Finally a review that gets to use the word “Cumworld”.
Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky have two mic drops in a row now. Sex Criminals issue #2 surpasses the perfection established in last month’s opening chapter. It builds on that foundation of Suzie’s self narrated story in issue one while also being able to pass for the opening issue of the series itself. Let the matrix chew on that paradox for awhile.
While Suzie still has a few moments where she addresses the reader directly, for the most part, the second issue focuses on Jon and his outrageous origin story. We even get, for the most part, a Jon narrated story. It’s a hyperbolic coming of age tale about a boy curious about sex. Something every adolescent growing up can relate to. Fraction establishes such a unique voice for the character in contrast to Suzie. Where she’s artistic and poetic, Jon is crass and more man-child. Jon’s explanation of “Cumworld” is one of the best things you’ll read this year. We saw so little of Jon in issue one that the story could have easily progressed from issue one and burried him within the narrative. We’re glad Fraction chose to explore the Jon character sooner rather than later. Issue two is a great story that uses a two POV structure to build the characters further and make us love them both.
The art is some of the most entertaining and magnetic we’ve seen since Scott Pilgrim. Zdarsky’s style does a distinguished job of mixing zany sex shop details with a unique fantasy effect element around some of the antagonist you’ll get a tiny peek at in this issue. All this is layered on top of a foundation of dynamic character expressions. The art and the narrative get together and pump out a baby called perfection.
Sex Criminals could quite literally be called a coming (<<replace the o with a u) of age heist story. It already has my Eisner vote for best new series. It, like Saga, gives me a reason to brave the trip to my local and least favorite comic book store to pick this book up in print.