Comic Review: Criminal (2019-) #5

Criminal (2019-) #5

Image Comics

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

After taking a month off, Criminal is back with a new story arc that writer Ed Brubaker describes as the “longest Criminal story arc yet”. It’s nice to know we’re getting a pretty long arc as issues 1 and 4 were just one-offs and 2-3 told the short-but-sweet Bad Weekend story. Now, we finally get a story that long-time fans of the series have been waiting for: The story of how Teeg Lawless died.

This arc takes place in 1988 and this issue introduces a new character into the Criminal universe – a private investigator named Dan Farraday. Dan is tasked by a client to track down a woman he had been involved with after she took off on him. Farraday felt that accepting this case was a mistake, but carries on with it anyway because – for reasons explained throughout this issue – Dan Farraday loves the thrill of a chase. He’s a hunter, and that could very well be the death of him.

Farraday is a very unique character compared to the rest of the cast of Criminal. Whereas pretty much everyone has been a, well, criminal, he isn’t. He’s not a great guy, but he’s not a bad guy either. He just wants to help people in his own way, and if he has to get his hands dirty in the process, then so be it.

This whole issue, for the most part, feels so disconnected to the rest of the world of Criminal. That’s not a bad thing at all, if anything, it shows that Brubaker’s writing can still be engaging after spending so much time in the crime/drama world of comics/fiction in general. Criminal #5 really gives me a hardboiled, noir feel throughout and offers a sense of mystery that a classic detective pulp would give you. Of course, Brubaker’s writing is beautifully complemented by the artwork of Sean Phillips, along with his son Jacob on colors.

Sean Phillips’ work will never cease to amaze me. He’s a master of his craft, perfectly nailing expressions on the faces of characters in this issue. There are a couple of pages in this comic that reflects back to when Farraday served in the Vietnam War and the look of utter shock and terror on his face is priceless. Phillips always immerses me in whatever comic he and Ed Brubaker do together. They’re probably the greatest duo in all of indie comics. Jacob Phillips on color is a new edition to the team, though. He first started working with them on My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies and now he’s the main colorist on Criminal. His style to coloring isn’t a complete departure to the work that Elizabeth Breitweiser did when she’d work with Ed and Sean, but it looks more rough and dirty. In a great way, though. He really adds an extra gritty vibe to the story and he really sells that pulpy noir narrative I mentioned earlier.

I’m very excited to see where this story goes. If you have never read Criminal, #5 is a perfect jumping on point in this amazing crime anthology comic that’s crafted by masters of the genre.