PREVIEW: Criminal: 10th Anniversary Special

[CBR News]

The Eisner Award-winning team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (THE FADE OUT, FATALE, Sleeper) will release a brand-new 64-page one-shot of their acclaimed noir series CRIMINAL in April.

It's been ten years since CRIMINAL launched and to celebrate, Brubaker and Phillips, with acclaimed color artist Elizabeth Breitweiser, are bringing us their darkest and strangest tale yet: a twisted '70s noir about a father and son on the run.

"Teeg and Tracy Lawless are our most popular characters, so I knew this Anniversary Special had to showcase their early days," said Brubaker. "A big part of Criminal is finding new ways into noir stories, and this time we get to see it all from the point of view of a 12-year-old kid forced to help his father, who is a career thief and murderer."

Known for its creative experimentation, this novella-length CRIMINAL story features a comic-within-the-comic, a bizarre '70s-era KUNG FU magazine starring a werewolf.

"Once again I get to try out a new style, after the cartooning of The Last Of The Innocent, and the sword and sorcery of last year's Savage Sword of Criminal," said Phillips. "This time I get to figure out how to draw a kung-fu werewolf without him looking too silly. Let's hope I can pull it off! Even if I can't, it's great to be back in the Criminal universe again, it's like we've never been away."

This 10th Anniversary Special also comes in a magazine-sized variant featuring the star of the comic-within-the-comic-a perfect companion to last year's SAVAGE SWORD OF CRIMINAL magazine-sized variant.


Full preview here.

[wwise03]

I wish Brubaker and Phillips would start up a new series. The Criminal one shots just don't interest me (despite enjoying the series back in the day).

Question, does the 5-year exclusive deal they signed with Image mean 5 years in time, or 5 years worth of monthly comics (60 total comics)? I ask because I note that they are taking a lot of time between issues at this point such that, at this pace, they will not put out 60 comics in 5 years time.

[seanphillips]

I wish Brubaker and Phillips would start up a new series. The Criminal one shots just don't interest me (despite enjoying the series back in the day).

Question, does the 5-year exclusive deal they signed with Image mean 5 years in time, or 5 years worth of monthly comics (60 total comics)? I ask because I note that they are taking a lot of time between issues at this point such that, at this pace, they will not put out 60 comics in 5 years time.

It's five years of time. We won't be doing just monthly comics, as the one-shots show. Our issues take longer because we have more pages than the average comic. We've done 346 pages of story in the last 18 months, which is the same as 17.3 Marvel comics. Surely that counts as the equivalent of monthly?

We'll be starting a new series straight after finishing this 64 page Criminal one-shot...

[wwise03]

Our issues take longer because we have more pages than the average comic. We've done 346 pages of story in the last 18 months, which is the same as 17.3 Marvel comics. Surely that counts as the equivalent of monthly?

We'll be starting a new series straight after finishing this 64 page Criminal one-shot...

I admit I did not actively notice that your books are longer than an average comic book (though subconsciously, I'm sure I did based on the fact that reading your books is far more satisfying than reading an average monthly book) . Forgive my lack of knowledge in that regard. The fact of the matter is yalls books are so far and away better than every other comic book I read that I sometimes lose patience when I don't get my Brubaker/Phillips fix.

I may need to go back and re-read Criminal, Fatale, and The Fade Out from the beginning to tie me over!!

And I can't wait to hear about your new series!! Are you willing to say whether it is a completely new book or one that you will be revisiting?

Also, in regards to Criminal, any chance we see nice deluxe hardcover editions of Criminal released by Image? The Icon hardcovers are impossible to find (even on ebay it's impossible to find volume 2).

[BeastieRunner]

Man .. I can't believe it's been 10 years since Criminal. I think it's time to re-read the whole thing!

[Detox]

I've only read the first 4 volumes of Criminal, seems I need to get my ass in gear and finish it.

[bela rakosi]

I still remember of fourth number...great comic, Brubaker is really great writer!

[wwise03]

Any chance we will see a re-release of the criminal deluxe hardcovers, possibly from image?