The Stop Button

Aaron gives Red Crow his own issue, full of flashbacks and demons–filling in the reader on events previous to the first issue–providing all sorts of texture and fertile soil for future plot points.

He also manages to make Red Crow, a vicious murderer, incredibly sympathetic. To do so, Aaron relies on a couple solid standards for getting sympathy. First, every white person Red Crow deals with is a racist ass. Second, Red Crow loves his dogs.

It’s sort of hard to see where the issue fits in what Aaron’s doing with this arc, maybe because it’s so different from the first issue of it, there’s no expectation.

The issue also has–if I’m remembering right–Aaron’s first use of pop culture humor in the series. He makes a great Gallagher joke.

While bloody, depressing and confusing, it’s a lovely comic. Aaron’s got a great character in Red Crow.

CREDITS

Casino Boogie, Part Two of Six: Down on the Killin’ Floor; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, R.M. Guera; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Phil Balsman; editors, Casey Seijas and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.