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These past couple days have been very special for me. All the kind words from fans and fellow creators have been really overwhelming. You people are seriously awesome. Thank you so much for supporting SCALPED over the years. Without you, we never would've made it to issue 60. And without SCALPED, I for one wouldn't be here.

Lots of people have been asking me how I feel about the series wrapping up, if I'm sad to see it end. I suppose I will miss writing those characters from time to time. And I will definitely miss working with the team behind SCALPED (though hopefully we can all get together again someday). But as far as the actual series goes, no, I'm not sad to finally be done. It's time. Time to give people of Prairie Rose the ending they've always had coming. Time to hopefully pay-off all the years and dollars you beloved readers have spent following their adventures. And time for me to move on to other stories (THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #1! Coming this November!).

I will do more stories like SCALPED, that's for sure. My next creator-owned project is already in the works, and I think it's something that will appeal to anybody who enjoyed the exploits of Red Crow and Bad Horse. I actually hope to start writing the first issue next week. But I don't think I'll be turning right around and jumping into another 60 issues series. SCALPED represents more than six years of my life. I don't have another journey like that in me just yet. Someday, yes. I think I even know what that next big one will be. But it'll just have to wait for a bit.

For now I'm keeping busy with X-MEN and THOR and that unnamed creator-owned book that right's around the corner. And I quite honestly couldn't be happier.

So again, thank you, SCALPED-fan, whoever and wherever you are. Even if I work in comics for 100 years, I don't think I will ever do another comic or work with another team or have another group of fans as special as this one. I love you all more than you know.

Now let's go have a beer.

I'm sure I'll have some more thoughts tomorrow. Today, just this.

R.M. Guera is doing new covers for hardcover editions of SCALPED coming out in France from Urban Comics. The first two below.

I'm asked often about American hardcovers, but as far as I know, there aren't any plans. If you'd like to see them, please let DC and Vertigo know.

Sunday night. Or I guess early Monday morning at this point. It's 2:00 AM. About an hour ago, I wrote THE END on the last page of the last issue of SCALPED. I'm having a beer now and re-reading the script that brings to a close six years of my life.

The other bit of me-related news that came out of San Diego Comic Con was that SCALPED is ending with issue #60. Still feels weird to see it finally spelled out so definitely, but this has actually been the plan for quite a while now. This was my choice. We were not canceled or forced into an ending. The series will be ending just the way I've always imagined it ending. There are a couple of smaller stories I always thought I might get to which I ultimately won't, but those were set aside in the interest of giving the series as solid a finish as possible. There won't be any more stand-alone issues. Instead we'll have two final big arcs to bring everything home, with Guera drawing every issue. Expect a death or two and hopefully at least a couple of surprises. And expect everyone to get the ending they've got coming to them, good or bad. In many ways, the entire story of SCALPED will ultimately be about what happens in these last ten issues. Thanks again to everybody who's stuck with us this long. And I promise you, we're all doing our best not to let you down.

And know that the ending of SCALPED will not be the end of me doing creator-owned work. Not by a long shot. The wheels are already turning in regards to my next creator-owned book. And Guera and I are already talking about our next project as well. So as always, stay tuned.

Fifty issues. Still blows my mind. Thank you, fans of Scalped, from all of us involved with its production for keeping our little series chugging along for so long.

This fiftieth issue was especially fun, what with all of the special guest artists involved. Some behind-the-scenes info on this issue:

My original plan was to do a full-on anthology issue, using not just guest artists but guest writers as well, all doing stories set within the world of Scalped, though not necessarily utilizing any of our main characters. Unfortunately we had to scale back a bit from there and keep things to our regular page count. No ill will from me in regards to that. Times are tough right now after all, especially for little books like Scalped. So what to do instead?

A few years back when Scalped was just getting started, Guera and I agreed to do a story for a western anthology. I wrote it and Guera started drawing it, but ultimately our schedule on Scalped became too demanding and we had to back out of the anthology. We'd been looking for a place for that story ever since. So with just a couple tweaks that became "The Art of Scalping," the first half of Scalped #50.

The second story, "The Art of Survival," came from a desire to have guest artists do pin-ups but to be able to incorporate the pin-ups into a story. Our list for artists we wanted was long, but some were no-brainers. Jordi Bernet HAD to draw Carol, as far as I was concerned. Dean Haspiel was someone I'd been talking to forever about contributing to Scalped. Same with Denys Cowan, who we'd tried to fit into the series before. When I thought of a Catcher pin-up, Brendan McCarthy was the first artist who came to mind, and thankfully he was already a fan of the book. Getting Timothy Truman onboard meant a lot to me, as his series Scout has always been one of my favorite comics. And Jill Thompson and Steve Dillon, again, no brainers, as they're two of the absolute best artists in Vertigo history. Thankfully everybody we asked said yes.

And then there's Igor Kordey, whose inclusion was pretty much fated. We actually have Igor to thank for Guera being involved with Scalped in the first place, as it was Igor who first suggested to his friend Guera that he send some samples of his work to editor Will Dennis at Vertigo. Those samples showed up in Will's email the same time we were looking for an artist for Scalped. And everyone pretty much knew right away that we'd found our guy. So we already owed Igor a great deal of thanks, and Guera had been wanting for a while to get Igor involved with Scalped. I was already a huge fan of Igor's work going back to his Marvel days. But I still remember sitting in a hotel lobby with my iPad and being blown away when I first got the email with Igor's pages for Scalped #50. Here's hoping this is the beginning of seeing much more of Igor's work again.

So that's Scalped #50. Of course, the main question people keep asking me now is, How much longer does Scalped have? When is it ending?

And the answer is...

I'm still not telling.

We certainly don't have another 50 to go, but as for the specific issue number, I'd like to keep that under my hat for just a bit longer. Let's just say that plot-wise, things are about to start heating up. And fast. As in issue #51, the first part of the next big arc, "Knuckle Up." From here on out, it's all about the chickens coming home to roost. Some folks will live. Some will die. Some will live but maybe wished they'd died.

Thanks so much for staying with us for fifty whole issues. Here's hoping you'll stay with us as we bring it all home.

As mentioned over on the Vertigo blog, SCALPED #50 will feature a couple of special stories,"one detailing the long bloody history of scalping and scalphunters, and the other spotlighting the founding of the Prairie Rose rez as seen through the eyes of Dash Bad Horse’s ancestor, His Many Bad Horses." The second story will feature several guest artists, including Dean Haspiel, Denys Cowan, Igor Kordey, Jill Thompson, Timothy Truman and more. Really excited about how this one is coming together. Stay tuned.

John Lees, who previously wrote a piece for CBR called Scalped and the Stereotype That Wasn't There, has now begun a new series of Scalped-related essays on his blog, which can be found here.

First is Studying Scalped: An Introduction.

And the newest is The Shadow of Scalped, which examines some of the themes of Scalped and looks at where they reappear in my other works.

It's extremely well-written and most definitely worth your time if you're at all a fan of anything I've ever done.

SCALPED Vol. 7: REZ BLUES is out today, which is the biggest SCALPED trade to date, collecting 8 issues, from the stand-alone issue #35 through the "Unwanted" arc. And the newest issue, #46, the second part of the "You Gotta Sin To Get Saved" arc also hits stores today.

Here's a little soundtrack to enjoy while you check out REZ BLUES. Hope you like.

SCALPED #46 cover byJock

Jock's cover for SCALPED #49

Thanks to everybody who voted for the Harvey Award nominations. I've been nominated for Best Writer and SCALPED has been nominated for Best Series. If I win either award, I promise to braid the trophy into my beard and wear it around forever.

http://www.harveyawards.org/

Interview at Newsarama

Nrama: Then to finish up, how would you describe your overall experience of working on Scalped?

Guéra: It’s gratifying on all levels, especially the feel of tremendous luck it came to be reality at all. Giulia Brusco on colors, that also is absolute blessing.

I think that by now it’s obvious that Scalped is a serial of both of our careers, Jason’s and mine, no matter what we do after. There’s a strong sense that the best is still to come, which is simply inspiring, as we’ll go on together.

I said it once somewhere, I’d draw Jason’s recipe for a cake. And I mean it...

From the Native American occupation of Alcatraz, 1969-1971


From SCALPED #12

SCALPED Vol. 6 on the New York Times bestseller list

SCALPED nominated for two Eagle Awards:

Favourite American Colour Comicbook
B.P.R.D.
Batman & Robin
Captain Britain and MI13
Chew
Doctor Who
Phonogram – The Singles Club
Scalped

Favourite Continued Story Published During 2009
Doctor Who: The Forgotten
Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty
Phonogram: The Singles Club
Scalped #19-24: The Gravel in your Gut
Walking Dead #61 – 65: Fear The Hunters

VIA

A cut from the official Unofficial SCALPED Soundtrack. "He got barbered, violent." Yes indeed. ♫ http://blip.fm/~qo3h2

The sixth trade paperback collection of SCALPED is in stores today, collecting "The Gnawing," a pivotal arc that wraps up many of the plot threads from the book's first couple years and sets the stage for virtually everything to come for the duration of the series. It features an introduction by the great Matt Fraction that is heartwarming in its seriousness and does not make fun of me in any way whatsoever.

But hey, what if you're never read SCALPED?  Well there's something in stores for you as well, my friend.  You can pick up a reprint of SCALPED #1 for just $1 today and see what all the fuss is about. (There is fuss, isn't there?)  If you're already a SCALPED fan, then buy some copies for your non-SCALPED reading friends and tell them you won't be seen publicly with them again until they've read it.  Buy copies for your enemies.  Buy copies for random people on the street.  Buy a copy for that man/woman at your work you're dying to sleep with but who so far hasn't given you the time of day and I guarantee you'll get the best fuck of your life.  No need to thank me.  Adventure is my reward.