Anthony Bergamini
Sex Criminals was first published in fall of 2013 with a crazy idea that only Image Comics would dare publish. Soon to be breakout creator Chip Zdarsky got together with Marvel mainstay Matt Fraction with the simple premise, what if someone was able to freeze time when they reached orgasm? That hilarious concept spawned a decade long story of comedy, drama, love, and of course, a lot of sex. These creators started with the kind of funny thought like two stoned roommates would have, and ended up spawning one of the best, consistently great series of all time, which is now nicely collected in a full compendium.
My Experience:
As a comic book fan, Sex Criminals was almost a new awakening in terms of the kinds of stories that were possible in the comic book medium. I did not get into this series in 2013. Actually, it was my second semester of my freshman year of college in 2016 when I walked into a now closed comic book store in San Francisco, Two Cats Comics, where I saw the first trade paperback sitting on an end cap. It was under the “staff recommendation” section and I completely walked by it. At that time I was all in on DC and Marvel, and the little money I had was going towards books that I had characters I knew and loved growing up. My roommate at the time was branching out and was picking up series like Saga and The Wicked and The Divine which inspired me to find something outside of my normal. By that time Sex Criminals was no longer on the end cap, but that bright cover and unique premise stuck in my head for months and I knew that this was the series I was going to use to try and branch away from the big two.
Upon reading the first volume, I was shocked. How could a book be so full of heart, so graphic in its depiction of sex, yet so hilarious? I was used to Matt Fraction’s work, having read his Hawkeye and Fantastic Four runs, but this was something completely different. And by his side was this wacky, out of left field artist Chip Zdarsky, who drew with a style that was equally as wacky and expressive as it was deep and welcoming. I immediately picked up the next volume and quickly caught up enough to start reading the issues on a monthly basis. At this time, Chip had started becoming a star in his own right, with his runs on Spider-Man and Howard The Duck showcasing his skills as a writer. This was the point where I stopped following characters and started following creators. I picked up anything Matt and Chip touched, even their small little “Just the Tips” book where they wrote wacky sex tips. Needless to say, Sex Criminals was a pivotal book in my comic book story and has always held a special place in my heart.
As most comic book fans know, burnout comes for everyone. My first comic burnout came as DC Rebirth came to an end and my deep ventures into independent comics came up short with nothing grabbing me the way Sex Criminals had years prior. I took a short break from comics which meant that Sex Criminals was unfinished in my mind. It wasn’t until Zdarsky’s Public Domain came out that I really went all in back into comics.This creator who had a hand in a pivotal point in my life had done it once again and just like that, I was back into reading monthly’s. By this time, Sex Criminals had ended and I had not felt the immediate urge to go back and finish it. It was not actually until the announcement of this compendium that I decided it was time to finish the series that meant so much to me years ago.
Upon turning the final page of Sex Criminals I laid in bed for an hour just staring into the void of night. This series had not dipped in quality in the years I had missed out on, and the magic that Chip and Matt had found in 2013 lasted until the series concluded with the aptly numbered, Sex Criminals #69. This tale of love, sex, and comedy has taught me so much about myself, my reading habits, and what makes characters like John and Suzie so compelling. Chip and Matt had taught me so much about life and finishing this nearly perfect series reminded me about what made it so important to me.
Why Sex Criminals?
For the uninitiated, Sex Criminals follows the exploits of John and Suzie, two individuals with the unique ability to stop time when they reach orgasm. As the series begins, the characters use this power to do what any normal, rational human being would do, rob banks to solve their problems. However, as the series progressed, the book evolved into a deeper story about human nature, and what it takes for people to go through the trials and tribulations of life. The book explores the pitfalls of love, loss, and how hard relationships can be. The whole time, Chip and Matt’s humor ties everything together, whether it’s the wacky or sometimes the deep reference.
But, the most undoubtedly compelling aspect that would bring readers back every month was the relationship between John and Suzie. Like the plethora of successful stories before, the humor drew readers in, but it was the heart that won them over. The best part is that this relationship is never perfect, even until the very end. Both John and Suzie have their own goals and desires, and that makes it so that being together is not easy. At no point do Chip and Matt pretend like this story is going to end in a way that shows the heroes riding off together into the sunset. Through the plethora of side characters and their own personal journeys, the theming and drama highlight the humanity behind each individual and show that no one is ever going to be perfect. In the end, each moment we are alive is fleeting, and it is our job to appreciate the good when it happens and appreciate the time we have.
Obviously, a huge storytelling element here is Sex, whether it’s happening on the page or happening in conversation, it’s going to be happening. Chip and Matt use this element as a device to inspire almost every element of the story, from the overall plot, to the comedy, and even the love and romance. This is the element that makes this story so unique and unlike anything else you’d be able to find on the comic stands. The first hardcover collection was actually banned for its sexual content. Chip and Matt never cared what the larger world had to say about their weird sex book, in fact, an entire issue was dedicated to sexual education discourse.
Another element that made this series so endearing was how self aware it was. Several moments see the fourth wall being broken in a variety of ways. Whether its Suzie looking right at the reader and expressing her thoughts, or the characters making reference to the fact that they are in a comic book, this helps the story stay fresh. But where this really shines are in the moments that Chip and Matt literally insert themselves into the book. This happens early on where a whole section of an issue is dedicated to Matt’s dialogue about how upset he is that Queen will not give him the rights to include the lyrics to “Fat Bottomed Girls” in the series. The best moment happens later when both Chip and Matt are drawn into the book, having a discussion about they were having a difficult time writing a specific section. They paint caricatures of themselves with Chip playing a version of himself that is stuck up and full of himself after the success of his recent Marvel properties. Moments like this pop up throughout the series have to be some of the best parts.
As mentioned before, the most compelling part of this series is the love story between John and Suzie, with the series concluding in a very controversial way.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW:
So… John and Suzie do not end up together. Many have complained that this is a huge detractor for the series as a whole and concludes the series in an unsatisfactory way, but having just reread it from start to finish, I have to vehemently disagree. John and Suzie break up a few times throughout the series. Each time it is because of John and Suzie’s life paths going in different directions. Yes, sometimes this is spurred on by a fight or disagreement, but each time they part it is to discover something new about themselves. Whether it is Suzie starting a new job, or John pursuing the series’ villains, most of the actual progress in their lives exist when they are apart. When they are together, they are the most happy, the most open, and the most willing to give up everything else, but it’s clear that they are unable to pursue their own desires when together. This almost feels reminiscent of the film La La Land, which ends on a similar note. In that film, the main characters are clearly meant to be together, and they find they are the happiest together; however, their unique passions and desires are what drive them apart. That film ends with the characters imagining what life could have been like if they never split up; yet, this was always a pipe dream because in the real world, they could never achieve their life goals. When John and Suzie reunite in Sex Criminals #69, they both have made great strides in their lives, pursuing great careers and growing as people in ways that they may have never been able to do together. That in no way diminishes the relationship that made the series so compelling, especially because the main theme of the book is embracing the happiest times of your life and living in the moment because you never know when they will end. This also shows great restraint as Chip and Matt hold true to the idea that sometimes things don’t end the way they “should” but that doesn’t change how important those moments are.
Sex Criminals is one of the best Image series of all time and it changed my life considerably. Anyone who has a chance to pick up any of these issues will be in for a treat and I can only hope that it means as much to you as it does to me.
As great as this series was (and it really really was) the letters page was even more brilliant – from comedy to tragedy and all inbetweens, I haven’t ever laughed so much from a monthly comic book (there may have been the odd tear as well). Brimpers forever!
That was meant to be five stars!