And now for something completely different. Matt Fraction cut his teeth on Marvel books but has since been straying into creator-owned fare, the most ahem unique being his collaboration with artist Chip Zdarsky. Sex Criminals has quite possibly the most insane high concept ever seen in comic books, a medium which once played host to Howard The Duck, a sentient mallard from a planet populated entirely by talking ducks. A series about to return with Zdarsky writing. Sex Criminals stars Jon and Suzie, a young couple who get together when they realise they have something very particular in common: when they orgasm, time freezes until they're ready to go again. Then they rob banks. Well, that's where it starts, anyway. After spending years alone in The Quiet (as Suzie calls it) or Cumworld (as Jon puts it), finding out somebody else shares their particular affliction puts the couple in an enviable spot. Then they find out they're not the only two in the world... Despite having such a ludicrous, high concept premise and the pair definitely go whole hog with that, Zdarsky filling porn shops with dirty punning titles and the first issues list of made up sexual positions being particular highlights the series frequently touches upon serious issues of sexuality, mental health, relationships and masturbation. And people wielding dildos like they're weapons.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
