The Last of the Last of the Innocent, Out in September.

Solicitations always run a few months ahead, and so we have Marvel's September solicitations, including the finale to Criminal: The Last of the Innocent.

It's the big finale of CRIMINAL's most ground-breaking storyline yet! Riley Richards has committed crime after crime to get what he wants... Now what will he have to do to keep all the things he's killed for? It's a twisted look at crime, comics, nostalgia, and obsession... all in the award-winning CRIMINAL style. And remember, every issue of CRIMINAL has articles and illustrations that are only available in the single printed single issues, making it the best bargain on the shelves!

Ed Brubaker has a point in complaining about solicitations that reveal too much, but here we have a good-but-vague idea of what's coming, all without being given a four-word description like we see for September issues of Chew and Walking Dead.

Issue #4 of the four-part story is scheduled to be released on September 7th.

In the meantime, Brubaker fans should check out his Twitter feed, where he's been providing #noirlessons.

The Last of the Innocent #1: The Reviews (and Another Interview).

The reviews are coming in. I don't believe we have a sort of Rotten Tomatoes or MetaCritic for comic books, so I'll take the opportunity to compile the reviews that I find for at least this first issue of "The Last of the Innocent," starting with the advance review we mentioned yesterday.

I'll update this entry as my very limited time permits. I tip my hat to the tweets and retweets at Ed Brubaker's page -- and to any one who lists any I miss in the comments.

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IGN: "It's too early to tell how The Last of the Innocent will compare to past Criminal stories, but it is clear this tale has potential to outshine them all." 9.0 out of ten.

Comic Book Resources: "This book is a study of our view of the past, both our own and a culturally ubiquitous one, as well as the start of the best noir tale you’ll find in any medium." 5 stars out of five.

cxPulp: "This is an excellent jumping on point for new readers, so if you’ve never read a Criminal comic before, why not start here?" 4.5 out of five.

Comics Alliance: "Brubaker and Phillips have managed to crank out five volumes of Criminal over the past few years, and The Last of the Innocent is off to a fantastic start that's comfortably above the already high bar set for the series. In fact, it has a good chance of being the best arc yet."

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An MTV print interview with Ed Brubaker includes its own quick review:

"...without spoilers, we’ll say that it’s probably our favorite kick-off to a Criminal series yet. Steeped in comic book minutiae, but without losing any of the blisteringly whip-smart noir feel of previous series, Last of The Innocent would definitely be on our 'do-not-miss' list for this next week, even if we weren’t lucky enough to snag a copy from Brubaker himself."

More to come, as I find additional reviews.

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[Update, June 5]

A few more reviews:

Best Shots Rapid Reviews, Newsarama: "It’s without a doubt writer Brubaker’s most personal work, and the direct and palpable emotion of it all just makes the book a compelling read from start to finish. Artwise, from cover to back Sean Phillips makes the book sing, with his lurid, pulpy painted cover and gleefully retro Archie-like flashbacks as he switches styles to portray the protagonist’s earlier years. Hands down, this was the best book I read all week and is strongly recommended."

The Buy Pile, CBR: "The idea, it seems, was to show the discordance between the characters in their youth and their much more rough hewn adulthoods, but it didn't quite connect." Honorable Mention / "Read Pile"

Fresh Ink video review: "This may be the best one yet... It makes my heart weep that something this good might be overlooked because you gotta buy a bunch of [event] tie-ins. So, if you only buy one comic this week, oh my God, make it Criminal. This is such good stuff." Pick of the Week.

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[Update, June 6]

And a few more reviews:

Best Shots Review, Newsarama: "If you're going to keep on creating and reading these kind of dark, twisted crime stories, eventually you need to find some humor in the situation... The dark humor of Riley Richards' life is a welcome treat in this latest story of crime and murder."

Savage Critics: "Is it a form of innocence to pine for something evil? Or is it a sign of corruption? I think this book is going to address this stuff (god, I really hope so), but the first issue didn’t really deliver on that for me. It’s still GOOD, mind you — well-written and lovely as hell, but [from the pre-release interviews] I’d been primed for something great."

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There were three reviews at Comics Bulletin, in their Firing Squad's Sunday Slugfest:

Morgan Davis: "Brubaker and Phillips work is so strong [] that even if they were to unfold this story in a way we've seen before the book would still be a powerful if clichéd effort. But given the experiments in form that Brubaker and Phillips are conducting and the track record of these two, it's likely that we'll be the fortunate receivers of yet another groundbreaking piece of crime lit that plays with our sense of nostalgia for a time when noir was new." 5 bullets out of five.

Rafael Gaitan: "Criminal is a masterclass in how to do crime in comic form, and Last of the Innocent is perhaps the zenith of Brubaker, Phillips and Staples' efforts. Easily the best issue of the week and perhaps the year, there's nothing that packs a simultaneous punch to the jaw and a blow to the heart as much as Criminal." 5 out of five.

Danny Djeljosevic: "The character work is so strong and Brubaker's script so thought-provoking that I can read this issue without feeling unsatisfied and can write about it without dropping the usual mitigating first issue review stock phrases like "this is all setup, so I'll reserve final judgment for future issues." It's a meaty first issue that doesn't feel like it needs to satisfy some well-worn genre formula, so I don't have to reserve judgment. I'll call it now and risk pulling a reverse-Pauline-Kael-on-Star-Wars: Criminal: The Last of the Innocent will be an instant classic." 5 out of five.

The book was chosen as the "Pick of the Week" at iFanboy. Conor Kilpatrick raves about the issue in a print review and, with his colleagues, he lauds the issue in an audio podcast.

Not to review the reviews, but I've really been getting a kick out of all this commentary. It's great to see Criminal praised from so many corners, especially for a storytelling approach that was challenging and risky, but it's also nice to share the experience of enjoying a good work of art with others and find a greater appreciation for the work from their analysis.

For all of these reviews, I've been excerpting only the "bottom line," but I STRONGLY recommend that our readers check out the links, especially from Comics Alliance and Comics Bulletin.

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[Update, June 11]

And one more review...

Living Between Wednesdays: "[I]t was the best comic I read last week... Last Of The Innocent isn’t one of those wretched re-examinations of beloved comics characters that wallows in postmodernism by simply recasting old favourites as drug addicts, wife beaters, and fascists (although one of the thinly-veiled Riverdale gang is now saddled with a substance abuse problem). Brubaker and Phillips actually have something to say about the dangers of viewing the past through rose-coloured glasses, and their Archie pastiche provides an entertaining and insightful storytelling device with which to deliver it."

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[Update, July 7]

And a late entry...

AV Club's Comics Panel: "The pairing of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips may not have reached legendary status yet, but Criminal: The Last Of The Innocent #1 (Icon) solidifies their position in the golden pantheon of comic-book creative teams."

In the comments, the author, Oliver Sava, reveals that AV Club will soon publish an interview with Ed Brubaker, including an "enlightening" discussion of Criminal.

Early Review of This Week's Issue, and A Look Ahead.

After a hiatus of nearly fifteen months, our favorite crime comic returns. The first issue of Criminal: The Last of the Innocent is in stores this week. I believe it reaches stores Wednesday for most retailers, and IGN has an advance review, giving the issue 9.0 out of 10 and writing that this arc could outshine all that has come before it.

Comics Alliance includes the series in a list of top noir comics, alongside Brubaker and Phillips' Batman: Gotham Noir (reprinted this July), Gotham Central, and Darwyn Cooke's Parker adaptations.

Looking forward, we already have a good bit of information about the rest of the series. Marvel's August solicitations include the third issue of the mini-series, with an August 3rd release date. The issue is third of apparently four issues, and Sean Phillips has posted cover art for what is presumably the finale, as a sketch, pencils, an in-progress painting, and as the final cover.

And did we mention the return of Teeg Lawless?

We previously reported Ed Brubaker's criticism of too much info being out there too soon, but everything I've seen for "The Last of the Innocent" has whet the appetite without spoiling anything.

The trade for Incognito: Bad Influences is due later this month, and with the reprint of Batman: Gotham Noir, it's a fairly big couple of months for Brubaker/Phillips fans.

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

Incognito: Bad Influences #5 In Stores Now.

At my local comic shop, I confirmed the arrival of the fifth and final issue of Incognito: Bad Influences. The postscript includes a small reproduction of the cover art to Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, and Ed Brubaker points the reader online for the two-page preview, which I hope will find its way to print before June.

A few news sites have posted the preview and bits of the press release posted at Marvel.com. Alongside the conclusion to the Incognito sequel, the press release is worth reading in its own right -- and it raises an subject or two that might be worth further discussion in the next few days.

CRIMINAL: THE LAST OF THE INNOCENT!

Ed Brubaker said it himself:

"http://criminalcomic.blogspot.com/ is always a good place to check out for Criminal-related news."

We have a reputation to maintain, so here's what we know about Criminal: The Last of The Innocent, starting with the gorgeous cover art to the first issue.



This issue will be released in June, the same month as the trade paperback for Incognito: Bad Influences -- the same day, as a matter of fact.

Ed Brubaker is encouraging comics news sites to update their June solicitations, and Marvel's official site has already published pages for both the return of Criminal and the second Incognito trade. The former has a June 1st release date listed, the latter has June 22nd, and I'm inclined to believe that we'll see both on June 22nd.

It's going to be "a few more days," but a two-page teaser will be released for "The Last of the Innocent."

In the meantime, Sean Phillips has published the solicitation, including the first look at the striking cover art, which we've reprinted above.

CRIMINAL: The Last of the Innocent #1
By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips with Val Staples on colors

The best-selling crime comic finally returns, and with their most ambitious story yet. Obsession, sex, money, murder, and nostalgia for days long past all collide in THE LAST OF THE INNOCENT.

Riley Richards got it all… The hottest girl in school and a ticket to the big time… so why isn’t he happy now? Why is he getting involved in gambling and drugs and shady characters in the city? Why can’t he forget the life he left behind in small town Brookview? And why is he suddenly plotting murder?

And as always, each issue of Criminal contains unique back-up features, articles and artwork, which are only available in the single issues.

32 PGS/Mature Content… $3.50

It's not what I was expecting -- late last year, the sequel to the first arc "Coward" seemed likely to be the next story to be told -- but I'm quite intrigued by what we already know about this upcoming arc.

Brubaker and Phillips seem to do their very best work whenever they really push the boundaries of their Criminal universe -- as with the trio of stories that would become "The Dead and the Dying" and the very twisted "Bad Night."

I can't wait to see where this is going, and we'll be there to cover the new arc from the teaser to preview art, to the reviews and the trade collection.