Sex Criminals #2

“Come, World”
creators: Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky
release date: October 2013
publisher: Image Comics

This second issue continues to be in flashback, focusing heavily on Jon’s “origin story,” as it were–while we still get snippets of both Suzie and Jon’s first sleepover, as well as the current scene in the bank. Jon takes us through his realization of his ability to freeze time post-climax while we see the mysterious figures who are holding up the two at the bank.

Jon’s backstory definitely doesn’t have the same kind of unique appeal as Suzie’s did, if only because it is so rare to see a woman exploring her sexuality in such a way, both in comics and otherwise…but it definitely had the same tongue-in-cheek appeal. Like Suzie, growing up in an earlier time, was forced to bathroom drawings and embarrassing gynecology appointments, John’s routes are more–well, what do you think?–along the lines of porn, first some he comes across hiding in the bushes, and then the local store. Unlike Suzie, however, Jon immediately uses his “powers” for mischief. It seems rather stereotypical for a guy, and we don’t really see into Jon’s personality as much as Suzie’s–for example, he mentions his father in passing, but doesn’t go into detail whereas we see very personally how Suzie’s father’s death deeply impacted her childhood. But throughout his recollections, Suzie continues to drop in and contribute her thoughts; this both reinforces her as the main character and perhaps also shows her growing emotional attachment to him. She keeps calling him “this guy,” so perhaps the “just sex” will quickly become something more–for either her or both parties.

The mysterious antagonists outside the bank are completely a mystery, and looking forward to the plot moving forward (hopefully!) in the next issue, now that we know more about the title characters. Unlike the other characters, their speech is white text on black, and they seem unaffected by time slowing… perhaps they have similar sex powers but we’ll see how overdone the concept becomes, a fear I noted in my previous review.

Just like the first issue, Zdarsky’s art is quite beautiful–the game-board-style path John takes to zoom out of the porn shop was particularly amusing. Again, the sex is pretty prominent, but never overly gratuitous or cheesecake-y; the titles of the porn mags and videos were quite hysterical. Both he and the colorist do a masterful job of keeping the colors of Jon and Suzie’s post-climax bright and dreamy, clearly separating it from “real life.” I have to say though there is something about the roundness of Jon’s nose that keeps throwing me off, though, and sometimes Suzie looks a bit like Veronica from Archie Comics. 

Looking forward to seeing how the storyline begins to progress in issue 3!

Sex Criminals #1

“Suzie Down in the Quiet”
creators: Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
release date: September 2013
publisher: Image Comics

Oh man. When I walked into my comic book shop yesterday, I had no idea I would be picking up this book–technically a “fourth printing of the second printing,” with a very 80’s Step Brothers-esque photo of Fraction and Zdarsky in terrible sweaters posing for the camera. Good thing I was encouraged to not judge a book by this particular cover.

Suzie and John seem like normal folks, but their sex lives have an unexpected side effect: when they climax, time stops for a few moments–I know, right?–and they can move around unaffected by the slowing of time. The first issue introduces us to the couple, in a seemingly, er, compromising position, and then focuses on Suzie’s backstory and character. Among other things, we learn of her family tragedy, and her obsession with saving the local library, which the bank is about to foreclose.

Fraction and Zdarsky’s debut story, while not for the prude, is incredibly funny and entertaining, while still presenting a story of substance. I find it admirable that they focused the first issue on Suzie, and not John, and gave her no apologies or shame for her sex life and exploration of it. Well done, sirs. Thankfully this issue is far more than just exposition, and Fraction’s trademark wit and his ability to develop characters while at a brisk pace shines through, and each panel of Zdarsky’s art is a joy, particularly when Suzie’s powers ‘activate.’

Even though there is a lot of sex–from Suzie’s first experiences by herself in the shower, to some rather hilariously over-the-top bathroom drawings, to her growing experiences with other people as she reaches adulthood, the sex never feels overly gratuitous or thrown in for no reason. If anything, Suzie’s tragic loss of her father–her initial reason to find another “escape”–bring a dark shadow and real substance to her character and the story at large. Perhaps their superpower, while creative and hilarious, is also symbolic of something else, and that is where the real power of this story lies, depending on how it progresses. While some other reviews seem to think that is a downside, I am more concerned that somewhere along the line, we might find others with odd sex-related superpowers, that will make John and Suzie’s more convoluted.

If anything, the darkness of Suzie’s past was brilliantly coupled with her hilarious misfiring attempts to understand what exactly is happening to her–not just in terms of orgasms, but her strange ability afterwards. Asking the school “sluts,” her gynecologist, and even (most sadly) her drunken mother, all turn up false, reminding us of an earlier era when asking these sorts of questions weren’t as easy as heading to Google or Web MD.

Though we’ll surely find out more about John in the next issue–and how he perhaps helps Suzie with her goal of saving the library–this ‘fourth printing’ is not one to be missed, if you, like me, didn’t get to the last three.