Criminal: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1

Criminal: The Deluxe Edition #1

by Ed Brubaker

A fantastically designed and printed book showcasing the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning crime comics from the creators of Sleeper and Incognito, this oversized, deluxe hardback edition features CRIMINAL, books 1-3: “COWARDS,” “LAWLESS,” and "THE DEAD AND THE DYING". Also features many extras, including a CRIMINAL short story and the never-before-printed, five-page "movie trailer in comics form" that BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS created to announce the series online, plus illustrations, selected articles, behind-the-scenes glimpses, painted covers, and much more! Features an introduction by comics legend and Watchmen artist DAVE GIBBONS.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Crime, Noir, Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 18, 2009

About the author

Ed Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.

In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed Brubaker's Eisner award (Best New Series) winning crime noir series, collecting arcs Criminal, Vol. 1: Coward, the story of legendary small-time crook who's cowardice is more than what people think;, Criminal, Vol. 2: Lawless features the return of veteran looking to find our how his petty crook younger brother died; and Criminal, Vol. 3: The Dead and the Dying which is three short stories set in the 1970s with interlinked characters and events.

Brubaker and Phillips create a multi-layered underbelly world of petty crooks, a bad-ass veteran, stripper, dirty cops and mobsters in this American crime noir series. Reading this again 2023, it has very much lost its lustre for me. It just feels there are no surprises and there's nothing new in here, both with the story and the artwork. Although the overall world build spanning decades is quite clever. 7 out of 12, Three Star read.

2023 read

[The Lion's Share · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, you can stop what your doing and read this book. This is Brubaker and Phillip's best - EASILY! If you love crime, if you love crime noire, if you love Brubaker or if you love comics, you gotta read this.


This book is absolute quality. The story, the artwork, the extras, the binding, the printing all excellent. You cannot go wrong buying this book.

So this book tells different stories about different characters that all intertwine into the same group history of characters. So when i say history, I mean family history and even city history. It tells the story of the Lawless brothers, and I was thinking, "they keep mentioning their father and his reputation, i'd love to read that", and then boom, vol. 3 you get to read it. It's a very well thought out story, so intricate, and if you read the commentary after the story from Brubaker, he tells how he researched a lot into the crime noir genre and real life stories.

It's an exciting story as well. It's very adult, with violence, nudity and cursing i.e. shit, fuck, bollocks, hitler's cock & cunt. :D - Nah it's not that bad, but it is definitely written for mature readers.

I would say though, without a doubt the best thing about this book is the artwork. Phillips has always drawn pretty damn good and he's currently banging it out again with the Fade out, but this is where it's at. Sublime.

Looooooooooooooooooved it.

I will look forward to reading the final book, volume 2.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noir perfection in graphic form. Brubaker's understanding of the workings of the genre is phenomenal and the artwork of Phillips just tips it over the edge. There's a lot of talk about Sin City but that collection pales in comparison to what Brubaker and Phillips have created without the need for a hyperstylised world. This stuff is as real and as bleak as noir gets and I'm in love. Each edition an entirely new story arc yet remaining the in the same milieau as previous stories and one hundred percent authentic, constantly adding new understanding to what came before whilst promising many more tales of horror to come from the flawed denizens of The Undertow bar.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn. I don't often do five stars. And stories don't normally bludgeon me over the head. But it's both in this case because it's Brubaker and Phillips.

I first read Fatale Deluxe Volume 1 by these fellas, now Criminal Deluxe Volume 1. And they can sure as shit write and illustrate a story that captivates you, with or without supernatural elements (see Fatale).

I love how Criminal tells stories in a round about way. That by the end you have even more perspective on characters whose stories were already told. Coward is by far my favorite volume. Followed by Lawless, then The Dead and the Dying.

Leo Patterson is a brilliantly written character with probably more brains and heart than any other person here, particularly because he isn't recognized as a badass but rather a coward, as the volume title suggests. And perhaps that makes him the most empathetic character, if not realistic.

Sean Phillips spoils us with his illustrations, layouts, lettering and inking. Illustrators can transcend average work when given control over the visual process, and this is totally the case. It's rough and dramatic, dark and muddy. And Val Staples dark and subdued colors also do the trick.

Again, I don't really get into noir. But the drama and artwork in Criminal is as good as it gets.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for any crime fiction fan interested in possibly reading comics! This deluxe edition collects the first three loosely-interlinking stories of the Criminal series following on-the-fringe survivors in crime-ridden Center City stuck in situations that go from bad to worse in fine noir fashion. While each story gets progressively better, they're all great. I reviewed each tale here:

Vol. 1: Coward ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vol. 2: Lawless ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vol. 3: The Dead and the Dying ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kinda crazy that one of today's best crime writers is working in the comic book world!

[Xfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues una maravilla, si te gusta el género negro no podrás dejarlo hasta terminarlo.
Que si, todo son clichés y lugares comunes, pero es como ver una peli de gansters clásica pasada por la libertad creativa actual. Dibujos oscuros, lúgubres, feos y una sucesión de historias independientes pero en los que se entrecruzan los personajes creando un hilo común.
Sangre, tiros, sordidez de barrio bajo y vidas desgraciadas, finales fatales y femmes fatales. Más clásico y común no puede ser pero funciona, precisamente por eso.
Iré a por el segundo volumen, aunque mi bolsillo se queje, que esto del comic es un vicio muy caro.

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading Criminal and it's still best crime comics out there without any doubts.

I am refreshing it prior to starting the new ongoing series but I have to say this book is just perfect. It has so many layers and reading it again I am noticing so many new things.

Can't recommend this enough. This is a crime comics masterpiece!

[Blindzider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the crime/noir books by Brubaker that I've read, this is the best so far. It didn't take me long to be fully vested in the characters and wanting to see what happens to them. It never ceases to amaze me how Brubaker is able to craft these realistically flawed people and have me eagerly reading on to see what happens next.

There are some similarities here to Sin City: A single town, where the whole place may not be corrupt but there's at least a side of the city where criminals abound. Between Phillips art and Staples' coloring, you end up with a dark/greyish look with minimal washed out colors producing a dirty, sad area that people can't seem to get out of even if they aren't completely bad. Morality clashes with life here. Brubaker creates real people who are generally "good" but external events "force" them into actions and situations that go against their better judgement. This flawed humanity is where Brubaker excels and that's where you find the most fascinating reads.

There is some overlap between stories. Generally story arcs focus on one character, but as you continue reading you see them reoccur, sometimes in the background, and sometimes background characters become the focus (again similar to Sin City). There's also some continuity between arcs, but not enough to make you feel like you missed something.

I'm really curious about Vol 2, to see if all characters come together in a story or if he maintains the same modus operandi.

This is really fantastic stuff, enough that I can't believe someone hasn't picked this up as a live action miniseries.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading the best crime-noir comic on the planet. Soon this hc will get a reprint, with matching covers. I will probably double dip and get the new hcs aswell. This is Brubaker at his very best, and if you never heard, or read this series, do your self a favor and read it, you can thank me later. This first hc contains three stories, Coward, Lawless and the Dead and The Dying. All these characters return,  as to go back and fort in time, all these stories are kinda connected but can also be read apart and out of order, but me myself i just like to read them in publised order as you find more and more connections every time. Brubaker and Phillips made alot together, but this is truly their baby and i think most beloved work. It really shows in these very deluxe collections. In the back there are always some very cool essays about the noir genre,  some cool artwork and a sort of trailer/sales pitch of the story. These are among my favorite hcs i own and i am enjoying the hell out of them yet again.

[DaViD´82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Úplnej karneval sebelítosti. Naštěstí nebyl zvanej nikdo jinej než já."

Drsná škola par excellence, noir až do morku kostí. Trio samostatných komiksových novel, které ukazují, jak široké mohou být žánrové mantinely, pokud máte tvůrce, co mají načteno/nakoukáno a mají co říci. Předně ve všech příbězích hraje prim soustředění na rozhárané charaktery, bez toho by to ani se sebelepší zápletkou nešlo. V noirovkách potřebujete postavu, které v každém momentu a za všech okolností rozumíte; jakkoli s ní nesouhlasíte, protože (jak v tomto žánru také jinak) prostě dělá nepěkné věci, kdy být příběh nahlížen optikou jiné postavy, tak se jedná o ústředního záporáka. Což se zde podařilo v jednom každém příběhu, linii, scéně... Všude a u všech.

Nejlepší je hned ústřední "Zbabělec" o heistu, který se tak trochu vymkne z rukou. Nemám co bych vytknul nad rámec "jaktože už to dávno není zfilmované"? Druhý příběh "Lawless" působí značně westlakovsky/thompsonovsky. Sází na atmosféru a pozvolnou výstavbu. Možná až moc, protože závěr působí příliš zhurta a neadekvátně investovanému prostoru. Finální "Mrtví a umírající" s Pulp Fiction like přístupem ke struktuře "jedna událost, tři pohledy" jsou rovněž vynikající. První dva segmenty jsou bez výtek, problém je s tím třetím, který tomu měl nasadit emocionální tečku. Jenže jen naplno říká to, co již bylo mezi řádky jasné v předchozích dvou a tak působí poněkud nadbytečně.

Každopádně je to hnidopišství. Pokud máte pro žánr slabost, tak tohle nechcete minout, i kdybyste nakrásně komiksem pohrdali. Navíc, jen tak mimochodem, je to i skvostná publikace, které někdo věnoval kus péče (a to i na straně tuzemského vydavatele). Už jen těch bonusů, od obligátních obálek přes eseje na téma "jádro pudla žánrovek" až po drobnohled pod pokličku vzniku kresby.

[Shannon Appelcline]

Coward. An amazingly tight noir story full of deeply detailed characters making terrible choices. I'm impressed not just that the central characters have a lot of depth, but also because that extends to any number of secondary characters. The fact that I never quite know where it's going, as things get worse and worse, is also a sign of strong writing.

What wasn't as obvious from this first volume was what a deeply interrelated world Brubaker was creating. Oh, there's hints here, like a few mentions of the killing of Teeg Lawless and some ambiguity about who did it, and some discussion of our protagonists being the newest generation of "The Old Gang," but I would have been shocked if you'd told me that one character just barely seen in this comic (Angie) and another character only hinted at (the creator of a comic strip) would be the stars of another volume of Criminal, years and volumes down the road [5/5].

Lawless. One of the beauties of Brubaker's Criminals is the interconnections. And this one has a number of interconnected stories: a murder, a theft, a heist in the making. When they all come together ... it won't be good. And that doesn't even touch upon the intricate connections to the other Criminal volumes.

But Brubaker's Criminal also excels in characterization, and Tracy Lawless is one of his best. We get a great picture of a deeply wounded man here, and that's even before we learn about his father, Teeg (especially in V3 and V7). This made me want to see more, and fortunately we do (in V5, then in V11, which rather joyfully flips the Jacob/Tracy dynamic seen here).

The Dead & The Dying. Although this story pretends to be an anthology of three linked stories, it's actually one narrative, told backward — as we see the dissolution of a friendship, the crime that led to that, and the abuse the preceded the crime. It's a rather elegant structure and a great look at three characters.

When I first read this volume, I was the most focused on the middle story, which connects back to the story of Criminal, Vol. 2: Lawless, but on a second read I was better able to appreciate the story as its own thing, and it's a pretty cool thing. [5/5]

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si has leído algún cómic del tandem Brubacker-Philips, sabes lo que se puede esperar de ellos, cuando se refiere a género negro en cómic muy pocos autores se pueden considerar a su altura, las historias, los personajes, las ambientaciones... poco se puede objetar aquí.

Criminal es un nombre completamente descriptivo, esta colección contiene historias de delincuentes, drogadictos y maleantes de distintos tipos, gente de mal vivir que se mueve en los bajos fondos de center city, la parte central de la ciudad de Philadelphia.

En este tomo tenemos dos arcos largos y tres números unitarios. Podemos encontrar historias como la de un talentoso ladrón capaz de llevar a buen puerto cualquier trabajo siempre que no implique violencia, la de un hombre que vuelve a la ciudad donde creció para averiguar quién asesinó a su hermano, la de un veterano de vietnam con una deuda que pagar, la de un barman que cuenta sus últimos días como boxeador o la de una femme fatale que busca venganza tras haber sido maltratada en su juventud.

Brubacker enlaza las distintas historias de forma que todas tienen puntos en común, Philips establece un ambiente que te atrapa y le da a las historias un valor añadido, este tomo además cuenta con extras como algunos artículos, ilustraciones, bocetos, muestras del proceso creativo y el comic-trailer que crearon los autores para promocionar la colección. Una edición genial.

[Matěj Komiksumec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminal je neskutečná úžasnost, jeho primární síla tkví v tom, že jde o antologické povídky u kterých je krásné jak se postupně doplňují. Zároveň se mi líbí, jak je každá knížka svým způsobem jiná, přesto stále perfektní.
Vůbec nejvíc na mě zapůsobila třetí knížka která je příběhově podle mě neskutečně silná a hltal jsem ji jak nic.
Samozřejmě Sean Phillips je láska, jeho kresba a panelování jsou bomba, hlavně emoce postav jsou něco co mě po každé hrozně zaujme. Hrozně mě i baví sledovat jak si tu Brubaker postupně vyzkouší několik věcí které začne razit ve svých jiných autorských sériích.
Tuna skvělých bonusů na konec je jen velmi příjemná třešnička na dortu.
Tohle nejde nic jiného než doporučit, totální strop.

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review for the three volumes compromising the deluxe edition) 3.75/5
Coward: I've been squireling this away for quite some time. Supposedly its Brubaker and Philips' masterwork (the Criminal series as a whole). I guess I'll be the judge of that.
My last dalliance with Brubaker and Philips in their noir guise was the bitterly disappointing Kill or Be Killed. If there was a single work of theirs I would have penciled in to be better than all others, it would have been that. Sadly, it looks like those 2016 vibes that overtook the comic industry got to ol' Ed. But Criminal was all said and done long before those dispiriting times...
It's a long way from awful, and certainly above average, all things considered, but Coward is hardly Brubaker or Philips operating at full capacity. If anything, this feels like the warm up act before the band you actually want to see. Same genre, similar sound, but there is a reason they haven't made the big time. That's what Coward is. A story that's never gonna make the big time. It ticks all the necessary noir boxes, although when its all said and done, I'd pretty much prefer to read anything else in their back catalogue. A slow start perhaps, but here's hoping for better things. 3.75/5

Lawless: Marginally better then the opening story, though the Criminal series is yet to hit its straps for me, thus far. Maybe its my sky high expectations? Maybe I'm in a prick of a mood? Maybe the perfect really is the enemy of the good. Either way, this has thus far been a very good, but probably not a great series. It's certainly not Philips' best work, and every now and then, I find myself re-writing Brubaker's prose in my head. Wondering why he wrote X, when Y,Z, even A,B or C would have been better. I still gave it four stars. It's still bloody good. But when you have Sleeper, Fatale and Velvet in your resume, you gotta bring some serious heat if you wanna cook in that kitchen. 4/5

The Dead and the Dying: There was a time during reading this that I was prepared to say that this was possibly the best of the three volumes collected in the deluxe. There was also a time shortly after that, I was ready to say it was probably the worst of the collection, with Brubaker's bland and corny dialogue kicking really dragging down the final volume lower than it really should have. It was probably the most hackneyed I could remember him being during any of his noir stories. That and Philips art never really impressed me throughout this entire arc. Far from bad, but a ways from great as well. Pretty much like Brubaker's efforts. Above average noir is still a fine thing in my book, and that's basically what Criminal is thus far. Above average noir. 3.75/5


OmniBen.

[John Blacksad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leziz!
Tam beklediğim gibi. Adı gibi. #Kriminal hikayeler. Elime alır almaz herhalde 100 sayfa aktı gitti. Bu özel edisyon #criminal serisinin üç cildinin ilavelerle toplanmasından oluşuyor. Çizimler de öykü de akıcı. Amerikan suç dünyasına dair oldukça sinematik bir akış. Travmalar, savaş travmaları, aile travmaları, şiddet, ayakta kalmaya çalışmak, pusulasız mücadeleler ve neticeleri. Üç ciltteki hikayeler kendi içinde müstakil bir yapıya sahip. Ayrı ayrı okunabilirler. Fakat içlerinde karakter ve mekan açısından minicik #crossover noktalar var.

Sapasağlam çizilmiş, sapasağlam yetişkin suç/polisiye hikayeleri. Türkçe okuyabilmekten büyük keyif aldım. İlk sayfaları çevirdiğimde kuşe kağıt gramajı biraz zayıf geldi. Gerçi bu tip kalın, omnibus vs baskılarda orijinal İngilizce baskılarda da kalınlık kontrolden çıkmasın diye ince tercih edilebiliyor ama, bilemedim. Biraz pahalıydı ama çok keyifli işti totalde.

[Philologios · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRIMINAL. Ed Brubaker & Sean Philips. The Deluxe Edition. Vol. 1.

“Debes mirar al pasado si deseas comprender la verdad de todo hombre, quién es de dónde viene y qué es capaz de hacer, bueno o malo… Encontrar esos momentos donde el tiempo y la vida chocan y hacen una muesca indeleble”. Ed Brubaker. Criminal.

Cuando el amargo sabor de los remordimientos no se va ni con bourbon.

CRIMINAL es un retrato coral del mundo del hampa. No hay “mitológicos” enfrentamientos entre capos. Es un rosario de perdedores que nos cuentan sus tristes historias. Y lo hacen con un tono netamente “noir”.

NARRACIÓN EN PRIMERA PERSONA
En la más pura tradición del relato negro (cine o novela), unos donnadies nos van contando sus historias. Todos están unidos por diferentes vínculos (familia, deseo, amor, recuerdos, lealtades) en medio de un paisaje común oscuro, melancólico, violento. Una ciudad nocturna en la que coexisten pero no conviven.

FUGACIDAD, INTENSIDAD
La única intimidad se da en momentos puntuales y desesperados. Todos son conscientes de la fugacidad de esa momentánea felicidad. Todos vivirán el resto de sus días lamentando su pérdida.
El SEXO está muy presente y en buena medida los momentos de intimidad sexual son la materialización de esta felicidad intensa y pasajera. Los personajes (salvo el insalvable Teeg Lawless) ven en esos momentos una tabla de salvación. El sexo es a la vez oscuro y honesto. Tenga lugar en antros infectos o en hoteles de lujo, es siempre refugio de almas atormentadas que por unos instantes encuentran complicidad y cariño.

LA FAMILIA COMO MALDICIÓN: Lawless y Hyde
Los protagonistas de unos relatos son los secundarios (incluso los extras) de otros. Solo un par de apellidos resuenan continuamente de fondo: Lawless y Hyde. Más que apellidos son manchas de aceite de coche: se extienden y ensucian todo lo que tocan.
La relación padre-hijo es eje y motor de buen número de las historias y condiciona las decisiones de los personajes: padres como modelos, padres como anti-modelos. Todas las infancias están rotas. No hay lugar para la inocencia en un sitio así.

DETERMINISMO SOCIAL
El contexto criminal condiciona las vidas de todos los personajes. Estos se ven abocados al delito y la violencia pese a su –mayor o menor- resistencia. Todos y todas son escoria en mayor o menor grado. A todos les podemos llegar a comprender en un momento dado. A pesar de que algunos son auténticos “scumbags” – especialmente los mencionados Lawless y Hyde- todos tienen un código, todos tienen un motivo que podríamos entender como “digno”. Y ahí reside parte de la grandeza de este GRAN RELATO QUE ES CRIMINAL.

EL DIBUJO
Soy aficionado a los comics, pero no me puedo considerar un entendido. Lo mío es más el texto, pero EL TRABAJO DE PHILIPS ES SENCILLAMENTE ESPECTACULAR. Es imposible pensar en estas historias sin esas imágenes. Él es el responsable del panorama desolador presentado ante nosotros. Él es el culpable de esas pupilas contraídas, de esos expresivos contraluces, de esas quemaduras de cigarrillos en la piel de una madre muerta.

EN RESUMEN: mal rollo, buena literatura
Buenas historias, buenos personales, buena ambientación… 100% recomendable

UN CONSEJO
A modo de ambientación musical recomendaría la banda sonora de Howard Shore para The Departed (Infiltrados).

[OMNIBUS GOD · Rating 5 out of 5]

CRIMINAL BY ED BRUBAKER AND SEAN PHILLIPS IS A NEO-NOIR CLASSIC THAT DESERVES ALL THE HYPE IT GETS!

This deluxe hardcover collects the first 3 volumes of the critically acclaimed series, ‘Criminal’. Starting with ‘Coward’, then going into ‘Lawless’, and ending with ‘The Dead and The Dying.’ Each story highlights different characters in a connected criminal world.

Starting with ‘Coward’; we get introduced to Leo, a man who grew up a thief like his father and spent his young adult life doing heist jobs with a crew. It’s your typical team planned robbing and if it doesn't end with a clean getaway then it ends in a shootout. Only thing is Leo always has an escape plan separated from the *actual* escape plan. He’s always disappearing when things get too hot and he always makes sure he’s the one person to get away. As the title insists, he’s a coward. After 5 years out the game he gets approached by an old “friend” and is offered an opportunity to get off a *giant* score and tells him he could really help some people out. After some convincing he decides to join in but has a feeling that something is going to go down. There’s a crooked cop involved so the feeling is really strong. The story focuses on Leo trying to help someone other than himself, and when the eventual twist happens, he has to figure out how he’s going to get out of it and try to survive without running like he’s used to, and instead standing his ground and fighting.

‘Lawless’ follows Tracy Lawless, another man who grew up with a criminal life but he eventually escapes it by joining the military. It doesn’t turn out the best as he’s tied into a crime while in the military and seems to be held in a military prison. The government didn’t want the incident to be released to the public so he served his time there instead of a prison in the states. After he’s released he finds out his little brother Ricky was killed. Ricky stayed in the criminal life and had a crew he’d work “jobs” with. Ricky even worked with Leo from the previous story. Tracy’s whole goal is to get into Ricky’s old crew and figure out what happened to his baby brother. The crew doesn’t know Tracy is Ricky’s brother due to Tracy going full incognito and changing his identity. He introduces himself to the group as Sam and after killing their driver for a job they’ve been planning, he offers his services and gets to the bottom of what happened to his brother. We see Tracy dealing with a lot of guilt and rage. He blames himself for leaving Ricky with their criminal father and not being there more to protect him and be a brother. Tracy will get his answers but he’ll also get into some trouble cause he crosses someone he didn’t expect would come back so hard.

The final story is ‘The Dead and The Dying’ and that serves as a flashback type story that touches on some more of the background characters from the previous two volumes. It takes us back to the 70s and we see the story of Jake “Gnarly” Brown. Introduced to us in the first volume as the bartender of ‘The Undertow’. The criminal hotspot where all the locals resided. Gnarly grew up with Sebastian Hyde, the son of a very powerful criminal lord who used Gnarly’s father as muscle. We see them as young adults and how they begin to separate as people. Gnarly wants to leave the criminal life and go pro as a boxer, but Sebastian wants to prove himself and get ready to take over his father’s empire. A girl gets involved and that can only mean trouble. We also see Teeg Lawless, the father of Tracy Lawless and his return from war. He gets into some gambling debt with the Hyde family so he also does some jobs for them. You see the connections of what turned Tracy into the man he is. It ends with the perspective of Danica. The girl who Gnarly and Sebastian clash over and we see the heart wrenching story of her upbringing and current life.

Ed Brubaker is a true writer to the definition. His ability to write compelling characters with raw and real backstories is some of the best I’ve ever read. Real emotion is put into the characters he writes and he makes sure you know these characters aren’t the best people but you can’t help but to root for them in a way. There’s a component of sympathy with each story and it really helps the story stay engaged and makes you want to dive deeper into this world he’s built. I’ve heard a lot of people compare this series to ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘The Wire’ and it’s not just because it’s a crime drama, but the type of storytelling in ‘Criminal’ feels just as breathtaking as it does in those two wonderful T.V series (my personal 2 favorite tv shows of all time). Brubaker’s talent is on full display with this story and I can’t wait to continue the series.

Sean Philips artwork is absolutely the perfect fit for this type of story and we’re so lucky these two like working together so much. The neo-noir style really sets the tone and feel for the book. He sets up some raw panels that don’t hold back just like the story doesn't hold back. The imagery he displays is dark and it adds to the intense feel of the read overall. I love how he draws body language and his ability to engage even in more simple panels. His inks are bold and it helps with the dark setting he’s showing us as the readers. Partnered with some great color work by Val Staples; who knows how to use his pallet just right to fit the emotion of the page and story. It’s just a stunning looking book. It really gave me the same vibes as David Mazzucchelli’s work and not in the sense of copy and paste but in the sense of style and impact. Showing us why we will remember Philips as much of a legend as we do Mazzucchelli.

Overall; This is truly one of the best things I’ve ever read and I’m very happy to have it as my official 100th read book for this year (2022). I can honestly say I will be re-reading multiple times in the future and am so hopeful that the following books are just as good as this first volume. Don’t be a dumb sucka like me and read this book NOW!

[Graham P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noir fiction paces the lines of cliche many times. Us as readers tend to take pleasure in reading about the befallen in crime fiction, those lowlives with dark destinies, those harlots and wiseguys who spout sidewalk wisdom about doing what's right while doing what's wrong, those heists taking a bad, bloodied turn that we can see coming from a mile away, those tarnished alliances between the powerful politicians and the expendable trigger man, and the whores and the prizefighters and the pickpockets and the petty criminals - all of them, no matter how emblematic (and again, cliche) appear in glorious panels thanks to writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips. There is nothing new here - as predictable yet page-turning as a last love letter from someone who wronged you in the end.

[Andy Martínez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta relectura de la obra de Brubaker sirve para afianzar mi idea de que es uno de los nombres más brillantes de toda la historia de la literatura negra. Homenajea y crea con una solidez increíble

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had made an initial pass through Ed Brubaker's Criminal when the first story, Coward, first appeared in 2006. I remember really liking it but didn't stick with it on my pull list for one reason or another. Over the years, I kept hearing how great the series was, with each new story featuring different characters but staying within the universe that Brubaker and Sean Phillips had created. When the Deluxe Edition was released in 2009, I circled it a few times for a buy, but never pulled the trigger. Now, 4 years later with the second Deluxe Edition just released, having received the first for a Christmas present, I dove headfirst into the seedy underbelly of this noir tale. The wait was worth it. The world of Criminal is one that many readers will be familiar with. Not the specific characters or stories themselves, but the feeling, atmosphere and downright filth that occupies the classic "bad people doing bad things" formula. You feel a bit of remorse at the beginning of this story (I consider it one despite the 3 different tales that are combined into this volume), but as the pages flew by, I quickly realized that these aren't good people doing bad things, but flawed individuals who never stood a chance. The final story, The Dead and the Dying, really encompasses this, stepping back in time to show the first generation of criminals whose offspring have picked up right where they left off. It's haunting and tragic, but it's also incredibly entertaining - a gritty standalone that doesn't have to deal with crossovers and tie-ins. Brubaker is free to stretch his legs and tell his story, his way, and we're the benefactors. I'll have to cut down on the lag time between volumes 1 and 2.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is crime noir at its best, which is to be expected with a team like Brubaker and Phillips. The art is as brutal and stark as the writing, which keeps you guessing the whole way through. Even when you think you've figured something out it doesn't do you any good in the long run, because Brubaker turns the story back on itself or twists it in a whole new direction. This is classic noir with a modern spin, and the world Brubaker's created here is rich and full of characters drifting in and out of each other's lives in a way that lets you really FEEL the criminal underground of Center City. I don't think I've read any crime comics in a long time that come close to touching this one.

But, I guess that's where I take off a star. For as rough and bleak and intense as this book is, it's still Crime Noir, a genre that has been done over and over again since the first Hardboiled magazines were published in the 1920s. This is GREAT crime noir, but I never felt like I was reading something that redefined the genre, or took it to new heights. It's hard to fault something for that, I guess, but it did leave me wanting a little something else.

[Sean Kottke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic noir epic, and really the best format to read it in order to catch the intricacies of relationships that tie all of the stories together (so helpful to be able to flip back a page or two or a hundred in a single volume for a quick refresher on who's who). Plus bonus content and back matter from the single issues not included in the trade paperbacks. This is world-based storytelling at its finest - both in the sense of quality and grittiness.

[Ostrava · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant history of a criminal underground, shamelessly (or proudly?) brought to you by all of your favorite tropes.

Stories interlink in the most creative ways but never overstep their territory, always paying homage to its noir roots, always delivering outstanding art with outstanding writing.

It's very good, it's a looker, it's basically fucking phenomenal.

Why are you, as a fan of crime fiction, not currently reading Brubaker and Phillips' comics?

[Riley Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragic, human, and beautiful. I get why so many people rave about this book, and to me, this is Brubaker's best work. When he was writing for Marvel and DC all of his runs were steeped in the atmosphere of crime noir. The themes of his stories fed into that genre, and it seems like he finally just decided to write his own crime fiction comic. Criminal is about desperate people trying to survive, while demonstrating all the lives they hurt in the process of that. A lot of these characters are terrible people, but many of them are only in this life because the world gave them no choice. Examples being Greta, Ricky, and Danica.

This book is broken up into three stories, and are all loosely connected. They take place in the same city, with some characters showing up again, and taking place years apart. I love short story books like this, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips do a masterful job at telling these stories. All are compelling in their own way, although "The Dead and the Dying" story will always stick with me. Especially with just how tragic it all was, and how you can see the moment where if Danica had gone another direction, her life would've been so much different. However, I love all of the stories for various reasons.

Overall an amazing first volume. I highly recommend checking this out. It's seriously so good.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I'm very disappointed with myself that I didn't take a time to read this masterpiece. It's Brubaker I love and even though I always said "it can wait". Stupid *spits on myself".

How to continue.. This couple definitely know how to make amazing reading. It was one of the best thing I have read in my life. I loved that balancing between violence, swearing, quiet and really amazing dialogues. I fell into that atmosphere of dark streets, feeling it + in Lawless that uncertainty about who is killer was kindly eating my mind until the very end.

I dropped a tear or two at the end of the Coward. Tracy earned my affection in seconds. When I saw Mallory's reaction, it kind of broke my heart. But all characters deserved full attention, not even one was useless, redundant. I spent twice more time looking at that art than reading - those bodies, faces, backround, everything. Gosh, I could even imagine music to every fucking situation.

I would recommend this book to everybody, who.. wait. That's it. To everybody.

[Nich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminal Deluxe Edition Volume One is everything I love about Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ work gritty, stylish, and steeped in that perfect noir atmosphere. This volume is a fivestar example of what they do best.

Each story stands on its own, but what really impressed me was how they’re all subtly connected, weaving a larger tapestry of crime, consequences, and broken people trying (and usually failing) to outrun their pasts. It’s smartly written, beautifully drawn, and pulls you into a world that feels both lived-in and on the edge of collapse.

If you’re already a fan of Brubaker and Phillips, this is essential reading. And if you’re new to their work, this is a perfect place to dive in. Raw, human, and expertly crafted Criminal is noir done right.

[Henry Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly one of the best comics ever made. Im not a massive fan of the first collected trade within this Omni but that being said, the next two trades are absolutely fantastic. The lawless family and the world Brubaker has created is quite astounding. It’s hard to review or have comments about the ones I just read since it’s three different distinctive stories but the lead in to this world that’s done over an episodic type of narrative structure is brilliant. Everything feels like it’s on purpose. Brubaker might be one of my favourites of all time.

[Sam Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for any fan of crime fiction. Brubakers elegently crafted world fuses classic noir tropes, with a more modern setting rendered perfectly by Phillips stark and emotive art style.

Criminal manages simultaneously to never shy away from its heavy subject matter and never leave the reader with a looming sense of hopelessness. Much of this is credited to Brubakers effortlessly smooth dialogue, which manages to weave in humorous and heartfelt moments amidst the briskly paced, interlocking short form stories.

With Criminal, the duo once again flex their muscles. Demonstrating why many consider them the best team in comics today.

[Richard Guion · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best crime noir comic series I’ve ever read. I read bits & pieces of this over the years, but could never get a handle on the interweaving nature of some characters until reading this big collection all at once. I enjoyed putting together the history of the Lawless family from this volume.

[Chaunceton Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books. Absolutely top shelf.