There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we look at the newest ongoing from powerhouse noir/crime team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips as they return to the seedy world of “Criminal.”
Who’s This By?
The star studded team of writer Ed Brubaker (“Captain America,” “The Fade Out”) and artist and letterer Sean Phillips (“Hellblazer,” “The Fade Out”) returns along with their new colorist Jacob Phillips (“My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies.”) Additionally, they are joined by returning film essayist Kim Morgan (“Kill or Be Killed”) for the backmatter.
What’s This All About?
“Criminal” is both easy and difficult to pin down. On its broadest level, it is a crime comic centering around the various character that populate the seedy underbelly of Central City. It a series defined more by what we don’t read about than what we do. Stories bounce from era to era, character to character, painting vignettes of crimes gone wrong, of origins and getaways, of broken people trying to put something of themselves back together before they completely crumble, weaving an intricate timeline of motivations and events that, ultimately, only matter to the character’s themselves.
We are simply observers to the rise, fall, and destruction of these deeply flawed, and deeply human, characters.
So, Why Should I Read This?
“Criminal” is, hands down, one of the best crime comics out there on the shelves. One reason is because of how many layers there are to every issue, every arc, and every volume. This is a series that rewards rereading but makes sure that if you enter each arc cold, the adventure will be intense, engrossing and, most importantly, clear. If you have never read a “Criminal” comic before, issue #1 will be just as welcoming as issue #4 thanks to the structural makeup of the series.
Issue #1 opens on a stand alone adventure, establishing the tone of the series as well as elucidating a bit about the children it centers on and the world we are now inhabiting. Following that up is another self-contained, two issue arc, and then another stand alone, self-contained adventure. I cannot overstate just how refreshing it is to see comics that take advantage of serialization to play with arc lengths and do so with such ease and quality. Prior to this, “Criminal” had been a series of mini-series, each standing on their own but building towards a larger world but not a larger narrative.
The pieces interconnect, allowing us to construct a more full picture of the people we follow — such as the Lawless family or “Gnarly,” the bartender — and their motivations in each era of their history, but there is no ultimate endgame like there was in “Fatale,” which had a similar structure in terms of shifting protagonists from arc to arc. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a long game being played, however. There are events that are hinted at or alluded to that we never see — important, shaping events in these character’s lives — and moments that can be dramatized to further delve into their psyches. But, in much the same way “Astro City” approaches superheroes, building history rather than plot, “Criminal” approaches criminals.
In fact, Brubaker’s world building and character work is unparalleled, getting to the heart of who each protagonist is, what motivates them, and then bringing that into conflict with the world and the people around them while Phillips’ artwork and lettering breathes the life and personality into it all, bringing all the requisite emotions to the table, changing or reinforcing the meaning of the narration that is present. Panels are measured and rhythmic, allowing for the moody, noir tone to float to the surface, while the artwork and coloring dance between cool oranges and heavy shadows.
Jacob Phillips, son of Sean Phillips’, coloring cannot be overlooked, as it brings a real life to the series. It’s slightly grungy and the issues rests heavily on a limited palette, often times utilizing light, pastel oranges, pinks and purples. Because of this, each issue has a distinctive feel, and, in conjunction with his father’s artwork, these colors do a lot of the heavy tonal lifting. They are versatile, accomplishing vastly different moods based on the story, sometimes heightening the violence and suspense, while other times dulling, thereby complimenting, the emotions of the characters. While this is a violent series, and the violence is often brutal, it is never voyeuristic or gleeful, merely a product of the work these people do and the mistakes they are party to.
Continued belowBrubaker and Phillips makes sure we know that the world of “Criminal” is a hard place, a tough place where sadness and pain is rampant but there is something to be gleaned, always, and maybe, just maybe, someone will get out of the vicious loop we see play again and again.
How Can You Read It?
Issue #4 of the current ongoing comes out today, and is another stand alone issue. Pick it, and the previous three issues, up from your local comic book shop or preferred digital outlet. I highly encourage you to get these in singles, as Brubaker & Phillips have a tendency to pack these things with extras that don’t get collected. And trust me, you don’t want to miss out on Morgan’s EXCELLENT film essays.
For trade waiters, this series may not be built for you. We don’t know when they will be collected or how, with the exception of the “Bad Weekend” arc (issues #2 & 3,) which is being collected into an expanded edition that will not contain the essays.
For those who want to go back, volumes 1-7 of “Criminal: are available from Image Comics with volumes 1-6 collected in two Deluxe Editions. “My Heroes Have Only Been Junkies,” the OGN, acts as a stealth book 7.5. Track them down at your local bookstore or comics shop or online at your preferred digital retailer.
