The Stop Button

I’m fairly sure Scalped has never made my eyes tear up before, but Aaron and guest artist Danijel Zezelj accomplish it this issue.

I have a lot of problems with Aaron’s writing of the comic but he still manages to be earnest and affecting. He splits the issue between a married couple who’ve never appeared in the series before. They both narrate through first person exposition, which is problematic. Aaron tries to be cute and have them directly–but unconsciously–answer the other’s thoughts. I get they’ve been married for fifty years or whatever, but it still doesn’t work.

And Aaron’s thoughts for the woman really don’t work.

Still, with his honest handling of the characters and their troubles, Aaron scores a major success. Having Zezelj on the art doesn’t hurt either.

Bad female narration aside, it’s one of the finest issues of Scalped and the most unlike the rest.

CREDITS

Listening to the Earth Turn; writer, Jason Aaron; artist, Danijel Zezelj; colorist, Giulia Brusco; letterer, Steve Wands; editors, Mark Doyle and Will Dennis; publisher, Vertigo.

Contemporaneously…

• Black Widow: Deadly Origin 3 (March 2010)
• Red Herring 6 (March 2010)
• Joe the Barbarian 1 (March 2010)
• Supergirl 49 (March 2010)
• Green Hornet 2 (March 2010)