Reckless #1

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips bring their signature noir sensibility to this 2021 Delcourt edition of Reckless, a graphic novel that announces itself with a cover as moody and combustible as the story promises to be. Sean Phillips' painted artwork layers three compelling figures — a rugged, weathered man dominating the background, a young purple-haired woman in glasses at center, and a red-haired woman gripping an axe — against a smoldering car wreck and a coastal horizon that suggest both danger and consequence. The "Out of Business" sign tucked into the composition adds a quietly loaded detail, setting the tone for a world where things have already gone wrong before the first page turns.