Prime Video's Criminal: A Deep Dive into the Acclaimed Comic Book Series

The Origins of Criminal and Its Adaptation

Criminal, based on the acclaimed comic book co-created by Ed Brubaker, receives a series order from Prime Video. Brubaker is a comic book author known for writing several key arcs for Marvel Comics, including creating the character of the Winter Solider. Criminal, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips, is a graphic novel series that explores various interconnected characters and storylines within the criminal underworld. The comic adaptation opened its writers room in early 2023, though the project was interrupted by the WGA strike, which ended in September 2023. Now, Criminal has received a series order from Prime Video and is being fast-tracked at Amazon, according to Deadline. Brubaker, who wrote the screenplay for the pilot episode, will serve as the co-showrunner alongside Jordan Harper, a crime fiction author also known for producing the TV series Hightown and Gotham. Brubaker and Nick Pepper, an executive at Amazon MGM Studios, shared the following statements:

The Criminal comic book series

Brubaker: Sean and I have been building this world in our books for over a decade, and now to be able to bring it to life for Amazon is just incredible. And to have Amazon support the project the way they have, and show so much faith in my and Jordan’s vision for the show is even more incredible.

Pepper: Criminal is a beloved graphic novel created by the most iconic team in the history of comics. I know our global Prime Video customers will immediately embrace this story, and I look forward to working with Ed, Jordan, and the team to bring it to the screen. Since 2019, Pepper has championed bringing Criminal to Amazon.

The World of Criminal: A Closer Look

The Criminal comic book series can be described as an interconnected universe of crime stories, or as Brubaker explained in a 2019 interview with Deadline: Criminal tells the interweaving saga of several generations of families tied together by the crimes and murders of the past. Each story arc in the graphic novel series focuses on a different character within the criminal underworld and their experiences, including Leo Patterson, Tracy Lawless, Teeg Lawless, Gnarly, and Danica Briggs. These storylines often revolve around heists, double-crosses, and the gritty, morally ambiguous underworld of crime. In terms of overarching themes, the series serves as a contemplation of the conventions found within the crime genre itself, while still maintaining a sense of realism and believability. The Criminal comic book series has received critical acclaim for its compelling characters, intricate plots, and realistic depiction of the crime genre. As a result, the graphic novel series has won multiple Eisner Awards, the comics industry's equivalent to the Academy Awards. With its co-creator Ed Brubaker on board as a co-showrunner, Prime Video's Criminal series should receive similar acclaim if adapted accurately, similar to The Boys.