Scalped vol 1: Indian Country

[Mr Wallstreet]

Genius!

Full review pending

[XIII]

Phew!

[Mr Wallstreet]

Were you extra nervous I wouldn't like it because your good friend Jason Aaron wrote it? :D

[XIII]

Of course I was. And now, just how much more jealous are you of my Scalped flask? :D

[Mr Wallstreet]

I'm not jealous at all. Bring it with you back to NY for the next con and I'll prove it. :D

[Mr Wallstreet]

Spoilers Below

Scalped: Think Donnie Brasco, but replace the Italian Mafia with a Native American crime syndicate, New York with the Lakota Reservation and Donnie Brasco with Dashiell Bad Horse.

Dashiell's mother while loving, neglected him as a child but not in the typical "neglected" manner. He wasn't beaten or malnourished or sent to school in ratty clothes or anything like that. Rather than spend time with her son, Dashiell's mother chose to fight various social injustices. Bad Horse then left the Reservation at age 13,

Dashiell spent the next 10 years moving about and engaging in various physical events. He played football in high school, took karate, engaged in illegal bare knuckle fighting matches and then joined the army. While in the army, Dashiell applied to the FBI and scored in the top 5%. However, rather than be a shoe-in his acceptance was met with force due to his mother being a part of a radical terrorist group called the Dog Soldiers that were involved with the murder of 2 FBI agents in the 70s. The other members of the group were Lincoln Red Crow and a Lawrence Belcourt who eventually took the fall for the murder though it was actually Red Crow who shot the agents. Years later Red Crow is top dog on the reservation and his illegal activities include drug trafficking, prostitution and racketeering among other things.

Dash was only accepted into the FBI on the condition that he he assist in bringing down Red Crow's criminal empire. And Dash's handler happens to be Special Agent Nitz, the partner/friend of the two deceased FBI agents.

The story is a classic with a different spin. Most stories (both in literature and in film) associate organized crime with urban areas and the Italian mob to the point where it seems like organized crime has become the exclusive property of the Italian mob. This in turn leads to a lot of mediocre and derivitive stories about organized crime.

Aaron created a story with where he kept the criminal element but changed the setting. With a whole new backdrop for the criminal goings-on we also get a new culture of crime, with criminal relationships we haven't seen before (or at least in a very long time) new angles and old grudges within the FBI, newer politics unfolding that affect both the agency and the general day-to-day operations of the Reservation and changing relationship between old friends and family who have become bitter enemies.

Scalped is a great story that has injected new blood into a very tired sub-section of crime fiction.

[Mr Wallstreet]

And "Special Agent Bad Horse" does have a cool ring to it doesn't it?

[Stocky Boy]

What about Officer Falls Down?

You'll love the second trade! More revelations!

[XIII]

Yes, the second trade might very well be my favourite arc so far.

[Stocky Boy]

I think I read too many comics for my poor, little brain. I know I've read the third trade, but I can't remember much about it!

When does the fourth one come out Mr. Encyclopedia? :D

[Mr Wallstreet]

What about Officer Falls Down?



Officer Falls Down :D I love it! He's been saddled with a clumsy act for a name but is still the only honest cop in all of Lakota and isn't that bad of a cop.

Also, I don't think his name is necessarily meant to be a joke. Could it harken to something else? Like say Water Falls? Like the how waterfalls come falling down and crushing anything below them? Anyone? No? Okay then.

[XIII]

I think I read too many comics for my poor, little brain. I know I've read the third trade, but I can't remember much about it!

When does the fourth one come out Mr. Encyclopedia? :D

I can't tell you about trade 3 without spoiling stuff for Wally. Trade 4 should be out already I think.

[Mr Wallstreet]

Here, Here! Lets keep this bitch on topic :)

[ChimeraCreative]

We picked up Scalped volume 1 & 2 yesterday. I was going to spring for the 3rd (Dead Mothers) but Adam strayed and wanted to buy Doktor Sleepless, heh. ^_^

I've only read the first chapter of Scalped 1, but I've enjoyed it thus far. And I think Arn's earned himself a rep for being the most vocal about Scalped. ^_^ *reps Arn*