Criminal, Comics and Criminology

Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips have really touched a nerve when it comes to their popular comic book series Criminal. When I read the book and see how convincingly they depict the criminal underworld, I am fascinated by the level of detail that must go into their work. As a result of reading Criminal, I have gone on to investigate other areas of Criminology, read non-fiction Criminology texts by such experts as John Douglas, and even thought about taking out payday loans in order to get my masters degree courses in Criminology.

Perhaps the most interesting meeting of Brubaker and Phillips's talents and real-world Criminology practices occurred in their early joint graphic novel effort Batman: Gotham Noir. This "Elseworlds" (out of mainstream DC continuity) story pre-figured Criminal in some ways and pointed the way to the future of the Brubaker/Phillips creative collaboration. The lead character is James Gordon, and the narrative focuses on his efforts to bring down a complex criminal conspiracy while all odds are stacked against him. Every comic book Brubaker and Phillips have created together is worth reading and far above the industry average, but for fans of Criminal (the series) and/or Criminology (the field of study), Gotham Noir is absolutely must-reading.

With the next Criminal series (Criminal: Last of the Innocent) arriving in comic book stores soon, I feel like I am more prepared than ever, as a result of my research, to delve into the intriguing world Brubaker and Phillips have created, and I'm eager to learn more about the ins and outs of Criminology, both in the real world and in the fiction I have come to love so much.