Powerhouse creators Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips return to Eisner Award-winning series CRIMINAL

PORTLAND, OR, 10/16/2018 — Hot off the critically acclaimed, bestselling series KILL OR BE KILLED and breakout hit original graphic novel MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES, crime comic masters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their beloved, iconic CRIMINAL series. The multiple Eisner award-winning CRIMINAL will return as an all-new monthly from Image Comics in January 2019.

"CRIMINAL was where Sean and I really established our brand as a team, and while writing MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES (which takes place in the CRIMINAL world), it just suddenly felt like the perfect time to bring it back to the monthly comic shelves. But this time I wanted it to be different—not just serialized graphic novels, but also single-issue stories and even the odd two-issue story sometimes," said Brubaker. "I love the elasticity that CRIMINAL allows me—because this world we've created gives me a place to tell any kind of crime story and to focus on different characters, both old and new—and I want to really embrace the monthly comics format, and try to create a series where readers will never know what's coming next from issue to issue."

CRIMINAL #1 will debut as a double-sized issue, featuring the return of Teeg Lawless, whose teenage son is causing him trouble that he may not be able to fight his way out of, for the first time in his violence-fueled life.

Phillips added: "It's a pleasure to return to the world of CRIMINAL with new stories of familiar characters and new characters too. I'm back to drawing on paper after a few years drawing THE FADE OUT and KILL OR BE KILLED digitally, so it's also a welcome return to inky fingers and white-out."

A perfect introduction for readers to the dark and exciting world of CRIMINAL, this new series will also include back-page articles and illustrations to bring readers more fully into the noir experience.

CRIMINAL #1 (Diamond Code NOV180021) will be available on Wednesday, January 9th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, December 10th.

CRIMINAL #1 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including the official Image Comics iOS app, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.

MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES hardcover (ISBN: 978-1534308466, Diamond Code: JUL180133) is available now and can be found at a local comic shop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, IndieBound, and Indigo.

About Ed Brubaker:
Ed Brubaker is one of the most acclaimed writers in comics, winning five best writer Eisner and Harvey Awards in the last 10 years. His bestselling work with Sean Phillips on CRIMINAL, INCOGNITO, FATALE, and THE FADE OUT has been translated around the world to great acclaim, and Marvel's movies featuring his co-creation, The Winter Soldier, have all been international blockbusters. He works in comics, film, and television, most recently as a writer on HBO's hit series Westworld, co-creator of Too Old to Die Young with Nicolas Winding Refn for Amazon Studios, and co-creator with Sean Phillips on MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES. Brubaker will reteam with Sean Phillips and return to the multiple Eisner Award-winning series, CRIMINAL with all new monthly issues from Image Comics in January 2019.

About Sean Phillips:
Drawing comics professionally since the age of 15, Eisner Award-winning Sean Phillips has worked for all the major comics publishers. Since drawing Sleeper, Hellblazer, Batman, X-Men, Marvel Zombies, and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, Sean has concentrated on creator-owned books including CRIMINAL, INCOGNITO, Seven Psychopaths, FATALE, THE FADE OUT, and most recently co-created with Ed Brubaker: MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES. Phillips will reteam with Ed Brubaker and return to the multiple Eisner Award-winning series, CRIMINAL with all-new monthly issues from Image Comics in January 2019.

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