People are fascinated by the darker corners of the world, those places that we all know should really be avoided at any cost. Even those of us who are smart, or lucky, enough to stay away from dirty alleys that smell like urine are tempted to peek inside once in awhile. That urge probably explains the recent resurgence of dark and gritty storytelling in comics (and other media) lately.
The newest down and dirty crime comic on the block is Criminal, from Marvel's creator-owned Icon imprint. Written by Ed Brubaker and drawn by Sean Phillips, this book comes with a pretty good pedigree for a dark crime comic. The story lives up to Brubaker's previous work, with believable, well-rounded characters, cracking dialogue, and a convoluted plot. Phillip's art is a little more realistic than his recent stint on Marvel Zombies, but it still has that same rough edge that makes it a perfect fit for a story like Criminal.
Our protagonist is Leo Patterson, the son of one of the greatest pickpockets ever to work a city. Leo's dad died in prison, and Leo is determined not to make the same mistakes his father did. Not that he decides to actually earn an honest living; he just works really hard not to get caught. Leo operates by a pretty strict set of rules. The rules have kept Leo out of prison so far, but he finds himself tempted to break the rules to make one huge score that could take care of all his problems and responsibilities. Of course, there is just no way that things are going to go as smoothly as Leo would like.
If you want to sneak down that stinky alley and experience life on the wrong side of the tracks, you can't go wrong by doing it from the relative safety of your favorite comfy chair. Stop by Four Color Fantasies and pick up this guaranteed Book of the Week. But no five-finger discount! Leo is a bad, bad example, kids!
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