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Criminal #11
The Knives
THE FIRST NEW CRIMINAL BOOK IN FIVE YEARS!
With the Prime Video adaptation premiering soon, crime comic grandmasters ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS return to their most acclaimed series with a new standalone graphic novel: THE KNIVES.
A sprawling CRIMINAL epic, THE KNIVES is the most ambitious tale BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS have ever tackled. Three dark journeys wind around each other over a decade, like sharks hunting for a kill.
Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the special forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.
These three tales collide in THE KNIVES, a breathtaking noir story about greed, ambition, heartbreak, and blood ties. A must-have for all BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS fans!
With the Prime Video adaptation premiering soon, crime comic grandmasters ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS return to their most acclaimed series with a new standalone graphic novel: THE KNIVES.
A sprawling CRIMINAL epic, THE KNIVES is the most ambitious tale BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS have ever tackled. Three dark journeys wind around each other over a decade, like sharks hunting for a kill.
Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the special forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.
These three tales collide in THE KNIVES, a breathtaking noir story about greed, ambition, heartbreak, and blood ties. A must-have for all BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS fans!
200 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2025
27 people are currently reading
5621 people want to read
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,800 books2,977 followersEd Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.
In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 11, 2025
Brubacker & Phillips did what they do best, writing noir drama about desperate characters, and as usual, I loved every page of it.
It's beautiful, it's human, and it's so well told.
To me, it's a must read.
Thank you so much Image Comics for this ARC!
It's beautiful, it's human, and it's so well told.
To me, it's a must read.
Thank you so much Image Comics for this ARC!
June 8, 2025
Brubaker and Phillips return to Criminal and bring their perfect “A” game with them as this graphic novel absolutely sizzles with pure, dark neo-noir energy that brings back familiar characters and sets the stage for the next era of the series.
Special Thanks to Image Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Image Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
May 7, 2025
my 500th Review/Book this year! Half way there!!!!
Alright, listen up, because it feels fucking GREAT to be back in the Criminal universe! Brubaker and that goddamn genius Sean Phillips have delivered another killer addition to one of the best crime series ever.
This time around, we're thrown into the lives of two fascinating characters. First up is Jacob, a comic artist who heads to Hollywood with dreams of his TV show blowing up, but things predictably go sideways and get real messy. Then we've got Ang, a girl who's been through the wringer and is just trying to pick up the damn pieces.
Maybe it's been too long since I dove into a Criminal book, but that surprise ending seriously kicked this story up a notch for me. The criminal element doesn't even rear its ugly head until maybe the last third, but when it does, it's bloody, messy, and nasty as hell – just the way I like this series. And the ending? Fucking fantastic, tying into a bunch of other characters we know and love.
My only gripes? I felt like it wandered a bit in the middle, and that whole "sleeping with this chick" subplot felt kind of pointless. Not really sure what the hell happened there.
Overall, though, this is a seriously fucking good 4 out of 5. It's a brutal reminder of why this series is so damn good.
Alright, listen up, because it feels fucking GREAT to be back in the Criminal universe! Brubaker and that goddamn genius Sean Phillips have delivered another killer addition to one of the best crime series ever.
This time around, we're thrown into the lives of two fascinating characters. First up is Jacob, a comic artist who heads to Hollywood with dreams of his TV show blowing up, but things predictably go sideways and get real messy. Then we've got Ang, a girl who's been through the wringer and is just trying to pick up the damn pieces.
Maybe it's been too long since I dove into a Criminal book, but that surprise ending seriously kicked this story up a notch for me. The criminal element doesn't even rear its ugly head until maybe the last third, but when it does, it's bloody, messy, and nasty as hell – just the way I like this series. And the ending? Fucking fantastic, tying into a bunch of other characters we know and love.
My only gripes? I felt like it wandered a bit in the middle, and that whole "sleeping with this chick" subplot felt kind of pointless. Not really sure what the hell happened there.
Overall, though, this is a seriously fucking good 4 out of 5. It's a brutal reminder of why this series is so damn good.
August 24, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for the ARC.
The Knives proves once again why Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips remain an unstoppable force in modern comics. Every entry in Criminal has been sharp, layered, and relentlessly human, but this one might be the most haunting of them all.
The story follows two central characters — a struggling comic book writer haunted by the gap between the stories he creates and the choices he’s made in real life, and a young woman pulled into the wrong crowd with nowhere safe to turn. Their narratives are interwoven and spiral deeper into the kind of noir nightmare only Brubaker can craft. By juxtaposing the comic writer’s artistic self-reflection with the woman’s raw fight for survival, Brubaker exposes how thin the line is between creation and destruction, fantasy and consequence. He doesn’t just tell a crime story — he dissects how desperation, fear, and longing drive people into corners where every option cuts like a knife. It’s raw, emotional, and uncompromising, with characters that feel brutally real.
Sean Phillips, as always, elevates the script into something cinematic. His shadow-drenched panels, moody cityscapes, and perfectly timed expressions make every moment land with impact. Jacob Phillips’ colors continue to impress — restrained but deliberate, adding heat where the story burns and chill where it bleeds.
What I love about The Knives is that it’s not just about crime, but about consequence. It’s tense and bloody when it needs to be, but at its core it’s about people trying to survive a world that doesn’t care about them — a theme that feels both timeless and tragically current.
Brubaker and Phillips don’t miss. If you’re already a Criminal fan, this is essential. If you’re new, this stands on its own as a devastatingly effective entry point. Either way, it’s one of the best comics of the year.
The Knives proves once again why Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips remain an unstoppable force in modern comics. Every entry in Criminal has been sharp, layered, and relentlessly human, but this one might be the most haunting of them all.
The story follows two central characters — a struggling comic book writer haunted by the gap between the stories he creates and the choices he’s made in real life, and a young woman pulled into the wrong crowd with nowhere safe to turn. Their narratives are interwoven and spiral deeper into the kind of noir nightmare only Brubaker can craft. By juxtaposing the comic writer’s artistic self-reflection with the woman’s raw fight for survival, Brubaker exposes how thin the line is between creation and destruction, fantasy and consequence. He doesn’t just tell a crime story — he dissects how desperation, fear, and longing drive people into corners where every option cuts like a knife. It’s raw, emotional, and uncompromising, with characters that feel brutally real.
Sean Phillips, as always, elevates the script into something cinematic. His shadow-drenched panels, moody cityscapes, and perfectly timed expressions make every moment land with impact. Jacob Phillips’ colors continue to impress — restrained but deliberate, adding heat where the story burns and chill where it bleeds.
What I love about The Knives is that it’s not just about crime, but about consequence. It’s tense and bloody when it needs to be, but at its core it’s about people trying to survive a world that doesn’t care about them — a theme that feels both timeless and tragically current.
Brubaker and Phillips don’t miss. If you’re already a Criminal fan, this is essential. If you’re new, this stands on its own as a devastatingly effective entry point. Either way, it’s one of the best comics of the year.
September 7, 2025
The Knives é a nova rodada de histórias do universo de Criminal, criado pelo roteirista Ed Brubaker em parceria com o ilustrador Sean Phillips. Criminal vem sendo construído sem pressa desde 2006, com volumes de histórias que podem ser lidos individualmente sem prejuízo de entendimento, mas que juntos formam um grande mapa da vida de diferentes personagens.
Em The Knives reencontramos o roteirista de quadrinhos Jacob Kurtz. Da última vez que apareceu ele andava tendo crises de sonambulismo em Bad Night e estava envolvido num crime rocambolesco. O personagem é o autor da tirinha Frank Kafka, P.I., que tem uma pegada de investigação com acontecimentos bizarros e é lida por personagens de Criminal aqui e ali.
Em The Knives Jacob tem a oportunidade de ir trabalhar em Hollywood como roteirista, já que Frank Kafka está sendo adaptada para uma série de TV. Depois de um colapso emocional que o afastou da arte, ele vê a oferta de trabalho como sua chance de se reaproximar da criação de histórias, mas logo descobre que as pessoas em Hollywood não se interessam em originalidade e muito menos em tratar desconhecidos bem. Para piorar, sua breve passagem por Hollywood causará problemas inesperados no futuro que levarão Jacob a precisar de ajuda de um velho conhecido dos leitores de Criminal.
Como Ed Brubaker tem trabalhado na televisão já faz um tempo, é divertido imaginar o que é ficção e o que é desabafo nas situações envolvendo Jacob.
Ao longo de The Knives a história de Jacob se entrelaça com a de Angie, outra velha conhecida. Angie aparece ainda criança em Coward (se não me engano), e agora está com mais de vinte anos de idade. Temos um panorama de tudo que ela passou nos últimos anos e seu leve envolvimento com o mundo do crime, tendo se tornado uma espécie de mulher-gato (eu vi o que vc fez aqui, mr. Brubaker!) para pagar as contas. Atual dona do bar icônico que serve de ponto de encontro para os criminosos de Criminal, ela anda numa fase ruim, correndo inclusive o risco de perder o bar. (falar do restante seria spoiler). Sendo amiga de Jacob, Angie dorme na casa dele vez ou outra quando está precisando esfriar a cabeça e se recuperar dos seus próprios problemas. E é aí que os problemas dos dois protagonistas se cruzam.
Para fechar o quadro temos uma participação de Tracy Lawless. A família Lawless é meio que o coração de Criminal e as histórias giram ao redor deles, dos conhecidos deles ou das consequências das presepadas que eles armam. Tracy é o mais centrado deles, porém não menos violento. Em The Knives, ele é também o fio que amarra a história de Jacob e Angie no passado e no presente, quando precisa orientar os dois na resolução dos seus conflitos. Tracy anda meio perdido na vida, sem um propósito, e ajudar os dois amigos dá a ele uma visão mais clara de quem pode ser no futuro.
Sobre a estrutura, The Knives possui cortes mais secos e ligeiros do que algumas rodadas anteriores da série. Os quadros vão sempre direto ao ponto e nunca duram mais do que o necessário. Isso quebra em parte o que se espera do tempo do noir e dá um ritmo mais de quadrinho de ação, algo que Ed Brubaker explorou bastante na série Reckless, por exemplo. Acho que poderia ter mais um quadro aqui e ali em algumas páginas, mas não é nada que comprometa a leitura. Pelo contrário, ajuda a ir até o final num pique só. Um feito impressionante também é o Brubaker e Phillips conseguirem fazer isso cruzando um monte de pequenas tramas e histórias sem que a gente se perca. Tá redondinho.
Em termos de drama The Knives não chega a bater Cruel Summer, que ainda é meu favorito, mas é fácil uma das histórias mais divertidas e otimistas de Criminal (ou tão otimista quanto Criminal pode ser). O novo volume sustenta sozinho, faz uma ponte interessante entre o passado e o presente, serve como porta de entrada para quem nunca leu a série e tem um charme próprio que, a meu ver, dá uma pista do que os autores estão planejando para o futuro da série. Como Criminal está sendo adaptada para a TV, talvez haja uma pista nesse sentido também.
No Brasil os quadrinhos de CRIMINAL são publicados em capa dura pela Editora Mino.
The Knives ainda não saiu por aqui e minha resenha foi feita em cima da Advance Copy que a editora Image me enviou.
Se você é muito crica com quantidade de estrelas (acho meio estranho resumir histórias a apenas isso), eu diria que The Knives leva um 4.5.
----
[ENGLISH]
The Knives is the new round of stories in the Criminal universe, created by writer Ed Brubaker in partnership with illustrator Sean Phillips. Criminal has been carefully built since 2006, with standalone volumes that you can read individually without compromising understanding, but that together form a large map of the lives of different characters.
In The Knives we meet again the comic book writer Jacob Kurtz. The last time he was around, he struggled with sleepwalking episodes in Bad Night and was caught up in a convoluted crime. The character is the author of Frank Kafka, P.I. comic, which mixes bizarre events with detective investigations, and is occasionally read by characters in Criminal.
In The Knives, Jacob has the chance to work in Hollywood as a screenwriter, since Frank Kafka is being adapted into a TV series. After an emotional breakdown that pushed him away from art, he sees the offer as a chance to reconnect with storytelling—but soon discovers that in Hollywood people are not interested in originality, let alone in treating outsiders well. To make matters worse, his brief stay in Hollywood will cause unexpected problems in the future, which will force Jacob to seek help from an old acquaintance familiar to Criminal readers.
Since Ed Brubaker has been working in television for some time, it’s fun to imagine what in Jacob’s situations is pure fiction and what is a bit of venting.
Throughout The Knives, Jacob’s story intertwines with Angie’s, another familiar face. Angie first appeared as a child in Coward, and in her twenties now. We get an overview of everything she has gone through in recent years and her involvement in the criminal world, having become a sort of cat burglar (I see what you did there, Mr. Brubaker!) to pay the bills. The current owner of the iconic bar that serves as a meeting point for Criminal’s crooks, she’s going through a rough patch, even at risk of losing the bar. As Jacob’s friend, Angie sometimes crashes at his place when in need to clear her mind for her own troubles. That’s where the problems of the two protagonists collide.
Rounding out the cast, we also get Tracy Lawless. The Lawless family is essentially the heart of Criminal—the stories revolve around them, their acquaintances, or the fallout from their schemes. Tracy is the most grounded of the family, though no less violent. In The Knives, he is also the thread that ties Jacob’s and Angie’s stories together in the past and present, as he steps in to guide them through their conflicts. Tracy himself is a bit adrift in life, lacking purpose, and helping his two friends gives him a clearer sense of who he might become in the future.
As for structure, The Knives has sharper, quicker cuts than some previous installments of the series. The panels always go straight to the point and never last longer than necessary. This partly breaks the traditional pacing expected of noir and gives it more of an action rhythm, something Brubaker explored heavily in the Reckless series. I think an extra panel here and there wouldn’t hurt, but it’s nothing that gets in the way of reading. On the contrary, it helps keep the momentum going all the way through the end. An impressive feat here is how Brubaker and Phillips manage to juggle so many small plots and sub-stories without the reader ever getting lost. It’s tight.
In terms of drama, The Knives doesn’t quite reach the heights of Cruel Summer (still my favorite), but it’s easily one of the most fun and optimistic Criminal stories (or as optimistic as Criminal can get). The new volume stands on its own, makes an interesting bridge between past and present, serves as a solid entry point for new readers, and carries its own unique charm that, in my view, hints at the future direction of the series.
Em The Knives reencontramos o roteirista de quadrinhos Jacob Kurtz. Da última vez que apareceu ele andava tendo crises de sonambulismo em Bad Night e estava envolvido num crime rocambolesco. O personagem é o autor da tirinha Frank Kafka, P.I., que tem uma pegada de investigação com acontecimentos bizarros e é lida por personagens de Criminal aqui e ali.
Em The Knives Jacob tem a oportunidade de ir trabalhar em Hollywood como roteirista, já que Frank Kafka está sendo adaptada para uma série de TV. Depois de um colapso emocional que o afastou da arte, ele vê a oferta de trabalho como sua chance de se reaproximar da criação de histórias, mas logo descobre que as pessoas em Hollywood não se interessam em originalidade e muito menos em tratar desconhecidos bem. Para piorar, sua breve passagem por Hollywood causará problemas inesperados no futuro que levarão Jacob a precisar de ajuda de um velho conhecido dos leitores de Criminal.
Como Ed Brubaker tem trabalhado na televisão já faz um tempo, é divertido imaginar o que é ficção e o que é desabafo nas situações envolvendo Jacob.
Ao longo de The Knives a história de Jacob se entrelaça com a de Angie, outra velha conhecida. Angie aparece ainda criança em Coward (se não me engano), e agora está com mais de vinte anos de idade. Temos um panorama de tudo que ela passou nos últimos anos e seu leve envolvimento com o mundo do crime, tendo se tornado uma espécie de mulher-gato (eu vi o que vc fez aqui, mr. Brubaker!) para pagar as contas. Atual dona do bar icônico que serve de ponto de encontro para os criminosos de Criminal, ela anda numa fase ruim, correndo inclusive o risco de perder o bar. (falar do restante seria spoiler). Sendo amiga de Jacob, Angie dorme na casa dele vez ou outra quando está precisando esfriar a cabeça e se recuperar dos seus próprios problemas. E é aí que os problemas dos dois protagonistas se cruzam.
Para fechar o quadro temos uma participação de Tracy Lawless. A família Lawless é meio que o coração de Criminal e as histórias giram ao redor deles, dos conhecidos deles ou das consequências das presepadas que eles armam. Tracy é o mais centrado deles, porém não menos violento. Em The Knives, ele é também o fio que amarra a história de Jacob e Angie no passado e no presente, quando precisa orientar os dois na resolução dos seus conflitos. Tracy anda meio perdido na vida, sem um propósito, e ajudar os dois amigos dá a ele uma visão mais clara de quem pode ser no futuro.
Sobre a estrutura, The Knives possui cortes mais secos e ligeiros do que algumas rodadas anteriores da série. Os quadros vão sempre direto ao ponto e nunca duram mais do que o necessário. Isso quebra em parte o que se espera do tempo do noir e dá um ritmo mais de quadrinho de ação, algo que Ed Brubaker explorou bastante na série Reckless, por exemplo. Acho que poderia ter mais um quadro aqui e ali em algumas páginas, mas não é nada que comprometa a leitura. Pelo contrário, ajuda a ir até o final num pique só. Um feito impressionante também é o Brubaker e Phillips conseguirem fazer isso cruzando um monte de pequenas tramas e histórias sem que a gente se perca. Tá redondinho.
Em termos de drama The Knives não chega a bater Cruel Summer, que ainda é meu favorito, mas é fácil uma das histórias mais divertidas e otimistas de Criminal (ou tão otimista quanto Criminal pode ser). O novo volume sustenta sozinho, faz uma ponte interessante entre o passado e o presente, serve como porta de entrada para quem nunca leu a série e tem um charme próprio que, a meu ver, dá uma pista do que os autores estão planejando para o futuro da série. Como Criminal está sendo adaptada para a TV, talvez haja uma pista nesse sentido também.
No Brasil os quadrinhos de CRIMINAL são publicados em capa dura pela Editora Mino.
The Knives ainda não saiu por aqui e minha resenha foi feita em cima da Advance Copy que a editora Image me enviou.
Se você é muito crica com quantidade de estrelas (acho meio estranho resumir histórias a apenas isso), eu diria que The Knives leva um 4.5.
----
[ENGLISH]
The Knives is the new round of stories in the Criminal universe, created by writer Ed Brubaker in partnership with illustrator Sean Phillips. Criminal has been carefully built since 2006, with standalone volumes that you can read individually without compromising understanding, but that together form a large map of the lives of different characters.
In The Knives we meet again the comic book writer Jacob Kurtz. The last time he was around, he struggled with sleepwalking episodes in Bad Night and was caught up in a convoluted crime. The character is the author of Frank Kafka, P.I. comic, which mixes bizarre events with detective investigations, and is occasionally read by characters in Criminal.
In The Knives, Jacob has the chance to work in Hollywood as a screenwriter, since Frank Kafka is being adapted into a TV series. After an emotional breakdown that pushed him away from art, he sees the offer as a chance to reconnect with storytelling—but soon discovers that in Hollywood people are not interested in originality, let alone in treating outsiders well. To make matters worse, his brief stay in Hollywood will cause unexpected problems in the future, which will force Jacob to seek help from an old acquaintance familiar to Criminal readers.
Since Ed Brubaker has been working in television for some time, it’s fun to imagine what in Jacob’s situations is pure fiction and what is a bit of venting.
Throughout The Knives, Jacob’s story intertwines with Angie’s, another familiar face. Angie first appeared as a child in Coward, and in her twenties now. We get an overview of everything she has gone through in recent years and her involvement in the criminal world, having become a sort of cat burglar (I see what you did there, Mr. Brubaker!) to pay the bills. The current owner of the iconic bar that serves as a meeting point for Criminal’s crooks, she’s going through a rough patch, even at risk of losing the bar. As Jacob’s friend, Angie sometimes crashes at his place when in need to clear her mind for her own troubles. That’s where the problems of the two protagonists collide.
Rounding out the cast, we also get Tracy Lawless. The Lawless family is essentially the heart of Criminal—the stories revolve around them, their acquaintances, or the fallout from their schemes. Tracy is the most grounded of the family, though no less violent. In The Knives, he is also the thread that ties Jacob’s and Angie’s stories together in the past and present, as he steps in to guide them through their conflicts. Tracy himself is a bit adrift in life, lacking purpose, and helping his two friends gives him a clearer sense of who he might become in the future.
As for structure, The Knives has sharper, quicker cuts than some previous installments of the series. The panels always go straight to the point and never last longer than necessary. This partly breaks the traditional pacing expected of noir and gives it more of an action rhythm, something Brubaker explored heavily in the Reckless series. I think an extra panel here and there wouldn’t hurt, but it’s nothing that gets in the way of reading. On the contrary, it helps keep the momentum going all the way through the end. An impressive feat here is how Brubaker and Phillips manage to juggle so many small plots and sub-stories without the reader ever getting lost. It’s tight.
In terms of drama, The Knives doesn’t quite reach the heights of Cruel Summer (still my favorite), but it’s easily one of the most fun and optimistic Criminal stories (or as optimistic as Criminal can get). The new volume stands on its own, makes an interesting bridge between past and present, serves as a solid entry point for new readers, and carries its own unique charm that, in my view, hints at the future direction of the series.
May 15, 2025
Arc from Netgalley.
Despite enjoying much of Brubaker's output, I always found most of the Criminal books to be overrated. This is not the case with The Knives. The three stories, featuring familiar faces, wind together through the barely hidden underworld, culminating in dark misdeeds.
Despite enjoying much of Brubaker's output, I always found most of the Criminal books to be overrated. This is not the case with The Knives. The three stories, featuring familiar faces, wind together through the barely hidden underworld, culminating in dark misdeeds.
May 14, 2025
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
I am a big fan of Image Comics and have a lot of respect for Brubaker's work, so I absolutely jumped at the chance of getting my hands on this.
I was not familiar with the CRIMINAL series before reading this, but that didn't impact the enjoyment of this graphic novel.
The Knives contains a collection of interconnected stories and tangents following a comic artist turned almost Hollywood writer, his old, rich aunt, an orphan and cat burglar who sleeps on his couch, and an old friend with military training and penchant for violence as they survive in LA among organised and disorganised crime.
The script is incredibly tight and well written. I was locked in and felt like I was watching an indie movie.
The art isn't my favourite style, but it absolutely works for the story being told.
There's not much to say beyond this being an absolutely solid and enjoyable read that makes me in intrigued to check out more of this series.
I am a big fan of Image Comics and have a lot of respect for Brubaker's work, so I absolutely jumped at the chance of getting my hands on this.
I was not familiar with the CRIMINAL series before reading this, but that didn't impact the enjoyment of this graphic novel.
The Knives contains a collection of interconnected stories and tangents following a comic artist turned almost Hollywood writer, his old, rich aunt, an orphan and cat burglar who sleeps on his couch, and an old friend with military training and penchant for violence as they survive in LA among organised and disorganised crime.
The script is incredibly tight and well written. I was locked in and felt like I was watching an indie movie.
The art isn't my favourite style, but it absolutely works for the story being told.
There's not much to say beyond this being an absolutely solid and enjoyable read that makes me in intrigued to check out more of this series.
August 29, 2025
Always great to have a new Brubaker and Phillips book in hand! The Knives is a slow burn as all the puzzle pieces come together and then it jams into high gear as it reaches the end. Excellent character work on the writing and art fronts. I’m excited to watch the upcoming show and read more Criminal books for years to come. Here’s to hoping for more Reckless stories soon as well!
August 25, 2025
I don’t know if there are many creators where I own literally all of their collaborations but I know it’s the case for Brubaker/Phillips and this fantastic crime/noir masterpiece is another reason why. They never miss, and I’ll follow wherever they go, and I love the extended continuity of Criminal. It was fun to return to this world. I hope someday they get back to Reckless too.
June 23, 2025
Brubaker and Phillips are back with the first new Criminal story in five years.
The Knives tells an interconnected story with three characters that we’ve seen throughout the series so far. What The Knives delivers on is a fast paced story that doesn’t let up until the final page.
Even though this book is told in small vignettes, it’s cohesive and keeps the reader engaged. I love these characters and one I was happy to see when they were introduced into the story.
Brubaker and Phillips created this universe almost two decades ago and it still feels just as fresh as when I picked up that first original issue.
With the Criminal tv show coming on Amazon, I’m hoping we continue to get more of these stories in comic form. They read fast and I love revisiting these characters.
The Knives tells an interconnected story with three characters that we’ve seen throughout the series so far. What The Knives delivers on is a fast paced story that doesn’t let up until the final page.
Even though this book is told in small vignettes, it’s cohesive and keeps the reader engaged. I love these characters and one I was happy to see when they were introduced into the story.
Brubaker and Phillips created this universe almost two decades ago and it still feels just as fresh as when I picked up that first original issue.
With the Criminal tv show coming on Amazon, I’m hoping we continue to get more of these stories in comic form. They read fast and I love revisiting these characters.
May 11, 2025
An Excellently Dark Noir!
Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips are the dynamic duo that everyone should read! Not only are their stories gritty and dark, but they are also action-packed and full of heart! The Knives is an out-of-this-world epic! Following several characters whose lives slowly and surely intertwine, I was instantly hooked. The characters come to life with vibrant illustrations, and the unique style draws your eyes to every detail on the page. And the dark themes explored are exactly what you would expect from this duo at their best! Run, don't walk to grab your copy of the exceptional return to the Criminal Universe!
Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips are the dynamic duo that everyone should read! Not only are their stories gritty and dark, but they are also action-packed and full of heart! The Knives is an out-of-this-world epic! Following several characters whose lives slowly and surely intertwine, I was instantly hooked. The characters come to life with vibrant illustrations, and the unique style draws your eyes to every detail on the page. And the dark themes explored are exactly what you would expect from this duo at their best! Run, don't walk to grab your copy of the exceptional return to the Criminal Universe!
August 31, 2025
Jacob Kurtz created an acclaimed comic strip that is being adapted into a TV show. When he travels out to LA he finds the glamour is not what he thought it would be. But when he catches up with his old aunt he is given a great opportunity for his future. Angie is working at her families bar when she finds it under new management and gets into dangerous work trying to fill her days afterwards. These characters end up involved in the criminal underworld in different ways and are forced to figure out what they need to do to survive.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips weave together different characters to form a complex, satisfying graphic novel. The first two thirds leave out a lot of the crime aspects of the story, and build out an interesting world for Jacob and Angie to move in and out of each other's lives. The sections jump around in location and time in fun ways that keep the story moving forward. Then the final action packed act brings their stories to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. I have not read all of the Criminal books, but I really enjoyed this story and its heart. This was a great graphic novel and another success for Brubaker and Phillips.
Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for a copy of the Knives in exchange for an honest review.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips weave together different characters to form a complex, satisfying graphic novel. The first two thirds leave out a lot of the crime aspects of the story, and build out an interesting world for Jacob and Angie to move in and out of each other's lives. The sections jump around in location and time in fun ways that keep the story moving forward. Then the final action packed act brings their stories to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. I have not read all of the Criminal books, but I really enjoyed this story and its heart. This was a great graphic novel and another success for Brubaker and Phillips.
Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for a copy of the Knives in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2025
Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this one. The pacing is excellent. The action is fun. The artwork is expressive without overshadowing the content of the story. But man, these sad sack dudes getting screwed over by ambitious women plotlines are getting tired. Thankfully that's not the only plot to follow in this otherwise solid entry.
I really liked this one. The pacing is excellent. The action is fun. The artwork is expressive without overshadowing the content of the story. But man, these sad sack dudes getting screwed over by ambitious women plotlines are getting tired. Thankfully that's not the only plot to follow in this otherwise solid entry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2025
There is not a bad Criminal book or a Brubaker-Philips book for that matter. It’s noir at its best at all times.
Although here I felt the narration felt a bit tiring especially in the beginning parts, still doesn’t take away from the majestic achievement of this autobiographical graphic novel masterpiece.
Although here I felt the narration felt a bit tiring especially in the beginning parts, still doesn’t take away from the majestic achievement of this autobiographical graphic novel masterpiece.
August 30, 2025
Ed’s great.
May 27, 2025
The Knives: A Criminal Book, a gripping standalone noir by the award-winning duo of writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips, delivers a dark, gritty, action-packed and emotional tale.
Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.
The Knives is an atmospheric noir with greed, ambition, heartbreak, and family ties. Once again, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips show us why they are among the best creators in comics, delivering a gripping standalone story within their Criminal universe. This gritty and dark yet packed with heart story is beautifully told by Brubaker and stunningly illustrated by Phillips, creating a visual and emotional reading experience. The story strikes the perfect balance of tension, action, and emotional depth.
As someone who tends to lean towards single-issue comics, I don't typically navigate towards graphic novels, but when this duo teams up to craft a tale it becomes a must-read. The Knives is a story that needed this full-length, 200+ page format to thrive. The multiple storylines that unfold separately, eventually converging would feel frustrating in a monthly floppy comic, but works absolutely seamlessly in this graphic novel.
The Knives: A Criminal Book will undoubtedly hit hard for those fans of the Criminal series, but it also stands strong as a standalone story for anyone looking for a stellar noir read. Though the story features characters and elements typical to Criminal comics, they enhance the story for those fans of the series rather than distract from the plot. Even if this is your first comic in the Brubaker and Phillips Criminal world, this comic hits hard. The Knives a must-read crime comic.
If this happens to be your first encounter with Brubaker and Phillips and Criminal, we highly recommend Criminal Volume 1: Coward .
The Knives: A Criminal Book hits bookstores everywhere on September 9, 2025 from Image Comics.
Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.
The Knives is an atmospheric noir with greed, ambition, heartbreak, and family ties. Once again, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips show us why they are among the best creators in comics, delivering a gripping standalone story within their Criminal universe. This gritty and dark yet packed with heart story is beautifully told by Brubaker and stunningly illustrated by Phillips, creating a visual and emotional reading experience. The story strikes the perfect balance of tension, action, and emotional depth.
As someone who tends to lean towards single-issue comics, I don't typically navigate towards graphic novels, but when this duo teams up to craft a tale it becomes a must-read. The Knives is a story that needed this full-length, 200+ page format to thrive. The multiple storylines that unfold separately, eventually converging would feel frustrating in a monthly floppy comic, but works absolutely seamlessly in this graphic novel.
The Knives: A Criminal Book will undoubtedly hit hard for those fans of the Criminal series, but it also stands strong as a standalone story for anyone looking for a stellar noir read. Though the story features characters and elements typical to Criminal comics, they enhance the story for those fans of the series rather than distract from the plot. Even if this is your first comic in the Brubaker and Phillips Criminal world, this comic hits hard. The Knives a must-read crime comic.
If this happens to be your first encounter with Brubaker and Phillips and Criminal, we highly recommend Criminal Volume 1: Coward .
The Knives: A Criminal Book hits bookstores everywhere on September 9, 2025 from Image Comics.
July 7, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for an advance copy of this graphic novel dealing with good people doing bad things, bad people doing what they are good at, the the constant shadow of violence that both redeems and cleanses the evil that these people do.
I remember growing up that there seemed to be two kinds of people in the world. Citizens and criminals. Both could exist in the richest of places and the poorest of places. Citizens stopped at red lights at 2am, thought the system was fair, cheated a little on taxes, and maybe knew people who could help if things got difficult. Criminals were guys who could get that special cut of meat for a special price. A lawyer who could make that bad thing go away so that a son didn't have a life ruined by car accident, or what ever else happened in the dorm that night. And of course those men and women who bumped in the night, robbing, beating and doing what they did best. Today the line has blurred. Criminals run the government, covering up their crimes in daylight, enriching their friends, and citizens clap along for joy. Which makes Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips true chroniclers of our times. Their stories of good people doing what they have to, along with stories of bad people doing awful things because they want to show an America at a crossroad. And though this story is set years before the lines were erased, this is a tale of our times. The Knives: A Criminal Book is the first Criminal story in a number of years, focusing on crimes both big and small, with violence always very close behind.
The year is 2010 and Jacob Kurtz seems to have it made. Kurtz has a small comic strip that has been option ed for a streaming service, and Kurtz has been invited to Hollywood to sit in the writer's room and help the show. Except that nobody pays attention to the creator as this is an intellectual property bought to make money, not art. The only good thing is that Kurtz reconnects with his aunt, a woman with a large property, a lot of great mementos, and it seems people lusting for everything she owns. Angie has lost her mentor and protector to cancer, her house and her job to the mob, and frankly any reason for going straight or even living. Angie was born in the Undertow and is angry at everything and everyone. So she strikes out. Tracy has just gotten back from the wars, a special forces veteran without a purpose, back in the place that brings out the worst in him. And that worst is not very nice. These characters find themselves merging and circling the drain, fighting enemies different and shared, and all caught in the undertow of violence, that might end in only one way.
A really good story, with a lot of characters both new and familiar, with a lot of common themes, but one that really hits hard and makes one think about it for days after. The story does start slow, setting the scene in Hollywood, probably a reflection of the many properties that Brubaker and Phillips had bought by Hollywood, and are lost in development hell. The name Jacob Kurtz seems close to Jack Kirby's real name, so one gets the idea almost immediately that somehow, someway, this character is going to get screwed over. I don't need to mention the art as it is Sean Phillips and it is great. Clear lines, clear characters, backgrounds and lots of violence. I really can't think of a better teaming of writer and artist.
The graphic novel one didn't know one needed until halfway through and the world just seems to make sense. This is a comic of our time, where everything is a grift, big time and little time, where justice is bought and sold in the highest levels. Very good, sort of sad, for both some characters, and for a world that has become so blurred in what is right, what is wrong and where the lines should be.
I remember growing up that there seemed to be two kinds of people in the world. Citizens and criminals. Both could exist in the richest of places and the poorest of places. Citizens stopped at red lights at 2am, thought the system was fair, cheated a little on taxes, and maybe knew people who could help if things got difficult. Criminals were guys who could get that special cut of meat for a special price. A lawyer who could make that bad thing go away so that a son didn't have a life ruined by car accident, or what ever else happened in the dorm that night. And of course those men and women who bumped in the night, robbing, beating and doing what they did best. Today the line has blurred. Criminals run the government, covering up their crimes in daylight, enriching their friends, and citizens clap along for joy. Which makes Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips true chroniclers of our times. Their stories of good people doing what they have to, along with stories of bad people doing awful things because they want to show an America at a crossroad. And though this story is set years before the lines were erased, this is a tale of our times. The Knives: A Criminal Book is the first Criminal story in a number of years, focusing on crimes both big and small, with violence always very close behind.
The year is 2010 and Jacob Kurtz seems to have it made. Kurtz has a small comic strip that has been option ed for a streaming service, and Kurtz has been invited to Hollywood to sit in the writer's room and help the show. Except that nobody pays attention to the creator as this is an intellectual property bought to make money, not art. The only good thing is that Kurtz reconnects with his aunt, a woman with a large property, a lot of great mementos, and it seems people lusting for everything she owns. Angie has lost her mentor and protector to cancer, her house and her job to the mob, and frankly any reason for going straight or even living. Angie was born in the Undertow and is angry at everything and everyone. So she strikes out. Tracy has just gotten back from the wars, a special forces veteran without a purpose, back in the place that brings out the worst in him. And that worst is not very nice. These characters find themselves merging and circling the drain, fighting enemies different and shared, and all caught in the undertow of violence, that might end in only one way.
A really good story, with a lot of characters both new and familiar, with a lot of common themes, but one that really hits hard and makes one think about it for days after. The story does start slow, setting the scene in Hollywood, probably a reflection of the many properties that Brubaker and Phillips had bought by Hollywood, and are lost in development hell. The name Jacob Kurtz seems close to Jack Kirby's real name, so one gets the idea almost immediately that somehow, someway, this character is going to get screwed over. I don't need to mention the art as it is Sean Phillips and it is great. Clear lines, clear characters, backgrounds and lots of violence. I really can't think of a better teaming of writer and artist.
The graphic novel one didn't know one needed until halfway through and the world just seems to make sense. This is a comic of our time, where everything is a grift, big time and little time, where justice is bought and sold in the highest levels. Very good, sort of sad, for both some characters, and for a world that has become so blurred in what is right, what is wrong and where the lines should be.
September 5, 2025
A major comics event for 2025, without question: The 11th volume of Criminal: The Knives, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillipsm, the very GOAT of crime comics, no lie, colored by Sean’s son Jacob. This is the first volume in the series since 2020, so we have all been hoping, though they have begun spin-off series and other projects I can’t complain about, since I largely five-star everything they do.
The Knives is their longest Criminal enterprise thus far, over 200 pages, drawing in fan favorites cartoonist Jacob ()featured in the Hal Crane story of Bad Weekend), Angie, (i had to look it up, from Coward), and Tracy Lawless. The weaving of stories here is masterful and fun, beginning with Jacob Kurtz (Mister Kurtz, from The Heart of Darkness) getting a tv gig because of his successful Frank Kafka detective series (inspired in part by Brubaker’s own work adapting Criminal for the screen, and Brubaker’s own uncle who had done B movie scripts in Hollywood, inspiring The Fadeout). A Hollywood assistant named Karma--ha, instant Karma’s gonna get you--leads to the end of that episode.
A chapter entitled Requiem for a heavyweight (a famous 1962 boxing film, great noir classic) features Gnarly Brown, who adopts a heroin addict’s little girl, Angie, after the woman dies. She becomes a cat burglar to help him pay for medical expenses, that Breaking Bad theme celebrating American healthcare. Then Angie meets Jacob, not for love, but to connect the two stories. Jake is now drawing indie comics, Basil Beaver, while she makes bad decisions with a bad boy friend, Logan.
Oh, and Jacob’s 98-year-old wealthy aunt (the wife of the B movie script writer) gets kidnapped, necessitating Jake enlist the help of Tracy Lawless. So colorist Jacob (Phillips, no relation to Kurtz) gets to use the color read a lot, naturally, if you know the Lawless boys.
Oh, there’s more, with references abounding tyo other crime literature, little golden nuggets for crime and crime comix scholars. I won’t tell you how things end, but you will be grinning from ear to ear, and thankful there is a set up for more Criminal.
Ooh, just read Sam Q's also rave review, where he reminds me that the name Jacob Kurtz is "a nod to Jack Kirby, whose real name was Jacob Kurtzberg". That's the kind of thing Brubaker does. Or Phillips, with a Dick Tracy cover page.
The Knives is their longest Criminal enterprise thus far, over 200 pages, drawing in fan favorites cartoonist Jacob ()featured in the Hal Crane story of Bad Weekend), Angie, (i had to look it up, from Coward), and Tracy Lawless. The weaving of stories here is masterful and fun, beginning with Jacob Kurtz (Mister Kurtz, from The Heart of Darkness) getting a tv gig because of his successful Frank Kafka detective series (inspired in part by Brubaker’s own work adapting Criminal for the screen, and Brubaker’s own uncle who had done B movie scripts in Hollywood, inspiring The Fadeout). A Hollywood assistant named Karma--ha, instant Karma’s gonna get you--leads to the end of that episode.
A chapter entitled Requiem for a heavyweight (a famous 1962 boxing film, great noir classic) features Gnarly Brown, who adopts a heroin addict’s little girl, Angie, after the woman dies. She becomes a cat burglar to help him pay for medical expenses, that Breaking Bad theme celebrating American healthcare. Then Angie meets Jacob, not for love, but to connect the two stories. Jake is now drawing indie comics, Basil Beaver, while she makes bad decisions with a bad boy friend, Logan.
Oh, and Jacob’s 98-year-old wealthy aunt (the wife of the B movie script writer) gets kidnapped, necessitating Jake enlist the help of Tracy Lawless. So colorist Jacob (Phillips, no relation to Kurtz) gets to use the color read a lot, naturally, if you know the Lawless boys.
Oh, there’s more, with references abounding tyo other crime literature, little golden nuggets for crime and crime comix scholars. I won’t tell you how things end, but you will be grinning from ear to ear, and thankful there is a set up for more Criminal.
Ooh, just read Sam Q's also rave review, where he reminds me that the name Jacob Kurtz is "a nod to Jack Kirby, whose real name was Jacob Kurtzberg". That's the kind of thing Brubaker does. Or Phillips, with a Dick Tracy cover page.
September 10, 2025
Jacob’s comic Frank Kafka is being adapted into a TV show - and that experience is always a positive one, right? And then his elderly auntie gets ransomed. Meanwhile, Angie’s dad dies and the mob takes back his bar - she’s out of a home and a job in one fell swoop. What’s a girl to do - and how does her story connect with Jacob’s, and a lunatic called Tracy Lawless?
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, aka the best creative team in comics, are back after a five year hiatus on their signature series Criminal with Book 11: The Knives - and it’s a helluva return to form! (Not that they’ve been lazy - they’ve just been making other comics, like the Reckless books and standalones like Houses of the Unholy and Where the Body Was.)
Part of the genius of Criminal is that each book can be read as its own self-contained story or as part of the ever-expanding series of this richly-detailed world. So don’t be put off by “Book 11” (not that they label the books numerically anyway) - The Knives can be read by someone who hasn’t read the previous 10 and still make perfect sense. You don’t need to read this series in sequence to appreciate any one book.
Although it is great for longtime readers like myself to see old faces returning. In The Knives, Brubaker/Phillips continue the stories of Jacob (the cartoonist from Bad Night, among others), Angie (from Coward), Gnarly Brown (The Dead and The Dying), and Tracy Lawless (from Lawless, among others), with cameos from Hal Crane (Bad Weekend) and Leo (from Coward) as well as the background character, the Undertow bar.
The opening chapter is a fun look at how disappointing a creative process it can be in adapting literary source material into TV in Hollywood. Jacob Kurtz (a nod to Jack Kirby, whose real name was Jacob Kurtzberg) has a miserable time of it and this part has a convincing air of authenticity to it as Brubaker has been working in Hollywood for the last few years himself. Criminal the TV show is due out soon on Amazon Prime with his other books Velvet and Kill or Be Killed currently in development.
We get to see how Gnarly’s story ends and what Angie does next when she needs cash. I won’t go into the various twists of Brubaker’s ingeniously imaginative story entangling so many of his and Phillips’ old characters but the myriad strands are never boring and I read nearly the entire book in one sitting (my eyes gave out eventually and I had to sleep but finished it off it in the morning).
The Knives is both a love letter to comics and old movies while also containing that dark edge that’s always there in all of the Criminal books. I noticed Jacob Phillips’ colouring more in this book particularly as they were so effective here. Optimistically brighter colours for the Hollywood sequence, dark blues and neon pinks for the backgrounds of Angie’s increasingly desperate story, sepia tones for flashbacks - it all adds to the atmosphere and aids the storytelling brilliantly. And there’s nothing more I can say about his dad Sean that I haven’t said before - he’s a master and his art is as dependably good here as it’s always been throughout the series.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are back with the cracking The Knives. The best in the business showing everyone again how it’s done with effortless style and panache. Thoroughly entertaining and engaging storytelling, The Knives is a great Criminal book that also celebrates the series as a whole, while also being a brilliant standalone crime comic - probably (it’s still August) the best comic of 2025.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, aka the best creative team in comics, are back after a five year hiatus on their signature series Criminal with Book 11: The Knives - and it’s a helluva return to form! (Not that they’ve been lazy - they’ve just been making other comics, like the Reckless books and standalones like Houses of the Unholy and Where the Body Was.)
Part of the genius of Criminal is that each book can be read as its own self-contained story or as part of the ever-expanding series of this richly-detailed world. So don’t be put off by “Book 11” (not that they label the books numerically anyway) - The Knives can be read by someone who hasn’t read the previous 10 and still make perfect sense. You don’t need to read this series in sequence to appreciate any one book.
Although it is great for longtime readers like myself to see old faces returning. In The Knives, Brubaker/Phillips continue the stories of Jacob (the cartoonist from Bad Night, among others), Angie (from Coward), Gnarly Brown (The Dead and The Dying), and Tracy Lawless (from Lawless, among others), with cameos from Hal Crane (Bad Weekend) and Leo (from Coward) as well as the background character, the Undertow bar.
The opening chapter is a fun look at how disappointing a creative process it can be in adapting literary source material into TV in Hollywood. Jacob Kurtz (a nod to Jack Kirby, whose real name was Jacob Kurtzberg) has a miserable time of it and this part has a convincing air of authenticity to it as Brubaker has been working in Hollywood for the last few years himself. Criminal the TV show is due out soon on Amazon Prime with his other books Velvet and Kill or Be Killed currently in development.
We get to see how Gnarly’s story ends and what Angie does next when she needs cash. I won’t go into the various twists of Brubaker’s ingeniously imaginative story entangling so many of his and Phillips’ old characters but the myriad strands are never boring and I read nearly the entire book in one sitting (my eyes gave out eventually and I had to sleep but finished it off it in the morning).
The Knives is both a love letter to comics and old movies while also containing that dark edge that’s always there in all of the Criminal books. I noticed Jacob Phillips’ colouring more in this book particularly as they were so effective here. Optimistically brighter colours for the Hollywood sequence, dark blues and neon pinks for the backgrounds of Angie’s increasingly desperate story, sepia tones for flashbacks - it all adds to the atmosphere and aids the storytelling brilliantly. And there’s nothing more I can say about his dad Sean that I haven’t said before - he’s a master and his art is as dependably good here as it’s always been throughout the series.
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are back with the cracking The Knives. The best in the business showing everyone again how it’s done with effortless style and panache. Thoroughly entertaining and engaging storytelling, The Knives is a great Criminal book that also celebrates the series as a whole, while also being a brilliant standalone crime comic - probably (it’s still August) the best comic of 2025.
May 8, 2025
Last week I was only able to review the first 140pp of this, the longest "Criminal" book from this gang. It ended at a great cliffhanging beat, but without the reappearance of a major player in that saga, Tracey Lawless. To some extent his belated arrival both helps the book (with a Lawless man around it's going to have the noirish vengeance and fisticuffs you'd expect) and hinders it (before his arrival this is peopled by guys you might meet on the American street; a Lawless is not a regular Jo, and his stereotypical, genrefied nature therefore kind of takes this further into pulpy fiction).
Before he crops up, what we get is not heavy on the crime activity, for sure. What there is is a story of a guy who had a minor hit crime comic, who gets taken to Hollywood and is supposed to be a cog in the wheel of the TV version – turns out they make him out to be as useful as an umbrella jammed in between the gears. We also get some formative episodes for a young lass who – having been orphaned already – sees the man who replaced both her parents waste away to cancer. She's the criminal as things stand at the halfway mark – but then the stories do what they must, and intertwine, Tracey's bit-part included.
This can be powerful stuff – the simplicity and clarity of the narration once again to the fore, and the fairly likeable characters clearly in a right mess certainly not exclusively of their making. It is of course the four star read the preview led me to expect, and to repeat if you welcome the Lawless presence more than me you'll probably rate this higher. For me, I actually preferred the first two thirds, without him, where the people were commoners such as you and me, and sharing time with them was much more interesting than the rebellious, bruised killer type shtick. That chunk was so much closer to being the 'stand-alone' this is dressed as, for it didn't have to feature as part of this franchise. The news the series is being extended further is not bad news at all, of course, and not being fully dripping in Lawless means this is a great jumping-on point. So I'll definitely be returning, but a part of me will remember this as stopping at said cliffhanger.
Before he crops up, what we get is not heavy on the crime activity, for sure. What there is is a story of a guy who had a minor hit crime comic, who gets taken to Hollywood and is supposed to be a cog in the wheel of the TV version – turns out they make him out to be as useful as an umbrella jammed in between the gears. We also get some formative episodes for a young lass who – having been orphaned already – sees the man who replaced both her parents waste away to cancer. She's the criminal as things stand at the halfway mark – but then the stories do what they must, and intertwine, Tracey's bit-part included.
This can be powerful stuff – the simplicity and clarity of the narration once again to the fore, and the fairly likeable characters clearly in a right mess certainly not exclusively of their making. It is of course the four star read the preview led me to expect, and to repeat if you welcome the Lawless presence more than me you'll probably rate this higher. For me, I actually preferred the first two thirds, without him, where the people were commoners such as you and me, and sharing time with them was much more interesting than the rebellious, bruised killer type shtick. That chunk was so much closer to being the 'stand-alone' this is dressed as, for it didn't have to feature as part of this franchise. The news the series is being extended further is not bad news at all, of course, and not being fully dripping in Lawless means this is a great jumping-on point. So I'll definitely be returning, but a part of me will remember this as stopping at said cliffhanger.
Read
May 17, 2025It seemed impossible that this was the first Criminal book in five years, but I suppose that's partly that time's broken since the Event, and partly that there's been a steady stream of other Brubaker and Phillips comics, all of which tend to be variations on similar noir territory. We open behind the scenes of the TV adaptation of comic-within-a-comic Frank Kafka, Private Eye, and even before the afterword it's obvious that this is inspired by Brubaker's own Hollywood experience, with Criminal itself coming soon on Prime. But if you're hoping for the outrageous insights of a Fortune & Glory, you're out of luck; this is the usual observations on the industry's superficiality, deviousness, and adaptations throwing out everything that made the original interesting in the first place. Similarly, the next strand of the story presents us with the shocking news that the US healthcare system is a bit fucked! And apparently lives of crime tend to end badly unless you're at the top of the tree – who knew? As for the overarching plot...well, I'm pretty sure I would have seen it coming even if it hadn't also been the core of a detective show I watched last night, but the fact that it was speaks volumes too. Still, in amongst the clichés there's enough heart and poignancy to these schmucks, rogues and alloys of the two that I keep reading, even if I never altogether understand the series' staggering popularity.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
May 9, 2025
When knives come out, someone is bound to get cut. The Knives: A Criminal Book revisits the lives' of three of the series characters bringing them much closer to the present age instead of the 70s noir of much of the rest of the series.
The Knives is not three separate tales, as it was focused on a specific neighborhood, it very much stays within the family. The book opens with cartoonist and former illegal id maker Jacob Kurtz off in Hollywood when one of his comic strips gets bought up as a streaming show. While he at first struggles to adjust, he falls into the life, aside from escapes to visit with his elderly aunt who owns a large estate that is sought by many. Life continues and the status quo returns. Back in the city, Angie, a young woman who has lost just about everyone she has ever known, and raised in the bar the Undertow tries to make a life on her own. Our final character, Tracy Lawless is back from war struggling to readjust trying to find a place he can be himself.
All three characters are known to each other and often interact. They're all damaged in various ways, but pull together. And of course there is blood, poor decisions and costly mistakes.
As has been the case of other Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips works, the art is realistic with a dark and gritty feel to it.
Recommended to readers of true crime, well crafted stories or the costs of pursing dreams.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
The Knives is not three separate tales, as it was focused on a specific neighborhood, it very much stays within the family. The book opens with cartoonist and former illegal id maker Jacob Kurtz off in Hollywood when one of his comic strips gets bought up as a streaming show. While he at first struggles to adjust, he falls into the life, aside from escapes to visit with his elderly aunt who owns a large estate that is sought by many. Life continues and the status quo returns. Back in the city, Angie, a young woman who has lost just about everyone she has ever known, and raised in the bar the Undertow tries to make a life on her own. Our final character, Tracy Lawless is back from war struggling to readjust trying to find a place he can be himself.
All three characters are known to each other and often interact. They're all damaged in various ways, but pull together. And of course there is blood, poor decisions and costly mistakes.
As has been the case of other Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips works, the art is realistic with a dark and gritty feel to it.
Recommended to readers of true crime, well crafted stories or the costs of pursing dreams.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
September 1, 2025
No one does modern noir like Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The Knives isn’t just a return to their Criminal universe; it’s a masterclass in tension, desperation, and storytelling that cuts deep.
I’ve read some of Brubaker’s X-Men and Captain America stories, which were great in their own right, but The Knives is my first trip into his and Sean Phillips’ Criminal world. My expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded.
This is modern noir at its finest: nothing is black and white, only shades of gray. Desperate people are pushed into desperate situations, forced to take drastic measures just to claw their way out.
The art is gorgeous, the pacing tight, and the storytelling razor-sharp. Brubaker clearly has a score to settle with certain Hollywood archetypes, and honestly, I’m here for every bit of it.
I’ll definitely be returning to this world. The Knives proves that Brubaker and Phillips aren’t just telling crime stories, they are redefining the genre for comics. Fans of Richard Stark’s Parker novels, especially Darwyn Cooke’s brilliant graphic novel adaptations, will feel right at home here.
Story: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Art: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Overall: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️1/2
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve read some of Brubaker’s X-Men and Captain America stories, which were great in their own right, but The Knives is my first trip into his and Sean Phillips’ Criminal world. My expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded.
This is modern noir at its finest: nothing is black and white, only shades of gray. Desperate people are pushed into desperate situations, forced to take drastic measures just to claw their way out.
The art is gorgeous, the pacing tight, and the storytelling razor-sharp. Brubaker clearly has a score to settle with certain Hollywood archetypes, and honestly, I’m here for every bit of it.
I’ll definitely be returning to this world. The Knives proves that Brubaker and Phillips aren’t just telling crime stories, they are redefining the genre for comics. Fans of Richard Stark’s Parker novels, especially Darwyn Cooke’s brilliant graphic novel adaptations, will feel right at home here.
Story: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Art: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Overall: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️1/2
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
August 25, 2025
Another fantastic Brubaker/Phillips comic. These guys are so consistently great, its easy to take it for granted.
Phillips does a lot of really interesting action panels in this one. I was pretty surprised by some of them. You can tell he's having fun.
This is the latest volume in the Criminal series. I guess there's a TV show coming out later this year, but I don't know when. Feels like a sequel to Bad Weekend which is one of my favourite Brubaker books. Although you don't need to have read any Criminal comics to fully enjoy this.
Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood and helps with an adaptation of his comic strip. You know he's in for a rough time when some of the creatives refer to his work as a "graphic novel" and harp on about IP. His life gets intertwined with the young Angie's who has some trouble with the underworld.
Brubaker does a great job of spinning these various characters together. At times it feels a bit heavy handed. Literally having panels that say "Tangent" and the book goes off on a tangent... but I appreciated it since I've read a few comics that get confusing and unclear when the action is a flashback scene.
This book made me excited to go back and give the entire Criminal series a re-read.
Phillips does a lot of really interesting action panels in this one. I was pretty surprised by some of them. You can tell he's having fun.
This is the latest volume in the Criminal series. I guess there's a TV show coming out later this year, but I don't know when. Feels like a sequel to Bad Weekend which is one of my favourite Brubaker books. Although you don't need to have read any Criminal comics to fully enjoy this.
Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood and helps with an adaptation of his comic strip. You know he's in for a rough time when some of the creatives refer to his work as a "graphic novel" and harp on about IP. His life gets intertwined with the young Angie's who has some trouble with the underworld.
Brubaker does a great job of spinning these various characters together. At times it feels a bit heavy handed. Literally having panels that say "Tangent" and the book goes off on a tangent... but I appreciated it since I've read a few comics that get confusing and unclear when the action is a flashback scene.
This book made me excited to go back and give the entire Criminal series a re-read.
August 11, 2025
While I'm a big fan of Brubaker and Phillips I've never been drawn to their ongoing series Criminal. Of course, there is always an exception and to me that exception was the stellar Bad Weekend. Concentrating on cartoonist Jacob Kurtz this fit into their overall story but felt like something special. Something personal to the creators. Which makes sense that for the second ever book in this series to not be released as individual issues that they go back to Jacob. And it's even more meta this time with Brubaker drawing on his time in Hollywood as a television writer and oh so magnificently and ironically timed to coincide with Amazon's adaptation of this series. But it's more than that, it's classic, it's about human connections and Old Hollywood and New Hollywood and what makes you a success and what makes you a failure and what defines a hero and how we accept our fate. In fact I'd say the themes might be a little more in line with their wonderful Ethan Reckless series. Needless to say this will be on my shelf when it comes out. Also, don't be intimidated into picking this up as a standalone. It works. You might not get everything, but you're feel everything.
May 12, 2025
*I received an eARC from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for my honest review.*
Well, it feels a little awkward reading this knowing Brubaker is working on a TV show, since the first whole story deals with this issue, and things do NOT end well.
It's a lovely addition to the Criminal collection, although I probably should have refreshed my memory on who everyone is to get the most out of it.
I was really pleased to see that Jacob Phillips seems to have got over his pink phase of colouring everything pink. There was only minimal pink here, and the whole colour palette felt cohesive and very Criminal-ish (although it has definitely migrated to a more pastel look since he took over).
The stories were less violent than previously, but still managed to be gritty and harsh as expected. Recommended for Criminal fans.
Well, it feels a little awkward reading this knowing Brubaker is working on a TV show, since the first whole story deals with this issue, and things do NOT end well.
It's a lovely addition to the Criminal collection, although I probably should have refreshed my memory on who everyone is to get the most out of it.
I was really pleased to see that Jacob Phillips seems to have got over his pink phase of colouring everything pink. There was only minimal pink here, and the whole colour palette felt cohesive and very Criminal-ish (although it has definitely migrated to a more pastel look since he took over).
The stories were less violent than previously, but still managed to be gritty and harsh as expected. Recommended for Criminal fans.
September 7, 2025
This is a really great entry in an already tremendous series (where every book is a standalone volume, so please just jump in wherever you can), one that finally brings Criminal up to the modern era. The book may end in the 2020s, but it feels like this story could have been told in any era of Bay City, which is, of course, the fucking point.
The two tales that intersect here (I know the copy says there are three, but Terry Lawless is a secondary character in this story) are excellent, and they flesh out this generation of characters really nicely, telling a complete story that, as always, has ties back to the rest of the series.
I do wonder, of course, how much of Jacob's experience in the first story is Brubaker's, and it does make me worry a little bit about the Criminal series. But at least we'll always have these 11 books!
The two tales that intersect here (I know the copy says there are three, but Terry Lawless is a secondary character in this story) are excellent, and they flesh out this generation of characters really nicely, telling a complete story that, as always, has ties back to the rest of the series.
I do wonder, of course, how much of Jacob's experience in the first story is Brubaker's, and it does make me worry a little bit about the Criminal series. But at least we'll always have these 11 books!
June 10, 2025
The Knives, the first new Criminal story in a long while tells three intertwining stories about three very disparate characters.
Ed Brubaker is in fine form with this book. The stories all move along well and leave you rooting for the bad guy. I couldn’t wait to get back to the book to see where it was going to go.
The art of Sean Phillips is on point, as always. Dark and moody with many noir elements. I honestly couldn’t think of an artist I’d like more on this book.
If you’ve read Criminal in the past, you know what you’re getting into. Hard and fast action that doesn’t let up.
If you’re new to Criminal, walk into the Undertow and head for the bar. Sit back and relax and enjoy a few stories with your pint.
Ed Brubaker is in fine form with this book. The stories all move along well and leave you rooting for the bad guy. I couldn’t wait to get back to the book to see where it was going to go.
The art of Sean Phillips is on point, as always. Dark and moody with many noir elements. I honestly couldn’t think of an artist I’d like more on this book.
If you’ve read Criminal in the past, you know what you’re getting into. Hard and fast action that doesn’t let up.
If you’re new to Criminal, walk into the Undertow and head for the bar. Sit back and relax and enjoy a few stories with your pint.
June 18, 2025
Brubaker and Philips are back with a new Criminal book! All is right with the world again!
Seriously though, this team is the best team in comics. Period. That’s just facts. It has been a bit since the last Criminal book as this team has done other projects (including work on the soon to be new Amazon Prime show of Criminal), but they have not lost their stride. The Knives continue to show why the team and Criminal remain THE standard for this genre. If you’ve been a Criminal fan before, then get ready to jump back in the world you are familiar with that has a cast of characters you already love or love to hate. If you are a new reader, then buckle up for the best graphic novel of 2025 and a world you’ll never want to leave.
Thanks to Image Comics for this ARC!
Seriously though, this team is the best team in comics. Period. That’s just facts. It has been a bit since the last Criminal book as this team has done other projects (including work on the soon to be new Amazon Prime show of Criminal), but they have not lost their stride. The Knives continue to show why the team and Criminal remain THE standard for this genre. If you’ve been a Criminal fan before, then get ready to jump back in the world you are familiar with that has a cast of characters you already love or love to hate. If you are a new reader, then buckle up for the best graphic novel of 2025 and a world you’ll never want to leave.
Thanks to Image Comics for this ARC!
August 31, 2025
Criminal is back and whilst it's not better than ever, it's not worse either.
Tracy Lawless finally returns but don't expect him to be the star of this book, that falls to Jacob and Angie. The character work here is really solid but the plot is a little by the numbers and not particularly inventive. The fast pace keeps things interesting, though and I can't say I was bored when reading it but not blown away either.
The art is good as always, but I would prefer sharper lines and more detail. The colours are a mixed bag, for me; sometimes perfectly matching if not elevating the inks and at others they're just too loose for my particular tastes.
I've given this 4 bit it's more of a 3.5 if not a touch higher. Well worth adding to the collection but not my favourite Criminal story.
Tracy Lawless finally returns but don't expect him to be the star of this book, that falls to Jacob and Angie. The character work here is really solid but the plot is a little by the numbers and not particularly inventive. The fast pace keeps things interesting, though and I can't say I was bored when reading it but not blown away either.
The art is good as always, but I would prefer sharper lines and more detail. The colours are a mixed bag, for me; sometimes perfectly matching if not elevating the inks and at others they're just too loose for my particular tastes.
I've given this 4 bit it's more of a 3.5 if not a touch higher. Well worth adding to the collection but not my favourite Criminal story.
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