The Return of SCALPED
Behind the scenes of ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD, plus notes on ACTION COMICS, NINJA TURTLES & the new SCALPED Omnibus
Hiya. After a couple months of feeling like every burner on my mind stove was having to fire away at full blast, I decided to take some time the last couple weeks to recharge my brain batteries. In other words, I went to Disney World. And even though it was only for a couple nights, I still left feeling exhausted, like you do when you go hard at all four parks. So as usual, I felt like I needed a vacation after my vacation. So this time, I did exactly that, as my partner and I then traveled to the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico, to lie on the beach and do as little as physically possible, other than drink mezcal and eat a lot of delicious, fresh seafood.
So now here I am, back at it in the wilds of Kansas, brain and body reinvigorated, just in time to write the lettering draft for UNCLE SCROOGE and script some more NINJA TURTLES and also start a huge new project, one of the biggest of my career.
Here’s a rundown of a couple of things you may have missed while I was away.
Behind the Scenes of ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD
I’ve talked a lot here over the course of the last year and a half or so about ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD and how important and challenging it’s been for me, story-wise. But really one of the coolest parts of the projects has been the breakdown between the various art teams. Three very different but equally amazing artists have each handled a different time period of the characters’ lives. Alexandre Tefenkgi drew Maceo and Mezzy as kids meeting in the wasteland, Leila del Duca drew them as adults, building a new society that turns into a horrowshow, and Nick Dragotta has been drawing them as old folks who find themselves locked in a vicious fight to save the world. And as the series now roars ever closer to its ultimate climax in issue #15, the final issues will more closely intertwine those various time periods, boasting work by all three art teams.
That final issue is almost completely finished now, by the way, and man, tears have already been shed by various folks involved with its production. The final sequence in particular is just…it’s a big wow is what it is. It’s really stunning.
So in honor of our work on this uniquely ambitious series coming to a close, Leila gathered us all together for the very first time for a chat on her studio’s Youtube page, which I think turned out really fun and insightful.
Such a talented group of artists represented there. And in terms of their work on the series, issue #13 just hit stores a week ago.
And you can still grab copies of the first two trades over at my Online Store, that come with special signed bookplates.
My First Ever Superman Story Just Wrapped
Another recent release was ACTION COMICS #1063, which was the third and final chapter in my “I, Bizarro” story, where I had a lot of fun taking Superman to some weird and wild places. In #1063, Supes teams up with none other than his new best pal the Joker in order to survive a surreal battle with the ultimate Bizarro inside his own mind.
Such an honor to get to write Superman for the first time. Especially with such incredibly killer art provided by John Timms. Here’s hoping folks enjoyed this dark exploration of Bizarro that saw the Man of Steel face a very different sort of challenge.
As for what lies ahead for me in terms of DC work, BATMAN OFF-WORLD #4 should be hitting shelves very soon, and other than that, well, there is indeed more DC stuff in the works from me. Stay tuned this summer for more word on that.
Notes & Links & Things & Stuff
—ComicBook.com just ran an interview with one of the new NINJA TURTLES artists, the great Chris Burnham, that features your first look at some uncolored pages from our upcoming TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES series. Chris is drawing a special preview story in the Alpha issue, featuring Donatello, and yeah, remember when I was talking about the tone I wanted to set with this new series, harkening back to the gritty old Mirage Studios days? Well I’d say Chris nailed that feel right out of the gate, wouldn’t you?
That Alpha issue hits stores in June.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chris Burnham Talks Jason Aaron's Relaunch, Reveals First Look (ComicBook.com Exclusive)
—Speaking of Turtle interviews, I’m still making the rounds myself:
"Return To New York": New TMNT Writer Jason Aaron Teases The Turtles' Next Comic Era (Screen Rant)
—Marvel just revealed a whole bunch of new variant covers for UNCLE SCROOGE AND THE INFINITY DIME, which is also coming your way in June. Here are a few highlights.
At Planet Comicon, I had the honor to sit down with the great Scrooge artist Don Rosa to tell him face-to-face what an inspiration he and his Duck stories have been to me over the years. My son and I read every volume of the Don Rosa library, at bed time when he was a kid. And we still talk about those stories today, when he’s all grown up. My absolute main goal with this new UNCLE SCROOGE one-shot is to pay homage to Don Rosa and to Scrooge McDuck’s creator Carl Barks. I’m guessing the average Marvel reader has probably never read those stories. So if you pick up this new book and enjoy it, I encourage you to seek out the gorgeous Fantagraphics hardcover editions of the complete Don Rosa Library. I promise you, you will be blown away.
Maybe when we get to the new comic’s release in June, I’ll talk about some of my favorite Scrooge stories.
—And hey, here’s a thing I’ve been excited to tell you about for a while now. Look who’s finally getting the Omnibus treatment.
That’s right, SCALPED, my first ongoing series, the comic that helped give me my entire career, is getting its first hardcover Omnibus collection later this year, coming to shelves in November. This will be the first of two volumes that’ll collect the entire series, a critically-acclaimed run that featured covers by Jock and interior art by an absolutely stellar cast of artists, with R.M. Guera handling the bulk of it. This first volume collects issues #1-29, and I I plan on being very involved with how the package is put together.
If you’ve never read SCALPED, well it’s partly me learning on the fly what the hell I’m doing as a comic book writer, but it’s also one of the projects I’m the most proud of from throughout my career, in large part because of the engrossing cast of characters that Guera and I were able to bring to life. I still think about those characters a lot, years after I last wrote them, from Dash Bad Horse and Chief Red Crow to the brooding Shunka, the fiery Carol, and the powerful Granny Poor Bear, not to mention crazy, old Catcher and poor, troubled Dino. A lot of love went into that series and those citizens of the Prairie Rose rez. And I’m deeply happy to see them coming back to shelves.
This has been Beard Missives, direct from the pulpo eating face of Jason Aaron.
This week’s newsletter has been brought to you by Mickey beignets from Scat Cat’s Club at Disney’s Port Orleans resort, drinks from Mezcaleria Gota Gorda in Zipolite, and multiple amazing dinners at the restaurant Q in the Maquil hotel.
Cheers. Stay worthy out there. Hope you’re loving and being loved.
Jason Aaron
March 28, 2024
Things to Come
GHOST RIDER BY JASON AARON Omnibus (New Printing) — April 3, 2024
BATMAN OFF-WORLD #4 — April 16, 2024
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD #14 — April 24, 2024
BATMAN OFF-WORLD #5 — May 21, 2024
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD #15 — May 29, 2024
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ALPHA — June 5, 2024
UNCLE SCROOGE AND THE INFINITY DIME #1 — June 19, 2024
BRZRKR: A FACEFUL OF BULLETS #1 — June 26, 2024
STAR WARS MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION (SKYWALKER STRIKES) Trade Paperback — July 30, 2024
AVENGERS BY JASON AARON Vol. 5 Hardcover — August 21, 2024
ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE END OF THE WORLD Vol. 3 Trade Paperback — August 14, 2024
PUNISHER MAX BY AARON AND DILLON OMNIBUS (New Printing) — November 5, 2024
SCALPED Omnibus Vol. 1 — November 12, 2024
Where I’ll Be
FAN EXPO Dallas — June 7-9, 2024
FAN EXPO Denver — July 4-7, 2024
Terrificon — August 16-18, 2024
I have literally just binged the whole series for the first time. What an exceptional slice of western-neo-noir! It's now got me wanting to go back and re-watch Thunderheart, with Val Kilmer.
LOVED Scalped - a hardcore crime series with a lot of heart. Would you ever do a classical western set in the 1800s?
Any news on more Goddamned? or a conclusion to Southern Bastards?