Friday 30 May 2014

Sex Criminals: Suzie down in the quiet by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky

Publication date: 25th September 2013
Published by: Image Comics
Genre: Fantasy (Graphic Novel)

My Synopsis

The first scene is a couple making out in the restroom of a corporate building.  Outside there are police and one is holding a megaphone demanding that said couple come out with their hands up.  Meanwhile... back in the toilets the make-out session between the couple is getting steamy.

Part 1 is told by Suzie, the female protagonist. She starts at the beginning. Suzie's dad was killed when she was about 13.  Her mother couldn't cope, turned to drink and Suzie was left neglected while trying to come to terms with the loss of her dad.  To get away from the sounds of her mother's weeping, she would take baths - keeping the taps on to drown out the noise and sinking under water where everything would be quiet, which is all she wished for. On one of those occasions she starts to 'experiment' with her body and the effect leads to something very strange.  She discovers that what she did set off a reaction triggering a very unique ability - one that keeps Suzie down in the quiet....

My Review

Some may take a look at the title and the cover of this graphic novel and want to move on, assuming it's going to be pornographic and/or sleazy.  Personally, I was curious to find out the relationship between the operative words 'Sex' and 'Criminals' so I decided to give it a go.

My synosis probably makes it sound dreary and depressing but this is not the case.  Suzie's backstory is an unhappy one but it is told in a light-hearted way with humour.  As the title and synopsis suggest, sex does play a significant part.  However, it is not about sex and it is not in any way pornographic.  So if that's what you're looking for (and I'm not judging) then you might want to look elsewhere.

I found it intriguing and amusing; the illustrations are pretty good, too.  As stories go, this has to be one of the most original I have come across and that is the best thing about it for me.  As I am coming to discover about graphic novels, like comics they run as a series of many instalments. I was compelled to get the next one, which I am currently reading and enjoying.  It is worth bearing in mind however, that if you're not prepared to invest in following the many parts, you probably shouldn't bother as the plot is slowly unravelling with each one.  On the plus side, you don't get that problem of padding out or a flimsy plot that is increasingly common with serialised novels.

Sex Criminals is a really good read.  Highly recommended (for adults).

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