Twenty years ago, Tracy Lawless traded the crime-ridden streets of the city for a life in the military, and it's a decision he's rarely regretted. But now he's walking out of the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq and back into the world he grew up in, to find out who killed his brother Rick, and why. But truth is one of the few things uglier than family history, and the only thing Tracy has in his favor as he unravels the twisted strands of the criminal life his brother led, is that no one knows who the hell he is. And what they don't know, just might kill them! Collects Criminal #6-10
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' CRIMINAL is the best crime series possibly of all time. It has such a dedication to the pulp-noir roots of artists like authors like Jim Thompson and Paul Auster, and filmmakers like Mike Hodges and Jean-Pierre Melville that these seem like great love notes to the masters of the modern noir. The first arc of CRIMINAL, titled "Coward" is such a pulse-racing and cinematically-styled story that I didn't know if they would be able to top it.
Well, they did.
"Lawless" is such an obvious title for this arc because of its dual meaning: The main character named Tracy Lawless and the seeming amorality of the characters of this world.
The main story is as simple as you can get: A mysterious man seeking vengeance for the death of his younger brother. Sure it seems simple, but as we get more into the back-story of these characters and their lies and truths, which are so brilliantly woven by Brubaker, we see how complicated and brutal their lives are.
As opposed to the 'coward' Leo from the first arc, Tracy is as cold as an arctic whiteout. He is ruthless and calculating, but there is a fire that is burning inside him that he may not be able to contain before the final act draws to a close... a fire that we see glimpses of in his past as a soldier in the current Iraq war. Amd once we do get to the final moments of this story, they're moments that you're not likely to forget anytime soon. The ending is so bleak and brutally honest that it makes most modern noir look like Sunday comic strips.
Phillips' art, as per usual, lends itself perfectly to Brubaker's hard-boiled, no-prisoners storytelling.... Read more ›
Well, they did.
"Lawless" is such an obvious title for this arc because of its dual meaning: The main character named Tracy Lawless and the seeming amorality of the characters of this world.
The main story is as simple as you can get: A mysterious man seeking vengeance for the death of his younger brother. Sure it seems simple, but as we get more into the back-story of these characters and their lies and truths, which are so brilliantly woven by Brubaker, we see how complicated and brutal their lives are.
As opposed to the 'coward' Leo from the first arc, Tracy is as cold as an arctic whiteout. He is ruthless and calculating, but there is a fire that is burning inside him that he may not be able to contain before the final act draws to a close... a fire that we see glimpses of in his past as a soldier in the current Iraq war. Amd once we do get to the final moments of this story, they're moments that you're not likely to forget anytime soon. The ending is so bleak and brutally honest that it makes most modern noir look like Sunday comic strips.
Phillips' art, as per usual, lends itself perfectly to Brubaker's hard-boiled, no-prisoners storytelling.... Read more ›
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Sean Curley
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first encountered Ed Brubaker's writing on Marvel's "Captain America" series, which is perhaps the greatest run in the character's history, and I have followed him to such titles as "Uncanny X-Men", "Daredevil", and "The Immortal Iron Fist". Despite his excellent superhero work, he began his career and made his name in the more noirish field of crime and espionage fiction (influences which clearly carry over into his best work). Eventually, after becoming a star at Marvel, he opted to reunite with "Sleeper" (Vertigo) co-creator Sean Phillips on this series for Marvel's creator-owned ICON line. This volume collects the second story arc, issues 6 to 10, titled "Lawless" and following the character of the same name, Tracy Lawless.
Of the two collections currently published, I would say that "Lawless" is the superior to "Coward", and anyone looking to try out the series might begin with this; a caution, though, that reading this arc, while mostly self-contained, will reveal some spoilers for the preceding story.
This is a straightforward (in a sense) revenge story, with Tracy Lawless making his way back to his hometown to find out who killed his brother Ricky; more generally, Tracy has not been home for fifteen years, and, in the process of his investigation, he uncovers what happened to his more innocent (in his mind) younger brother in the years Tracy was gone. Fans of the crime genre will recognize a lot of familiar types, but spun in interesting ways, and, just generally, done well (cliches became cliches because they were effective). Tracy is, like most crime story protagonists, not strictly a sympathetic character, but the audience is made to take his side anyway; everyone's the hero of his own story, after all.
Of the two collections currently published, I would say that "Lawless" is the superior to "Coward", and anyone looking to try out the series might begin with this; a caution, though, that reading this arc, while mostly self-contained, will reveal some spoilers for the preceding story.
This is a straightforward (in a sense) revenge story, with Tracy Lawless making his way back to his hometown to find out who killed his brother Ricky; more generally, Tracy has not been home for fifteen years, and, in the process of his investigation, he uncovers what happened to his more innocent (in his mind) younger brother in the years Tracy was gone. Fans of the crime genre will recognize a lot of familiar types, but spun in interesting ways, and, just generally, done well (cliches became cliches because they were effective). Tracy is, like most crime story protagonists, not strictly a sympathetic character, but the audience is made to take his side anyway; everyone's the hero of his own story, after all.
By S. Penrose
Format:Paperback
Ed Brubaker does a fantastic job of gritty street level books. Here, there are so many characters that are different shades of "bad", with no true heroes. The art by Sean Phillips is a perfect match for this book. Overall, its a really good take on a genre that can get cliched very quickly.
Format:Paperback
Name: Criminal Vol. 2: Lawless
Publisher: ICON/Marvel
Writers: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Sean Phillips (pencils, inks), Val Staples (colors)
Collects: Criminal #6-10
Price: $14.99
More great comic crime fiction work from the same team that brought you the first collection! Building his story in the same world and city that the previous story took place in, Brubaker's new pivotal character returns home from prison to find out who killed his brother. As things click into place, Tracy Lawless doesn't like the answers he digs up.
One thing I really liked about this story was seeing characters (or character references) from the first collection return in this second installment. Much like Frank Miller's Sin City books, the central characters on each story may be different, but they co-habit the same dirty city and cross paths on occasion. The world that Ed Brubaker is building, here, is sure to become a comic classic and will, undoubtedly, continue to pull in more new readers to this series. Now I need to go find the next collection. Brubaker's definitely got me on the hook for this book. Well done and keep `em coming!
Writing: 10/10
Artwork: 6/10
Cool Factor: 9/10
Overall: 8.3/10
Publisher: ICON/Marvel
Writers: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Sean Phillips (pencils, inks), Val Staples (colors)
Collects: Criminal #6-10
Price: $14.99
More great comic crime fiction work from the same team that brought you the first collection! Building his story in the same world and city that the previous story took place in, Brubaker's new pivotal character returns home from prison to find out who killed his brother. As things click into place, Tracy Lawless doesn't like the answers he digs up.
One thing I really liked about this story was seeing characters (or character references) from the first collection return in this second installment. Much like Frank Miller's Sin City books, the central characters on each story may be different, but they co-habit the same dirty city and cross paths on occasion. The world that Ed Brubaker is building, here, is sure to become a comic classic and will, undoubtedly, continue to pull in more new readers to this series. Now I need to go find the next collection. Brubaker's definitely got me on the hook for this book. Well done and keep `em coming!
Writing: 10/10
Artwork: 6/10
Cool Factor: 9/10
Overall: 8.3/10
By Cliff
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Both story and art are deceptively simple, and that's how Brubaker and Phillips get you hooked. Tracy Lawless is a bad dude going after other bad dudes -- the ones that killed his younger brother. Classic revenge story that never gets old. This book (along with Asterios Polyp) restored my faith in comics. I'd stopped reading them for a long time. But Lawless delivers and I'm hooked on Brubaker and Phillips. Bravo!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
good stuff !
All the other reviewers have pretty much covered everything I might have to say about this so all I can add for my two cents is that I agree with the positive reviews on this... Read more
Published on November 11, 2010 by Andre
3.0 out of 5 stars
Value justice, not the law
Greetings,
I usually find it pointless to comment on a ongoing series because future publications can really impact my impression. Read more
I usually find it pointless to comment on a ongoing series because future publications can really impact my impression. Read more
Published on June 22, 2009 by Won Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Thrilling Walk On The Dark Side
Ed Brubaker is one of my favorite writers on the DAREDEVIL monthly comic, which he's still currently writing. Read more
Published on June 16, 2008 by Mel Odom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Brubaker/Phillips success
This trade paperback collects issues #6 to #10 of Marvel's Criminal series from the same creative team as the outstanding 2003-2005 DC/Wildstorm series Sleeper. Read more
Published on April 6, 2008 by K. W. Schreiter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic series from A creative team that loves noir.
This is A great crime story from the team that brought you Sleeper and the first volume of this series Coward. Read more
Published on February 17, 2008 by Cameron S. Homer
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