Review by "ThingsLikeI"

There's nothing quite like a good heist story. Usually, tales like this one are told in movies and not comics, and so Remender's The Last Days of American Crime is pretty unique, especially since it is as much a science fiction story as it is a good crime book.

In this issue, Graham and his untrustworthy crew finally do the job they've been planning for the first two issues.  They must complete their heist of a computer that charges pre-paid credit cards before the government begins broadcasting a signal that makes it impossible for a person to commit a crime.  This has led to an absolute outbreak of chaos, as Americans indulge themselves in behaviour that they will not be able to do ever again.  Of course, nothing goes as planned, as Graham has to decide if Shelby, the beautiful woman that he is working with, is legitimately interested in him or is simply playing him.

Tocchini's art looks a little rough at the beginning of this book, but by the end he has regained his stride, and draws some very beautiful pages.  Remender's writing is always at its best when he is working on a title of his own creation, and it's nice to see him do projects like this while doing so much work at Marvel.

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Review by Andrea Speed

  ...We finally get the final issue, the issue where the heist goes down, and I must admit it was as action packed as I’d hoped for. Before we can get to the heist, though, there’s the little matter of Graham and Shelby being at the mercy of Enrique’s goons, who don’t seem to have all the cheese on their crackers, if you know what I mean. (And if you don’t, I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to guess. It’s too late for charades.)

The gang manages to escape, somewhat scathed, but they recover from the injuries in time to pull off their plan. There’s an added wrinkle of Graham and Shelby’s relationship, and Kevin, injured himself, is starting to suspect something’s up. Still, as battered as they are, the whole unit manages to pull together to pull off the robbery before the anti-crime signal is set off. It’s a fairly intricate plot, but they manage to pull off the heist … mostly. But there’s double crosses and a twist in the story that … well, frankly, I saw coming. I saw the end coming too, and in fact I found the stock ending to be kind of a let down. But if you set the ending aside, I really enjoyed this issue. I’m just sorry it took so long to come out.

The art by Tocchini is admittedly not my favorite style, but it works pretty well this issue. The inking seems a bit sharper, and the colors ride a line between muted and loud, usually only flaring up in appropriately bloody ways during violent sequences.

A solid mix between hard boiled crime and science fiction, the trade will probably be coming out fairly soon, and is worth a look if you missed it in issue form.

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Review by Leroy Douresseaux

In the crime comic book series, The Last Days of American Crime, the government is going to send out a mind-altering signal called the American Peace Initiative, which will make it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit any crime.  Secondly, the government is moving the entire economy from one based on paper currency to one based on a Federal charge card.

50-something petty thief and security guard, Graham Brick is plotting to steal one of the Federal charge card machines with his crew: Collins, an old pal; Kevin Cash, an acerbic safecracker; and Shelby Dupree, Cash’s girlfriend who handles the “computer stuff.”  Each of the four has his or her own secrets and own poisonous agenda, and new players are constantly entering their game.

As The Last Days of American Crime #3 opens, Graham and Shelby escaped Enrique’s clutches only to end up in the brutal hands of his goons.  Later, Kevin shows up worse for wear, and the heist is launched mere ours before the A.P.I. is to be activated, but the last crime in the history of America is not going down with a hitch or two.

THE LOWDOWN:  After a brief lull in the second issue, The Last Days of American Crime returns and ends with a bang and a couple dozen twists.  Creator/writer Rick Remender (Fear Agent) has created a crime comic book this is not only a lovely homage to heist movies, but also a very good read in its own right.  Greg Tocchini (1602: New World) will surprise readers with this last issue, as he depicts serenity about as well as he can scenes of harrowing bloody hell.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Crime fiction fans must have The Last Days of American Crime.

A-

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Review by "Troynos"

This is the third issue of three, which shipped bi-monthly, each issue oversized. And yes, you do need to read the other two to understand what is going on. And they are worth reading, trust me.

The basic premise is that the government has come up with a way to emit a broadcast that will prevent Americans from doing anything illegal. They're also doing away with paper money completely and it'll all be electronic.

Graham Bricke, in his 50s, is a small time thug. He's done time. He's an ex addict. He's looking for the last big score before the broadcast and all crime in the States is erased. He's figured out how to do it. He needs a hacker and some other help to switch out one of the boxes that will control the electronic money transfers. It'll skim a little off of it each time, and into his pockets.

He finds his team and then it begins.

It's fun watching Graham and his team; Collins, Shelby and Cash; work all the angles. Who's betraying who? Who's working which side? Who wants to be with who?

Throw in rioting and all the gangsters and thugs going nuts, getting it out of their systems so to speak, and the standard "what goes wrong will go wrong", and you have a very fun read.

It all comes together nicely in the end. And the final screw job is amazing. I didn't see it coming at all. The last angle being worked... wow...

What a great read.

Well written. Solidly and smartly paced and plotted. Great book.

And the art.. Tocchini's got a very loose and sharp style. It's messy, but not a chaotic messy. Controled, but not clean. Loosely detailed, but detailed when needs to be. It fits this story perfectly.

Read this series, that's all I can say.

The Last Days of American Crime #3 receives
5 out of 5

Great little series.

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Review by Chris Mautner

THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #3 by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini (Radical): Arguably — no wait, I take that back — defiantly the best book Radical has put out. This is the story I’d expect from Rick – but his storytelling in this has a sharper focus than usual, taking this caper comic and boiling it down to its essentials. And while artist Greg Tocchini has been in and out of American comics for years, whatever he’s doing here puts him into a whole new level and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a big name soon with work like this.

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Review by Matt C.

The Last Days of American Crime #3
...Remender and Tocchini have brought a terrifically thick and tasty slice of comic brutality and sexiness with each issue and the finale rounds off a brilliant modern crime read. As this series went on it became less about the premise and more about the characters as Remender shaped and moulded the relationships and interactions between Graham, Shelby and Kevin to produce a captivating read. I dare say that in terms of character-driven crime fiction this Radical series has outshone the recent Criminal: The Sinners work by Ed Brubaker which didn't ever have me truly immersed in the world that he was trying to portray. Last Days… on the other hand had sucked me in every time and even had me rooting for minor players in the story when the likelihood of them 'buying the farm' seemed to be a forgone conclusion. Tocchini's art has remained consistently brilliant with the colour scheme being a real eye catcher and I'll certainly be looking out for his future projects. Honestly folks, if you did miss this the first time round I highly recommend having a look at this when the collected version hits shelves as I found it to be one of the most entertaining crime reads that I think I've ever picked up.

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Review by Matt Duarte

As with the previous two issues, the folk at Radical Comics were kind enough to send me a copy of the conclusion of Last Days of American Crime. The series, created by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini, has been an enjoyable ride through the nastiest underbelly of the criminal world as crime is about to be completely stopped by a broadcast signal that makes it impossible for people to commit any wrong-doing. This issue has a lot to wrap up, so let’s see how it holds up. There may be some spoilers, but I’ll try to keep them to a minimum.

The series picks off exactly where the last issue left off, with our protagonists Graham and Shelby held at gun point by a gang that is looking for some vengeance. Needless to say, they make their daring escape in a flurry and orgy of violence. To tell the truth, I felt that this scene went on for longer that it needed to, as the leader of the gang explains why he does what he does, almost as if hunting for sympathy where there is none to be found. It just felt completely unnecessary, and could have been trimmed, but at least it segued into the aforementioned violence nicely enough, and it gave Greg Tocchini the opportunity to show off his skills. The scene is beautifully choreographed and laid out, and I can’t think of any other artist that portrays death and gore quite like Tocchini: It’s brutal, dirty, and overwhelming.

Eventually, Graham and Shelby reunite with Kevin, who just came back from his quest successful, if not somewhat more frustrated. “I keep missing out on all the fun” he says with a wry smile, as if knowing he is going to be taking center stage later in the book. All the while, we hear private conversations involving all three parties, with alliances and plans unraveling before our eyes. It’s a countdown to see who will betray who, and Remender does an increible job keeping the reader guessing what the final outcome will be. I like that the characters all seem to be flawed narrators, where the readers never knows if they are telling the truth or not, which is a rarity in comic book storytelling.

Twists and turns, backstabbing and double agents. I’m obviously not going to spoil how it all turns out, as you really need to read the whole thing to appreciate how well it plays out. It happens at midnight, when the broadcast has just gone on, and people are incapable of committing anything they believe to be wrong. Remender plays with what this means, particularly with a character that describes himself as a clinical sociopath. I’ve commented on previous reviews that I appreciated that Remender does not dwell too much on the science of the broadcast, and just focused on the people affected by it. He comes dangerously close to breaking that suspension of disbelief here (because if you think about it too much, it doesn’t make sense), but in the heat of the moment it comes off as a nice reveal and works within the story.

In the end, the story ends as you would expect it, but not through the path you would expect it to get there (if that makes any sense). Just when you think the story is done, and all you are getting is the epilogue, Remender keeps revealing more and more. It’s a happy conclusion as any of the characters are going to get and everything ties in nicely. If there’s one thing that worked against this series was the erratic schedule, with long delays between issues (originally was meant to come out every two months, but the last issue came out in April, and the one before that in December).

Verdict - Must Read. This is not a perfect issue (like I mentioned above, the first ten pages could have been shortened), but the heist scene is superbly done and more than makes up for it. The characters are compelling and keep you guessing just what is going to happen until the very last page. If you haven’t checked it out already, keep your eyes open for the collection, you won’t regret it.

Review by Cabernetfranc

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Article by Steve Sunu 

This week, Radical Publishing releases the final chapter in Rick Remender’s newest creator-owned crime epic, "The Last Days of American Crime." Centering around career criminal Graham Bricke, "Last Days" takes place in an America poised to eliminate crime by broadcasting a signal that makes it impossible for Americans to do anything illegal. At the same time, the government intends to issue plastic charge cards that replace paper currency. Unfortunately for the government, the news of the signal leaked, and all unsavory Americans are getting their dream crimes done with a full week to go before the broadcast. Now Graham, along with his two-man crew of weapons expert Kevin and computer hacker Shelby, must pull off the final great heist in the history of American crime: steal a station that charges the new currency cards and hack it to get unlimited funds in this brave new world of no crime. The final issue contains the crux of the heist, taking place the day before the broadcast goes live.

 

Remender’s "Last Days" may be wrapping this week, but it’s been a long time coming. According to the creator, the initial ideas for the series began about eight years ago. "It actually came to me around 2002," the writer told CBR News. "It was a little bit after 9/11 and everyone was still in a state of shock. There were a number of things that were alarming to me in regards to how much personal liberties we were willing to give up for the artificial sense of security that came with the government having a tighter hold on you, tapping your phone calls, all of these things that felt like Big Brother was no longer just an imaginary construct, but in fact was going to be a real world problem in America.

"I was sitting around one afternoon thinking about this stuff, I was watching a Fleischer Superman cartoon and some mad doctor had a mind control ray and I got to thinking, what if mind control was actually something the government had devised? What if they had figured out broadcasts that could neurally inhibit people from doing things? That’s pretty interesting because then the government could take that next logical step in controlling us for our own good, which is to make it impossible for us to do anything illegal."

As the writer continued his process, the seeds of "Last Days" began to take shape, both in terms of the world and the story. "I started writing down notes about this, just as an idea for something I was developing later on because I liked the idea of a government implementing a mind control device that was the natural next step of the Big Brother 1984 line of thought," he said. "I came up with a world where after 9/11, the attacks didn’t stop, but there were a number of successful dirty bomb attacks. It was a world a hair away from our own where all these things we were afraid would happen actually did happen and the government devised this mind control ray that they were going to implement and stop everybody from being able to do anything illegal.

"From there, I was initially going to write a story about a militia team that were going to go out and try to blow up some towers and it just didn’t really excite me," Remender continued. "I felt like I had a really high concept, a really great world stage and there were some things I wanted to say in that world, but that’s when the heist idea fell together. If this thing was announced, if the story broke and people discovered they had only a few more weeks to commit any crime, that’s a pretty interesting situation for a safecracker, for someone who’s there to get a score.

"The idea came to me in another line of thought where I had read some articles about how the governments would like to naturally transfer funds to electronic funds, so we all just have plastic cards that we use. Every transaction is trackable and every dollar can be taxed and everything is legitimate and above board. I came up with this idea where the government at the same time, the next logical step was to no longer honor paper currency, but to make this transition where everyone gets their own fiduciary debit card and all the money they make goes onto that card so that we no longer deal in paper money. That also opened up a pretty fun concept in that what these guys would actually be out to steal would be one of the machines that actually charges the cards. Basically, you have a box that could charge unlimited amounts of currency. It was basically not only do you have a two week window and the country’s going crazy the week of the crime, but if you succeed, you’ll have unlimited money for life."

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The Last Days of American Crime #3 was included  in the Weekly Comic Book Review's Top Picks list!

Last Days #3 was included in Dean's top picks as his most anticipated book for the week. He says:

"This week is just STACKED with books I’m looking forward to, but I’m very eager to see how Rick Remender wraps up his very original (and much delayed)  story set in a world where crime is about to be made impossible by futuristic technology."

Thanks, Dean!

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 Review by Sebastian Piccione

 

The only thing better than a mini-series that lives up to its potential in the last issue is a mini-series that blows well past that potential and into something truly great. The Last Days of American Crime is one of those mini-series.

With this final installment, Rick Remender leads us through a labyrinth of plot twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover. No small feat in a modern comic. Characters in this book change allegiances faster than the Italians in a World War. (It's Ok, my name is Sebastiano Francesco Piccione, I can make that joke). 

Greg Tocchini's art is simply stunning. Fluid, energized, and filled with powerful yet subtle looks and glances. Yeah, Tocchini can successfully draw a dramatic pause. How great is that?

As the clock counts down to a mind-controlled crime free America, our "heroes" have to fight off gangs, the cops, and each other to pull off the ultimate heist. And while I won't tell you who's left with the bag, I will tell you that the big pay-off belongs to the readers.

So good, that I just checked off the trade in my Previews order book. This goes on the shelf!

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 Review by Kris Bather

 

The finale in Radical’s latest bi-monthly offering has many things going for it. Sam Worthington’s attachment to the film version, writer Rick Remender’s (The Punisher, Fear Agent) high concept tale and Greg Tocchini’s eye melting art. Every issue of this series should come with a complimentary combination eye wash and brain soap. It’s dirty, but very entertaining. As with all good tales, it’s the central story idea that is the fundamental building block to a rollicking good time. Remender has not only a great concept, but the skills to build upon it.

The American Peace Initiative is a signal that will be broadcast America-wide, rendering all knowing criminal thoughts (and thus, activities) non-existent. Of course, it’s not necessarily a popular decision, with many leaving the Staes for Canada and Mexico, but for some opportunists they see the chance of a lifetime. Middle-aged Graham Bricke is one such man, and the focus of Last Days. The first two issues saw him form his team, consisting of lovers Kevin Cash and Shelby Dupree, as well as battle it out with Bricke’s former partner, Enrique.

This finale opens with a bloodied Graham and Shelby on their knees facing Enrique’s angry goons while their leader screams about his dead daughter. In case you’ve forgotten what kind of comic this is, the initial pages will “gently” remind you. With Bricke’s narration adding tension like a piano wire, it gets off to a good start and thankfully only gets better.

We learn about Bricke’s criminal past, his “flirtation” with an honest life and the motivation for this last job. With less seemingly random acts of violence Remender brings a laser-like focus in these 56 pages, and like any good heist film, makes the job one worth waiting for. Of course, there’s double-crossing, murder and the sense that you never really know what the outcome will be until the final page is turned, and when the broadcast goes out during the final few minutes of the job, it makes things even more interesting, and heightens my desire to see a faithful film adaptation. There is perhaps a tad too much exposition in the conclusion, but not enough that it ever gets distracting, and it doesn’t take away from the suspense and mystery from the entire series.

As much as Remender’s bloody fingerprints are all over this book, so are those of Tocchini. This is a series whose visual approach is as daring as its story. Tocchini’s pages could almost be the work of a team of artists, with inking, colouring and page layouts being a work of perfect tandem. He somehow manages to give scenes of flying fingers and bullet wounds an air of light-filled delicacy, maintaining an effective balance between dazzling beauty and bludgeoning brutality.

Radical prove again that they know what comics are capable of and are waiting for the other guys to catch up.

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In the age of Tarantino and Ritchie it’s unsurprising that this series was picked up, by producer/actor Sam Worthington, with such immediacy. With new concepts like this, Radical show that they know what it takes to make comics like the best examples of bold cinema.

"This is a well paced tale, with Bricke as the guiding force, but the scenes involving Kevin’s run-in with some local drug dealers, his visit to his unique and wealthy family, and Shelby’s kidnapping, (along with the possibility of backstabbing) means that this is a guaranteed page turner. With a world filled with hardcore characters in the Sin City realm, and the approach of a Hollywood blockbuster, American Crime is an intoxicating, if sometimes shocking, mix."

Read the full review at http://comicbookjesus.com/2010/05/01/the-last-days-of-american-crime-2-review/
 

From MTV Splash Page - Latest Interview with Sam Worthington discussing Last Days of American Crime

"We're putting ['Last Days of American Crime'] together as we speak," Worthington told MTV News. "The writer of the comic is actually doing his take on a draft. I thought that was a smart thing for me and my mates to get him to do, and we're looking for directors — a director who would be able to handle it." "We have many names, but it's too early to bring them up," he said. "My mate found it out of nowhere before the comic had even come out, so we jumped on it."

Go to 2:22

"The artwork in this first issue is outstanding. Tocchini has a great style that fits perfectly with this story. It is gritty and realistic. The colors and shading that he uses enhance the crime story genre in which this book is set. He completely captures the mood of the overall story as well as the characters in each situation.

Remender has given us a very compelling story. If you enjoy stories that examine things that are possible, with a hint of the future (I hope that it is not currently possible to create such a broadcast signal, but it's not beyond being plausible), you will enjoy this story. However, you also need to be able to enjoy violence and a bit of gore, and adult situations. I must admit that I was a bit turned off by those aspects at first, but the story did it's job – I am now asking “what happens next”. Seeing this story from the point of view of the criminals is certainly an interesting angle, and I think it is one that definitely works for this miniseries."

 

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"You've heard comics described as being "gritty and realistic" before, yes? Forget it. THIS is what's it suppossed to be like. You can actually feel the grit on these characters, smell the stale smoke and spilled beer. This is crime fiction at it's best. Remender totally immerses you in their world, and it's a hell of a ride. Tocchini's art is perfect. His use of color is bright and sharp without being clean or pristine. he literally shines a light into the dark recesses of society."

"This is hands down one of the best comics I've read in EVER. Check it out."

 

"There’s a lot of profanity here and a smattering of blood, and sex but Remender is putting all these pieces together like a chess master, making us readers wait for him to strike. This first issue (of a three ish bi-monthly series) is mostly set up, like the first 30 minutes of a classic heist film, but the bulk of the groundwork has been laid. I have a feeling next issue will consist of a lot of action, betrayal and a few bad decisions.

Greg Tocchini’s art works splendidly with Remender’s well paced script. After this, he’s sure to go places. With a painterly style that is hard to compare to anyone else (I’ll say it’s like a more detailed Phil Noto, but that’s not quite right), the artist knows when to use detail and when to approach pages with more subtlety. It’s simply a beautiful book, and Tocchini makes even bathrooms and bars look mundane yet somehow magical. See a huge preview here to get a glimpse.

Also included in this 64 page issue is a sketchbook section by Tocchini and an interview with Remender. Radical prove yet again that they know how to mix good looking books with grand concepts in a delicious cocktail."

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"Greg Tocchini toys with the tropes of film noir, casting the woman not as the femme fatale but as the cigarette-smoking lead with an enormous ... gun, and attitude to match. In the grimy mirror we catch the reflection not of a sultry "dame" but of a man. The homme fatale, perhaps?"

"In a recent IGN Comics Smash! podcast, the point was made that because there are no new stories, writers must perform a magic act in order to make the reader believe he is reading something new. Well, someone get Rick Remender a top hat and a wand because he accomplishes it in the down and dirty Last Days of American Crime. By infusing a classic noir heist with the tension of modern American politics, Remender gives us a great opening to a comic series – perhaps even on the level of Criminal or 100 Bullets.

Although the title character is a down and out hustler by the name of Graham, the commentary on American society is equally as important. The bar Graham visits has a vintage American flag in the backdrop. The television has reports of unrest and violence at America's borders. Even the mysterious woman Graham gets involved with wears a red dress and has white star tattoos on her torso. Because of increased domestic terrorism and crime, America is about to abandon paper money, which means for veteran criminals like Graham, these are truly the last days of American crime.

The cast of characters will be familiar to anyone who is a fan of crime drama. Graham is your typical hard boiled lead not unlike a Clint Eastwood or Lee Marvin character. The criminals he enlists, Kevin Cash and Shelby Dupree, are a dangerous couple similar to Bonnie and Clyde or a toned down Mickey and Mallory from Natural Born Killers. Yet the story doesn't feel unoriginal. Remender also has a great ear for natural, genuine dialogue that puts the comic ahead of the pack. Plus there's just something about a good heist that demands attention. There is a well-timed reveal at the end of the issue that will have readers eagerly anticipating the next installment. My one complaint is that it took an interview in the back of the book with Remender to learn some of the finer details about the political landscape of the series. I'm glad they included this, but I'd rather see it included in the actual story. Hopefully these points will be expanded upon next issue.

As excited as I was to discover Remender's talents, I was equally impressed with the kinetic and expressive artwork of Greg Tocchini. His art is reminiscent of Phil Noto, but has some of the fluid and dreamlike characteristics of James Jean. Shelby is the selling point of the series and her visage is beautiful and appropriate for the genre. The opening page which zooms out from Graham's eye and the fifth page where Graham lights his cigarette have a very strong cinematic feel. Other elements, such as the 2D smoke ring Shelby blows in Graham's face, are ones that can only be done in comic book form. Tocchini handles action sequences very well which suggests that he may have an animation background like Phil Noto. I will definitely look for his artwork in the future.

Although Remender has crafted a fine crime noir, it's the socio-political aspect that won me over. I hope he continues to explore the impact of America's political activities and provide enough twists and turns to counteract the implied bleak ending offered up on the opening page."

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GREG TOCCHINI talks about his artwork on THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME with COMIC BOOK RESOURCES

"It's time to break the bank with "The Last Days of American Crime" from Radical Publishing. Written by Rick Remender ("Punisher") and with art by Greg Tocchini ("1602: New World"), "Last Days" sets its sights on an America where the government plans to broadcast a signal that will affect the population's brains in such a way that it will prevent all its citizens from committing any crimes – and the last great heist of America is about to take place. "It's a crime history," says Tocchini. "All kinds of crimes, all pages have crimes happening. All the characters are bad guys, thieves and assassins. There is no good guy or hero. All scenes are strong, and you never know how it will end, or even if somebody will die."

Part of the draw of the project for Tocchini was getting to work with Remender. After being introduced to the artist by Rafael Albuquerque, Remender contacted Tocchini about working together. "Rick is one of the best writers that I know and have had the privilege to work with," Tocchini told CBR. "'The Last Days' is a fertile universe with plenty of amazing scenes and strong characters. It's easy to work under these conditions. All insights are a consequence of this."

Tocchini has worked on a number of different projects spanning Marvel's "1602" universe and the deep space adventures of DC's "Ion." However, "Last Days" presented a challenge for the artist to throw out the playbook for something markedly different. "I'm a lucky man when we talk about projects," he said. "I have drawn with great writers and creative teams. All these experiences helped me to create the visual universe of "Last Days". [The best part about working on "Last Days"] is all that freedom I have to create. You have to follow some guides when you make mainstream comics. Last Days gave me the possibility to just create without bothering with guides or rules."

This freedom gave the artist the chance to change his usual style and the result is a visually stunning universe for "The Last Days of American Crime." "The biggest challenge was all this artistic freedom that Radical Comics gave me," he said. "With all the freedom they gave me to work, I was able to transform all pages, to dedicate myself to do a good page design linked to the narrative, to lengthen scenes and effects. [I have] the same personal goal that I have always had when beginning a new project: Do my best. It is more difficult now because I'm testing everything I believe about drawing."

The testing that Tocchini mentioned takes place in a number of different ways. While much of the artist's process for "Last Days" simply involved research, ("At the beginning of every issue, after reading the script, my first job is collecting references," he said. "Therefore, I use fashion and architecture magazines, the internet and Google Earth. This last one I use very much, and I travel a lot around Los Angeles. And of course, all visual references we all collect during our lives.") the most marked change in "Last Days" is Tocchini's bold new art style. "First of all, I could escape from the traditional way [of illustrating]: pencil, inks and color," the artist said. "Instead, I could use watercolor to do the finals. This can open a new palette of hues, and the final picture will look like an animation scene. I could use the colors to fill all spaces and compositions and take off all that hatching I used to have in my art."

Even with his change in style, one thing Tocchini believes remains constant. "In comics, telling a good story is most important," he says. "Many things excite me in this project. The universe, working with Rick, and the artistic freedom are some of them, but what excites me the most is the story. I'm trying to do my best all the time and to express all my excitement on the pages. I want to tell an exciting history and catch the reader's eye. The feedback I'm receiving confirms that I'm achieving my goal."

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"CBR TV spoke with Rick Remender about his early indie comic days, his work on "Punisher" and "Doctor Voodoo," "The Last Days of American Crime" from Radical Comics, "Fear Agent" and more."

"Fans of Rick Remender's creator owned work should take note as his latest creator owned title, The Last Days of American Crime hits comic book stores with issue #1 on Wednesday. Ron hopped on the phone with Rick to hear more about the sci-fi/crime hybrd concept behind the book and the inspirations for it, the amazing art of Greg Tocchini as well as discussing the cover price and format of the book. Rick also shares some updates on the Hollywood interest in adapting the story into a movie."

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"Verdict - Buy It. It is an interesting concept that doesn't get weighed down by it's own ideas, instead it just concentrates on crafting an interesting heist drama, and developing morbid characters that interact with each other in unpredictable ways. Remender and Tocchini may very well have a hit in the making here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it adapted into other media."
 

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Craig from GrandLAN previews Radical's newest comic release, Rick Remender's The Last Days of American Crime #1 

A 3-part MANIA exclusive interview with THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME's Rick Remender

PART I:

"Few comics creators have enjoyed such a meteoric rise to prominence as Rick Remender. In spite of establishing himself early on as both a writer and an artist, it wasn't that long ago that he was primarily thought of as an inker on Marvel's 'Avengers' comics. Then, in 2005 the Remender revolution began. He reasserted himself as a creator, launching a fleet of creator owned books such as 'Sea of Red', 'Strange Girl' and 'Fear Agent' to name a few.

And last week, we reported that his latest effort was set to be adapted as a film with Remender writing the screenplay and actor Sam Worthington starring and producing. Remender talked exclusively with Mania about this exciting new comic from Radical Publishing called The Last Days of American Crime."

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PART II:

"Yesterday we presented part one of our interview with comics creator Rick Remender, who talked about his upcoming Radical Comics title The Last Days of American Crime.

The book is set in a near-future America which has been thrown into chaos over the news that the government is unleashing a mind-control device on its citizens that will prevent anyone from breaking the law. That's bad news to career criminal Graham Bricke, who has been planning a heist with a score that will offer him easy retirement. Bricke is forced to accelerate the timetable for his his scheme, and bring in an untested crew, including a not-to-be trusted Kevin Cash.

Radical Publishing is working on a very unique model, developing their comics simultaneously as film and TV projects, and including the comics creators in those other media ventures. In the previous interview, Remender told us about the book (due in stores in just a few weeks). In this installment he talks about the film prospects for The Last Days of American Crime."

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PART III

"Earlier in the week comics creator Rick Remender gave us the scoop on his new comic The Last Days of American Crime. In part two of our interview, Remender told us about developing the film version of that comic.

Of course, the prolific writer has a great many comics projects out there, all or which are attracting attention in Hollywood. We conclude our exclusive interview with talk of the film versions of Fear Agent, Sorrow and XXXombies to name a few. He also talks about next year's return of the Fear Agent comics."

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Hear the latest on what Rick Remender has coming up including THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME on sale December 23rd 2009

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"Scheduled for a December debut, The Last Days of American Crime is the latest in a long run of stories from the mind of Rick Remender. Remender, who worked for years as a comic book inker and storyboard artist on such things as The Iron Giant, really broke out as a comics writer several years ago with Fear Agent and Sea of Red. He's ridden that rising tide of success to other titles such as XXXombies and The End League, even becoming a regular writer at Marvel on such titles as Punisher and the upcoming Doctor Voodoo. But this series finds Remender back on his own turf telling his own stories, with help from publisher Radical and artist Greg Tocchini."

"Newsarama talked with the busy-writer from his California home for more."

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Interview with Rick Remender on THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME in USAToday.com

"From cover art to opening pages, Last Days hits readers with an unflinching dose of pulp noir seediness and doesn't let up. This dark world of criminals is one that Remender is comfortable writing about. "I'm drawn to that lifestyle, I suppose. I come from that background. I've never known any heroes, but I've known a lot of villains in real life. When you're at the bottom, you don't have a lot to lose. Writing from that perspective is more honest to me."

If it feels like you're watching an old-fashioned crime flick while reading the comic book, it should. The comic is actually serving as the screenplay for a movie that's already in pre-production. Hollywood up-and-comer Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar) will step into the role of safe-cracking sociopath Kevin Cash. He'll also assume the role of producer, along with his producing partner Michael Schwarz and Radical's president and publisher Barry Levine."

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Radical Publishing is excited to announce that Sam Worthington (Clash of the Titans and James Cameron’s Avatar) has signed on as both star and producer for the film adaptation of The Last Days of American Crime, based off of Radical Publishing’s comic book series, The Last Days of American Crime, created and written by critically acclaimed author Rick Remender (Punisher, Fear Agent). Sam Worthington will be a producer along with producing partner, Michael Schwarz, and Radical’s president and publisher, Barry Levine. Rick Remender will be the executive producer/screenwriter for the film and Radical’s Executive Vice President, Jesse Berger, will executive produce.

"Last Days of American Crime, a three-issue miniseries by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini beginning in December, examines the cultural shift of a country without crime through the eyes of a man who is very much willing to break the law. The series is published by Radical Comics, and the first issue will be 64 pages with issues #2 and #3 weighing in at 56 pages each. Every issue of “Last Days of American Crime” will retail for $4.99. CBR News caught up with Remender to discuss the project."

  

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Though not out until November, THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME is already one of my favorite new comics on the horizon. I've been checking out just about everything Rick Remender has been churning out lately. He's a writer with a strong sense of story and has a no bullshit way of filling his books to the brim with action. LAST DAYS is Remender's heist story, and what a heist story it is. Although in this preview, the details of said heist are only hinted at, the sense of urgency and dire circumstances pulses from every panel. The cool thing about this story is the sci fi angle. The government is about to unleash a brainwave mind-modulation thinger which makes it so all of America's citizens are unable to break the law. The deadline for the mind alteration is closing in, which forces our lead character to push the schedule up for a heist that guarantees he will be happy and loaded for the rest of his life. A winning plot, hard as nails dialog, and art by Greg Tocchini that that packs such a gut punch that you'll be peeing blood for a week after reading, THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME is what crime comics is all about.

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Rick Remender was recently intereviewed by the Robot 6 blog regarding his latest title, The Last Days of American Crime for Radical Publishing. In addition to the interview, Robot 6 showcases some of artist Greg Tocchini's work on the series

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/02/qa-rick-remenders-life-of-crime/

February 5th, 2009 – What if the U.S. government perfected a broadcast signal that could extinguish criminal thoughts? If you were a grifter with only 10 days before the signal went live, you’d find the crime of the century that you’d been planning suddenly transformed into the last crime in American history—if you can pull it off.

Radical Publishing is proud to announce its newest title for 2009,The Last Days of American Crime. Created and written by fan-favorite comics scribe Rick Remender, the series represents Radical’s first foray into the crime genre. Issue #1 hits the stands later this year, with illustrations by new breakout artist Greg Tocchini.

"The Last Days of American Crime is a story I've been itching to scratch for a few years now,” Remender says. “Fans of my creator-owned books Fear Agent or XXXombies will be right at home with this one. And Greg Tocchini is a powerhouse, one of the best artists I've ever worked with, a true future superstar. Radical is a perfect home for the project, so I'm having a blast."

Radical President and Publisher Barry Levine added, “As a longtime fan of the crime genre, I’m really excited by this. Rick presented me a premise that is so full of suspense and great action that I jumped on board immediately. Besides an amazing story, Greg’s art is just incredible—he’s exactly the kind of great young artist that I love discovering for our books.”

More details on The Last Days of American Crime will be revealed at Radical Publishing’s New York Comic-Con panel on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 5:15 p.m. in Room 1A07.


Winner of the Diamond Comics Distribution's Gem Award for Best New Publisher of the Year, Radical brings the best writing, storytelling and fully painted cover and interior art to the global comic book market, from prominent international talents such as YOSHITAKA AMANO, JOHN BOLTON, LUIS ROYO, JIM STERANKO, STEVE PUGH, WARREN ELLIS, ARTHUR SUYDAM, STEVE NILES, MARKO DJURDJEVIC, IAN EDGINTON, DAVID HINE, RICK REMENDER, JOSEPH KOSINSKI, NICK PERCIVAL, STEVE MOORE, SAM SARKAR, STJEPAN SEJIC, DAVE WILKINS, TOMM COKER, CLAYTON CRAIN, BILL SIENKIEWICZ, NICK SAGAN, CLINT LANGLEY, NICK SIMMONS, PATRICK REILLY, WETA WORKSHOP, ZOMBIE STUDIOS and many more.

Radical Publishing currently has production deals with Universal Studios, Spyglass Entertainment, PETER BERG's Film 44 and Radical Pictures for HERCULES; JOHN WOO's Lion Rock Productions, JOHNNY DEPP's Infinitum Nihil and Radical Pictures for CALIBER; and BRYAN SINGER's Bad Hat Harry Productions and Radical Pictures for FREEDOM FORMULA.

Rick Remender (Fear Agent) talked with MTV Splashpage's Rick Marshall to talk about The Last Days of American Crime, his upcoming Radical Publishing title. Read below and learn more about this unique new futuristic, crime adventure

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/02/03/exclusive-preview-rick-remender-explores-the-last-days-of-american-crime/