Sex Criminals, Vol. 4: Fourgy!

Sex Criminals, Vol. 4: Fourgy! by Matt Fraction
Illustrated by: Chip Zdarsky
Series: Sex Criminals #4
Collects: issues #16–20
Published: 2017
Length: 136 pages

I not sure why I keep reading these. After the initial premise was set up, the plot has really gone nowhere. There’s been some character development, and we’ve fleshed out the world a bit, but nothing is happening. It’s a bit frustrating because the character development is actually great. The relationships and the problems that come along with them have depth and feel genuine. A lot of the humour is still really on point, and Zdarsky’s art is great. It all feels a bit wasted, though.

I think they introduced too many characters too quickly, and now they’re scrambling to give them all attention. There’s an underdeveloped side plot with Rachelle and Robert which tries to deal with issues so heavy that it comes across as borderline exploitative. It’s there, I guess, to highlight the fact that Suzie has been so wrapped up in her relationship issues to be there for her friend, but it was a really lazy way to do that.

Unfortunately, they don’t seem to agree with me and are still introducing new characters. A central character for this volume was a guy with a fetish for women stepping on dolls, or anything really, and his power was to summon a small horde of these clay dolls, like less effective versions of the little Ash figures from Army of Darkness. This whole storyline was just not needed. The wiener jokes weren’t good enough to make this story worth it.

Maybe this will change if I keep reading, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend Sex Criminals at this point, which is sad as it has so much potential. The humour and art are great, it has a healthy and fun attitude towards sex, and I really like some of the characters, but it needs a plot. They’ve set up this strange world full of sex heroes and villains and have just been squandering it. I don’t even mean that we need action scenes. I just don’t want this series to be the two main characters breaking up and getting back together over and over with a ‘monster of the week’ sex fetish each volume.