About my first issues of GHOST RIDER and WOLVERINE:


So I expected (Jason Aaron's) take on Ghost Rider to be worth reading. But I was wrong. It's far more than just "worth reading." With Ghost Rider #20, Jason Aaron has planted his flag in the Marvel Universe and said, "I will kick your ass with greatness."
Jason Aaron has recast Ghost Rider into what it always promised to be: a badass southern grindhouse rock opera with a demonic angel on a flaming chopper. He's thrown in switchblade nurses and ghouls on the road. He's escalating the comic into something great. And you should start reading it, now.
– Timothy Callahan, author of GRANT MORRISON: THE EARLY YEARS

This isn’t so much a review as it is a public service announcement: for everyone, like me, that thinks Jason Aaron’s The Other Side and Scalped have identified him as one of the best new writers in comics today… and who were just appalled by the idea of him wasting his time on Ghost Rider… well, the plain and simple fact is that we didn’t know what the #@$! we were talking about...(The) plotting is intriguing, the dialog is whip-smart, the supporting cast expertly drawn, and the humor ghoulishly funny... Whether you like Ghost Rider or not is irrelevant here: if you like black-hued supernatural adventure, or if you love Scalped, or if you just want to read the best new voice in mainstream comics today, you’ve got to check out Ghost Rider.
– Rack Raids

Until a few minutes ago, I had never, in my entire life, read a good Ghost Rider comics... (Jason Aaron's Blaze is) basically Howard Beale by way of Sonny Barger. If that doesn't sound like a pretty amazing subject for a story, well I can't do nothing for you... It's just a great read and look, it got me all pumped up. About friggin' Ghost Rider.
– Matt Singer, Termite Art

"An overwrought exercise in pomp and pyrotechnics..."
-- Entertainment Weekly

My editor pointed out that I shouldn't be bummed about the Entertainment Weekly review, since "pomp and pyrotechnics" were pretty much exactly what we were going for.

Scalped creator Jason Aaron returns to Wolverine with issue #62, and it really, really caught me off guard. I absolutely did not expect to like this issue as much as I did... If there's a tinge of the negative in Wolverine #62, it's only that Jason Aaron isn't the new regular writer for the book. He displays a fundamental understanding of the characters and really tells a great opening part to his arc.
--IGN


Aaron writes the crap out of Wolverine and his Mystique isn’t just an off-again, on-again X-Man, but a viable threat and a crafty killer that can get the better of a guy who can smell her a mile off! The issue has a great self-contained mystery written for smart readers and a cliffhanger that’ll guarantee your purchase of the next, and still features the amazing visuals that the clawed X-Man is known for with Ron Garney doing his best work to date.
– Wizard Universe

Add Jason Aaron to the list of X-writers returning these characters to what they do best as individuals and ensembles. Garney's artwork serves the story well depicting world hopping action and stark violence in clean story-telling style.
-- Comics Bulletin

At A Comic Shop on Wednesday. There'll be beer.

One of my all-time favorite comic book writers died this week. Steve Gerber, who for years stood head and shoulders above most everyone else working in mainstream comics, and whose audacious imagination and gift for scathing satire remain unrivaled even today. Sad to see him go.

This is a big week for SCALPED. Issue #14 of the regular series is out this week, the second part of our big new arc, "Dead Mothers," as well as the second trade, CASINO BOOGIE, featuring an introduction by Garth Ennis. In honor of that, here's another installment in our ongoing "Director's Commentary," featuring Guéra talking about the music that influences his vision for SCALPED:

Hello.

It’s realism. Realism and shadows.

What “sounds” like this?

Cause, no matter how weird this reads - for me Scalped IS a feel.

OK, let’s just dig into music to help us…it’s what it’s for.

(but, please bear in mind that when I do put some of these below to play, it’s always two or three CDs in a row, so…go figure what illustrates what (ha,ha)…but I must say that this list is tremendously difficult for me…in fact ANY list, really…)

1.(just about anything by) Bob Dylan.
But if I must, well in last few months “Seven Days” & “Things have Changed” were enjoyed more than others, I suppose.
(…no comments on Bob. I think people should just shut up & keep on listening. Y’know…).

2. Neil Young
(if you know what I mean.) No comment. No comment… Just, y’know…

Other(s) with no special order:

·Blind Willie Johnson…(…)…

·Fumblin’ With The Blues: Tom Waits·

·Ice Cream Man: Tom Waits·

·Ah well, come on - ALL of early Waits·

·Do I Move You: Nina Simone·
(sexiest musical piece in history, I DID listen to this while drawing Carol-Dash sex scene …When not, I tried to remember it…This is officially admitted now, eh, I never told this to anyone before. I actually & directly used this song for that scene).

·CD “Source Point” by John Hammond.
Each & every track. He never reached this level again. It’s 11 tracks like one song. One session. One morning (which it probably was).

·Okie Dokie Stomp: Gatemouth Brown·
Wonderful guitar playing, one of few that can naturally transmit emotion AND fun. Also, tremendously influential but totally underrated…

·As The years Go Passing By (live version form ’77): Albert King·
…voice, guitar(s), Gallagher there, final rhythm change, song…
(It’s heavy stuff when you really open your heart to the audience. But for real, eh. Not jumping all over stage. Digging is the word. I know people who are sarcastic towards something like this, as it’s SO openly emotional & so openly loves somebody. And says it. People run away from this, because they can’t believe it’s true I suppose. Try it…)

·Wicked Act: Black Uhuru.
Tremendous piece. So soft but so deeply harsh at the same time…Go out & buy anything from ’77 ‘till ’83. they recorded. Just…NOTHING sounds like them…

·Ventilator Blues: Rolling Stones·

·Happy: Rolling Stones· but c’mone, ALL “Exile…” & more around this album.

·Go Back Home: Stephen Stills·
Nice. Simply nice & refreshing in any list combination. Way back from ’71. Clapton at his best at the end. Hendrix also plays in that album.

· Johnny Cash.
…Just this name. Anything by this name.

·Roller Coaster: Little Walter·
(this one has some strange power over me….I always felt it as sound of the moment -about early in the morning, when you can't drink a drop more, as you drank a gallon last night. You slept a bit but you’re not sure where, you’re at your way home, and suddenly – some totally unexpected energy comes in. Maybe it’s just morning sun, y’know. But you do feel this weird clearness where it shouldn’t appear. If you ever had a stroke of that feel – this song explains it for me…)

·Blues In C: Modern Jazz Quartet·
(Deep, slow, elegant, dignifying…& blue. VERY.)

· Howlin’ Wolf ·…these two words need nothing added…

·You Got The Silver: Susan Tedechi & Derek Trucks·
Fresh & with some absolutely incredible guitar playing. Duanne is among us again. But this time for real.

·Million Miles Away: (live version) Rory Gallagher·

·In Your Town: Rory Gallagher·

·Allman Bros. Live At Fillmore East (this is ONE song for me)·

·Suitcase Blues: Hollywood Fats·
very few things achieve class of classic, by being totally classic. Well, this one does. Instantly.

·London Calling: Clash· …but in fact - all Clash. All. God, was I proud when Johnny Cash recorded with Strummer…

·Any Peter Green with Fleetwood Mac·
One & only Peter. No white boy comes even close to this guitar… Backed up by Kirwain, and rock-solid rhythm. Awh, peoples. “Jam At Chess” & ”Boston live” maybe more than anything.
…(…)…

I stop, I stop, Jesus Christ, this list REALLY could be endless. I never even touched actual bands & players. It’s just that I have hundreds of CDs from “way back” & I’m used to play ‘em…

The best I could say maybe, is that MUSIC is part of Scalped…As long as it’s visually clear it can’t be bad music, does it really matter which?…

Thank you
R.M.Guéra

Ps…& has ANYBODY of you heard of Watermelon Slim?… And those not among us any more like Juke Boy Bonner, Magic Sam?… And what about Gerry Mulligan?
Awh peoples…

SCALPED Vol. 2 trade paperback, originally uploaded by Jason Aaron.

Got my copies today and it sure looks great. You order yours yet?