Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Where the Body Was: The Masters of Neo-Noir Keep Pushing Boundaries
When thinking about the most prominent figures in neo-noir, names like Dennis Lehane, James Ellroy, or Craig Clevenger inevitably come to mind. However, it’s rare to see Ed Brubaker among those references. This could be due to the fact that his work hasn’t yet been adapted to the screen (though the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series will soon change that), or because his primary focus has been on comics. Despite this, Ed Brubaker stands out as one of the most intriguing storytellers of our era.
Ed Brubaker has spent over a decade in a creative state of grace. Reading any of his works immerses you in a world where he masterfully surprises readers with twists that are both unpredictable and logical. Beyond his skillful writing, what truly resonates is his humanistic approach to character development. Brubaker deconstructs traditional archetypes, imbuing them with authenticity. In his genre stories, characters are morally ambiguous, making them difficult to judge simplistically.
A hallmark of Ed Brubaker’s work is his frequent use of first-person narration. Though often viewed as an easy literary device, Brubaker uses it effectively, providing deep insights into his characters’ thoughts and motivations. This technique, a staple of the neo-noir genre, is always employed with purpose, adding layers of complexity to the narrative.
Examining Where the Body Was, one can see how Ed Brubaker has refined the elements that define his storytelling. While some may argue that Pulp is his most polished work, or that titles like Bad Weekend and My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies highlight his unique style through more contained stories, Where the Body Was stands as a turning point — a comprehensive and accessible summary of his career.
The inception of Where the Body Was began when Sean Phillips, Brubaker’s long-time collaborator, challenged him to write a love story. Brubaker took on the challenge, creating a narrative with subtle autobiographical elements and a strong sense of nostalgia. This story emerged from the creators’ desire to explore a theme that had not previously been central to their work — love in all its forms. By setting aside traditional crime plots, they crafted a narrative where the climax focuses on personal decisions rather than external influences, steering clear of the typical femme fatale archetype.
In Where the Body Was, much like in Fargo, the crime itself is of little importance. The story unfolds through a series of absurd events, driven by chance, yet it maintains a strong sense of realism. Achieving this balance is a challenge, and Brubaker does so with a natural, organic flow, avoiding the need for overly dramatic twists.
Where the Body Was is a multifaceted, non-linear narrative that breaks the fourth wall in a distinctly postmodern way. The characters speak directly to the reader as if recounting their story in a true crime documentary, reflecting on their actions with the wisdom of hindsight. This metalinguistic layer adds depth, particularly in its exploration of maturity and the rejection of binary thinking, more common in superhero comics. This blend of classicism and rebellion against mainstream conventions gives the story a unique edge.
Where the Body Was is a memorable gem in Brubaker’s and Phillips’s (whose art continues to possess an incredible ability to create iconic atmospheres in its simplicity and a perfect meticulousness in choosing shots) body of work. The dynamic duo continues to defy expectations, consistently delivering narratives that surprise and captivate. Just when you think you know what to expect, they shatter those expectations — an achievement few creators can claim.
