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While the pandemic may have tried to get in the way, the Sex Criminals simply will not be stopped. We’re getting so close to the end, no mortal man or disease could stand a chance at stopping us short. And the timing simply could not be better, as I see this one as being a “catharsis issue.” Sex Criminals #29 is written by Matt Fraction, with art by Chip Zdarsky, who also provides the cover.
The Aftermath
In perhaps the most jarring and ominous start to the issue of Sex Criminals, the book opens at a funeral! Who is the funeral for? Dear reader, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks to be our main girl Suze herself. How could they kill off the main character so close to the end? After that last issue, with little to no pomp or circumstance even? But perhaps things are not quite as they seem…
After giving us only the briefest of hints at what is to come before it all comes crashing down, the story pulls back. I’m ecstatic that even this late in the game, Fraction still has some tricks left to surprise readers and keep us on our toes until the end. In the wake of Suze and Badal’s confrontation in the latest issue, the gang gathers outside Badal’s bank to witness its fall. Satisfying, right? You haven’t seen anything yet.
Break It All!
While the group is gathered outside, Jon sneaks off while no one is looking to handle things in his own special way… by absolutely destroying every single thing possible that belongs to Badal. As far as he’s concerned, at that moment, Suze could be and even was probably, dead at Badal’s hands. He holds nothing back and lets loose, breaking every damn thing he can find.
Never in my life have I seen someone be so painfully thorough in their rage, as to destroy LITERALLY everything. I can’t stress this enough, because Fraction can’t stress it enough in the issue. Whole pages are dedicated to Jon’s actions, making his way through as much as he can of everything, and it’s maddeningly satisfying. To feel the level of rage and anger that puts him in this head-space, yet to also have the wherewithal to be so meticulous, just fascinates me.
Jon’s Journey
Sex Criminals #29 is of course a very Jon-centric issue, despite Suze being the one narrating as we go along. But it makes you think about what we’ve seen from Jon as a character throughout the story so far. I believe that a highlight of the series in general is in just how well the people are characterized. None of this feels out-of-character for Jon, because we’ve seen him backslide into bad tendencies throughout the series to deal with his demons. Still, I maintain this is technically one of the healthier displays of his issues.
Jon is my favorite character, as he has been from the start. I love everyone in the book, but he’s the easiest person to relate to because he’s just so messy and authentic. You can tell that Fraction writes from experience when it comes to Jon, in some cases, and that is so interesting. Using a character to try and work out some of your own problems on the page sounds daunting in theory, but Fraction makes it look easy. I can’t imagine wrestling with your own demons via proxy in front of thousands of readers’ own eyes.
The Art Of Sex Criminals #29
One thousand scholars could write one thousand pieces on why the art for Sex Criminals is so good, and none would ever be able to give Zdarsky the credit he deserves. There’s nothing that’s fun about drawing room-after-room of a man breaking the smallest, most insignificant parts of everything he sees.
It takes a level of vision that I’m not confident anybody whose name is not Chip Zdarsky could pull off. Take away all the words for the majority of this book, and it would still read perfectly.
What Do We Think About Sex Criminals #29?
It’s clear within the story itself that everything is coming to an end, and while that might be a bummer, this buildup for the last arc has been very satisfying and this issue was the highlight of that. It’s impossible not to hate Badal, so to see Jon finally get some sort of vengeance on him really hits the spot.
Who knows what the fate of Badal is at this moment, but imagining his reaction to seeing what Jon has done? Priceless.
