Tag Archives: ed brubaker

Criminal Expands its Bad Weekend

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Bad Weekend

The second and third issues of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillipps‘ Criminal was a meta story revolving around two comic creators and a convention which had a lot in common with San Diego Comic-Con. In time for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con a new edition of “Bad Weekend” will be released with all-new material.

The story focuses on Hal Crane who uses his trip to a convention to find out what happened to some missing artowkr.

Published by Image Comics, the new hardcover edition will feature expanded scenes and is being described as “expanded and remastered.”

Bad Weekend will be released July 10 in comic book stores, with a July 16 release date for bookstores.

You can read our review of the second and third issues. “Bad Weekend” is available for pre-order now.

Review: Criminal #3

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Criminal #3

Jacob’s weekend taking care of his old mentor takes a turn for the worse.

I hate throwing the word “perfection” around a lot but Criminal #3 is damn near perfection. Writer Ed Brubaker, artist Sean Phillips, and colorist Jacob Phillips have put together an issue that’s pulp crime but also beyond touching. This isn’t your typical story about a robbery, it’s about an industry that’ll abuse you, spit you out, and bring out the worst.

The second part of “The Longest Weekend,” the story follows Jacob and his former boss Hal Crane, two comic industry vets and different points in their careers. This issue, like the last, feels like a blend of fact and fiction as it continues to explore the dark side of the comic business. In some ways exaggerated, in other ways not, it winds up being a tragic story with an ending that’ll get you to gasp in a way. It’s tragic. It’s sad. It’s entertaining. It’s one of the best comics out this week.

The art, as usual, is amazing. The style is perfect for this type of story and this trio of creators create a blend of story and art that is unparalleled in this industry. Each character tells a story on their own with something as simple as their body language and stance. The use of color is key here too as it not only clues us in to the past or present but also helps set the mood even more so than the dialogue at times.

The issue is amazing blending fact and fiction to deliver a comic that entertains but will also leave you pondering the truth of it all. Criminal is three issues in and one of the best comics on the market (again). It’s not too late to dive in as this is a comic that should be on everyone’s pull list.

Story: Ed Brubaker Art: Sean Phillips Color: Jacob Phillips
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Criminal #3

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Criminal #3

(W) Ed Brubaker (A/CA) Sean Phillips
In Shops: Mar 20, 2019
SRP: $3.99

“THE LONGEST WEEKEND,” Part Two-Jacob’s weekend taking care of his old mentor takes a turn for the worse. As always, CRIMINAL contains back page art and articles only found in the single issues.

Criminal #3

Review: Criminal #2

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Archie Lewis was the artist’s artist in his heyday, although that’s not what he’s famous for. He’s famous for being a nightmare to work with-and dangerous. So when an old assistant is forced to chaperone his one-time mentor to receive his lifetime achievement award, well… let’s just say things don’t go well.

Criminal is one of the best comics on the market and that makes each issue having to meet a high bar. Criminal #2 meets that high bar with a meta-story focused on a washed up comic creator and an out of control comic convention weekend.

Ed Brubaker delivers another amazing issue that name drops real creators and intermixes real settings that will get die hard comic fans to smile. But, what Brubaker really gets you to do is ponder who he’s writing about? Real names. Real settings. It’s hard to not think about this faux reality he’s created and it’s delivered in such a way that you almost expect this issue is just one of those comic history rumors brought to life.

The story itself is interesting and each page you wonder where it’s all going and where it’ll lead to. By the time it all wraps up, it makes sense and you can only get more excited as this second issue, you know will weave into something special coming down the road.

Sean Phillips art with color by Jacob Phillips is the usual amazing with a style and look that screams “pulp,” “crime,” and “noir.” It’s an art style that’s unique with a level of expression and detail that has you linger on the page and makes the emotion and action explode at times.

The issue is pure brilliance with a level of meta that you’re not sure what is what isn’t true. For comic historians and fans, there’s so much to enjoy about the issue and for those you have gone to a certain convention, the locations shown are recognizable. This is a comic that can be enjoyed for it’s noir and crime focus and loved that it’s so much more.

Story: Ed Brubaker Art: Sean Phillips Color: Jacob Phillips
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Criminal #2

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Criminal #2

(W) Ed Brubaker (A/CA) Sean Phillips
In Shops: Feb 13, 2019
SRP: $3.99

“THE LONGEST WEEKEND”: Archie Lewis was the artist’s artist in his heyday, although that’s not what he’s famous for. He’s famous for being a nightmare to work with-and dangerous. So when an old assistant is forced to chaperone his one-time mentor to receive his lifetime achievement award, well… let’s just say things don’t go well. As always, CRIMINAL contains back page art and articles only found in the single issues.

Criminal #2

Criminal is Back and Getting a Second Printing

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Crime comic masters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ have hit the ground running with the return of the monthly, iconic Criminal series. In order to keep up with the overwhelming demand, Criminal #1 will be rushed back to print.

In this double-sized Criminal #1 issue, Teeg Lawless is back in town—but he finds himself in more trouble than ever. Thanks to his delinquent teenage son, this time fists and bullets may not be enough to solve Teeg’s problems.

Criminal #1, 2nd printing (Diamond Code NOV188407) Criminal #2 (Diamond Code DEC180234) will both be available on Wednesday, Feb 13. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, Jan 21. Fans can also subscribe to receive the series delivered by mail within the domestic U.S. on Image Direct.

Criminal #1

Review: Criminal #1

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THE RETURN OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED CRIME COMIC OF THE 21ST CENTURY! Hot off their bestselling series KILL OR BE KILLED and their original graphic novel MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES, crime comic masters ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS finally return to their most-demanded title—as a new MONTHLY SERIES! In this double-sized (at no additional cost!) debut issue, Teeg Lawless is back in town. But he finds himself in more trouble than ever, thanks to his delinquent teenage son—and this time, fists and bullets may not be enough to solve his problems. A perfect introduction to CRIMINAL and its dark, exciting world, this series will also include back page art and articles to bring readers more fully into the noir experience.

Review: Criminal #1

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Teeg Lawless is back in town. But he finds himself in more trouble than ever, thanks to his delinquent teenage son-and this time, fists and bullets may not be enough to solve his problems.

If you’ve never read Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips‘ Criminal, you’ve been missing out. For about 8 volumes (depending on what you want to count) the series has been some of the best crime/noir comics our there and just some of the best comics out there period. After a too long break, they’re back with a monthly series that’s a perfect jumping on point.

To say Criminal #1 is good is selling it short. This is one hell of a start and is the type of poetic storytelling that feels so rare in comics today.

The story again revolves around Teeg Lawless who is fresh out of jail and needs to correct the mistakes of his son who has pissed off the wrong people. It’s classic noir/crime with seedy locations, characters, and situations. It nails it all perfectly and it’s a build up to what the score may be to solve Laweless’ issues and get him the money he needs.

The comic is violent but always goes just up to the line in that. It never crosses it and instead leaves some of the worst to off the page allowing readers to imagine what happened. Brubaker and Phillips know how to perfectly pull that off leaving the reader’s imagination to do the worst of the visuals.

And Phillips is key here. Joined by Jacob Phillips on color, the trio deliver a story and visuals that are, and continue to be, a match made in heaven. This is the perfect combination of creators creating a team that’s some of the best ever in comics. Phillips’ grittier art style is made for this type of story. The characters are all unique and their small details are stories unto themselves.

Beyond the comic, there’s also prose included as well. Kim Morgan delivers an essay on Blood Simple, a
 neo-noir crime film that I’m never seen myself. It’s the intelligent icing on the cake of an already really smart read.

Is the comic good? It’s beyond good, it’s great. Criminal #1 shows that Brubaker and Phillips is a team of creators that are some of the best in the comics business. Criminal #1 is one of the strongest debuts in quite a while and a very welcomed return.

Story: Ed Brubaker Art: Sean Phillips Color: Jacob Phillips
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Renew Their Exclusive Deal with Image

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Bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creators Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have renewed their exclusive deal with Image Comics. The previously unprecedented deal with Image was first announced—alongside The Fade Out launch—five years ago, and the renewal is effective immediately.  

Brubaker and Phillips’ success took a new format recently in their first original graphic novel, a Criminal tie-in story, titled My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, which reached critical acclaim and received a coveted starred review by Library Journal.Next up for the duo is a return to a classic, Criminal.

The last five years at Image, with the freedom to just follow our creative instincts and do whatever we want to, has been the most successful time of our long career together. The Fade Out, Kill Or Be Killed, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, and the Criminal magazines have been our biggest hits so far, and—as I recently learned on my book tour—each one has brought our work to new readers. So I couldn’t be happier that Image wants to sign us up for another five years.

And it’s that freedom to experiment that made me want to launch Criminal as a monthly again. One of the things Eric Stephenson [Publisher and Chief Creative Officer at Image Comics] and I have talked about for a while is that almost all comics are now just serials written for the collection. It seems like the single issue itself, the thing the comics market was built on, is becoming an afterthought.

So I wanted to bring back Criminal as a monthly comic that would stand apart by really embracing the format, and trying to be something surprising every issue. I don’t want readers to know what’s coming next. Will it be a standalone issue, or the start of a two-parter? Will it be a bunch of issues that you suddenly realize are adding up to something bigger? The only way to find out is to buy the comic every month. We want to take you on a ride every month, and we don’t want you to know where you’re going. Just that it’s probably to the wrong side of town.

– Ed Brubaker

Criminal #1 (Diamond Code NOV180021) will be available on Wednesday, January 9th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, December 10th. 

Criminal #1 Cover
Criminal #2 cover
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