The Innocent

MATURE READERS In his first week on the job, FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has seen enough horror to threaten his faith, and perhaps his sanity. Now he stands alone – the last line of defense against a madman intent on the murder of two innocent children, and on the destruction of a city. It’s crime storytelling in the tradition of the comics that made Dr. Fredric Wertham froth at the mouth. From the acclaimed team that brought you The Lone Ranger, a final issue that delivers a punch in the gut that won’t soon be forgotten.

The streets of 1953 San Francisco are overflowing with blood, as a pair of ghastly killers continue to terrorize the city. FBI Agent Thomas Jennings has his hands full at his new post. He’s got to find two lost children before they become the next victims, he’s got to bring the villains to justice, and he’s got to keep himself from slipping into madness. From the Japanese Tea Garden to San Fran’s legendary Chinatown, the battle rages. Tough, gritty crime action, guaranteed to send the ghost of Dr. Fredric Wertham into a panic.

San Francisco, 1953. F.B.I. Agent Thomas Jennings has been in town all of forty-eight hours. He’s been stabbed, chased, and betrayed, witnessing more horrors than he ever could have imagined. Now, in a desperate race to find two abandoned children in the vast jungle of the city, Jennings struggles to hold onto his own humanity, his own… innocence. Tough, relentless crime storytelling in the tradition of Jim Thompson and James Ellroy, from the team that brought you The Death of Zorro and The Lone Ranger.

“Criminal: Last of the Innocent” is noir at its most despicable level. The last time “Criminal” was this bleak was during the “Bad Night” arc. That story, arguably the best story in this title’s history, is somewhat mirrored in tone through the events of this tale. “Bad Night” ended on an incredibly bleak note. “Last of the Innocent” ends on what appears to be an upbeat turn and yet it still instills the chills in you that the world is a sucky place. Riley Richards has been our man at the center of this tale. His actions have propelled the plot, and the results he has yielded have glued us to the page. Over four issues, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips set up a man who you almost identify with and who you feel you can understand. As Riley has slowly gone over the edge and become someone you can hate with an open heart, it becomes clear this might be his story but it is not his slice of noir. The coldest genre within crime turns its unloving eye upon Riley’s new love interest, high schoo

This arc of “Criminal” hasn’t messed around at all. We’ve had the set up, then we’ve been delivered the execution, and now we get the aftermath. Riley Richards is not a very nice guy, but at least he recognizes this in himself. Over halfway through this storyline, it’s shaping up to be the best “Criminal” arc for many reasons. One major aspect that separates this book from other crime comics is that this never feels gratuitous. Ed Brubaker doesn’t set things up so he can show people getting stabbed or shot. He sets up people to be stabbed or shot so we can see the ripple of emotion and opportunity it creates in the wider story. Then he doesn’t actually show us the violence in question. It’s a bold move and one that opens up room for much more characterization. Riley made a plan and didn’t consider the difference between theory and practise. Now, on the other side of the deed, he’s reflecting on what it makes him feel. The main concern of this series is the question, “Is it worth it?