Review – Sex Criminals #11 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Chip Zdarsky
Release Date: 29 July 2015

Although this may spoil what my final score for this comic will be, let me just say that if you got the Bryan Lee O’Malley variant cover for this issue then you have a 6/5 comic in your hands instead of simply a 5/5. That shit is beautiful.

Sex Criminals #11 marks the point where this series becomes a much grander thing than it initially appeared. While the idea of a comic dedicated to two people who could stop time when they climaxed started out as a neat novelty, this comic has definitely started to take itself more seriously (or as seriously as a Fraction/Zdarsky joint can be…). The arrival of the Sex Police was the first step towards Sex Criminals becoming so much more than its original premise, and this is continued with Jon and Suzy tracking down potential sex-powered allies. What is really exciting here is that those they are finding all have powers that are different from Jon and Suzy’s. Ex porn star Jasmine St Cocaine became some kind of sex ghost (Coast to Coast) and the anime-obsessed dude found at the end of issue #11 has a power reminiscent of a legendary piece of art known as “My Lonesome Cowboy”, which I will leave up to my editor whether to hyperlink you to. Google it at your own risk otherwise.

I love this development, because changing up the power sets stops Sex Criminals becoming one-note. Leave it up to Matt Fraction to create a universe where all superpowers are orgasm-related. We also see that the Sex Police remain as creepy and invasive as ever, maybe even more so.

Issue #11 also plays around with breaking the fourth wall the most since the first issue, which certainly helps us to quickly learn about a new character from his own perspective. This could be annoying in a less light-hearted and enjoyable tale, but it is always handled well by Fraction.

I’m also in love with Chip Zdarsky’s art, which remains as crisp and wonderfully expressive as ever. Nobody draws subtle smirks and shifts in body-language like Chip, and it always serves a specific joke or the humour of a scene.

So yeah, another stellar issue of my favourite comic. Now excuse me while I go and frame my copy and hang it up somewhere where my parents will almost certainly see it next time they’re over.

Rating: 5/5.

The Writer of this piece was: Andrew Stevens
You can follow Andrew on Twitter