Crossed (comics)
Encyclopedia
Crossed is a comic book
written by Garth Ennis
and drawn by Jacen Burrows
for the first ten issues, and published by Avatar Press
. Follow ups Crossed: Family Values, Crossed 3D, and Crossed: Psychopath were written by David Lapham
. A web comic has also been produced.
and artist Jacen Burrows
. It began with Crossed #0 on August 27, 2008 and all 10 issues have been released.
The second series Crossed: Family Values is written by David Lapham
and drawn by Javier Barreno. Ennis described how this unusual situation for a creator-owned property came about:
The outbreak spread rapidly, apparently overwhealming the entire United States, and in all probability, the world, overnight. Law and order quickly broke down as police and military were infected or deserted their posts, Air Force One was destroyed midflight and the infected run amok, killing, raping and maining for fun. Jetliners were crashed into buildings, nuclear power plants were intentionally blown up and families and friends brutually butchered eachother with whatever weapons they could find.
The main story takes place ten months after the first outbreaks, with flashbacks to those events, as a small group makes their way to Alaska. In the belief that the low population before the outbreak will mean the are fewer Crossed to be avoided, also the Crossed's blood lust hampers their ability to look after themselves e.g. dressing for cold weather, not fighting each other when no victims are available etc.. However they encounter a small group who have a degree of self control and subsequently begin a long range hunt for the survivors.
In Family Values, the story centers on a religious family who escapes their Utah ranch to survive in a mountain compound led by the protagonist Addy's father, who, while being a strong leader against the Crossed, is a sexual predator who has routinely raped his daughters.
"3D" was written with the 3D effect in mind and is not available in a 2D format. The story follows SWAT veteran Lt. Hunt MacAvoy as he leads a rescue mission into the middle of crossed infected New York City to rescue a stranded human doctor.
In Psychopath, the story follows a group of survivors who pick up a man who understands the way the Crossed think, and is unbeknownst to them tracking a specific group of Crossed who killed a woman he had stalked prior to the outbreak and subsequently forced a relationship upon her as they survived. He is a psychopath and is killing members of the group as they discover his true nature, passing them off as the grisly acts of Crossed.
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Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
written by Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and drawn by Jacen Burrows
Jacen Burrows
Jacen Burrows is a San Diego born American artist best known for his work on various comic books from Avatar Press.-Biography:He graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1996 with a degree in Sequential Art...
for the first ten issues, and published by Avatar Press
Avatar Press
Avatar Press is an independent American publisher of comic books, founded in 1996 by William A. Christensen, and based in Rantoul, Illinois.Avatar initially published only mini-series; however, they have since begun to branch out...
. Follow ups Crossed: Family Values, Crossed 3D, and Crossed: Psychopath were written by David Lapham
David Lapham
David Lapham is an Eisner Award winning American comic book writer, artist, and cartoonist, best known for his work on his groundbreaking independent comic book Stray Bullets.-Biography:...
. A web comic has also been produced.
Publication history
Crossed is a creator-owned series from writer Garth EnnisGarth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and artist Jacen Burrows
Jacen Burrows
Jacen Burrows is a San Diego born American artist best known for his work on various comic books from Avatar Press.-Biography:He graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1996 with a degree in Sequential Art...
. It began with Crossed #0 on August 27, 2008 and all 10 issues have been released.
The second series Crossed: Family Values is written by David Lapham
David Lapham
David Lapham is an Eisner Award winning American comic book writer, artist, and cartoonist, best known for his work on his groundbreaking independent comic book Stray Bullets.-Biography:...
and drawn by Javier Barreno. Ennis described how this unusual situation for a creator-owned property came about:
Plot synopsis
The story follows survivors dealing with a plague that causes its victims to carry out their most evil thoughts and wishes. Carriers of the virus are known as the Crossed due to a cross-like rash that appears on their faces. This contagion is primarily spread through bodily fluids, which the Crossed have used to great effect by treating their weapons with their fluids.The outbreak spread rapidly, apparently overwhealming the entire United States, and in all probability, the world, overnight. Law and order quickly broke down as police and military were infected or deserted their posts, Air Force One was destroyed midflight and the infected run amok, killing, raping and maining for fun. Jetliners were crashed into buildings, nuclear power plants were intentionally blown up and families and friends brutually butchered eachother with whatever weapons they could find.
The main story takes place ten months after the first outbreaks, with flashbacks to those events, as a small group makes their way to Alaska. In the belief that the low population before the outbreak will mean the are fewer Crossed to be avoided, also the Crossed's blood lust hampers their ability to look after themselves e.g. dressing for cold weather, not fighting each other when no victims are available etc.. However they encounter a small group who have a degree of self control and subsequently begin a long range hunt for the survivors.
In Family Values, the story centers on a religious family who escapes their Utah ranch to survive in a mountain compound led by the protagonist Addy's father, who, while being a strong leader against the Crossed, is a sexual predator who has routinely raped his daughters.
"3D" was written with the 3D effect in mind and is not available in a 2D format. The story follows SWAT veteran Lt. Hunt MacAvoy as he leads a rescue mission into the middle of crossed infected New York City to rescue a stranded human doctor.
In Psychopath, the story follows a group of survivors who pick up a man who understands the way the Crossed think, and is unbeknownst to them tracking a specific group of Crossed who killed a woman he had stalked prior to the outbreak and subsequently forced a relationship upon her as they survived. He is a psychopath and is killing members of the group as they discover his true nature, passing them off as the grisly acts of Crossed.
Collected editions
- Crossed (240 pages, June 2010, softcover, ISBN 1592910904, hardcover, ISBN 1592910912)
- Crossed: Family Values (176 pages, Sept 2011, softcover ISBN 159291142, hardcover ISBN 1592911250)
Film adaptation
The series has been optioned for an independently-funded film, with Ennis writing the screenplay. It will be financed by Trigger Street Productions and produced by Michael De Luca, Jason Netter and Kevin SpaceyKevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
.
External links
- Crossed #0 Review, #1 and #4, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...