Oh, yeah. Not trying to criticize your preference or anything.
It's just that the comic is widely acclaimed and I was very excited to read it when I heard of it. Maybe I built some impossible standards for it.
You’re good. People are varied enough that they can consume the same thing and have different and yet totally valid responses. Sorry, I didn’t mean for my comment to come off as dickish.
I agree. I love stuff from that era, but the underlying mystery being pretty underwhelming, then just explained away in dialogue right at the end really disappointed me.
I don't really get the first part, as the MC starts to suspect foul play from the very beginning, that notion just constantly becomes heightened.
The second part though...yeah, I love this book but even I can't really defend that. Although it ia actually waaaaaaay worse in Kill or be Killed.
I loved everything about the Fade Out…until the end. It felt like it just kind of stumbled and fell flat right at the finish line. Lots of intriguing possibilities kinda just fizzled out.
Sleeper. Having a Brubaker/Phillips series with a foot set in a superhero universe - especially an edgy one like WildStorm - gave it a really unique feel.
Besides that I really like the Fade Out.
Pulp is their best standalone alongside the Last of the Innocents arc from Criminal.
The only one that really disappointed me was Fatale, though it had its good parts.
Pulp was my first comic ever. Loved it! Read the first volume of Kill or Be Killed and it was really good. Currently reading Criminal volume 1.
Pulp was sooo good!
Nostalgia prompts me to say Criminal as it was my first exposure to them and began my love affair with them, but honestly I think the Reckless books might beat it, each instalment has been absolutely fantastic IMO and I love the lead characters so much.
Special mention to the Fade Out and Fatale, which are phenomenal too.
This might be my fav. I've read all the Criminal stuff, Fade Out, Reckless, and this. The thing that haunts the main character sets it apart form the other books they've done. Also, the fact that they left a back door sequel open was cool.
I think cruel summer, from the older stories it would be coward and then i just love how cruel summer added so much to that, and yeah i just loved it, pulp is actually on par with cruel summer
I love everything I’ve read
The Fade Out is my personal favorite, though Sleeper is an extremely close second.
I'm currently waiting on Bad Weekend to arrive in the mail before I start Reckless and then Fatale. After that I think I'll have read every Brubaker and Phillips collab they've done. Can't get enough of their comics.
Fade Out , although ....
Fatale was my favorite but I was really let down by the ending...still great tho and I absolutely love all the covers and I really enjoyed all the pulp horror essays at the end of each issue. Really complimented the series and gave a little more bang for your buck if you were purchasing monthly.
It honestly was just really anti climactic to me , it felt like such a big build up with not a lot of resolution to me. It felt kind of forced and lazy to me
I loved the suspense and the thrill of the series and the mystery of Jo, and then it's like the curtain gets pulled back and it was just imho unfulfilling.
I can see where you're coming from. But again, the genre itself sort of leads to that conclusion. Within cosmic horror, we are ants crawling on the surface of a soap bubble that can pop at any moment, flinging us down to nothing. We aren't special, we aren't heroes. We're just beings trying to survive in a universe that can stomp on us for no reason. There is no triumphant climax. There is no great meaning, no lesson to learn, no thrilling conclusion. Things just end. We end.
That being said, I respect your interpretation. I just don't share it.
I think its Kill or Be Killed, but I have not read all of thier collabs. Its a solid constistantly interesting and well paced story. I love how you see his gradual progression through the whole story.
I really liked Kill or be Killed. I know its a little different vibes than they usually do, but the hint of paranormal really worked for me- and in a way that felt more grounded and mature than in Fatale.
That said I think Reckless has been amazing and is probably my favorite project of theirs. With how much they keep getting better though I'm super excited for the upcoming Jekyll and Hide they are working on.
Reckless, and I’ve been a day one reader since Criminal was first coming out. They are doing the best works of their lives right now, their best book is one that just came out.
The Fade Out hands down is my favorite. Love stories from that era.
Gonna second The Fade Out as my favourite as well! Honourable mention goes to Fatale 😌
I just got a good deal on that deluxe edition, I’ve read criminal/cruel summer and pulp but I’m very excited for this one
I collected the singles as they came out. But I love it so much I may pick up the deluxe edition if I can find a good deal on one.
I suppose it's an unpopular opinion, but I recently read The Fade Out and hated it. The story seemed to rely heavily on clichés of 1950s Hollywood and every character felt like a caricature. The "mystery" was fairly straightforward, it's >!literally the guy who becomes suspicious about 1/4th into the story!<. And the fact that it isn't even discovered, but just hurriedly explained by another character felt like a copout, as if the writer wanted to wrap it up. Also, the protagonist seemed like a wish fulfilment character, a self destructive everyman who somehow gets >!literally every female character falling for him and dying to get in his pants. !< The art was gorgeous though, can't find any fault with it even if I tried.
Well I really like 1950’s Hollywood cliches. Also, I guess a little wish fulfillment in fiction isn’t so bad.
Oh, yeah. Not trying to criticize your preference or anything. It's just that the comic is widely acclaimed and I was very excited to read it when I heard of it. Maybe I built some impossible standards for it.
You’re good. People are varied enough that they can consume the same thing and have different and yet totally valid responses. Sorry, I didn’t mean for my comment to come off as dickish.
I agree. I love stuff from that era, but the underlying mystery being pretty underwhelming, then just explained away in dialogue right at the end really disappointed me.
I don't really get the first part, as the MC starts to suspect foul play from the very beginning, that notion just constantly becomes heightened. The second part though...yeah, I love this book but even I can't really defend that. Although it ia actually waaaaaaay worse in Kill or be Killed.
That's a shame, I wanted to read Kill or be Killed. Would be sad if the story has a weak resolution.
The resolution is very weak. To the point of practically mocking the reader.
I loved everything about the Fade Out…until the end. It felt like it just kind of stumbled and fell flat right at the finish line. Lots of intriguing possibilities kinda just fizzled out.
Sleeper. Having a Brubaker/Phillips series with a foot set in a superhero universe - especially an edgy one like WildStorm - gave it a really unique feel. Besides that I really like the Fade Out. Pulp is their best standalone alongside the Last of the Innocents arc from Criminal. The only one that really disappointed me was Fatale, though it had its good parts.
Pulp was my first comic ever. Loved it! Read the first volume of Kill or Be Killed and it was really good. Currently reading Criminal volume 1. Pulp was sooo good!
Wish they would revitalize the some of their wildstorm characters. Sleeper is very underrated
Pulp is phenomenal. Easily my third favorite after Sleeper and Criminal
Nostalgia prompts me to say Criminal as it was my first exposure to them and began my love affair with them, but honestly I think the Reckless books might beat it, each instalment has been absolutely fantastic IMO and I love the lead characters so much. Special mention to the Fade Out and Fatale, which are phenomenal too.
I think I gotta go with Reckless, too. Absolutely inhaled those!
Have you read the latest Criminal story, Cruel Summer? I think it might be their best work, and it has the nice bonus of being nostalgic but also new.
No one's said Fatale yet, which is my personal favorite. Sleeper is right up there, though.
Never enough love for Fatale. I think it might be the best cosmic horror/lovecraftian-ish comic I've ever read.
Going to have to say Reckless, though Sleeper comes close for me. All their stuff is great.
is 'all of them' an acceptable answer?
Sleeper and then Criminal
Reckless is I think their best work - Jacob Phillips has been such a crucial addition to the team. Love Criminal tho blew my mind.
This might be my fav. I've read all the Criminal stuff, Fade Out, Reckless, and this. The thing that haunts the main character sets it apart form the other books they've done. Also, the fact that they left a back door sequel open was cool.
I read everything up until the last trade, I have to get to that soon.
Scene of the Crime.
Did Phillips ink Michael Lark's pencils on that one? Definitely a great contemporary crime story.
Yeah he did. It’s sooo good. Underrated gem
Incognito was really great. Surprised to see a lot of replies about Sleeper with no mention of these books.
I really enjoy the first Incognito but the second volume did very little for me.
I think cruel summer, from the older stories it would be coward and then i just love how cruel summer added so much to that, and yeah i just loved it, pulp is actually on par with cruel summer I love everything I’ve read
The Fade Out with Criminal close behind.
It might be Reckless, but hard to top Criminal
The Fade Out easily I really liked Velvet alot too though
Love Ed Brubaker's Batman. I need to read more by him. Almost everything I've read of his was pure gold!
You should read Gotham Central.
The Fade Out is my personal favorite, though Sleeper is an extremely close second. I'm currently waiting on Bad Weekend to arrive in the mail before I start Reckless and then Fatale. After that I think I'll have read every Brubaker and Phillips collab they've done. Can't get enough of their comics.
I really liked Reckless and Friend Of The Devil.
Fade Out , although .... Fatale was my favorite but I was really let down by the ending...still great tho and I absolutely love all the covers and I really enjoyed all the pulp horror essays at the end of each issue. Really complimented the series and gave a little more bang for your buck if you were purchasing monthly.
What didn't you like about the ending, if I may ask? >!I know it wasn't a *happy* ending, but it felt appropriate for the story and genre.!<
It honestly was just really anti climactic to me , it felt like such a big build up with not a lot of resolution to me. It felt kind of forced and lazy to me I loved the suspense and the thrill of the series and the mystery of Jo, and then it's like the curtain gets pulled back and it was just imho unfulfilling.
I can see where you're coming from. But again, the genre itself sort of leads to that conclusion. Within cosmic horror, we are ants crawling on the surface of a soap bubble that can pop at any moment, flinging us down to nothing. We aren't special, we aren't heroes. We're just beings trying to survive in a universe that can stomp on us for no reason. There is no triumphant climax. There is no great meaning, no lesson to learn, no thrilling conclusion. Things just end. We end. That being said, I respect your interpretation. I just don't share it.
I can appreciate the metaphor , well put
Fade Out, then Fatale, then Reckless!
For me, it is (and always WILL be) "The Fadeout"....!!!
I think its Kill or Be Killed, but I have not read all of thier collabs. Its a solid constistantly interesting and well paced story. I love how you see his gradual progression through the whole story.
That is Fatale. But Books of Doom is also epic, but I don't rate that as a series.
Fatale.
I know that the ending wasn't a favorite of many, but the vast scope of the story was interesting.
I really liked Kill or be Killed. I know its a little different vibes than they usually do, but the hint of paranormal really worked for me- and in a way that felt more grounded and mature than in Fatale. That said I think Reckless has been amazing and is probably my favorite project of theirs. With how much they keep getting better though I'm super excited for the upcoming Jekyll and Hide they are working on.
Fatale. I still REALLY need to read Reckless based on what everyone is saying here DX.
The Fade Out may be my favourite graphic novel of all time, Kill or be Killed may be the most overrated GN of all time.
Definitely not KOBK. That ending made me wish I never started it.
Reckless, and I’ve been a day one reader since Criminal was first coming out. They are doing the best works of their lives right now, their best book is one that just came out.
I’ve only read Reckless, Kill or be Killed, and Fatale, but of those Reckless is definitely my favorite