Reckless: Brief Biographical Timelines
Note: If you've received a copy of the Neo Noir comic book, see my previous post for more info.
Our friend Robert Watson has just posted the latest episode of the Undertow Podcast, where we focus on Follow Me Down, the fifth book in the Reckless series. This is the final book in this particular run as Brubaker and Phillips take a break to publish Night Fever and possibly other books, including perhaps the long-awaited follow-up to The Fade Out.
This seems as good a time as any for me to summarize some notes I've taken, to produce a timeline (or three!) for the main characters and the central location in the series. I'll try to avoid serious spoilers for the Reckless books.
Our friend Robert Watson has just posted the latest episode of the Undertow Podcast, where we focus on Follow Me Down, the fifth book in the Reckless series. This is the final book in this particular run as Brubaker and Phillips take a break to publish Night Fever and possibly other books, including perhaps the long-awaited follow-up to The Fade Out.
This seems as good a time as any for me to summarize some notes I've taken, to produce a timeline (or three!) for the main characters and the central location in the series. I'll try to avoid serious spoilers for the Reckless books.
Ethan Reckless
1950-1951, born
With his father in Naval Intelligence, Ethan lived in Sterling Park, Virginia; Berlin, Germany; Oahu, Hawaii; and "half of the 60's" in Gitmo -- Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Ethan was recruited by the FBI to infiltrate radical groups in college, using the alias "Donovan Rush" and working with Special Agent Frank Hancock.
1967-1968, ~age 17, spent his first year in college at UC Berkeley
1971, June, ~age 21, while working undercover, suffered a serious head injury from an explosion
Ethan soon left the FBI, and Ethan's father was never again promoted after 1972.
1975, ~age 25, began working for hire, as an unlicensed private investigator and fixer of problems
1979, ~age 29, befriended Anna
1981, ~age 31, Reckless (book 1)
Ethan revisits coastal town Santa Teresa, an apparently fictional town that was mentioned as a "vacation village" in the Criminal novella My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies.
Ethan stopped speaking with his father around this time; his father died before Christmas, 1984.
Frank Hancock retired from the FBI and suffered a stroke.
1985, Summer, ~age 36, Friend of the Devil
1988, April-August, age 37 (stated explicitly), Destroy All Monsters
1989, November, age 38, The Ghost In You & Follow Me Down
2004, Summer, age 54, concluding chapters to Follow Me Down
c. 2021, about age 71, during the pandemic, Ethan types his memoirs
1962, born
Anna's father worked as the projectionist at the El Ricardo theater.
1968-1972, ~age 6-10, watched Evilina on local channel 14
1975, age 12 (stated explicitly), father died
Anna's mother Sharon would have a series of unhealthy relationships with boyfriends and husbands.
1979, age 17 (stated explicitly), befriended Ethan; was previously a runaway
1988, age 26 (stated explicitly), had a brief falling out with Ethan, moved to east LA and then back
1989, age 27, works first case as the primary investigator, for Lorna "Evilina" Valentine
Christmas Eve, Sharon marries for at least the third time, with Anna as a bridesmaid.
The El Ricardo is located on Strand Street in Santa Monica.
1974, closes for the first time
1979, is given to Ethan Reckless by a client; Ethan moves into the theater
1988, is damaged and renovated; Ethan gives the theater to Anna, who reopens it for curated showings
c. 1999, closes for the second time
This second closing may have been prompted by the tragedy mentioned at the end of Destroy All Monsters.
With his father in Naval Intelligence, Ethan lived in Sterling Park, Virginia; Berlin, Germany; Oahu, Hawaii; and "half of the 60's" in Gitmo -- Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Ethan was recruited by the FBI to infiltrate radical groups in college, using the alias "Donovan Rush" and working with Special Agent Frank Hancock.
1967-1968, ~age 17, spent his first year in college at UC Berkeley
1971, June, ~age 21, while working undercover, suffered a serious head injury from an explosion
Ethan soon left the FBI, and Ethan's father was never again promoted after 1972.
1975, ~age 25, began working for hire, as an unlicensed private investigator and fixer of problems
1979, ~age 29, befriended Anna
1981, ~age 31, Reckless (book 1)
Ethan revisits coastal town Santa Teresa, an apparently fictional town that was mentioned as a "vacation village" in the Criminal novella My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies.
Ethan stopped speaking with his father around this time; his father died before Christmas, 1984.
Frank Hancock retired from the FBI and suffered a stroke.
1985, Summer, ~age 36, Friend of the Devil
1988, April-August, age 37 (stated explicitly), Destroy All Monsters
1989, November, age 38, The Ghost In You & Follow Me Down
2004, Summer, age 54, concluding chapters to Follow Me Down
c. 2021, about age 71, during the pandemic, Ethan types his memoirs
Anna
1962, born
Anna's father worked as the projectionist at the El Ricardo theater.
1968-1972, ~age 6-10, watched Evilina on local channel 14
1975, age 12 (stated explicitly), father died
Anna's mother Sharon would have a series of unhealthy relationships with boyfriends and husbands.
1979, age 17 (stated explicitly), befriended Ethan; was previously a runaway
1988, age 26 (stated explicitly), had a brief falling out with Ethan, moved to east LA and then back
1989, age 27, works first case as the primary investigator, for Lorna "Evilina" Valentine
Christmas Eve, Sharon marries for at least the third time, with Anna as a bridesmaid.
the El Ricardo theater
The El Ricardo is located on Strand Street in Santa Monica.
1974, closes for the first time
1979, is given to Ethan Reckless by a client; Ethan moves into the theater
1988, is damaged and renovated; Ethan gives the theater to Anna, who reopens it for curated showings
c. 1999, closes for the second time
This second closing may have been prompted by the tragedy mentioned at the end of Destroy All Monsters.
Labels: My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, Night Fever, Reckless, The Fade Out, Undertow Podcast
posted by Bubba at 8:00 PM
2 Comments:
Howdy!
This isn't specifically about your recent post, but a curiosity I have regarding an older book, The Fade Out. I've been doing the deluxe editions of all the books by Ed Brubaker with Sean Phillips (and Steve Epting as well) I got an email saying that the deluxe edition of the Fade Out (long out of print) is coming back. When I did a google search I couldn't find anything about this. Do you know what this is? Are they putting it out to garner interest in a new comic series or perhaps a film? It's the last one that I don't currently own and I'd love to get it in my library.
Thanks so much for your work here as well as the podcast. It's all great stuff
Sincerely yours,
Joel
You're very welcome, Joel! --and I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you!
I hadn't heard that the deluxe edition of The Fade Out is coming back, but I certainly wish Brubaker and Phillips (and the team at Image) make sure to meet demand keeping them in print.
There's occasionally news that Hollywood is looking at one of their books, but nothing has ever been officially greenlit, not yet anyway. If and when that changes, we'll be sure to cover it, certainly in the podcast and probably here as well.
Bubba
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