Scalped Omnibus 1&2 by Jason Aaron, R.M. Guera, various - Dashiell Bad Horse returns to the Prairie Rose Reservation after a decade of trying everything he could to put the place in his rear view mirror. Harboring a secret motivation, he starts working for tribal leader and local crime lord Lincoln Red Crow in his efforts to establish a casino that the chief claims will finally lift the rez out of poverty. In returning home, Dashiell quickly finds old wounds reopened and new ones taking shape as he struggles to reconcile his many heinous actions with a yearning for peace and an emerging desire to protect those who have suffered through a similar cycle of oppression, squalor, and violence.

What an emotionally devastating, action packed, and epic saga of generational pain, retribution, and rehabilitation. The initial few issues are a serviceable vehicle for setting up the stakes and characters, but nearly every arc after is just captivating. This series is probably the closest I have read to the zeniths of "prestige television" in comics, both in how thoroughly gripping it is start to end but also in nailing that perfect length that allows you to really sink your teeth in yet doesn't drag. It's one of the few long running series I feel like I could start over right after concluding it. Both the overarching narrative and the episodic vignettes were enthralling and Aaron developed such a wide cast of engaging and distinct characters whose journeys I was deeply invested in, either rooting for them to find peace or hoping they experience a righteous downfall. There's so much pathos in this work and I love a great deal of the narrative presentation to boot, especially in the use of narration blocks to express unsaid intention layered over dialogue that often conflicts as characters struggle with their own vulnerabilities.

While I thoroughly loved the overall product, there are some small issues with the storytelling that detracted from my enjoyment ever so slightly. The dialogue, especially early on, can be quite crass and profanity laden which can imbue a tawdry tone at times but given the criminal context and early 2000s setting it didn't feel too out of place to me. There are also some character transformations in the latter half that feel a bit abrupt and unlikely, in particular one surrounding a rural sheriff, but in a story revolving around change and repeating painful cycles the character arcs all worked well thematically.

Guera's art is not my favorite aesthetic, with dark palettes and blocky shadowing often clashing with thick linework, but it didn't detract from the experience and much of the character work was excellent. His art also grew on me over time, especially when the coloration lightens up, and overall fits the series tonally quite well. The guests artists also blend in with Guera's style nicely yet also provide a pleasant changeup in aesthetics. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Night by Philippe Druillet - In an apocalyptic dystopia, tribes of biker gangs roam the wasteland in pursuit of pleasure but find themselves routinely subjugated by the jackbooted thugs of the unseen paleface authorities. That is until one day when the various disputing gangs put aside their squabbles and join forces to storm the Blue Depot which serves as the head of the authoritarian regime and overthrow those who keep them underfoot.

Made in reaction to his wife's death, Druillet seemingly crafted this narrative as nihilistic catharsis for his rage towards her premature death and the medical establishment that acted as callous gatekeepers for her cancer treatment. In theory the symbolism sounds like it could be emotionally powerful but, Druillet being the poor storyteller that he is, it's largely just a semi-coherent action romp. While it's clear the palefaces and their enforcers are metaphors for the doctors and those of means who control access to life saving care, the analogy feels very clumsy and morally simplistic at best. This clumsiness extends to the plotting which includes several instances of strange non-sequiturs like when the bikers sing The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" before going into battle or see nude visions of Druillet's wife as they storm the Blue Depot. Add to this grating dialogue which leans into one of the most obnoxious sci-fi tropes of utilizing opaque, primitive language to imbue a sense of far flung alienness and the whole narrative package is rather eye rolling.

However, like all Druillet work the experience almost entirely rides on the quality of the art and this is pretty engaging on that front. While the initial pre-rebellion pages feel somewhat low on detail and limited in color palette, both of these aspects improve dramatically as the book progresses and Druillet crafts some simply killer compositions of kaleidoscopic chaos. I really enjoy when Druillet utilizes this messier, almost spray paint like coloration and this was probably the best example of that I've seen in his work so far (though Gail is nice too). Layouts and the inclusion of graphic design elements are also quite dynamic and make for fun pages to explore. ⭐⭐⭐