Ed Brubaker – The Master of Crime, Noir & Gritty Storytelling

Few writers have left a mark on modern comics like Ed Brubaker. Whether he’s redefining superheroes, crafting gripping crime dramas, or weaving intense psychological thrillers, his stories are sharp, character-driven, and impossible to put down.

A Legend in Crime and Noir Comics

Brubaker’s long-running partnership with artist Sean Phillips has produced some of the greatest crime comics of all time, delivering hard-hitting, morally complex stories that feel like the best noir films brought to the page.

Essential Brubaker (& Phillips) Reads

🔹 Criminal (with Sean Phillips) – The ultimate modern crime comic. A gritty, interconnected world of thieves, con artists, and killers where every choice has a price.

🔹 Reckless (with Sean Phillips) – A love letter to 1980s pulp thrillers, following Ethan Reckless, a fixer who takes on dangerous cases—often at great personal cost.

🔹 Pulp (with Sean Phillips) – A stunning one-shot blending Westerns and crime noir, following an aging pulp writer caught in a real-life thriller.

🔹 Fatale (with Sean Phillips) – A genre-bending mix of noir and horror, following an immortal femme fatale pursued by dark forces.

🔹 The Fade Out (with Sean Phillips) – A gripping Hollywood noir about secrets, murder, and the dark side of the Golden Age of film. A Team Walt Favourite!

🔹 Kill or Be Killed (with Sean Phillips) – A psychological thriller about a man forced to kill—or be killed—by a demonic entity. Another Team Walt Favourite!

🔹 Sleeper (with Sean Phillips) – A mix of espionage and superhero noir, following an undercover agent infiltrating a superpowered criminal organization. 

🔹 Captain America: The Winter Soldier – The definitive Cap run. Brubaker introduced Bucky Barnes’ return as the Winter Soldier, reshaping modern Marvel storytelling.

🔹 Gotham Central (with Greg Rucka) – A ground-level look at Gotham City’s police force, showing what it’s like to work in Batman’s shadow. And yet another Team Walt Favourite!

From hard-hitting crime sagas to revolutionary superhero arcs, Ed Brubaker’s work is must-read material for any serious comic fan. If you love intelligent, gripping, and stylish storytelling, this collection is for you.