Customer Reviews

Criminal (Deluxe Edition)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a beautiful and wonderful book by some of the most talented creators in comics. It's too bad that Amazon has incorrect information in it's description, because now I'm super disappointed. I thought, as it says, that this collected Series 1 #1-10 and Series 2 #1-7, but it does not. It only has #1-3 of Series 2, which leaves me still four issues short of The Sinners, Series 3. The whole point was to read from the beginning until Series 3. I assumed I would get all caught up, but alas, no, there are four issues less than advertised. Wikipedia has it right. I write this review only as a warning; please buy as much Brubaker/Phillips as you can. Just don't think this Deluxe edition has all of Series 2. It does not. Likely, a second deluxe edition will appear in a year or two with the end of Series 2 and all of Series 3. I guess I'll buy it even though I already have Series 3 in single issues. Sigh.

Ed Brubaker continues to prove he is one of the top writers in comic books today with this series. It's smart, concise and terse in its storytelling and harnesses the gritty realism of the best pulp stories. Phillp's art is hardcore stylish without being overly artsy. And please let me say, it's good to see a comic book series that isn't afraid to show a woman's nipples. How many times are we going to see comics released with graphic violence and lots of F bombs, but breasts covered up by an inky shadow or some such nonsense? Are nipples that dangerous? Are they going to poke our eyes out? No, they clearly do not, as this series proves.

There are basically three criminal stories here, plus some quickies and the extras and I am 100% satisfied with the quality of the sewn binding. Thank God Marvel is moving away from glued bindings, which just do not last. My only complaint is the border around the art on each page is rather large. Marvel should have expanded the art to a larger size and shrunk the border. Yes, the art is oversized in this edition, but why not go for broke?

I spend just a tad over $30 shipped and that is money well spent. I highly recommend this Hardcover to fans of comic books and even just fans of good pulp fiction.

Though Ed Brubaker has become more widely known for his prolific run on Captain America, the acclaimed writer will always have his roots sewn in the realm of crime comics. Case in point is Criminal, which finds Brubaker at his best. This handsome hardcover published under Marvel's Icon imprint collects the Coward, Lawless, and The Dead and the Dying storyarcs, as well as a host of extras to boot. Like Frank Miller did before him with Sin City, Brubaker manages to conjure up his own crooked, crime-ridden world with plenty of noir undertones, made all the more vibrant thanks to the artwork of Brubaker's frequent collaborator Sean Phillips (Marvel Zombies 1 & 2). All in all, if crime/noir comics are your thing, this Deluxe Edition of Criminal should most definitely be in your collection, and if you've never taken a trip to Brubaker's Criminal world, this is a more than perfect place to start your journey.

prove that graphic novels are not just for nerds and kids anymore. It's a rather dark and serious piece of work. I loved how the book gives you different perspective of different character, with rich believable dialog. I am not going to spoil it for you, but the story for each character is rather different (not a typical good ending).

The deluxe edition is great, it's full of extra content; essays, trailers, diary, cover etc. The pages have that glossy finish to them. And the hardcover itself has the picture of Tyg Lawless drawn on it(basically, it's not a piece of paper wrapped around the book).

Can't wait till the deluxe edition 2 !

This hardcover collects the first three trade paperbacks' worth of the outstanding Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips Criminal series that originally comprised thirteen comic books (Vol. 1, #1-10, Vol. 2 #1-3) from Marvel's Icon imprint. I recommend that fans unfamiliar with this series read my respective glowing reviews of the three previously published TPBs: "Coward", "Lawless" and "The Dead And The Dying". This hardcover features larger page margins than the TPBs, a welcome feature that ensures that none of the artwork is swallowed by the spine's binding. This volume also includes some previously uncollected extras, such as essays from Brubaker from the individual comic book issues, plus art breakdowns and explanations from Phillips. Unlike most comic book plots, the gritty, rated-R realism herein requires no leaps of faith from the reader. This book met my high expectations and is very strongly recommended for both regular fans of comics and graphic novels as well as a much wider audience. It should be noted that creators for Marvel's Icon line of comics are not paid for their original work, but rather share in the profits once the book is on sale.

You enjoy noir, than this book is for you. This have everything that you can think of regarding the movement of noir back in the 1940's-1950's. There is nothing else to state since other posters have stated. 7

As someone who is a big fan of oversized, gorgeous books, this one is the best!! The binding, cover, and pages are top quality and make the most beautiful collected editions that I own. The story inside, even better. If you are a fan of any noir books such as Gotham Central, Daredevil, or Incognito, this book is right up your alley. Brubaker is at his best with his creator owned book and Sean Phillip's art is some of the best in the industry. Buy this now before it's out of print!!!

I don't have any reason to review the product as a work of fiction. If you know Brubaker, and you like Brubaker, get this, 'cause you'll love it. However, if you're hesitant at all, knowing that some graphic novel bindings are sloppy at best, then fear no more. This book is wonderfully bound. Each page has perfectly measured margins, and each page opens fully and lays flat, revealing the entire page. It's heavy, sturdy, and I'm pretty sure it'll stop a bullet. Good binding can be hard to find, and it must be appreciated that Brubaker and Phillips have signed off on a wonderful compilation that is carefully assembled, and not just a money grab.

This book is what it would be like if Hollywood suddenly began producing crime comics instead of movies. Ed Brubaker is a mastermind when it comes to writing crime comics. There are 3 narratives here that are all interconnected. The whole of this story is much greater than the sum of its parts. Can't wait for Deluxe Edition 2.

You already know Brubaker and Phillips are going to give a great story and art. The real highlight was the quality of the book. You need to flip through this book to really appreciate the much deserved effort Marvel put in to this collection. highly recommended.