Sex Criminals

Last updated
Sex Criminals
Sex Criminals Cover.jpg
Artwork for the cover of Sex Criminals #1 
Art by Chip Zdarsky
Publication information
Publisher Image Comics
ScheduleMonthly
Format Ongoing series
Genre
Publication dateSeptember 2013  – October 28, 2020
No. of issues31 (and 1 special)
Creative team
Written by Matt Fraction
Artist(s) Chip Zdarsky
Colorist(s) Becka Kinzie
Editor(s)Thomas K

Sex Criminals is a comic book series published by American company Image Comics. It is written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky. The first issue was published on September 25, 2013. [1] Since publication, the series has continuously received critical acclaim.

Contents

Sex Criminals was nominated for two Eisner Awards in 2014 including Best Continuing Series and won Best New Series. [2] In 2015, Matt Fraction made a deal with Universal TV to turn Sex Criminals into a television show. [3]

According to the American Library Association, the hardcover release Big Hard Sex Criminals was the seventh most banned and challenged book in the United States in 2016, due to being considered sexually explicit. [4]

Synopsis

Suzie, a librarian, and Jon, an actor, meet at a party and end up sleeping together. Later, they are shocked to discover that they share the ability to freeze time when they orgasm. As their relationship develops and their sexual histories are explored, they decide to rob the bank where Jon works in order to save Suzie's endangered library.

Publication history

In March 2013, Image Comics announced a sex comedy during the Emerald City Comicon. [5] Later reports confirmed that it was intended for mature readers and would have Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky in the forefront. Films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Bridesmaids , and Jackass: The Movie were mentioned as touchstones for the comics, and Fraction himself confirmed in an interview that the works of Billy Wilder also inspired him deeply in writing. [6]

Fraction and Zdarsky had known each other for a short time before the book's creation. They communicated almost exclusively online and Zdarsky was the first to suggest a collaboration. Initially, Zdarsky wanted to write a book that was their take on fantasy, as neither was a big fan of the genre. [7] Fraction responded with another idea, suggesting, "[W]hat if we do a sex comedy about a guy, who every time he ejaculates, stops time?" Zdarsky was tired from a business trip he was on and agreed to the idea without much thought. After continued communication, their idea began to grow until the book was published in September 2013. The book has gained a cult following and its fans refer to themselves as 'brimpers' after a sex position described in the first issue. [8]

A special issue, referred to as the "Sexual Gary Special," was released in September 2020.

Reception

Time honored Sex Criminals as the #1 comic series/graphic novel of 2013. [9]

IGN tagged the work as "amazing", and said that the story is "so addictive, you'll find yourself staring at the last page in horror when you realize you'll have to wait another month to find out what happens next". [10]

Paste called the first issue "splendid", with "an immediately likable character", specifying that although one "wouldn’t trust most comic creators to turn a sexual awakening into compelling pulp fiction (...) Fraction and Zdarsky pull it off masterfully." [11]

The first compilation, Sex Criminals: One Weird Trick, was nominated for the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. [12]

According to the American Library Association, the hardcover release Big Hard Sex Criminals was the seventh most banned and challenged book in the United States in 2016, due to being considered sexually explicit. [4]

Collected editions

Trade paperback releases

TitleMaterial collectedPublication dateISBNDiamond ID/Lunar Code
Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird TrickSex Criminals #1–5April 2014 [13] 978-1607069461 JAN140558
Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds One CopSex Criminals #6–10February 2015 [14] 978-1632151933 OCT140654
Sex Criminals, Vol. 3: Three the Hard WaySex Criminals #11–15June 2016 [15] 978-1632155429 OCT150608
Sex Criminals, Vol. 4: Fourgy!Sex Criminals #16–20September 2017 [16] 978-1534302310 JUL170876
Sex Criminals, Vol. 5: Five-Fingered DiscountSex Criminals #21–25August 2018 [17] 978-1534306837 JUN180239
Sex Criminals, Vol. 6: Six CriminalsSex Criminals #26–30, #69November 2020 [18] 978-1534310629 AUG200105
Sex Criminals: The Complete EditionSex Criminals #1–30, #69March 2024 [19] 978-1534397484 0124IM225

Hardcover releases

TitleMaterial collectedPublication dateISBNDiamond ID
Big Hard Sex CriminalsSex Criminals #1–10March 2015 [20] 978-1632152435 NOV140582
Big Hard Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: DeluxxxeSex Criminals #11–20January 2018 [21] 978-1534307063 NOV170713
Big Hard Sex Criminals, Vol. 3: DeluxxxeSex Criminals #21–30, #69July 2021 [22] 978-1534319097 FEB210130

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Brubaker</span> American comic book writer

Ed Brubaker is an American comic book writer, cartoonist and screenwriter who works primarily in the crime fiction genre. He began his career with the semi-autobiographical series Lowlife and a number of serials in the Dark Horse Presents anthology, before achieving industry-wide acclaim with the Vertigo series Scene of the Crime and moving to the superhero comics such as Batman, Catwoman, The Authority, Captain America, Daredevil and Uncanny X-Men. Brubaker is best known for his long-standing collaboration with British artist Sean Phillips, starting with their Elseworlds one-shot Batman: Gotham Noir in 2001 and continuing with a number of creator-owned series such as Criminal, Incognito, Fatale, The Fade Out and Kill or Be Killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Quitely</span> Scottish artist

Vincent Patrick Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The Authority and Jupiter's Legacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carla Speed McNeil</span> American comics creator

Carla Speed McNeil is an American science fiction writer, cartoonist, and illustrator of comics, best known for the science fiction comic book series Finder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Lee O'Malley</span> Canadian cartoonist

Bryan Lee O'Malley is a Canadian cartoonist, best known for the Scott Pilgrim series. He also performs as a musician under the alias Kupek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Kubert</span> American comics artist (born 1959)

Adam Kubert is an American comics artist known for his work for publishers such as Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including work on Action Comics, Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate X-Men, and Wolverine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan North</span> Canadian writer

Ryan North is a Canadian writer and computer programmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Templesmith</span> Australian comic book artist and author

Ben Templesmith is an Australian comic book artist best known for his work in the American comic book industry, most notably the Image Comics series Fell, with writer Warren Ellis, and IDW's 30 Days of Night with writer Steve Niles, which was adapted into a motion picture of the same name. He has also created book covers, movie posters, trading cards, and concept work for film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Fraction</span> American comic book writer

Matt Fritchman, better known by the pen name Matt Fraction, is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of The Invincible Iron Man, FF, The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men, and Hawkeye for Marvel Comics; Casanova and Sex Criminals for Image Comics; and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen for DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boom! Studios</span> American comic book and graphic novel publisher

Boom! Studios is an American comic book and graphic novel publisher, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Aja</span> Spanish comic book artist (born 1977)

David Aja is a Spanish comic book artist, best known for his work on The Immortal Iron Fist and Hawkeye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriel Bá</span> Brazilian comic book artist

Gabriel Bá is a Brazilian comic book artist best known for his work on The Umbrella Academy, Casanova, and Daytripper. He is the twin brother of fellow comic book artist Fábio Moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chip Zdarsky</span> Canadian comic book artist

Steve Murray, known by the pen-name Chip Zdarsky, is a Canadian comic book artist and writer, journalist, illustrator, and designer. Murray worked for National Post for over a decade, until 2014, as an illustrator and humorist, writing and illustrating the "Extremely Bad Advice" column as well as The Ampersand, the online edition of the newspaper's pop culture section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paolo Rivera</span> American comic book artist

Paolo Manuel Rivera is an American comic book artist. He is known for illustrating the Mythos series of one-shots and several issues of Spider-Man as well as his collaboration with writer Mark Waid, his father/inker Joe Rivera and colorist Javier Rodríguez on Daredevil. Although gaining acclaim and recognition through his early fully painted works, he has since moved on to more traditional comics process of pencilling, inking, and coloring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesco Francavilla</span> Italian comic book artist

Francesco Francavilla is an Italian comic book artist known for his creator-owned series The Black Beetle and pulp-inspired comic covers. Other notable works include The Black Coat, Dynamite's Zorro series, and his recent run on Detective Comics with Scott Snyder and Jock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Piskor</span> American alternative comics artist (1982–2024)

Edward R. Piskor Jr. was an American alternative comics cartoonist. Piskor was known primarily for his work on Hip Hop Family Tree, X-Men: Grand Design, and the Red Room trilogy. Piskor also co-hosted the YouTube channel Cartoonist Kayfabe with fellow Pittsburgh native cartoonist Jim Rugg. In March 2024, Piskor was accused of sexual misconduct. Piskor died on April 1, 2024, at the age of 41, hours after posting a suicide note via social media repelling all alleged accusations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Sue DeConnick</span> American writer

Kelly Sue DeConnick is an American comic book writer and editor and English-language adapter of manga.

<i>ODY-C</i> Comic book series

ODY-C was a comic book series created by Eisner award winning writer Matt Fraction and artist Christian Ward. The series is a science fictional and gender-bent re-imagination of Homer's Odyssey. The first issue was published in November 2014 by the American company Image Comics. It depicts the journeys of three warrior queens, Odyssia, Gamen, and Ene, as they return from their century-long siege on the city Troiia-VII. ODY-C has been described as a "masterfully psychedelic, gender-bending, space-operatic retelling of Homer’s Odyssey."

Matt Wilson is an American artist and colorist working in the comics industry. According to CBR, he is "one of comics' most in demand colorists".

References

  1. ↑ Butcher, Christopher (September 6, 2013). "SEX CRIMINALS #1 – A Comic Book Launch Party". The Beguiling Books & Arts. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ "2014 Will Eisner Awards Announced". Comics Alliance. April 15, 2014. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Sex Criminals Comic Possibly Coming to Television". Renegade Cinema. February 25, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Office for Intellectual Freedom (2013-03-26). "Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists". American Library Association. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  5. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Fraction & Zdarsky's "Sex Criminals"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Matt Fraction Gets Cheeky With "Sex Criminals"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Chip Zdarsky On 'Sex Criminals': The Comics Alliance Interview". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Sex Criminals: 15 Most Tongue In Cheek Moments". Comic Book Resources. February 17, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  9. ↑ Wolk, Douglas (December 4, 2013). "Top 10 Comics and Graphic Novels". Time .
  10. ↑ Melissa Grey 23 Oct 2013 (2013-10-23). "Sex Criminals #2 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2014-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Martin, Garrett (25 September 2013). "Sex Criminals #1 by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky :: Books :: Reviews :: Paste". Pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  12. ↑ Walter, Damien (April 6, 2015). "Are the Hugo nominees really the best sci-fi books of the year?". The Guardian . Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Sex Criminals, Vol. 1 TP: One Weird Trick". Image Comics.
  14. ↑ "Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds One Cop". Image Comics.
  15. ↑ "Sex Criminals Vol 3: Three The Hard Way". Image Comics.
  16. ↑ "Sex Criminals Vol 4: Fourgy!". Image Comics.
  17. ↑ "Sex Criminals Vol 5: Five-Fingered Discount". Image Comics.
  18. ↑ "Sex Criminals Vol 6: Six Criminals". Image Comics.
  19. ↑ "SEX CRIMINALS: THE COMPLETE EDITION TP". Image Comics.
  20. ↑ "Big Hard Sex Criminals". Image Comics.
  21. ↑ "Big Hard Sex Criminals Vol. 2: Deluxxxe". Image Comics.
  22. ↑ "Big Hard Sex Criminals Vol. 3: Deluxxxe". Image Comics.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.