Criminal Previews... and a Brubaker/Phillips Rarity.

We're moving ever closer to the return of our favorite crime comic, as Sean Phillips has begun posting preview images from Criminal: The Last of the Innocent. The almost invisible narration from the first preview reminds this reader of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren."

There are things in this city...
...that pull me in..
...like a siren...
...calling to a sailor...
...lost at sea.

And, the most recent image shows us a little more of the nostalgic, Archie-esque style that was briefly seen in the two-page teaser.

The July solicitations are already out, and Marvel's list includes the second issue, complete with cover art, reprinted above. The solicitation, also available at Sean's blog, mentions murder and a double cross -- would we expect anything less? -- and Marvel lists a July 6th release date.

Last Tuesday, Ed Brubaker wrote a bit about how fans may be getting too much information, too soon (e.g., here), but on the other hand, the Friday before he let drop this little tidbit.

Got a page from @seanpphillips today, and it had Teeg Lawless on it.

With Teeg in the picture, we know things are gonna get ugly.

And, on the subject of solicitations, there's a quite happy coincidence with Jason's excellent blog entry from earlier today. In DC's July solicitations we see a "DC Presents" reprint of Brubaker and Phillips' Batman: Gotham Noir, scheduled to be released on July 13th.

Originally published as a prestige-format comic, the story has NEVER been reprinted and isn't the easiest book to find. Not counting his inkwork on Michael Lark's pencils for most of the issues of Scene of the Cirme, the 2001 comic marks the very first collaboration between Brubaker and Phillips.

The reprint includes a single issue (#604) from Brubaker's Batman run, which hasn't seen many reprints beyond the recent "DC Presents" comics. Even without this bonus issue, the comic is a must-have for Criminal fans.

Brubaker Podcast and Assorted Bullets.

Out yesterday: the latest Word Balloon podcast to feature Ed Brubaker. I haven't had the chance to give it a listen, but, along with recent developments in his mainstream Marvel work, Brubaker discusses both Criminal and Incognito, the new story for the former and the just-completed story for the latter.

I have a few other noteworthy links, from Ed's Twitter, Sean's blog, and elsewhere on the web.

• Incognito Reviews. The second mini-series concluded to somewhat mixed reviews: CBR describes Bad Influences as a "good comic that suffers for being a sequel to a great comic," giving the fifth issue a 3-star review, out of five. IGN awards a 7.5/10, writing that, even when the series succeeds, the writer feels that "it has yet to deliver as satisfying an experience as Criminal's dark noir fare."
  
  
• Gotham Central Reviews. Five years after its conclusion -- and after a subsequent 2007 review that's worth a late look -- Comics Alliance remembers Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka's Gotham Central. John Parker compares the series to the Velvet Underground, whose work was critically praised while being largely ignored by the general public. With the complete series now available in a four-volume hardcover set (which is in the midst of a softcover re-release), this is no better opportunity for Criminal fans to see what the fuss is all about.
  
  
• French Award for the Sinners. The Marvel press release mentioned it, but it's worth noting that Criminal: The Sinners has won the 2011 award for Best Crime Comic at the International Noir Fest in Lyon: the announcement, in French, appears to be online.
  
  
• Brubaker Blurb on Captain America. There's been a lot of recent press about changes in his more traditional titles, and Ed Brubaker joined artist Steve McNiven in an interview with Newsarama, to discuss the soon-to-be-relaunched Captain America.
  
  
• Sunset Comic. Finally, LA Times Magazine has published a short comic by crime writer Don Winslow with arresting artwork by Sean Phillips (previewed at his blog) -- a comic whose layout works surprisingly well, both in print or in a single webpage: SUNSET ON SUNSET.

Buy Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips comics from Amazon.com