Comic Review: Criminal #1 (Image)

Writer Ed Brubaker, illustrator Sean Phillips, and colourist Jacob Phillips hit high ground in the story of lowlifes, with issue #1 of Criminal, their new title from Image.

We’re familiar with their work in the seamy side of life, of course. Volume after volume of sad, evil, deluded Criminal characters. Endlessly touching and maddeningly mad. Scheming their little plans, doublecrossing their little friends and wallowing in self-indulgent fantasies. It’s all good, and these characters are just sooo bad.

Criminal #1 is no exception, and as solid as heck. It all starts, yes, on page 1. A young person is breaking into a house. Where we go from there is a lesson in comic writing. This is as good as it gets. Solid, I tell ya.

And well drawn and coloured, my goodness. The people are memorable, their expressions, their scent of evil, their shifty eyes, their sweaty betrayals to their betrothed. It’s shadowed, the people are shadowed, their thoughts are brightly dark.

Just go buy this one. You know you want to. It has the story, a retrospective on previous Criminal volumes, cover paintings and a short prose piece. Great value for the money. Next issue, #2 of Criminals is entitled “Bad Weekend”.

Image, Criminal #1, $3.99 for 38 pages of story content. Mature rating