| Comic Review | Paul Milligan |
Criminal #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Sean Phillips
Colorist: Val Staples
Leo is a streetwise career criminal who’s learned to survive
and stay out of jail by following a simple set of rules.
Some people think this makes Leo a coward. Leo believes it’s
the only smart way to do what he does. But when an old
partner from a botched job manages to rope Leo into taking
part in a big heist Leo’s rules may not be enough to save
him.
From his earliest comic book work to his current run as one
of Marvel Comics top writers, most of Ed Brubaker’s stories
have been deeply mired in gritty noir and the world of
crime. In books like
Sleeper,
Catwoman
and
Gotham Central, Brubaker has
written some of the best crime noir tales to ever take place
in a world full of superhumans. But now, for the first time
in years, Brubaker returns to tell 100% straight-up crime
stories starring tragically flawed characters in a world
that’s all too real. And I couldn’t be more excited to read
it.
In an industry swamped with superhero stories, where even a
great lover of superhero comics like me is getting burned
out, Criminal is a most welcome change of pace.
Though the first issue is mostly an introduction to the
book’s “hero”, Leo, and a set-up for the rest of the story
it’s still more tightly packed with great scenes and
dialogue than any five issues of whatever “event” comic
happens to be on the stands right now. When was the last
time you read a single issue of a comic that took more than
five minutes to read but at the same time didn’t wear you
out with pages and pages crammed with unnecessary word
balloons?
Like Brubaker, artist Sean Phillips is at the top of his
game on this book. Phillips is as good at drawing crime noir
as Brubaker is at writing it. He is one of those artists who
has the ability to make any scene, from a heist gone wrong
to a simple conversation, the most interesting and
eye-catching it can be. He’s also a master storyteller who
picks his shots carefully and knows just how to use a panel
to maximum effect. Add to that the fact that his dark and
gritty style was made for something as dark and gritty as a
book like Criminal and you’ve got a book that’s as
equally enjoyable to look at, as it is to read.
So if you’re looking for something a little bit different
than just about every other book on the stands then look no
further than Criminal. Not only is it the best crime
comic I’ve read in some time, it’s also one of the best
comics I’ve read this year. It’s the book that Ed Brubaker
and Sean Phillips were born to do and fans of great comics
can’t afford to miss!
Special thanks go out to Jeremy Shorr, owner of Titan Comics for allowing us to use his advance preview books for review purposes.
