After taking an extended hiatus, re-releasing and reprinting issues, and compiling the first trade for the series, Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky’s ‘Sex Criminals’ from Image Comics returns with a vengeance. When we last left Jon and Suzie, they were on the run from the Sex Police after they had been caught robbing a bank by taking advantage of their ability to enter the Quiet. But as our heroine informs us on the first few panels of the new issue, things turn out to be just fine. Sure, it means less sex all around for our favorite couple, but it soon means that there are bigger problems than these young people moving out of their honeymoon phase and not having as much sex.
Besides the couple getting more comfortable with each other, they learn that every time their special powers activate, they set off an app that goes bloop to indicate whenever anyone climaxes. This nifty piece of technology not only acts as a tracker for the Sex Police, but it also reminds Jon of the slump that he and his girlfriend had entered. However, things get more troublesome when the bank decides to take back their offer to extend the foreclosure of Suzie’s library after they had nearly raised all the money necessary to keep it open. Now, as the pair tries to think of ways to save the establishment, Jon realizes that he might know exactly who is behind it all.
To begin with, I’ve loved keeping up with this series. Even though I haven’t reviewed it since the second issue came out, ‘Sex Criminals’ has been one of my favorite comics on my pull list. The last time I talked about it, I called Fraction and Zdarsky’s book intriguing, entertaining, and relatable. Basically, I could say the same things about the start of the Image series’ next arc. Everyone in a relationship goes through the end of the honeymoon phase and like Jon some do it with disorders such as ADHD or OCD, but the creative team takes that extra step and doesn’t just keep their characters gleefully having sex and robbing banks. As fantastical as the premise of the book is, there is a lot of truth about relationships in this series that anyone could enjoy it.
Moving on, I really thought that Jon had literally lost his dick for a minute. When he started to recount the events since the last time we caught up with these characters, I was really scared that things had taken a Theon Greyjoy turn for the worst. Thankfully, things didn’t turn out that way, but it was sort of a funny way to represent the stage of dating that they were currently in because a lot of dudes probably feel exactly that way when things with their girlfriends progress in this way. Furthermore, there were some pretty great gags throughout the issue, especially involving Jon and that damn app that would probably be enough to drive anyone crazy.
But of course, as is the case with every other issue of this series, it’s about much more than that. I love the way that Suzie is supportive of Jon’s quirks and his illnesses. She handled things in a mature way and she didn’t try to change him in a way that he would suppress these things in him. It’s good to see two young people love each other for who they are no matter what problems that they may have.
Finally, after creating an accurate and much-desired picture of modern couples, we did get back to the fantastical element of this story and the thing that drew us all in at the start. I’m excited to see where things go with Jon, Suzie, the Fancy Man, and Kegelface because by the tone in the closing word bubbles, our hero is about to open a can of whoop-ass. I don’t know about you, but that’s something that I want to see.
Final Score:
SEX CRIMINALS #6
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Chip Zdarsky & Becka Kinzie
