Comic Review: My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies

My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies

Image Comics

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

I was looking forward to this release. I never care about the subject matter when it comes to Brubaker and Phillips. This team knows what they are doing as one of most successful creative teams in comic book history. Normally, I would not jump into the depressing subject matter of drug use and dope fiends, but how can you not when you know these two are on it?

The book follows Ellie, who is an adult, but still in her teens. She has been checked into a clinic by her “uncle” and mystery surrounds her. She has no intention of quitting drugs, and she is quite defiant to the counselors that offer her help. Ellie has chosen a fellow addict, Skip, in the group to focus on and gets close to him by way of flirtation and spending nights in the courtyard smoking stolen cigarettes. Ellie knows she is falling in love with Skip, but throws herself headstrong into it. She eventually convinces him to go on an adventure outside of the walls of the clinic where their story truly begins. The narrative does twist so I will not spoil it for you. A note about Ellie is she has lost both of her parents and raised herself on music idols from the past via cassette tapes and records. She is fascinated by the musicians that were junkies and slaves to the drugs. In her youth, she romanticized the drug use and fell into her own pitfall. The title of this book comes from a 1979 Willie Nelson song “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys,” but rings very true for Ellie since all of her heroes were in fact junkies.

Ed Brubaker pulled this story from his own past. Like Ellie, he tagged along with his mother to AA meetings and learned about addiction at a young age. The personal touch shines through very nicely here as we see the flashbacks of Ellie’s upbringing and how she is shaped by trauma and music. Brubaker has said this is within the Criminal world and that we will see more of Ellie when the next series of Criminal starts up.

Sean Phillips’ artwork is as beautiful as Brubaker’s story is haunting. The colors pop when he wants them to, and that is all thanks to his son, Jacob Phillips, who is working as colorist here. Everything comes together here, and nothing overshadows another piece. The art and the words flow so well that they seem to become one another. It is one of those nice experiences where you stop realizing that you are reading a comic and just let it take your hand. Phillips’ art has a lot to do with that.

If you are a fan of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, then you were already eying this comic anyways. If you need a push, then let me help you. This book is paced incredibly well, and a lot of people will finish this in one sitting. If I had to name one complaint, it is how the entire build-up of the story feels like it deserved a more high-stake ending. It wraps abruptly, but the ride is so much fun, and it seems like this will all be necessary when Criminal returns in 2019. The read is still so worth it to watch these two do what they do best. Pick up this gorgeous hardcover book without hesitation. You won’t regret it.