–Aaron’s big on juxtaposing this arc, like he just got out of an AP literature class–is a lot better. Maybe because Aaron’s actually doing some writing. He’s got a big family conversation going on around Gina. With Dash’s stuff, he just makes Guera do all the work.

Actually, if Aaron took the time for metaphors and so on, Dash’s might work. But he doesn’t.

What does work–and what shows Aaron decided too late what Scalped should be about–is Wade and Lincoln. Wade’s return has Lincoln practically claiming Dash as his own (or at least implying he wants to be the father of Gina’s child). It’s a great scene, way too short.

The issue’s another mixed bag.

CREDITS

Unwanted, Part Two; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco and Trish Mulvihill; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Girl Comics 3 (September 2010)
• Nancy in Hell 3 (September 2010)
• Nancy in Hell 2 (September 2010)
• The Unwritten 15 (September 2010)
• DC Universe: Legacies 3 (September 2010)

Well, Wade’s back, which is good. Aaron can write Wade.

But Wade’s return is the soft cliffhanger. Before his appearance, Aaron deals with Carol’s pregnancy and drug addiction. I’m fairly sure there’s some Lifetime movie out there he ripped off, what with Carol literally burning down her drug den to show she’s changing her ways and all.

Aaron uses her to narrate most of the issue. A drug addicted pregnant woman going through withdrawals. He does a terrible, terrible job with that first person narration but he does even worse with the few pages he spends on Dash.

Odd how Aaron’s so bad at narrating his “protagonist” even train wrecks are better.

Guera’s art is utterly wonderful, regardless of what’s going on in the scenes. He’s really hit a good stride lately.

Nothing happens this issue besides Carol deciding to detox. She doesn’t even start detoxing. It’s all useless filler.

CREDITS

Unwanted, Part One; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Namora 1 (August 2010)
• Nancy in Hell 1 (August 2010)
• Buzzard 3 (August 2010)
• The Unwritten 14 (August 2010)
• DC Universe: Legacies 2 (August 2010)

Aaron sure does expect a lot from his readers. I was almost through the issue before I remembered Wade is Dash’s dad. I thought it was an unlikely Falls Down flashback.

The issue takes place at the end of the Vietnam War, with Wade working the black market and romancing a local girl. It’s the best frost person Aaron has written in Scalped, even better than his occasional Lincoln first persons.

It just goes to show the series’s salient problem–Dash is poorly realized character. In one issue, Aaron does a better job realizing Wade than in thirty-some with Dash.

The issue is one of the series’s best, both in writing and art. Guera really captures the desperation in the battle scenes and the subsequent “regular life” ones. Aaron doesn’t try for profundity, just earnestness and the result is a sublime issue.

Shame it’s a done in one though.

CREDITS

Family Tradition; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Girl Comics 2 (July 2010)
• Rescue 1 (July 2010)
• Buzzard 2 (July 2010)
• The Unwritten 13 (July 2010)
• DC Universe: Legacies 1 (July 2010)

Well, Aaron definitely surprised me. Dash does not become George Clooney. Sadly, Aaron’s only way of making the arc surprising was to change Dash’s character entirely. He’s about thirty issues late for the development he’s doing now. It comes off as contrived. Intricate, unexpected, but contrived.

And how has the reader known (or guessed) for three issues about Carol’s pregnancy but it’s a big surprise to her. It makes absolutely no sense.

The issue’s pretty good–except when Aaron writes Dash’s internal monologue. You can just feel Aaron straining to do tough pulp writer. It stale.

As for resolving the street fight cliffhanger, Aaron actually follows through very well. Sure, he’s been hiding an integral factoid to the Hmong behavior in regards to Lincoln so he could surprise the reader… but Scalped is all about the cheap narrative tricks, bad cliffhangers and occasionally profound character developments.

So, there you go.

CREDITS

The Gnawing, Conclusion; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Black Widow: Deadly Origin 1 (January 2010)
• Red Herring 4 (January 2010)
• Supergirl 47 (January 2010)
• Immortal Weapons 5 (January 2010)
• Immortal Weapons 4 (January 2010)

Roger Ebert once wrote, “the very essence of noir is that there are no more heroes.” Much as I loathe Ebert, it’s not an incorrect observation. Someone really should have told Aaron. Just because he’s turned Dash into a dope fiend doesn’t mean he doesn’t have him running around this issue like George Clooney setting up to do the right thing.

And Aaron spends most of the issue on him, only giving Falls Down a page or two. Sure, Lincoln gets the rest of the comic, but Lincoln’s hunting down the prize witness or he’s being opaque about how to deal with the Hmong war.

Aaron’s cliffhanger for the issue is in the middle of a street fight. One has to wonder if he’s going to actually resolve it or do the Aaron thing and pick up later on.

This issue’s engaging, but it’s not particularly good (or bad) otherwise.

CREDITS

The Gnawing, Part Four of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Red Herring 3 (December 2009)
• Phonogram: The Singles Club 6 (December 2009)
• Supergirl 46 (December 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 20 (December 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 19 (December 2009)

Okay, so Carol didn’t die. She just fell down in a very suspect way and it looked like her neck broke. She’s alive and well this issue and Aaron reminds the reader she knows Dash is an undercover agent… he also reminds the reader he never resolved that particular cliffhanger.

And she appears to be pregnant. Little Dash on the way.

She’s got a great scene with Lincoln.

As for Lincoln, Aaron continues positioning him opposite Nitz in the whole thing, even having them mirror dialogue, but it still doesn’t work. Aaron spent way too much time on Dash, which all seems wasted at this point.

The waste continues this issue with Dash having the only action scenes in the issue. Two times Aaron sets Dash up with confusing behavior (pulling a knife but not to hurt someone, visiting Carol) and no resolution.

It’s tiring.

But the rest is great.

CREDITS

The Gnawing, Part Three of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Red Herring 2 (November 2009)
• Supergirl Annual 1 (November 2009)
• Supergirl 45 (November 2009)
• Immortal Weapons 3 (November 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 18 (November 2009)

I think I’ve figured out one of Aaron’s big problems as a writer. He’s scared of women. Sure, if it’s Granny or the old lady who lives by herself, he’s fine. She can show up and be wise. But if it’s a character he’s actually got to develop, he’s not willing to make the commitment. He puts in a shockingly paltry amount of work on Carol this issue.

Everything’s on a convenient collision course–Nitz is raiding the reservation (well, him and his sidekick), the Hmong are coming, Dash is in a bind regarding his heroin addiction (don’t know why I assumed it was meth)–and Scalped is definitely getting exciting.

While Lincoln’s at the center of it all, he’s got the only calm this issue. I guess there’s a little with Falls Down, but it’s a repeat. Lincoln’s the one character Aaron never cuts corners on.

He makes Scalped.

CREDITS

The Gnawing, Part Two of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Chronicles of Wormwood: The Last Battle 1 (September 2009)
• Bad Dog 3 (September 2009)
• Supergirl 43 (September 2009)
• Immortal Weapons 1 (September 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 15 (September 2009)

Guera’s art changes a little once again. It’s more crime art now, a lot less mystical. It’s good and it fits where Aaron’s taking the story–Lincoln going to war, Dash going nuts at the stress. There’s one weak panel with Nitz.

Let’s talk about Nitz. Aaron has Dash as a pawn between Lincoln and Nitz. Lincoln is an amazing character, easily the best thing about Scalped and probably the best thing Aaron will ever do as a writer. Nitz is a disposable racist psychopath. It’s not a worthy setup. And Aaron seems to know it–why else would the disposable Hmong get propped up in stature?

Catcher and Dash have a scene where Aaron tries to foreshadow Dash’s redemption. Unfortunately, it comes off a little more like the origin of Eagle-Man.

Falls Down has a little scene. He’s still Aaron’s second best creation.

Warts and all, excellent stuff.

CREDITS

The Gnawing, Part One of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Supergirl 42 (August 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 27 (August 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 14 (August 2009)
• Chew 3 (August 2009)
• Unknown Soldier 9 (August 2009)

Dash is back! Who knew he was still a character in Scalped.

Aaron reveals the heist gone bad this issue–and some more (only a little, actually) into Dash’s descent into meth-addiction or whatever–and he’s been watching some Pulp Fiction.

The way the heist ties in on itself isn’t particularly interesting and the way Aaron reveals details late is very Ocean’s Twelve, but it’s a good issue. It’s not deep, but it amuses as Aaron throws a strung-out Dash through a very bad night.

He does try to get some sympathy for Dash, whether it’s flashbacks to his awful childhood or to being a soldier, but since Dash is such a non-character at this point in the series, it doesn’t matter. Dash is a pawn on the Scalped board. Not all the characters are, but Dash is definitely one of them.

Guera’s enthusiastic art helps lots.

CREDITS

Rock Bottom, Pop. 1 – High Lonesome, Conclusion; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Phonogram: The Singles Club 4 (July 2009)
• Supergirl 41 (July 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 26 (July 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 13 (July 2009)
• Chew 2 (July 2009)

This issue, even though Aaron makes the strangest decision regarding the identity of Gina’s killer I can imagine–he reveals it without any reason–is a fine issue.

Guera’s back on art, still letting the colorist fill in facial details, but at least the style is constant not. He’s not experimenting anymore, he’s committed.

And Aaron splits the issue between two and a half strong characters. Falls Down is investigating the murder from a couple issues again (when Scalped got real mean), the convict on death row has his scenes (which are all just b plot development), and then Catcher returns.

Catcher gets less and less interesting the more Aaron develops the character. He and Dash should leave the comic and never come back….

But it’s a good issue, particularly because of the Falls Down scenes. Lincoln never makes an appearance, but he’s always present. Aaron’s sublimity is sometimes great.

CREDITS

I’ll Never Get Outta This World Alive – High Lonesome, Part Four of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Phonogram: The Singles Club 3 (June 2009)
• Supergirl 40 (June 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 25 (June 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 12 (June 2009)
• Chew 1 (June 2009)

At first I thought Guera was homaging Bill Messner-Loebs’s Journey and then I thought it was a Corben homage… and then I just realized Guera stopped doing much face detail and made the colorist do it.

This issue isn’t a nice one. It’s an intentionally mean one, with Aaron introducing a violent, sadistic career criminal to the reservation with his eyes set on ripping off Lincoln’s casino.

After one issue, all from the new character’s perspective, it’s hard to see how Aaron’s going to make it organic to Scalped. Lincoln has a walk-on, Dash makes an appearance at the very end… but it’s a brand new comic, not just a new arc.

Reading it as that new comic, it’s okay but nothing more. Aaron tries hard to continuously surprise the reader with his protagonist’s inhumanity. There doesn’t seem to be a point to it… I’m hoping I’m wrong.

CREDITS

This Then Is the Rez – High Lonesome, Part One of Five; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Bad Dog 2 (March 2009)
• Supergirl 37 (March 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 22 (March 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 9 (March 2009)
• Battlefields: Dear Billy 3 (March 2009)

Guera’s art falls apart a little this issue. He’s careful and considered on the flashbacks and the postscript, but during the big action scene he falls apart. He gets loose and the scene suffers a bit.

Aaron ties everything together a little bit differently than I expected. All the work he did on Dino last issue has nothing to do with Lincoln, which makes one wonder why Scalped needed a pointless Dino issue. The plotting for the issue in strong, these little disconnected scenes of Lincoln’s rage building.

The ending to this issue, this look into Lincoln’s soul, could very well be the end of Scalped too. Sure, there are lots of places for Aaron to go, but this issue sums up Lincoln quite well.

Aaron finishes the issue with Lincoln’s first person explanation of himself. It’s a complete narrative shift, but it’s a beautiful sequence with the Guera art.

CREDITS

The Gravel in Your Guts, Conclusion; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Bad Dog 1 (February 2009)
• Supergirl 36 (February 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 21 (February 2009)
• The Invincible Iron Man 8 (February 2009)
• Air 5 (February 2009)

It’s a Dino issue. Red Crow doesn’t make an appearance at all, though I do think Dash shows up for a second to buy some meth. But the issue is otherwise Aaron making Dino as unlikable character as possible. Sure, he’s only involved in delivering meth because he wants to get off the rez and help his daughter and he can’t get away from the crooked cops… but, really, Aaron’s just striping him of his sympathetic nature so when he dies it won’t be a big deal.

Actually, if he does just die and Red Crow does just avenge him, it’ll be a major letdown.

Besides being an obvious piece in a narrative sequence, the issue’s good. Guera’s art has never been better and Aaron’s dialogue is strong. His internal monologue for Dino is lame though.

Really hoping Aaron has something better planned than what he’s foreshadowing for next issue.

CREDITS

The Gravel in Your Guts, Part Three; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Supergirl 35 (January 2009)
• Fantastic Four: True Story 4 (January 2009)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 20 (January 2009)
• Air 4 (January 2009)
• Battlefields: Dear Billy 1 (January 2009)

Lincoln’s arc continues with more great work from Aaron and Guera. And Guera doesn’t slip up this time, even when he’s got the scene with the white trash guy. The visual pacing is fantastic–the wordless action scenes are perfect. It’s like Aaron’s figured out how long he needs to let the art go on its own and when to stop.

It’s also a Dash-free issue, but it more suggests a Scalped without Dash. Aaron’s now established he probably doesn’t even need the Dash character, not with the Hmong starting trouble for Lincoln; it’s too bad Aaron hasn’t fully realized his ostensible protagonist like he has Lincoln.

Dino pops in for a scene–with the aforementioned cracker–and it seems to be Aaron working his b plot. It’s a little obvious if he’s foreshadowing (Scalped is usually obvious in foreshadowing), but Lincoln’s story is so good it doesn’t matter.

CREDITS

The Gravel in Your Guts, Part Two; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Phonogram: The Singles Club 1 (December 2008)
• Superman: New Krypton Special 1 (December 2008)
• Supergirl 34 (December 2008)
• The Immortal Iron Fist 19 (December 2008)
• Air 3 (December 2008)

Guera’s back and he does great work. Well, except one page with this skinhead. Maybe drawing white people just throws him off his game.

As for the story… It’s all about Lincoln and Dino. Aaron brackets the story with a flash forward and then explains some of the bracket in the rest of the issue. Actually just the final scene, between Lincoln and Dino’s grandmother. There are some other hints as to what might come in future chapters of the arc and none of them are good.

The complicated character work with Lincoln is, as usual, phenomenal. Dash doesn’t make an appearance, which is fine. Aaron seems to be understanding more and more about not overfilling his issues. Dino’s story doesn’t confuse Lincoln’s; they just coexist at a respectable distance.

Sadly Aaron continues with his two-dimensional characterization of the Hmong villains (while the skinhead’s humanized).

Otherwise it’s near perfect.

CREDITS

The Gravel in Your Guts, Part One; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editor, Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Fantastic Four: True Story 3 (November 2008)
• The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California 1 (November 2008)
• Air 2 (November 2008)
• Criminal 7 (November 2008)
• Solomon Kane 3 (November 2008)