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.

If this happens to be your first encounter with Brubaker and Phillips and Criminal, we highly recommend Criminal Volume 1: Coward.

The Knives: A Criminal Book hits bookstores everywhere on September 9, 2025 from Image Comics.