Sex Criminals

Since publication, the series has continuously received critical acclaim. Nominated for two Eisner Awards in 2014 including Best Continuing Series and won Best New Series. In 2015, Matt Fraction made a deal with Universal Television to turn Sex Criminals into a television show, which ultimately entered development hell. A streaming series adaptation for Amazon Prime Video was announced in January 2026, with Imogen Poots and John Reynolds attached to star. According to the American Library Association, the hardcover release Big Hard Sex Criminals was the seventh most banned and challenged book in the United States in 2016, due to being considered sexually explicit.

• Schedule — Monthly • Ongoing — y • Crime — Genre • Publisher — Image Comics • Date — September 2013 – October 28, 2020 • Issues — 31 (and 1 special) • Main Char Team — Suzie Jon • Writers — Matt Fraction • Artists — Chip Zdarsky • Colorists — Becka Kinzie • Editors — Thomas K • Tpb — One Weird Trick • Isbn — 1-60706-946-6 • Tpb1 — Two Worlds One Cop • Isbn1 — 1-63215-193-6 • Tpb2 — Three the Hard Way • Isbn2 — 1-63215-542-7 • Tpb3 — Fourgy! • Isbn3 — 1-53430-231-X • Tpb4 — Five-Fingered Discount • Isbn4 — 1-53430-683-8 • Tpb5 — Six Criminals • Isbn5 — 1-53431-062-2 • Subcat — Image Comics

Suzie, a librarian, and Jon, an actor, meet at a party and end up sleeping together. Later, they are shocked to discover that they share the ability to freeze time when they orgasm. As their relationship develops and their sexual histories are explored, they decide to rob the bank where Jon works in order to save Suzie's endangered library.

In March 2013, Image Comics announced a sex comedy during the Emerald City Comicon. Later reports confirmed that it was intended for mature readers and would have Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky in the forefront. Films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Bridesmaids, and Jackass: The Movie were mentioned as touchstones for the comics, and Fraction himself confirmed in an interview that the works of Billy Wilder also inspired him deeply in writing. Fraction and Zdarsky had known each other for a short time before the book's creation. They communicated almost exclusively online and Zdarsky was the first to suggest a collaboration. Initially, Zdarsky wanted to write a book that was their take on fantasy, as they were fans of the genre. They felt it was underrepresented in comic books. Fraction responded with another idea, suggesting, "[W]hat if we do a sex comedy about a guy, who every time he ejaculates, stops time?" Zdarsky was tired from a business trip he was on and agreed to the idea without much thought. After continued communication, their idea began to grow until the book was published in September 2013. The book has gained a cult following and its fans refer to themselves as 'brimpers' after a sex position described in the first issue. A special issue, referred to as the "Sexual Gary Special," was released in September 2020.

In January 2026, it was announced that Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, and Tze Chun were developing a live-action adaptation of the comic, produced by LuckyChap Entertainment and Winter Coat Films for Amazon Prime Video. Nanjiani, Gordon, Chun, Fraction, and Zdarsky serve as executive producers of the series. In May 2026, it was announced that Imogen Poots and John Reynolds would lead the cast. Poots and Reynolds are set to play Suze and Jon respectively, with Nanjiani also set to appear in a recurring role. Nia DaCosta are announced as the director of the first and the last two episodes of the series, along with serving as an executive producer. In June 2026, Pamela Adlon and Ayden Mayeri joined the main cast, while BD Wong and Ashleigh Cummings were cast in recurring roles. In July 2026, Joseph Lee and Sunita Mani were cast in recurring roles.

• Title — Material collected — Publication date — ISBN — Diamond ID/Lunar Code • Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick — Sex Criminals #1–5 — April 2014 — JAN140558 • Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds One Cop — Sex Criminals #6–10 — February 2015 — OCT140654 • Sex Criminals, Vol. 3: Three the Hard Way — Sex Criminals #11–15 — June 2016 — OCT150608 • Sex Criminals, Vol. 4: Fourgy! — Sex Criminals #16–20 — September 2017 — JUL170876 • Sex Criminals, Vol. 5: Five-Fingered Discount — Sex Criminals #21–25 — August 2018 — JUN180239 • Sex Criminals, Vol. 6: Six Criminals — Sex Criminals #26–30, #69 — November 2020 — AUG200105 • Sex Criminals: The Complete Edition — Sex Criminals #1–30, #69 — March 2024 — 0124IM225

• Title — Material collected — Publication date — ISBN — Diamond ID • Big Hard Sex Criminals — Sex Criminals #1–10 — March 2015 — NOV140582 • Big Hard Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Deluxxxe — Sex Criminals #11–20 — January 2018 — NOV170713 • Big Hard Sex Criminals, Vol. 3: Deluxxxe — Sex Criminals #21–30, #69 — July 2021 — FEB210130