Criminal #3

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips bring their signature hard-boiled sensibility to Criminal: The Dead and the Dying, a collected volume that announces its noir intentions right from the striking magenta cover — where two figures rendered in deep violet silhouette seem locked in a tense, close encounter. The bold, minimalist design strips the story world down to pure mood and shadow, making it one of the more visually arresting entries in the Criminal library. If you're drawn to crime fiction that takes its characters seriously, this 2015 Image volume is a compelling place to spend your time.