The Last Days of American Crime is an incredibly suspense-filled criminal comic. The warning on the cover does not lie, "Mature Readers" only please. The disgusting depths that this book goes to are not for youthful eyes. It is hard to describe the filthy feeling that pervades this story, its as if Remender has given you a ticket into the darkest corners of the underworld and you can't get off the ride until its over. Rape, torture, murder, and promiscuous sex in all of their cold variations drive the story and paint the panels. Tocchini's art is superb, his loose and colorful style adding real gravitas and grit to the backdrop.
Remender seems to let his pen trace the edge of the taboo and outre, slicing the "politically correct" and daring all to be offended. He seems to force his readers to the cliff of what they will accept, and then he shoves them off just as they were achieving balance. I admire his daring, but I wonder how much of his writing is tied down by this gimmick. Is he such a good author because of his extreme style and taste? or are his depictions of the bizarre and offensive a smokescreen to poor writing? For me, it's too early to say.
The Last Days of American Crime follows a nobody thug named Graham Burke as he tries to pull off one last heist. The American Government is taking paper money out of the equation in favor of Federally-Controlled electronic credits. Also, they intend to broadcast a signal country-wide that will effectively brain wash the populous, making it impossible for any citizen to knowingly break the law. In the last issue, Graham had to hire some new partners because the Mexican gang he was allied with double-crossed him (and he "burned" them for it). He hired Kevin (a safe cracking specialist) and his girlfriend Shelby (who knows her way around computers (and the bedroom *wink)). Kevin says he knows where to find a laser cutter, and he leaves Graham and Shelby to prepare for the heist. The problem is Graham's old partners want back in, and they are willing to do anything to get revenge.
Here are some predictions for next issue: So far, Kevin has been oblivious to Graham and Shelby's affair (seriously, they go at "it" every chance they get). But I don't think that he doesn't know. I am betting that Kevin put Shelby up to "it" in order to blindside Graham and take all the money for themselves in the end. If you don't smell the double-crossing coming, then you best open your nostrils.
Chad de Lisle is a newly married college student in Utah. He spends much of his day with his wife Hilary and their dog Bobby Dylan. He spends his weekends as a Dungeon Master for his friend's Dungeon's and Dragon's games.
His website:
http://www.resmirch.com/
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