Vertigo Crime

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I had pretty much the same reaction to the books as Tim did - grabbed them both, and then read Rankin's one first, even though it was the one I was least interested in, but then was really pleased by it.
(I haven't actually started on Filthy Rich yet, want to read it in one sitting, and I had other GN's to read that weren't being weighed down by my hopes and dreams for a one off straight crime story from Azzarello - whose Johnny Double was one of the first books I read as I was slowy getting back in to comics... when he is good he is very very good, but when he is bad...)

I found it less odd that there was a Constantine story in the line - but if they did re-purpose it for this line, it's probably so they can go 'look how well this line is selling' to either a) brag to the market (which would be very silly) b) help justify the line if the others don't do as well to the suits (it'll last longer if it has one smash success) or c) use it to try and attract other non-comic writers to the line.
That said, I found it odd they didn't stick an ad for more Constantine books in the back of the book - seems like it misses the point of getting Rankin to write the character.
(I also thought it was odd to dump on their own character with the 'Before John Constantine, there was John Rebus', because not only does it downplay the character like he's new, it's not true!)

Although the Dark Entries review... geez Tim, glad I read the book before the review - I thought the twist of where the show was set was the best bit.
Not only because it was so big (them being dead was predictable, but I didn't see it being in hell coming), but because it was such a make or break point for the book - Rankin walked a tightrope in pulling that one off, could easily have become quite naff.
(In fact, I think I liked it better than I would have because I was so amazed that he got me to buy that point and keep reading... same with escaping through a television at the end, or there only being one person in hell out to really get John - he made it work despite itself!)

One thing that puzzled me, and I'd love to no if anyone's got any ideas - why have they launched with two books on the same day in August, and yet the next book isn't due out until January?
Are they doing these two as a test run to see reaction and check for any faults with the format, or ...?

Also, I hope they stick with doing one a month once they get going!
(And get Ennis, Ellis, and Lapham on board already! Hmm, all will the line steer away from expected names?)

Anyone else got thoughts on it?

[Donald M.]

DC has tried this before under its defunct Paradox Press imprint, which also put out all those great Big Books you may recall from the mid to late 90's.

They didn't put out a lot. Just a reprint of Road to Perdition and two original graphic novels Green Candles and A History of Violence which was of course adapted to film by David Cronenburg. The film was much better than the book.

Still, I certainly hope they have more success this time around.

[s1rude]

I bought Dark Entries based on a skim of Tim's positive review, but haven't read it yet. I will get Filthy Rich, but decided to wait on it due to Azz being occasionally miss for me and economics.

Anyway, the reason I wanted to chime in was that I found the books in my local Borders after some searching. Filthy Rich was easy enough to find - stocked alphabetically by title in the "Graphic Novels". Not the "Mysteries & Thrillers" placement that some might have hoped for, but okay. The Rankin book, however wasn't stocked with in that section, alphabetically or with the other Hellblazer trades. Feeling optimistic, I headed over to where the shelf with the Inspector Rebus series. No dice. "Maybe it sold out," I mused. Nope, the clerk, who looked at me suspiciously when I suggested that an Ian Rankin "comic book" even existed, found it in the computer and lead me to where it was placed - alphabetically in manga.

I'm going to support it as best as I'm financially able, but I'd not wager on Vertigo Crime lasting any longer than Minx (which, ironically, probably should have been placed in manga but never was at my local Borders).

[foofighterbarlover]

I hadn't reserved either at my comic shop. Dark Entries was sold out, but they hadn't sold any Filthy Rich.

But based on Filthy Rich--weird size, $20, OK-to-good (at best) stories, just OK art--no way is this going anywhere in the comics world. I can't see it making an impact on the mainstream crime fiction market in regular book stores either, should it be lucky enough to be placed anywhere near that section.

I'll be spending my pulp noir time and money on Brubaker's awesome Criminal when it starts back up next month and probably ignoring the Vertigo Crime line unless the reviews are spectacular.

[TimothyCallahan]

Criminal IS certainly better than the two debut Vertigo Crime books, and it is interesting to see where they end up on the bookstore shelves. Manga, no less!

Paradox Press didn't have the mainstream acceptance of graphic novels on its side. It was certainly ahead of its time.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

The film was much better than the book.


It was, except for the end.

I'd read the comic first (waited till DVD for the film), and was really let down with how the film played out in comparison.
The friend having been tortured for the decade or so in between... hadn't seen that before, and it made me feel sick.



But based on Filthy Rich--weird size, $20, OK-to-good (at best) stories, just OK art--no way is this going anywhere in the comics world. I can't see it making an impact on the mainstream crime fiction market in regular book stores either, should it be lucky enough to be placed anywhere near that section.

You thought they are a weird size?
I think the size is quite nice and feels great in your hands whilst you are reading - a nice little package.
Though I agree, the price could do with a few bucks shaved off (but there's not many things I wouldn't say that about in the world!)

I like the art in both of them - tells the story, suits the story, and particularity in Filthy Rich, the line work is pleasing to the eye.



I'll be spending my pulp noir time and money on Brubaker's awesome Criminal when it starts back up next month and probably ignoring the Vertigo Crime line unless the reviews are spectacular.

I love Brubaker and Phillips, but I cannot understand the love people have for Criminal - I got the first trade and it was the most standard by the numbers crime story I'd ever read... absolutely nothing happened that was unexpected.
Maybe it's rocking it in comics because the audience is used to superhero tropes not crime one's - which I'd find hard to believe with cinemas love of crime - but other than that it leaves me very confused.
(Unless it kicks into high gear in the second arc... does it? If someone wasn't that keen on the first arc would they be swung by the second? It worked for me with Lucifer and Fables...)

I still haven't read Filthy Rich - Sunday afternoon's my usual reading a graphic novel from start to finish day - and even though it's not really a crime story at all, I enjoyed Dark Entries more than I enjoyed that first Criminal arc.


Criminal IS certainly better than the two debut Vertigo Crime books, and it is interesting to see where they end up on the bookstore shelves. Manga, no less!

They were with all the other graphic novels at the bookshop I go to.

[TimothyCallahan]

Oh yeah, Criminal gets a LOT better in arc two.

Like you, I picked up the first arc, thought it was completely run-of-the-mill indy crime kind of stuff and dropped it.

Then I went back and picked up the second arc, and it was SO much better. And then it continued to get better from there. And what happens makes the first arc better in retrospect.

So, yes, don't judge Criminal by its first handful of issues.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Oh yeah, Criminal gets a LOT better in arc two.

Like you, I picked up the first arc, thought it was completely run-of-the-mill indy crime kind of stuff and dropped it.

Then I went back and picked up the second arc, and it was SO much better. And then it continued to get better from there. And what happens makes the first arc better in retrospect.

So, yes, don't judge Criminal by its first handful of issues.

Cool, I'll check it out.

Whereas Fables and Lucifer got lukewarm reviews for their opening arcs, and then great one's for the second arcs, Criminal got praised right out the gate, with no mention of a marked improvement, so I assumed quality stayed the same and everyone was just content with less.

[Bill Angus]

...Just a reprint of Road to Perdition...

Actually, Paradox was the original publisher of Road to Perdition - though they did reprint it to tie into the movie's release.

As the story goes, it was the first book in the line to be commissioned, and the last one to be published (due to the time it took for the art to be created).

[rorshach1982]

They didn't put out a lot. Just a reprint of Road to Perdition and two original graphic novels Green Candles and A History of Violence which was of course adapted to film by David Cronenburg. The film was much better than the book.

They both had their moments. The movie dealt with the family dynamic much better than the comic, and the twisted scene with Maria Bello and Mortenson on the stairs was brilliant. Where I think the comic did better was the resolution of the conflict and fleshing out of the back story. The movie never really gave a reason for the father's departure from crime and the comic dealt with it, though there's no accounting for how the father became so good at killing people in the comic. Also, scene at the end of the comic where you find out the fate of his childhood friend....still creeps me out.

I couldn't reconcile the price point on these Vertigo Crime books. Too few pages for $20, one a Hellblazer short and the other by an author I do not read. It was kind of Meh for me.

[tralierix]

I think Vertigo stuff was cutting edge and way ahead of its time but not so much anymore

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I took the plunge with Criminal and got the deluxe edition yesterday.

Haven't really got started with it yet, but hopefully it's as good as everyone says, otherwise I'm out a few bucks.

One thing I found slightly annoying was that on the back it lists the extras, and mentions 'articles'.
It got me all excited because I'd heard Criminal has great essays at the back, and figured that even if I didn't like the book I'd enjoy those... but it only has three that Brubaker wrote, and the rest of the articles section is made up of the illustrations Phillips did to go along with the others.
That started me off with it on the wrong foot.
(Then again, I grabbed the recent Batman annuals and Azrael #1 because the house ad said 'new story' and I believed it, not realising it really meant 'continuing a sory we started in another book you didn't hear about').

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

The latest Vertigo Crime book, The Chill, is probably the best title in the line so far.
It's not groundbreaking or anything, but it had me hooked for the duration.
Solid little genre piece.
That said, the genre certainly isn't crime - it's a supernatural horror through and through.
One character - not even really the main - is a cop, and that's about it.
Vertigo, I think, have shot this line in the foot by calling it a crime line, and then only releasing 1/3 of the books actually being crime stories.

It's a format, not a line, so who knows what the heck they were thinking.

But regardless, The Chill was pretty darn good.