A story of threads which become intertwined, between characters, family and history. The first part felt a little flat in places in a piece about a comic writer being used by the Hollywood system, though a good job in setting up what was to follow. The writing, story, is excellent throughout with 'noir' artwork to match. Will look at other stories which have been re-released earlier this year. Recommended, and more to read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for an advance copy of this graphic novel dealing with good people doing bad things, bad people doing what they are good at, the the constant shadow of violence that both redeems and cleanses the evil that these people do.

I remember growing up that there seemed to be two kinds of people in the world. Citizens and criminals. Both could exist in the richest of places and the poorest of places. Citizens stopped at red lights at 2am, thought the system was fair, cheated a little on taxes, and maybe knew people who could help if things got difficult. Criminals were guys who could get that special cut of meat for a special price. A lawyer who could make that bad thing go away so that a son didn't have a life ruined by car accident, or what ever else happened in the dorm that night. And of course those men and women who bumped in the night, robbing, beating and doing what they did best. Today the line has blurred. Criminals run the government, covering up their crimes in daylight, enriching their friends, and citizens clap along for joy. Which makes Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips true chroniclers of our times. Their stories of good people doing what they have to, along with stories of bad people doing awful things because they want to show an America at a crossroad. And though this story is set years before the lines were erased, this is a tale of our times. The Knives: A Criminal Book is the first Criminal story in a number of years, focusing on crimes both big and small, with violence always very close behind.

The year is 2010 and Jacob Kurtz seems to have it made. Kurtz has a small comic strip that has been option ed for a streaming service, and Kurtz has been invited to Hollywood to sit in the writer's room and help the show. Except that nobody pays attention to the creator as this is an intellectual property bought to make money, not art. The only good thing is that Kurtz reconnects with his aunt, a woman with a large property, a lot of great mementos, and it seems people lusting for everything she owns. Angie has lost her mentor and protector to cancer, her house and her job to the mob, and frankly any reason for going straight or even living. Angie was born in the Undertow and is angry at everything and everyone. So she strikes out. Tracy has just gotten back from the wars, a special forces veteran without a purpose, back in the place that brings out the worst in him. And that worst is not very nice. These characters find themselves merging and circling the drain, fighting enemies different and shared, and all caught in the undertow of violence, that might end in only one way.

A really good story, with a lot of characters both new and familiar, with a lot of common themes, but one that really hits hard and makes one think about it for days after. The story does start slow, setting the scene in Hollywood, probably a reflection of the many properties that Brubaker and Phillips had bought by Hollywood, and are lost in development hell. The name Jacob Kurtz seems close to Jack Kirby's real name, so one gets the idea almost immediately that somehow, someway, this character is going to get screwed over. I don't need to mention the art as it is Sean Phillips and it is great. Clear lines, clear characters, backgrounds and lots of violence. I really can't think of a better teaming of writer and artist.

The graphic novel one didn't know one needed until halfway through and the world just seems to make sense. This is a comic of our time, where everything is a grift, big time and little time, where justice is bought and sold in the highest levels. Very good, sort of sad, for both some characters, and for a world that has become so blurred in what is right, what is wrong and where the lines should be.

I'm not sure I can give a fair review of this book, seeing as I haven't read anything else in the Criminal series. I do not know these characters, but this seemed like a short introduction of some of them that people like me could use to get into this series. There were some pretty big time jumps and it's pretty clear that there were some other stories being referenced here. It did seem to come to a pretty abrupt end, but this may have been a starting place of one of the other stories.

Brubaker and Phillips are back with the first new Criminal story in five years.

The Knives tells an interconnected story with three characters that we’ve seen throughout the series so far. What The Knives delivers on is a fast paced story that doesn’t let up until the final page.

Even though this book is told in small vignettes, it’s cohesive and keeps the reader engaged. I love these characters and one I was happy to see when they were introduced into the story.

Brubaker and Phillips created this universe almost two decades ago and it still feels just as fresh as when I picked up that first original issue.

With the Criminal tv show coming on Amazon, I’m hoping we continue to get more of these stories in comic form. They read fast and I love revisiting these characters.

Brubaker and Philips are back with a new Criminal book! All is right with the world again!

Seriously though, this team is the best team in comics. Period. That’s just facts. It has been a bit since the last Criminal book as this team has done other projects (including work on the soon to be new Amazon Prime show of Criminal), but they have not lost their stride. The Knives continue to show why the team and Criminal remain THE standard for this genre. If you’ve been a Criminal fan before, then get ready to jump back in the world you are familiar with that has a cast of characters you already love or love to hate. If you are a new reader, then buckle up for the best graphic novel of 2025 and a world you’ll never want to leave.

Thanks to Image Comics for this ARC!

God, I love Ed Brubaker. I love reading noir where I don't have to worry that the women will be big-chested but flat on personality, or forever the worst (looking at you, Miller).

Criminal is back! And this time, we get a story that is mainly told in vignettes, which is great because it means it's set you up for brief flashbacks without feeling like the flow is interrupted. In this case, it's Jacob and Angie, and modern-day(!), with some other familiar faces.

Not going to spoil the story, but Criminal has always cared about how the past affects the present, and that's very much on display here in The Knives.

God, I love Criminal.

The Knives, the first new Criminal story in a long while tells three intertwining stories about three very disparate characters.
Ed Brubaker is in fine form with this book. The stories all move along well and leave you rooting for the bad guy. I couldn’t wait to get back to the book to see where it was going to go.
The art of Sean Phillips is on point, as always. Dark and moody with many noir elements. I honestly couldn’t think of an artist I’d like more on this book.
If you’ve read Criminal in the past, you know what you’re getting into. Hard and fast action that doesn’t let up.
If you’re new to Criminal, walk into the Undertow and head for the bar. Sit back and relax and enjoy a few stories with your pint.

I only recently discovered the works of Brubaker and Phillips and have very much enjoyed them. This has continued that trend and I'll be diving further into the back catalogue over time.

Not as much of a noir vibe as the others I've previously read but still hugely enjoyable and the artwork is top notch.

If anyone has read him and enjoyed his work before then this will not let you down and if you've not read him before this is as good a place as any to start.

Brubaker and Phillips return to Criminal and bring their perfect “A” game with them as this graphic novel absolutely sizzles with pure, dark neo-noir energy that brings back familiar characters and sets the stage for the next era of the series.

Special Thanks to Image Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Another great read from Ed Brubaker. His comics never disappoints. Can't wait to read his next book. #TheKnivesACriminalBook #NetGalley

A very quick read. Very enjoyable for fans of noir and crime mystery comics. The art is very complimentary to the story.

Phillips, Phillips, and Brubaker craft another incredible tale in the Criminal-universe. Tying in previous
Volumes and fleshing out previous characters in a volume that can be read as a standalone, or enrich then previous books.
Sean Phillips art is breathtaking as always. Jacob Phillips colours are getting better with each volume. Ed Brubaker is still one of the top writers in comics. Well worth the read.

Fantastic return to form for Brubaker and Phillips. Criminal continues to set the standard for crime comics. No one draws doomed, damaged characters quite like Phillips and Brubaker continues to mine noir as black as night. Bravo!

The Knives: A Criminal Book, a gripping standalone noir by the award-winning duo of writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips, delivers a dark, gritty, action-packed and emotional tale.

Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.

The Knives is an atmospheric noir with greed, ambition, heartbreak, and family ties. Once again, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips show us why they are among the best creators in comics, delivering a gripping standalone story within their Criminal universe. This gritty and dark yet packed with heart story is beautifully told by Brubaker and stunningly illustrated by Phillips, creating a visual and emotional reading experience. The story strikes the perfect balance of tension, action, and emotional depth.

As someone who tends to lean towards single-issue comics, I don't typically navigate towards graphic novels, but when this duo teams up to craft a tale it becomes a must-read. The Knives is a story that needed this full-length, 200+ page format to thrive. The multiple storylines that unfold separately, eventually converging would feel frustrating in a monthly floppy comic, but works absolutely seamlessly in this graphic novel.

The Knives: A Criminal Book will undoubtedly hit hard for those fans of the Criminal series, but it also stands strong as a standalone story for anyone looking for a stellar noir read. Though the story features characters and elements typical to Criminal comics, they enhance the story for those fans of the series rather than distract from the plot. Even if this is your first comic in the Brubaker and Phillips Criminal world, this comic hits hard. The Knives a must-read crime comic.

It seemed impossible that this was the first Criminal book in five years, but I suppose that's partly that time's broken since the Event, and partly that there's been a steady stream of other Brubaker and Phillips comics, all of which tend to be variations on similar noir territory. We open behind the scenes of the TV adaptation of comic-within-a-comic Frank Kafka, Private Eye, and even before the afterword it's obvious that this is inspired by Brubaker's own Hollywood experience, with Criminal itself coming soon on Prime. But if you're hoping for the outrageous insights of a Fortune & Glory, you're out of luck; this is the usual observations on the industry's superficiality, deviousness, and adaptations throwing out everything that made the original interesting in the first place. Similarly, the next strand of the story presents us with the shocking news that the US healthcare system is a bit fucked! And apparently lives of crime tend to end badly unless you're at the top of the tree – who knew? As for the overarching plot...well, I'm pretty sure I would have seen it coming even if it hadn't also been the core of a detective show I watched last night, but the fact that it was speaks volumes too. Still, in amongst the clichés there's enough heart and poignancy to these schmucks, rogues and alloys of the two that I keep reading, even if I never altogether understand the series' staggering popularity.

(Netgalley ARC)

a new criminal book??! I am in. this book covers a few decades with interlonking stoires and I loved it. The characters, the story, the art. I loved it all.
4.5 rounded up

Despite enjoying much of Brubaker's output, I always found most of the Criminal books to be overrated. This is not the case with The Knives. The three stories, featuring familiar faces, wind together through the barely hidden underworld, culminating in dark misdeeds.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Image Comics and have a lot of respect for Brubaker's work, so I absolutely jumped at the chance of getting my hands on this.

I was not familiar with the CRIMINAL series before reading this, but that didn't impact the enjoyment of this graphic novel.

The Knives contains a collection of interconnected stories and tangents following a comic artist turned almost Hollywood writer, his old, rich aunt, an orphan and cat burglar who sleeps on his couch, and an old friend with military training and penchant for violence as they survive in LA among organised and disorganised crime.

The script is incredibly tight and well written. I was locked in and felt like I was watching an indie movie.

The art isn't my favourite style, but it absolutely works for the story being told.

There's not much to say beyond this being an absolutely solid and enjoyable read that makes me in intrigued to check out more of this series.

Well, it feels a little awkward reading this knowing Brubaker is working on a TV show, since the first whole story deals with this issue, and things do NOT end well.
It's a lovely addition to the Criminal collection, although I probably should have refreshed my memory on who everyone is to get the most out of it.
I was really pleased to see that Jacob Phillips seems to have got over his pink phase of colouring everything pink. There was only minimal pink here, and the whole colour palette felt cohesive and very Criminal-ish (although it has definitely migrated to a more pastel look since he took over).
The stories were less violent than previously, but still managed to be gritty and harsh as expected. Recommended for Criminal fans.

An Excellently Dark Noir!

Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips are the dynamic duo that everyone should read! Not only are their stories gritty and dark, but they are also action-packed and full of heart! The Knives is an out-of-this-world epic! Following several characters whose lives slowly and surely intertwine, I was instantly hooked. The characters come to life with vibrant illustrations, and the unique style draws your eyes to every detail on the page. And the dark themes explored are exactly what you would expect from this duo at their best! Run, don't walk to grab your copy of the exceptional return to the Criminal Universe!