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Sunday, June 26, 2016

Sex Criminals: Vol 1 - Comic Book Review

Sometimes a story comes along that gets a lot of buzz. It could be positive or negative and it's up to the readers or viewers to decide on the legitimacy of the buzz. "Sex Criminals" by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky is one of those stories. So let's dive in and take a look at "Sex Criminals" in this comic book review...


The basic premise is simple. Girl orgasms, time stops. Boy orgasms, time stops. Boy and girl orgasm together, time stops and they rob banks. This isn't an overly complicated introductory volume. The issues collected here are filled with dialogue and exposition setting up this world, the characters, the situations & challenges. Both Fraction and Zdarsky have masterfully crafted a story that could be ordinarily boring and lackluster as the readers are tested by having to endure set up after set up. Instead, the amount of fun I had reading this story was surprising. 

The simplest concept of being a teenager and suddenly discovering what "self pleasure" was, is told well. It's universal. That first moment, probably some shame or confusion, of realizing something could feel so good and you did it to yourself. This story explores the emotional and psychological journey that people experience as they grow and sex becomes less mysterious and more about connecting. However in this story, the mystery remains a bit longer because sex and orgasms are natural but stopping time is not. The relationship that develops between the two protagonists is near perfect and the humorous dialogue and banter is such a treat I found myself laughing out loud as I read page after page.


The story is also split between multiple worlds. We have the present story which takes place in the here and now. The flashback sequences which are used to shape and mold the world this story takes place in. Finally, the world that exists while time is frozen. The first two appear almost identical which is fine because it looks great but the world that exists while time is stopped was my favorite. The colors that run across the page to create this futuristic, rainbow like, dream sequence was spectacular. 

Outside of the mainstories there is a plethora of sexual images. I was reading this comic at a local spot I frequent and drew some humorous attention as page after page had some piece of sexual something. Perhaps it's porn on the television, a glowing dildo baton used for combat, a vibrating gun, hand drawn sex positions, two lovers who just orgasmed and now lay breathless but not wordless, a fleshlight that also has a taser in it, there's so much sex it's R rated and I loved it. I couldn't stop laughing at how creatively the story and art all dealt with this world of sexual adventures and misconduct. 


If you get the chance and appreciate sex jokes, you will LOVE this first volume. The characters are relatable, stories entertaining, art work splendid and jokes a plenty. It's adult, inappropriate, thought provoking & humorous. I loved it. Go buy "Sex Criminals Vol 1" at your local comic book shop and tell them Maskerpiece Theatre sent you. 



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