THE GNAWING, OR, THE LEGEND OF THE ALABAMA CORN SNAKE by Matt Fraction “Do you know the story of the Alabama Corn Snake? I swear I’ll never let it be forgotten and I’ll never let those words slip too far from my tongue. I’ll tell you, too, just after I tell you why I love SCALPED: My favorite comics make me marvel over their construction. They look and feel and read like little watch-works, with points of view and perspectives so alien that the experience of engaging with them, of reading them and getting lost in their stories, feels like taking a trip somewhere in a new suit of skin. I read them again and again and each time is a joy because at no point does the writer in me pipe up to say anything more than, “Man... how did they do that?” I have no notes, I don’t see where it’s coming or going; I don’t think about how I would write them any differently. My favorite comics are so good I can actually read them and not just size ‘em up. I’m not sure if you realize how much that little voice ruins stuff for people like me all the time but it happens ALL THE TIME. So I was going to talk about SCALPED through that lens-- that it’s one of my favorite comics going, if not my very favorite, because, month in and month out I fall in love with the thing all over again. I’ve read the entire run a good half-dozen times now and reread the run every time a new collection like this comes out. What Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra have here deepens and richens the longer it goes; it both remains great and becomes greater as it gains in size and sweep. I love this book. I love it, I love it, I love it.” --Matt Fraction, Portland, OR Read the rest of Matt’s intro in SCALPED volume 6. Pick it up May 19 in comic stores or May 25 everywhere books are sold!