Major turning points arrive for several of our players, and Suzie finally figures out something that’s been staring in our faces all along… Your Major Spoilers review of Sex Criminals #24 awaits!
SEX CRIMINALS #24
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Chip Zdarsky
Production: Drew Gill
Editor: Thomas K
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 2, 2018
Previously in Sex Criminals: “The long-awaited return of the most beloved piece of the SEX CRIMINALS phenomenon that took the comics world by storm: the eight-panel grid! Wait, what do you mean you didn’t even notice it was gone? How dare you!”
WHAT WAS SUZIE’S EPIPHANY?
This issue picks up right where #23 left off, with Suzie facing ‘Starry Night’ by Van Gogh, then reaching out to actually… TOUCH the painting. That’s where her jerkface boyfriend comes in to castigate her for touching a priceless masterpiece, being super-condescending and mis-attributing the painting to Picasso. Suzie walks right out on him (after giving him an earful) only to find that Jon has FINALLY returned her text. Dewey and The Bus Drive have what is possibly the sweetest moment in the history of this comic, followed by a big ol’ kiss, while Jon seems to realize that he’s been spinning his wheels. Most interesting of all, Suzie unravels the records on her father’s computer to discover that he (or someone) had been engaging is insider trading and fraud, including an amusing Help Icon much like Microsoft’s Clippy, only… kind of obscene. And that’s okay. As the issue ends, though, Dave has invited Ana/Jasmine, Jon and possibly others out roller-skating, only for Jon to find that someone seemingly also invited… Myrtle Spurge.
FINALLY SOME $&@##ING RELIEF
Let me just say, the fact that our leads are talking again (or at least texting) is actually SO RELIEVING to me. It almost feels like I’m the one who has been waiting for a text from someone I’m not quite over yet, and the exhalation of breath is palpable. Likewise beautifully written and executed is Jon’s break-up with his interim girlfriend, a moment which causes her to hug him for his thoughtful and sensitive handling of the situation, followed by throwing him out of her apartment. This is a really good issue for the kind of Sex Criminals moments that make the book something special, and the final page reveal makes me think that we may be seeing a new role for Kegelface in the new era. At least, I hope so, as I feel like she has potential that is unexplored, and it would make a major change to the status quo. With the letter column new having a lot to say about the upcoming Sex Criminals TV show, I’m hopeful that this book might access a whole new audience, and frankly, it’s about time.
BOTTOM LINE: THINGS ARE LOOKING UP
If you know my feelings for this book from the beginning, you know that I’m a sucker for Zdarsky’s art (which is phenomenal again this month, especially Suzie’s facial expressions in the gallery and the final page of Jon) and with Jon and Suzie tentatively admitting that they have unresolved issues, the story is finally heading somewhere that won’t make me depressed. Sex Criminals #24 has all the hallmarks of a game-changer, but the real meat of the story is in the realizations by our protagonists about their lives, earning a very impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. I don’t know if it’s the fabled jumping-on point or not, but it’s a very well-done issue…
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