A crippled cartoonist gets entangled in a complex plan involving kidnapping, extortion, murder, betrayal, and madness after helping an attractive red head. Brubaker's writing is taut, with a plot that whirls quickly, showcasing the development of deep characters within the Criminal series. The book features a collection of short stories tied together, all set in a world of cold hard crime, with intricate connections between the characters.

Characters:

The characters are complex and interconnected, embodying the darker aspects of human nature in a crime-filled environment.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is sharp and evocative, with a focus on realism and character depth, creating an engaging narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative features interconnected stories emphasizing crime and moral ambiguity, capturing the dark essence of human nature.

Setting:

The setting depicts a grim, realistic criminal underworld, immersing readers in a noir atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing is brisk and efficiently structured, keeping the reader engaged with constant twists.

Notes:

Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips collects the first three stories: Coward, Lawless, and The Dead and The Dying.

The series is known for its gritty crime noir feel, combining dark storytelling with impactful artwork.

The hardcover edition features high-quality paper and binding, making it a durable collector's item.

Brubaker includes essays about movies he enjoys, along with artwork that accompanies these essays in the back of the book.

This volume has larger page margins than the separate trade paperbacks, improving the reading experience.

Unlike many comics, Criminal doesn't require readers to suspend disbelief, grounding its stories in realism.

The art by Sean Phillips complements the writing with a dark, gritty aesthetic.

This series is recommended for mature readers and those looking for realistic crime stories.

Brubaker's writing in Criminal is praised for being smart, concise, and compelling, keeping readers engaged.

The binding is sewn, which is more durable than glued bindings common in other graphic novels.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of violence, crime, and adult situations that may be unsuitable for younger readers.

From The Publisher:

"Criminal" is a series of knife-sharp, noir-tinged tales about the people who live on the wrong side of the law.Jacob, a cartoonist and insomniac, is drawn into a web of sex, betrayal and murder when a chance encounter over dead-of-night coffee leads him to Iris, a mysterious dancer, and her thug boyfriend. Soon the secrets of Jacob's past as a counterfeiter are dragged to the surface - and then his Bad Night really gets started...Award-winning writer Ed Brubaker ("Gotham Central") and acclaimed artist Sean Phillips ("Marvel Zombies") continue their critically acclaimed neo-noir series spotlighting the people who live on society's underbelly.

Ratings (3)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (2)

Reader Stats (4):

Read It (2)
Want To Read (2)

1 comment(s)

unsquare

Loved It

3 months

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are one of the most consistent and compelling teams in comics, and Criminal show some of their early promise. I’ve never read any of Brubaker’s superhero books, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of his work with Phillips for Image Comics.

Criminal is one of their earlier collaborations, originally published by Marvel’s creator-owned comics imprint, and recently reprinted in a deluxe edition by Image Comics. Criminal is oftentimes cited as a masterpiece of the genre, but in this first volume, it feels like Brubaker and Phillips aren’t quite stretching their wings.

I get the impression that later volumes of Criminal are a bit more surreal and/or experimental, but the first volume is completely grounded. In fact, it feels downright familiar if you’ve read anything by Richard Stark. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think my enjoyment of this book may have suffered in comparison with their later works, i.e. Fatale and The Fade Out.

Criminal’s first volume tells the story of Leo, a career criminal known both for his strict rules for every job and his uncanny ability to get away clean when the shit hits the fan. When a dirty cop convinces him to arrange a heist targeting a police evidence van, things inevitably go south in a bad way and Leo is left to pick up the pieces.

I feel like I’ve seen the story beats in this volume a million times, but Brubaker’s writing and Phillips’ art help elevate it into something more than generic. Criminal might feel familiar, but the execution is top-notch.

I enjoyed reading this volume, and I’ll definitely pick up the next volume at some point, but it’s definitely not my favorite book by Brubaker and Phillips. So far, Fatale still wins that prize.

What can you read after
Criminal?

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Criminal

Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips