Scalped is a 60-issue crime/western comic book series written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by R. M. Guéra, published monthly by Vertigo Comics. Issue #1 was published on January 3, 2007.
The series focuses on the Oglala Lakota inhabitants of the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in modern-day South Dakota as they grapple with organized crime, rampant poverty, drug addiction and alcoholism, local politics and the preservation of their cultural identity.
Inspiration Scalped originally began as a prospective relaunch of Scalphunter, an older DC character. As development proceeded, much of the original concept was abandoned in favor of the current plot.Renaud, Jeffrey (March 19, 2010) "Jason Aaron Sharpen's "Scalped", Comic Book Resources. Retrieved December 12, 2012
Jason Aaron has said the plot of the comic is partly inspired by Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist who was arrested for the murder of two FBI agents in a reservation shootout in 1975.Rogers, Vaneta (October 17, 2008) Newsarama. Retrieved December 12, 2012
Plot Indian Country After fifteen years of absence, Dashiell Bad Horse returns to the "Rez" and is promptly arrested and taken to Lincoln Red Crow, President of the Oglala Tribal Council and Sheriff of the Tribal Police. Red Crow, bemoaning the prevalence of "half-breed" Indians and desiring more enforcers to counteract the nativists protesting his new Crazy Horse Casino, hires Bad Horse onto the Tribal Police Force. After raiding a number of meth labs to clean up the Reservations' public image before the opening of the casino, it would appear Bad Horse has cemented his reputation as a ruthless and effective Tribal officer. In reality, Bad Horse is an undercover FBI agent, overseen by SAC Agent Baylis Earl Nitz and ordered to find evidence linking Red Crow to the murder of two FBI agents thirty years ago, during Red Crow's time as a member of Native-American rights organization, co-run with Dashiell's estranged mother, Gina Bad Horse.
Dashiell's initial doubts about the undercover operation are exacerbated when he and his partner, Officer Falls Down, are sent by Red Crow to raid a meth house without backup. Bursting into the house, the pair are ambushed by a gang of gunmen, which succeed in wounding Falls Down but are all killed by the ruthless Dashiell. Confronting Nitz at a pre-staged meeting point, Dashiell angrily argues with him before breaking away in disgust, realizing his job is far from over. Declaring Dashiell an arrogant, reckless, stubborn, out-of-control "borderline sociopath with deep-seated anger", Nitz remains convinced that he's perfect for the undercover assignment.
Hoka Hey In issues #4 and #5, the relationship between Gina and Red Crow is explored in flashback as Gina hunts for Dash before leaving town to visit Lawrence Belcourt, the man charged with the 1975 murder of two FBI Agents. Meanwhile, Dash runs off all of Carol's lovers before sleeping with her. The issues reveal how Dash was recruited into the FBI, and at the end, Gina's body is shown scalped and abandoned in the wilderness. The term "Hoka Hey" is used by Catcher as a toast to the Dog Soldiers.
Casino Boogie Issues #6 through #11 are each devoted to a single character, providing information about their histories and their motivations in the present: Dash arrests Diesel and has a strange conversation with Catcher, who reveals that he knows Dash is FBI. Red Crow also has an encounter with Catcher, as a result of which Diesel, who has ransacked Red Crow's office and murdered his dogs, escapes; Red Crow also learns that Johnny Tongue's gang whose money helped build the casino has sent "Mr. Brass". Diesel's background is explored, especially his desire to be treated as an Indian despite his blond hair and white appearance; in the end, it is revealed that Diesel is the other FBI agent and that he has stolen two the scalps of FBI Agent Steve L. Berntson and Robert M. Bayer from Red Crow for Nitz. Catcher has a long conversation with Granny about his need to speak with Gina. It is also shown that he can see other people's animal totems, such as Red Crow's elk totem, Dash's spider totem, Granny's bear totem, and his own owl totem (this is summed up by Granny Poor Bear saying that "Just cause you got drunk and started seeing things Catcher ain't mean you can see peoples spirit totems"). Catcher calls Gina but has a terrifying vision before he can say anything to her. Dino's homelife is shown, along with his desire to leave the reservation; while cleaning up Diesel's vandalism at the casino, he gains the sympathy of Red Crow, who gives him money. Gina's actions in 1975 are explored, as well as her conversation with Belcourt at his prison; at the end of her issue, her body is discovered by Dino and his friends.
Dreaming Himself into the Real World In the single-issue storyline "Dreaming Himself into the Real World", Dash, an FBI agent, confronts his fears of being discovered while exploring his hidden Indian heritage. Through a transformative dream, guided by his deceased mother, Dash journeys through significant moments in Lakota history, inspiring him to embrace his cultural identity and face his fears. This exploration leads Dash to a newfound sense of purpose and self-acceptance as he integrates his FBI career with his Indian heritage.
Dead Mothers Issues #13 through #17: after raiding a meth house, Dash assumes control of a homicide investigation after discovering Diesel strangled an addict as her children slept in the next room. Red Crow, filled with grief and anger over Gina's murder, finds his affairs complicated with the arrival of Mr. Brass, a ruthless enforcer sent by gang leader Johnny Tongue to purge the reservation of perceived threats to the casino.
Dash is informed of his mother's death and chooses instead to focus on the deceased addict's homicide case, in the process playing surrogate father to her eldest teenage son Shelton, taking him camping and teaching him to shoot. Mr. Brass tortures Dash's witness and learns Diesel's location, which he provides to an incredulous Dash. Dash canvases White Haven, Nebraska, where he is rebuffed by Sheriff Wooster Karnow, the corrupt law enforcement official ruling over White Haven.
As the investigation seemingly hits a dead end, Dash sends Shelton to live with his relatives in Canada. During a routine traffic stop, Dash discovers the occupants of the car have sold Shelton a firearm and offered directions to Nebraska. Dash arrives at a trailer park to find Shelton dead from gunshot wounds, his killer Diesel already in Sheriff Karnow's custody.
Realizing he is the only person interested in discovering Gina Bad Horse's murderer, Red Crow approaches Officer Falls Down and asks him to conduct an independent investigation. Burdened by Shelton's death, Dash instigates a bar fight and drunkenly stumbles down the road, arriving at his deceased mother's home. Overwhelmed by guilt and the loss of his mother, Dash breaks down, and spends the night in his old bedroom.
The Gravel in Your Guts Dino Poor Bear, finally able to afford the necessary automotive parts, takes his partially restored Camaro on the highway and is promptly pulled over by the corrupt Reservation Police, who task him with delivering a package over state lines to a meth dealer. Upon arriving at his destination, Dino is surprised when the dealer offers him a regular job making illicit deliveries.
Red Crow is approached by Grandma Poor Bear, who gives him Gina's soul bundle. Per Lakota tradition, the guardian of the bundle must maintain a harmonious life for a year, to properly purify the soul in the bundle to allow it to travel the spirit path. This task proves challenging to Red Crow, prompting him to abstain from his typical criminal dealings while also forcing him to remember his turbulent past with Gina and the sins and evils he has perpetrated on the journey to opening his casino.
Mr. Brass, classifying the Reservation occupants as inferior animals, treats them as such, routinely torturing or murdering Red Crow's employees for dealing drugs, weapons, and various other minor crimes whose prosecution could lead to an investigation into the casino. One night, Brass and his bodyguards follow a pair of corrupt Reservation police into a bar, killing them and cornering their delivery boy, Dino Poor Bear, gouging out his eye to punish him for his crimes. Red Crow, who refused to deal with Brass because of his pledge to Gina's soul bundle, whispers a heartfelt apology to it before entering the bar, killing both of Brass's bodyguards and arresting Brass.
With Brass in jail and Dino in the hospital, Red Crow returns the soul bundle to Grandma Poor Bear.
High Lonesome Wesley Willeford, a career con-artist and robber, arrives at the Prairie Rose Reservation to count cards, having squandered his career earnings and opportunities following his expulsion from most major casinos. Bemoaning his lack of luck and dire financial straits, he recognizes Dashiel Bad Horse as the FBI Agent who busted him years ago in Alabama. Assembling his old crew, Willeford threatens to reveal Dash's FBI undercover status to Red Crow unless he helps them rob the casino. The robbery goes awry and Dash tracks down and murders the robbers. Returning to Carol's apartment and on the verge of a meltdown, Dash reveals to her that he is an undercover FBI agent.
Diesel's past is revealed as a childhood of broken dreams, an absent mother, an alcoholic father and a constant struggle with his racial identity, ultimately leading him to orchestrate his abusive father's death at the hands of several Indian thugs. Baylis Earl Nitz's motivations are revealed as loyalty to the two deceased FBI agents Bayer and Berntson, both of whom were shot and scalped on reservation land, and whom Nitz vowed to avenge by pursuing and convicting their murderers. Officer Falls Down continues his investigation into Gina Bad Horse's homicide, which he believes is connected to the death of Bayer and Berntson. In prison, Lawrence Belcourt, a close friend of Gina convicted for Bayer and Berntson's murders, reflects on the events that day, revealing the murderer of the FBI agents to be Catcher.
At Gina's grave, Catcher apologizes for murdering her, promising to save her son and help him lead the Lakota people.
The Gnawing In White Haven, Sheriff Karnow refuses to transfer Diesel into Bad Horse's custody, instead giving him Catcher, drunk from the night before. On their ride back to Prairie Rose, Catcher prophesizes Bad Horse as a Lakota warrior meant to save the reservation, and offers his assistance. At the Tribal Police Station, as Mr. Brass sits in his cell, Red Crow tasks Bad Horse with finding the undercover FBI Agent on his reservation, not realizing it is Bad Horse. Johnny Tongue, livid with the imprisonment of Mr. Brass, threatens Red Crow, who in turn shoots Mr. Brass and hangs up on Johnny Tongue. Unbeknownst to Red Crow at the time is Ben White Elk, a local dealer in the next cell who witnessed the shooting, a loose end Shunka vows to fix later.
Johnny Tongue, driven by rage, assembles his gang and begins the long drive to Prairie Rose. Hearing about the witness to Mr. Brass's death, Agent Nitz orders Bad Horse to keep White Elk alive so Nitz can take him into custody. In the restroom, White Elk recognizes Bad Horse as one of his customers, and threatens to tell Red Crow about his heroin habit if he doesn't help him escape. Bad Horse helps White Elk out of the station, but loses custody of him when he escapes. The lone witness now missing, both Nitz and Red Crow call in reinforcements and begin a statewide manhunt.