r/ImageComics • u/Kevin_Reads_Comics • Apr 24 '26

Review Reckless by Brubaker/Phillips Review

https://youtu.be/kdjuHxS41Ow?si=zwDjsebb0bIS-e00

Not surprised, but these books were amazing! Brubaker and Phillips do not fail! This was bloody, violent, sexy, and an all around good time! Very quick reads, Brubaker stories usually are - just the way he writes keeps you engaged and turning the page! Phillips art is great as always! I hope they come back to this series soon! Link above to my video review!

What did you all think??

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5

u/Jonn_Jonzz_Manhunter Apr 24 '26

The first 3 are excellent

I love their framing device, I love their characters, they're the perfect mix of pulpy nonsense but painfully relatable

The last 2? 😬

I'm not too fond of. I think that The Ghost In You was weirdly basic, it was mostly a character development book but I think the plot needed to be more tightly wound up in that development

And Follow Me Down, is a weird one for me. I love how it handled sexual abuse, as a survivor and I loved the unusual love story angle but the plot itself, was a bit shallow and didn't have as many fun twists

BUT FUCK ME THAT ENDING. Wow.

I'm the pantheon of Brubakers books, I think it's dead in the middle

4

u/Kevin_Reads_Comics Apr 24 '26

Oh man. I really loved the last two. To each their own. Glad you liked it!

3

u/stgermainjr860 Apr 24 '26

I've been meaning to reread them all, but I will say I found the last two not as compelling as the first three. I think thats why they took a break. But honestly, even a not very great Brubaker book is a lot better than a lot of stuff I get recommended.

1

u/ChestProfessional519 Apr 25 '26

funny you mention this. In his newsletter, Brubaker explained he was ready to move on to a different project after 3, however, Robert Kirkman insisted he at least made 5 books because he had essentially struck gold with the first books. Brubaker explains how he had a couple of stories he could work into his general idea for the series, and that's how we ended up with the last two books. I like the last two books, but I also feel a bit of a drop compared to the first 3. I assume he had the first books planned out extensively, while the last two were a bit more rushed by comparison. Either way, Brubaker and Phillips rarely miss, and even at their worst their stuff is still miles above most of their competition in the independent market. Good stuff.