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A review by unladylike
Sex Criminals, Volume 2: Two Worlds, One Cop by Matt Fraction
4.0
I took a long break between reading Vols. 1 & 2 of SexCrimz, thinking it would continue in roughly the same tone. It turns out I forgot most of the antagonists presence, roles, names, etc., and there wasn't really a recap in this volume. But the details of "Two Worlds, One Cop" arc are nearly inconsequential in this book compared to the focus on mental health struggles.
Personal disclosure: I finally started seeing a therapist a couple months ago. After 8 or so session hours, they had listened to me open up a lot, but hadn't given me any direct prompts/suggestions/homework, as that isn't their preferred method. I was struck hard by how, in just a few panels of this comic book, we see an obscenity-screaming protagonist fire his long-term therapist, meet a new one in the food court of a mall, and is given good, helpful reminders and assignments before their first official appointment. I felt my expression mirror that of Jon's in that scene: jaw dropped, reminded of wisdom already known (that our brains are organs in need of flowing red blood cells and our bodies' health are integral to psychological issues, so getting regular exercise is damn important), and the welcome shock of getting productive feedback in addition to an open ear, and in a way that doesn't overextend itself to projecting, diagnosing, or prescribing things willy-nilly. The next day, I shared this comic book scene with my own therapist and it helped me ask for some structure and similar prompts that I feel I need in order to remain accountable to my desires for myself. Phew. That's some real heart-opening in this hurr comic book review, but it's appropriate because Sex Criminals demands authentic examination of common struggles that "civilisation" has deemed impolite or taboo.
Fraction and Zdarsky's Sex Criminals is one of the most *important* comics being made, even though it's not full of great diverse representation or fast-moving, compelling action.
Personal disclosure: I finally started seeing a therapist a couple months ago. After 8 or so session hours, they had listened to me open up a lot, but hadn't given me any direct prompts/suggestions/homework, as that isn't their preferred method. I was struck hard by how, in just a few panels of this comic book, we see an obscenity-screaming protagonist fire his long-term therapist, meet a new one in the food court of a mall, and is given good, helpful reminders and assignments before their first official appointment. I felt my expression mirror that of Jon's in that scene: jaw dropped, reminded of wisdom already known (that our brains are organs in need of flowing red blood cells and our bodies' health are integral to psychological issues, so getting regular exercise is damn important), and the welcome shock of getting productive feedback in addition to an open ear, and in a way that doesn't overextend itself to projecting, diagnosing, or prescribing things willy-nilly. The next day, I shared this comic book scene with my own therapist and it helped me ask for some structure and similar prompts that I feel I need in order to remain accountable to my desires for myself. Phew. That's some real heart-opening in this hurr comic book review, but it's appropriate because Sex Criminals demands authentic examination of common struggles that "civilisation" has deemed impolite or taboo.
Fraction and Zdarsky's Sex Criminals is one of the most *important* comics being made, even though it's not full of great diverse representation or fast-moving, compelling action.