AmericanComics writerAward winnerNoir writer

Ed Brubaker

Ed Brubaker is an American comic book writer, cartoonist, and screenwriter renowned for his crime fiction and noir contributions, superhero character reinventions like the Winter Soldier, and multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards.

1. Overview

Ed Brubaker (Ed Brubaker/ˈbruːbeɪkər/English; born November 17, 1966) is an American comic book writer, cartoonist, and screenwriter renowned for his profound contributions to the crime fiction and noir genres within the comic book medium. His distinctive narrative style is characterized by a gritty realism, complex plotting, and nuanced explorations of human psychology, often delving into the darker undercurrents of society. Brubaker's career began with semi-autobiographical independent works, evolving to critically acclaimed runs on major superhero titles for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, before establishing a highly successful array of creator-owned projects, primarily with Image Comics. He is widely recognized for his long-standing collaboration with British artist Sean Phillips, which has yielded a significant body of work that has redefined modern crime comics. Brubaker's impact extends to his innovative character reinventions, most notably the creation of the Winter Soldier identity for Bucky Barnes in his acclaimed run on Captain America. His work has garnered numerous accolades, including multiple Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards, solidifying his status as a pivotal figure in contemporary comic book storytelling. Beyond comics, Brubaker has contributed to film and television, adapting his unique narrative voice to other visual mediums.

2. Early Life

Ed Brubaker spent a significant portion of his early life in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, due to his father being a Navy intelligence officer. This unique upbringing provided a backdrop for his early experiences. From a young age, Brubaker was an avid reader of comic books, with titles like Captain America and stories featuring his sidekick, Bucky Barnes, leaving a lasting impression. He identified with Bucky Barnes as a "Navy brat" himself, contrasting with Bucky's "Army brat" designation. Brubaker was particularly struck by the unceremonious death of Bucky Barnes in The Avengers #4, a detail he found horrifying as a nine-year-old, believing such a significant character deserved a more dramatic demise. This early encounter with the character's fate would later influence his seminal storyline involving the Winter Soldier. Brubaker's uncle was the notable screenwriter John Paxton, further connecting him to the world of storytelling.

3. Career

Ed Brubaker's career in the comic book industry spans decades, marked by a progression from independent and alternative comics to influential runs on major superhero titles, and ultimately, a highly successful focus on creator-owned works that have redefined the crime and noir genres.

3.1. Independent and Early Comics

Brubaker began his professional journey as a cartoonist, both writing and drawing. His early works included Pajama Chronicles for Blackthorne Publishing and Purgatory U.S.A. for Slave Labor Graphics, alongside various short stories for small-press anthologies. His most recognized work from this period is Lowlife, a semi-autobiographical series initially published by Caliber Comics and later by Aeon Press. For Caliber, Brubaker also co-edited the anthology Monkey Wrench.

In 1991, Brubaker ventured into crime stories with "An Accidental Death" for the Dark Horse anthology series Dark Horse Presents, a collaboration with artist Eric Shanower that earned them an Eisner Award nomination in 1993. He continued to contribute to Dark Horse Presents, including a Godzilla short story and another "Lowlife" tale titled "At the Seams," which explored a romantic triangle from multiple perspectives and was nominated for an Ignatz Award in 1997. His experimental work Detour #1, though only a single issue, was nominated for a Harvey Award for "Best New Series" in 1998. Brubaker's last independent comic work before his significant move to Image Comics in 2012 was "The Fall," a five-part story illustrated by Jason Lutes, collected as a one-shot by Drawn & Quarterly in 2001. In 2004, IDW Publishing announced Black Sails, a pirate-themed creator-owned series with artist Sean Phillips, but the project was eventually shelved in favor of Criminal.

3.2. DC Comics

Brubaker's entry into the major American comic book publishers began in 1995 when DC Comics approached him to write Vertigo Visions: Prez for its mature readers imprint, Vertigo. This one-shot, a political satire revamping the 1970s character Prez, was his first work for a major publisher. After several rejected pitches, Brubaker found success with Scene of the Crime in 1999, a detective story set in San Francisco that marked his first collaborations with artists Michael Lark and Sean Phillips. The series received critical acclaim and drew the attention of Hollywood producers.

In 2000, Brubaker signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics and began writing mainstream superhero titles. He took over Batman with issue #582, contributing to major crossover storylines like "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" and "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive". He also had a brief run on Detective Comics. In the same year, he launched his second creator-owned series for Vertigo, the science fiction title Deadenders, which ran for 16 issues. His final work for Vertigo was Dead Boy Detectives, a four-issue The Sandman spin-off.

A significant turning point at DC was Brubaker's collaboration with artist Darwyn Cooke in 2001 to revamp Catwoman. Their work began with the "Trail of the Catwoman" serial in Detective Comics and continued into a new Catwoman series, which Brubaker wrote until 2005. This run revitalized the character, making her more popular than ever. During this period, a planned crossover between DC's Batman and Marvel's Daredevil, which Brubaker discussed with Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis, was ultimately rejected by DC Publisher Paul Levitz.

In 2002, Brubaker began working for Wildstorm, another DC imprint, with the five-issue Wildcats spin-off Point Blank. This series set the stage for Sleeper, his collaboration with Sean Phillips. Sleeper followed Holden Carver, a secret agent undercover in a supervillain organization, and despite critical acclaim and fan support, it underperformed commercially. Brubaker even organized an arm wrestling competition to promote the series, offering free signed comics to those who could beat him. Sleeper later participated in the "Coup d'Etat" crossover, leading to The Authority: Revolution, which explored the ramifications of the superhero team the Authority taking over the United States.

Brubaker's last major project at DC was Gotham Central, co-created with writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark. The series focused on the Gotham City Police Department and was highly praised for its realistic portrayal of police work in a superhero world. However, Brubaker and Lark eventually left the series due to exclusive contracts with Marvel, leading to its cancellation in 2006.

3.3. Marvel Comics

Brubaker (left) at a Midtown Comics book signing in Manhattan with fellow writers (seated left to right) Christos Gage, Matt Fraction and Brian Michael Bendis
Brubaker (left) at a Midtown Comics book signing in Manhattan with fellow writers (seated left to right) Christos Gage, Matt Fraction and Brian Michael Bendis


Ed Brubaker's tenure at Marvel Comics began in 2005 with the fifth volume of the Captain America series, working with artist Steve Epting. This run became one of his most celebrated, introducing new villains and famously resurrecting Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier. The series was a commercial and critical success, with its most impactful storyline involving the assassination of Steve Rogers and the subsequent passing of the Captain America mantle to Bucky Barnes. Brubaker wrote Captain America for eight years, from November 2004 to October 2012, including spin-off titles like the 2009 mini-series Captain America: Reborn (which saw Rogers' return), the eight-issue The Marvels Project, and Secret Avengers, an ongoing series formed after the "Siege" crossover.

In 2006, Brubaker's workload at Marvel expanded significantly. He wrote Books of Doom, a limited series with Pablo Raimondi that retold Doctor Doom's origin, and X-Men: Deadly Genesis with Trevor Hairsine, which retconned the origins of the 1975 All-New, All-Different X-Men team. Following Deadly Genesis, Brubaker became the regular writer for Uncanny X-Men. He also took over Daredevil, collaborating again with Michael Lark to explore the ramifications of the character's imprisonment that concluded Brian Michael Bendis's run. Another notable launch in 2006 was The Immortal Iron Fist, an ongoing series co-written by Brubaker and Matt Fraction.

Also in 2006, Brubaker and Sean Phillips launched their first creator-owned series, Criminal, under Marvel's Icon imprint. This title received widespread positive reviews, with its first arc, "Coward," winning the 2007 Eisner Award for Best New Series. In 2008, after two volumes of Criminal, they launched another Icon title, Incognito, which Brubaker described as a "brutal noir twist on the super-hero/super-villain genre" about an amoral super-powered individual forced into witness protection.

In February 2010, Captain America #602 sparked a controversy when it depicted anti-tax protesters, perceived by some as a Tea Party group, characterized by the Falcon as exclusively white and racist. Brubaker and Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada apologized, explaining that a slogan "Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!" was inadvertently added by the letterer and not in Brubaker's script. Brubaker later revealed he received death threats following the incident.

3.4. Image Comics and Creator-Owned Work

In January 2012, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips launched Fatale at Image Comics. Initially planned as a twelve-issue maxi-series, its critical success led to it being upgraded to an ongoing title. Critics like Jesse Schedeen of IGN praised it as potentially the best of their collaborations.

In October 2013, Brubaker signed a five-year exclusive contract with Image Comics, an arrangement he had long desired, which allowed Image to publish any comic he brought to them without a formal pitch process. The first series released under this contract was The Fade Out, a Hollywood period piece created with Sean Phillips.

Other significant projects for Image Comics include Velvet, a spy series illustrated by his Captain America collaborator Steve Epting. Brubaker noted that Velvet was conceived after a television pitch for the concept was rejected, with producers demanding a younger, less experienced female lead, which Brubaker found "appalling."

His prolific collaboration with Sean Phillips at Image has continued to define his modern output, including:

  • Criminal (moved to Image in 2016, with new one-shots and an ongoing series in 2019)
  • Kill or Be Killed (2017-2018), a 20-issue series about an art student turning into an antihero, described as Death Wish meets Breaking Bad.
  • Reckless (2020-2022), a series of original graphic novels set in 1980s Los Angeles, following former FBI agent Ethan Reckless. Brubaker aimed to reinvent the pulp hero genre by removing the "blatant racism and sexism" prevalent in earlier works, finding inspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic as an escape.
  • Friday (2021-2024), co-created with Marcos Martín and Muntsa Vicente, initially a digital comic on Panel Syndicate, later re-released by Image.
  • Standalone graphic novels such as Pulp (2020), Night Fever (2023), Where The Body Was (2024), and Houses Of The Unholy (2024), all with Sean Phillips.

4. Film and Television Work

Ed Brubaker has extended his narrative talents to the film and television industries. In March 2009, his web series Angel of Death premiered on Crackle. He made a cameo appearance in the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier, based on his comic book storyline, playing the Winter Soldier's handler.

In 2016, Brubaker joined the writing staff for HBO's critically acclaimed series Westworld, co-writing the episode "Dissonance Theory" with Jonathan Nolan. In 2019, he partnered with director Nicolas Winding Refn as an executive producer and co-writer for Too Old to Die Young, a 10-part neo-noir miniseries for Amazon.

Further expanding his television work, in 2022, Brubaker was announced as the head writer and executive producer for the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader. In 2023, it was revealed that his comic book series Criminal, created with Sean Phillips, was in development as a television series for Amazon Prime Video, with Brubaker serving as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. In 2024, the series was officially ordered, with Jordan Harper joining as co-showrunner and Phillips as executive producer.

5. Personal Life

Ed Brubaker resides in Seattle with his wife, Melanie.

6. Awards and Nominations

Ed Brubaker has received extensive recognition throughout his career for his writing and contributions to the comic book industry.

6.1. Awards

  • 2003 Prism Award for "Disguises" from Catwoman #17-19
  • 2004 GLAAD Media Awards - Outstanding Comic Book for Catwoman
  • 2006 Harvey Award - Best Writer for Captain America
  • 2007 Eisner Award - Best Writer for Daredevil, Captain America, Criminal
  • 2007 Eisner Award - Best New Series for Criminal (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2007 Harvey Award - Best Writer for Daredevil
  • 2008 Eisner Award - Best Writer for Captain America, Criminal, Daredevil, and Immortal Iron Fist
  • 2010 Eisner Award - Best Writer for Captain America, Criminal, Daredevil, The Marvels Project, Incognito
  • 2010 Eisner Award - Best Single Issue for Captain America #601 (with Gene Colan)
  • 2011 Scream Award - Best Comic Book Writer for Captain America, Captain America: Reborn, The Marvels Project, Steve Rogers: Super Soldier
  • 2012 Eisner Award - Best Limited Series or Story Arc for Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2015 Eisner Award - Best New Series for The Fade Out (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2016 Eisner Award - Best Limited Series for The Fade Out (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2019 Eisner Award - Best Graphic Album-New for My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies (with Sean Phillips)

6.2. Nominations

  • 1993 Eisner Award nominee - Best Writer-Artist Team for "An Accidental Death"
  • 1997 Ignatz Award nominee - Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection for At the Seams
  • 1998 Harvey Award nominee - Best New Series for Detour
  • 2000 Eisner Award nominee - Best Writer for Scene of the Crime
  • 2000 Eisner Award nominee - Best Mini-Series for Scene of the Crime
  • 2007 Eisner Award nominee - Best Continuing Series for Daredevil (with Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano)
  • 2007 Eisner Award nominee - Best Continuing Series for Captain America (with Steve Epting)
  • 2010 Eisner Award nominee - Best Limited Series or Story Arc for Incognito (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2013 Eisner Award nominee - Best Continuing Series for Fatale (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2013 Eisner Award nominee - Best New Series for Fatale (with Sean Phillips)
  • 2013 Eisner Award nominee - Best Writer for Fatale

7. Bibliography

Ed Brubaker's extensive comic book bibliography showcases his versatility and deep engagement with various genres, particularly crime and noir, across multiple publishers.

7.1. Early and Independent Works

  • Blackthorne Publishing:
    • Pajama Chronicles (script and art, one-shot, 1987)
    • Gumby 3-D #4 (as artist, written by Art Clokey, 1987)
  • Purgatory U.S.A. (script and art, one-shot, Slave Labor Graphics, 1989)
  • Rip Off Press:
    • Rip Off Comix #28: "Love and Fear" (script and art, anthology, 1990)
    • All Shook Up: "Reflecting on an Earthquake" (script and art, anthology one-shot, 1990)
  • Caliber:
    • Lowlife #1-2 (script and art, 1991)
      • Three more issues (written and drawn by Brubaker) were published by Aeon Press as Lowlife #3-5 (1993-1996)
      • Stories from all five issues in rearranged order are collected as A Complete Lowlife (trade paperback, 112 pages, Black Eye, 1997, ISBN 1-891830-20-1)
    • Monkey Wrench: "Almost Like Wisdom" (with Brian Sendelbach, anthology one-shot co-edited by Brubaker and Josh Petrin, Iconografix, 1992)
  • Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse):
    • "Burning Man" (with Mike Christian, in #50, 1991) collected in The Best of Dark Horse Presents Volume 3 (trade paperback, 120 pages, 1993, ISBN 1-878574-81-7)
    • "An Accidental Death" (with Eric Shanower, in #65-67, 1992) reprinted as a one-shot as An Accidental Death (Fantagraphics Books, 1993)
    • "Here and Now" (with Stefano Gaudiano, in #96-98, 1995)
    • "Bird Dog" (with Patrick McEown, in #100-4, 1995)
    • "Godzilla's Day" (with Dave Cooper, in #106, 1996) collected in Godzilla: Age of Monsters (trade paperback, 272 pages, 1998, ISBN 1-56971-277-8)
    • "Lowlife" (script and art, in #113-115, 1996) reprinted as a one-shot as At the Seams (Alternative Comics, 1997)
    • "The Fall" (with Jason Lutes, in #131-135, 1998) reprinted as a one-shot as The Fall (Drawn & Quarterly, 2001)
  • Real Stuff (as artist, written by Dennis Eichhorn, anthology, Fantagraphics Books):
    • "Sixth Player" (in #9, 1992)
    • "The Guy Who Wanted to Be Friends" (in #13, 1993)
  • Madman Adventures (as artist, jam cover for the collected edition, trade paperback, 66 pages, Tundra, 1993, ISBN 1-56862-014-4)
  • Wiindows #21 (cover illustration, Cult Press, 1994)
  • Northwest Cartoon Cookery: "Food, Glorious Food" (as artist, written by Dennis Eichhorn, anthology one-shot, Starhead Comix, 1995)
  • Oh That Monroe: "The Homo Test" (co-written by Brubaker and Jon Lewis, art by Sam Henderson, anthology one-shot, Wow Cool, 1995)
  • Alternative Comics:
    • Detour #1 (of 3 - discontinued after the debut issue) (script and art, 1997)
    • Urban Hipster #1-2 (as "continuity editor"; written and drawn by Greg Stump with David Lasky, 1998)
  • Small Press Expo '97: "Mysteries?" (script and art, 1-page story in the anthology one-shot, CBLDF, 1997)
  • Oni Double Feature #5 (script and art, untitled 1-page story in the anthology, Oni Press, 1998)
  • Astronauts in Trouble: Cool Ed's (as "assistant editor"; written by Larry Young, drawn by Charlie Adlard, one-shot, AiT/Planet Lar, 1999)

7.2. DC Comics Works

7.2.1. Vertigo

  • Vertigo Visions: Prez (with Eric Shanower, one-shot, 1995) collected in Prez: The First Teen President (trade paperback, 224 pages, 2016, ISBN 1-4012-6317-8)
  • Gangland #3: "Small Time" (with Eric Shanower, anthology, 1998) collected in Gangland (trade paperback, 112 pages, 2000, ISBN 1-56389-608-7)
  • Scene of the Crime (with Michael Lark):
    • Scene of the Crime (trade paperback, 112 pages, 2000, ISBN 1-56389-670-2; hardcover, 128 pages, Image, 2012, ISBN 1-60706-632-7) collects:
      • Vertigo: Winter's Edge #2: "God and Sinners" (anthology, 1999)
      • Scene of the Crime #1-4: "A Little Piece of Goodnight" (1999)
    • 9-11 Volume 2: "Still Life" (anthology graphic novel, 224 pages, 2002, ISBN 1-56389-878-0)
  • Deadenders (trade paperback, 392 pages, 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3480-1) collects:
    • Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3: "The Morning After" (with Warren Pleece, anthology, 2000)
    • Deadenders #1-16 (with Warren Pleece, 2000-2001)
  • The Sandman Presents: The Dead Boy Detectives #1-4 (with Bryan Talbot, 2001) collected as The Sandman Presents: The Dead Boy Detectives (trade paperback, 104 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1855-5)

7.2.2. DC Universe

  • Batman (with Scott McDaniel, James Tucker + Stefano Gaudiano (#600) and Sean Phillips (#603); issues #606-607 are co-written by Brubaker and Geoff Johns, 2000-2002) collected as:
    • Batman by Ed Brubaker Volume 1 (collects #582-586 and 591-597, trade paperback, 320 pages, 2016, ISBN 1-4012-6065-9)
      • Includes the Batman: Our Worlds at War one-shot (written by Brubaker, art by Stefano Gaudiano, 2001)
    • Batman by Ed Brubaker Volume 2 (collects #598-607, trade paperback, 288 pages, 2016, ISBN 1-4012-6485-9)
    • Batman: Bruce Wayne - Murderer? (includes #599-602, trade paperback, 624 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-4012-4683-4)
    • Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive (includes #603-607, trade paperback, 432 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-4012-4682-6)
  • Batman: Turning Points #2 (with Joe Giella) and #3 (with Dick Giordano, 2001) collected in Batman: Turning Points (trade paperback, 128 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1360-X)
  • Batman: Gotham Adventures #33: "World without Batman" (with Brad Rader, 2001)
  • Batman: Gotham Noir (with Sean Phillips, one-shot, Elseworlds, 2001)
  • Robin vol. 2 #86 (with Pander Brothers, 2001) collected in Batman: Officer Down (trade paperback, 168 pages, 2001, ISBN 1-56389-787-3)
  • Detective Comics:
    • "History Lesson" (with Steve Lieber, co-feature in #758, 2001)
    • "Dead Reckoning" (with Tommy Castillo, in #777-782, 2003)
    • "Made of Wood" (with Patrick Zircher, in #784-786, 2003) collected in Batman: The Man Who Laughs (hardcover, 144 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1622-6; trade paperback, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-1626-9)
  • Catwoman vol. 3 (with Darwyn Cooke (#1-4), Brad Rader, Cameron Stewart, Javier Pulido (#17-19), Guy Davis (#23-24), Paul Gulacy, Sean Phillips (#32) and Diego Olmos (#33), 2002-2005) collected as:
    • Trail of the Catwoman (collects #1-9, trade paperback, 336 pages, 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3384-8)
      • Includes "Trail of the Catwoman" co-feature serial (art by Darwyn Cooke) from Detective Comics #759-762 (2001)
    • No Easy Way Down (collects #10-24, trade paperback, 400 pages, 2013, ISBN 1-4012-4037-2)
      • Includes the Catwoman Secret Files & Origins one-shot (written by Brubaker, art by Michael Avon Oeming, Cameron Stewart and Eric Shanower, 2002)
    • Under Pressure (collects #25-37, trade paperback, 312 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-4012-4592-7)
    • Catwoman of East End Omnibus (includes #1-37, Detective Comics #759-762 and Catwoman Secret Files & Origins, hardcover, 1,064 pages, 2022, ISBN 1-77951-503-0)
  • Gotham Central (with Michael Lark, Brian Hurtt (#11), Greg Scott (#16), Jason Shawn Alexander (#26-27) and Kano (#33-36), 2003-2005) collected as:
    • Issues #1-2, 12-15 and 33-36 are co-written by Brubaker and Greg Rucka.
      • In the Line of Duty (includes #1-5, hardcover, 240 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1923-3; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-2037-1)
      • Jokers and Madmen (includes #11-16 and 19-22, hardcover, 288 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2521-7; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-2543-8)
      • On the Freak Beat (includes #26-27, hardcover, 224 pages, 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2754-6; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3232-9)
      • Corrigan (includes #33-36, hardcover, 224 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3003-2; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3194-2)
      • Omnibus (includes #1-5, 11-16, 19-22, 26-27, 33-36, hardcover, 957 pages, 2016, ISBN 1-4012-6192-2)
  • Batman: Gotham Knights #41: "I'll Be Watching" (with Ryan Sook, co-feature, 2003) collected in Batman: Black and White Volume 3 (hardcover, 288 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1531-9; trade paperback, 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1354-5)
  • Hawkman vol. 4 #27: "The Black Bird" (with Sean Phillips, 2004)
  • Batman: The Man Who Laughs (with Doug Mahnke, one-shot, 2005)
  • Catwoman: 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: "The Art of Picking a Lock" (with Cameron Stewart, anthology one-shot, 2020) collected in Batman: 80 Years of the Bat Family (trade paperback, 400 pages, 2020, ISBN 1-77950-658-9)

7.2.3. Wildstorm

  • The Sleeper Omnibus (hardcover, 720 pages, Vertigo, 2013, ISBN 1-4012-3803-3) collects:
    • Point Blank #1-5 (with Colin Wilson, Eye of the Storm, 2002-2003) also collected as Point Blank (trade paperback, 128 pages, 2003, ISBN 1-4012-0116-4)
    • Sleeper #1-12 (with Sean Phillips, Eye of the Storm, 2003-2004) also collected as Sleeper: Season One (trade paperback, 288 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2360-5)
    • Coup d'Etat:
      • Coup d'Etat #1 (of 4) (with Jim Lee, Eye of the Storm, 2004) also collected in Coup d'Etat (trade paperback, 112 pages, 2004, ISBN 1-4012-0570-4)
      • Coup d'Etat: Afterword: "Sleeper Prelude" (with Sean Phillips, co-feature in one-shot, 2004) also collected in Sleeper: Season Two (trade paperback, 296 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2493-8)
    • Sleeper: Season Two #1-12 (with Sean Phillips, 2004-2005) also collected as Sleeper: Season Two (trade paperback, 296 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2493-8)
  • Masks: Too Hot for TV!: "Introduction" (with Doug Mahnke, anthology one-shot, Eye of the Storm, 2004)
  • Tom Strong #29-30 (with Duncan Fegredo, America's Best Comics, 2004-2005) collected in Tom Strong Book Five (hardcover, 136 pages, 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0624-7; trade paperback, 2006, ISBN 1-4012-0625-5)
  • The Authority: Revolution #1-12 (with Dustin Nguyen, 2004-2005) collected as The Authority by Ed Brubaker and Dustin Nguyen (trade paperback, 328 pages, 2019, ISBN 1-4012-8842-1)
  • The Razor's Edge: RedBird (with Jason Pearson, unreleased 5-issue limited series - initially announced for 2005)
    • Three issues were solicited before the series was pulled off schedule.

7.3. Marvel Comics Works

  • Captain America:
    • Captain America vol. 5 (with Steve Epting, Michael Lark, John Paul Leon (#7), Lee Weeks (#10), Mike Perkins, Butch Guice, Roberto de la Torre (#39), Luke Ross, Mitch Breitweiser (#600, 607, 615.1, 619), David Aja + Rafael Albuquerque + Howard Chaykin (#600), Gene Colan (#601), Daniel Acuña (#611), Travis Charest + Ed McGuinness (#616), Mike Deodato, Jr. (#616-617), Chris Samnee (#617-624) and Francesco Francavilla (#625-628); after issue #619, the series was rebranded as Captain America and Bucky with issues #620-624 co-written by Brubaker and Marc Andreyko and #625-628 co-written by Brubaker and James Asmus, 2005-2012) collected as:
      • Ultimate Collection: Captain America - The Winter Soldier (collects #1-9 and 11-14, trade paperback, 304 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4341-6; hardcover, 2014, ISBN 0-7851-8794-4)
      • House of M: Wolverine, Iron Man and Hulk (includes #10, hardcover, 352 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3882-X)
      • Ultimate Collection: Captain America - Red Menace (collects #15-21, trade paperback, 216 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5617-8)
        • Includes Captain America 65th Anniversary Special (written by Brubaker, art by Mike Perkins, Javier Pulido and Marcos Martín, 2006)
      • The Death of Captain America: The Complete Collection (collects #22-42, trade paperback, 568 pages, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-8379-5)
        • Includes the Winter Soldier: Winter Kills one-shot (written by Brubaker, art by Lee Weeks and Stefano Gaudiano, 2007)
      • Captain America: The Man with No Face (collects #43-48, hardcover, 168 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3153-1; trade paperback, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3163-9)
      • Captain America: Road to Reborn (collects #49-50 and 600-601, hardcover, 176 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-4174-X; trade paperback, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4175-8)
      • Captain America: Reborn (hardcover, 232 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3998-2; trade paperback, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4073-5) collects:
        • Captain America: Reborn Prelude (with Luke Ross, free digital mini-comic, 2009)
        • Captain America: Reborn #1-6 (with Bryan Hitch, 2009-2010)
      • Captain America: Two Americas (collects #602-605, hardcover, 128 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4510-9; trade paperback, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4511-7)
        • Includes the Captain America: Reborn - Who Will Wield the Shield? one-shot (written by Brubaker, art by Butch Guice and Luke Ross, 2010)
      • Captain America: No Escape (collects #606-610, hardcover, 120 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4512-5; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4513-3)
      • Captain America: The Trial of Captain America (collects #611-615 and 615.1, hardcover, 144 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5119-2; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5120-6)
      • Captain America: Prisoner of War (collects #616-619, hardcover, 144 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5119-2; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5120-6)
      • Captain America and Bucky: The Life Story of Bucky Barnes (collects #620-624, hardcover, 112 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5123-0; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5124-9)
      • Captain America and Bucky: Old Wounds (collects #625-628, hardcover, 128 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6083-3; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6084-1)
      • Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus (collects #1-25, Captain America 65th Anniversary Special and Winter Soldier: Winter Kills, hardcover, 744 pages, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2866-2)
      • The Death of Captain America Omnibus (collects #26-42, hardcover, 464 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3806-4)
      • Captain America Lives! Omnibus (collects #43-50, 600-601, Captain America: Reborn Prelude and #1-6, hardcover, 560 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4514-1)
      • The Trial of Captain America Omnibus (includes #602-619, 615.1, Captain America: Reborn - Who Will Wield the Shield? and Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #1-4, hardcover, 928 pages, 2014, ISBN 0-7851-9272-7)
      • Return of the Winter Soldier Omnibus (includes #620-628, Fear Itself: Book of the Skull, Fear Itself #7.1 and Winter Soldier #1-14, hardcover, 752 pages, 2015, ISBN 0-7851-9271-9)
    • Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier #1-4 (with Dale Eaglesham, 2010) collected as Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier (hardcover, 112 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4878-7; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4879-5)
    • Fear Itself: Book of the Skull (with Scot Eaton, one-shot, 2011) collected in Fear Itself (hardcover, 240 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5662-3; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5663-1)
    • Captain America vol. 6 (with Steve McNiven (#1-5), Alan Davis (#6-10), Patrick Zircher (#11-14), Scot Eaton (#15-18) and Steve Epting (#19); issues #15-18 are co-written by Brubaker and Cullen Bunn, 2011-2012) collected as:
      • Captain America by Ed Brubaker Volume 1 (collects #1-5, hardcover, 120 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5708-5; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5709-3)
      • Captain America by Ed Brubaker Volume 2 (collects #6-10, hardcover, 112 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5710-7; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-5711-5)
      • Captain America by Ed Brubaker Volume 3 (collects #11-14, hardcover, 112 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6075-2; trade paperback, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-6076-0)
      • Captain America by Ed Brubaker Volume 4 (collects #15-19, hardcover, 120 pages, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-6077-9; trade paperback, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-6078-7)
      • The Trial of Captain America Omnibus (includes #1-10, hardcover, 928 pages, 2014, ISBN 0-7851-9272-7)
      • Return of the Winter Soldier Omnibus (includes #11-19, hardcover, 752 pages, 2015, ISBN 0-7851-9271-9)
    • Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker: The Complete Collection (trade paperback, 344 pages, 2014, ISBN 0-7851-9065-1) collects:
      • Fear Itself #7.1 (with Butch Guice, 2012)
      • Winter Soldier #1-14 (with Butch Guice and Michael Lark (#6-9), 2012-2013)
  • What If... Aunt May Had Died Instead of Uncle Ben? (with Andrea Di Vito, one-shot, 2005) collected in What If... Why Not? (trade paperback, 152 pages, 2005, ISBN 0-7851-1593-5)
  • Wha... Huh? (with Jim Mahfood, among other writers, one-shot, 2005) collected in Secret Wars Too (trade paperback, 208 pages, 2016, ISBN 1-302-90211-3)
  • Books of Doom #1-6 (with Pablo Raimondi, 2006) collected as Fantastic Four: Books of Doom (hardcover, 144 pages, 2006, ISBN 0-7851-2271-0; trade paperback, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-1704-0)
  • X-Men:
    • X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6 (with Trevor Hairsine and Pete Woods, 2006) collected as X-Men: Deadly Genesis (hardcover, 200 pages, 2006, ISBN 0-7851-1961-2; trade paperback, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-1830-6)
    • Uncanny X-Men (with Billy Tan, Clayton Henry (#477, 480, 483), Salvador Larocca (#487-491), Mike Choi (#495-499), Terry Dodson (#500) and Greg Land (#500-503), 2006-2008) collected as:
      • The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire (collects #475-486, hardcover, 312 pages, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2515-9; trade paperback, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-1800-4)
      • The Extremists (collects #487-491, trade paperback, 120 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-1982-5)
      • X-Men: Messiah Complex (includes #492-494, hardcover, 352 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2899-9; trade paperback, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2320-2)
        • Includes the X-Men: Messiah Complex one-shot (written by Brubaker, art by Marc Silvestri, 2007)
      • Divided We Stand (collects #495-499, trade paperback, 120 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-1983-3)
      • Manifest Destiny (includes #500-503, hardcover, 208 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3817-X; trade paperback, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2451-9)
        • Issues #500-503 are co-written by Brubaker and Matt Fraction.
  • Daredevil vol. 2 (with Michael Lark, David Aja (#88 and 116), Lee Weeks (#94), Leandro Fernández (Annual), Stefano Gaudiano, Paul Azaceta (#103-106), Clay Mann (#111) and Tonči Zonjić (#115), 2006-2009) collected as:
    • Annual #1 is co-written by Brubaker and Ande Parks; issues #107-110 are co-written by Brubaker and Greg Rucka.
      • Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Omnibus Volume 1 (collects #82-105, hardcover, 608 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3785-8)
      • Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Omnibus Volume 2 (collects #106-119, 500 and Annual #1, hardcover, 472 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4520-6)
        • Includes the Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula one-shot (co-written by Brubaker and Ande Parks, art by Chris Samnee, 2008)
      • Ultimate Collection: Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Volume 1 (collects #82-93, trade paperback, 304 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6334-4)
      • Ultimate Collection: Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Volume 2 (collects #94-105, trade paperback, 304 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6335-2)
      • Ultimate Collection: Daredevil by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark Volume 3 (collects #106-119 and 500, trade paperback, 384 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6336-0)
  • Criminal (with Sean Phillips, Icon):
    • Volume 1 (hardcover, 432 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-4229-0) collects:
      • Criminal Preview (free 5-page "trailer", 2006)
      • Criminal (2006-2007) also collected as:
        • Coward (collects #1-5, trade paperback, 128 pages, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2439-X)
        • Lawless (collects #6-10, trade paperback, 128 pages, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2816-6)
      • Criminal vol. 2 #1-3 (2008) also collected as Criminal: The Dead and the Dying (trade paperback, 104 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3227-9)
      • Liberty Comics #1: "No One Rides for Free" (anthology, Image, 2008) also collected in CBLDF Presents: Liberty (hardcover, 216 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-60706-937-7; trade paperback, 2016, ISBN 1-60706-996-2)
    • Volume 2 (hardcover, 432 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6584-3) collects:
      • Criminal vol. 2 #4-7 (2008) also collected as Criminal: Bad Night (trade paperback, 120 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3228-7)
      • Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics: "21st Century Noir" (anthology graphic novel, softcover, 104 pages, Dark Horse, 2009, ISBN 1-59582-358-1; hardcover, 2020, ISBN 1-5067-1686-5)
      • Criminal: The Sinners #1-5 (2009-2010) also collected as Criminal: The Sinners (trade paperback, 144 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3229-5)
      • Criminal: The Last of the Innocent #1-4 (2011) also collected as Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (trade paperback, 112 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5829-4)
  • The Immortal Iron Fist (co-written by Brubaker and Matt Fraction):
    • The Last Iron Fist Story (hardcover, 160 pages, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2854-9; trade paperback, 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2489-6) collects:
      • Civil War: Choosing Sides: "The Immortal Iron Fist" (with David Aja, anthology one-shot, 2006)
      • "The Last Iron Fist Story" (with David Aja, Travel Foreman, John Severin, Russ Heath and Sal Buscema, in #1-6, 2007)
    • The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven (hardcover, 216 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2992-8; trade paperback, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2535-3) collects:
      • "Men of a Certain Deadly Persuasion" (with Howard Chaykin, Dan Brereton and Jelena Kevic-Djurdjević, in Annual, 2007)
      • "The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven" (with David Aja, Roy Martinez, Scott Koblish, Kano, Javier Pulido, Tonči Zonjić and Clay Mann, in #8-14, 2007-2008)
    • The Book of Iron Fist (hardcover, 160 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2993-6; trade paperback, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2536-1) collects:
      • "The Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay" (with Travel Foreman, Leandro Fernández and Khari Evans, in #7, 2007)
      • Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death (with Russ Heath, Mitch Breitweiser, Nick Dragotta and Lewis LaRosa, one-shot, 2008)
      • The Origin of Danny Rand (with Kano, two-page framing sequence for a reprint of Marvel Premiere #15-16, one-shot, 2008)
      • "The Story of the Iron Fist Bei Bang-Wen (1827-1860)" (with Khari Evans, in #15, 2008)
      • "Happy Birthday Danny" (with David Aja, in #16, 2008)
    • Omnibus (collects #1-16, Annual, Civil War: Choosing Sides, Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death and The Origin of Danny Rand, hardcover, 560 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3819-6)
    • The Complete Collection Volume 1 (collects #1-16, Annual, Civil War: Choosing Sides, Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death and The Origin of Danny Rand, trade paperback, 496 pages, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-8542-9)
  • What If...? Civil War: "The Stranger" (with Marko Djurdjević, framing sequence in the one-shot, 2008) collected in What If: Civil War (trade paperback, 168 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3036-5)
  • Young Avengers Presents #1: "Patriot" (with Paco Medina, 2008) collected in Young Avengers Presents (trade paperback, 144 pages, 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2975-8)
  • Incognito: The Classified Edition (hardcover, 368 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6574-6) collects:
    • Incognito #1-6 (with Sean Phillips, Icon, 2008-2009) also collected as Incognito (trade paperback, 176 pages, 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3979-6)
    • Incognito: Bad Influences #1-5 (with Sean Phillips, Icon, 2010-2011) also collected as Incognito: Bad Influences (trade paperback, 144 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-5155-9)
  • The Marvels Project #1-8 (with Steve Epting, 2009-2010) collected as The Marvels Project: Birth of the Super Heroes (hardcover, 208 pages, 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4630-X; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4061-1)
  • Secret Avengers (with Mike Deodato, Jr., David Aja + Michael Lark (#5) and Will Conrad (#9-12), 2010-2011) collected as:
    • Mission to Mars (collects #1-5, hardcover, 136 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4599-0; trade paperback, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4600-8)
    • Eyes of the Dragon (collects #6-12, hardcover, 168 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4601-6; trade paperback, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-4602-4)
    • Secret Avengers by Ed Brubaker: The Complete Collection (collects #1-12, trade paperback, 304 pages, 2018, ISBN 1-302-91219-4)
  • Avengers vs. X-Men:
    • Marvel Point One: "Behold the Watcher" (with Javier Pulido, anthology one-shot, 2012) collected in Original Sin (hardcover, 392 pages, 2014, ISBN 0-7851-9069-4; trade paperback, 240 pages, 2015, ISBN 0-7851-5491-4)
    • Avengers vs. X-Men #3 (with John Romita, Jr.) and #10 (with Adam Kubert, 2012) collected in Avengers vs. X-Men (hardcover, 568 pages, 2012, ISBN 0-7851-6317-4; trade paperback, 384 pages, 2013, ISBN 0-7851-6318-2)

7.4. Image Comics and Creator-Owned Works

7.4.1. Criminal (2006-present)

After collaborating on Sleeper for DC Comics, Brubaker and Sean Phillips took their partnership to Marvel to create Criminal. In 2016, the duo moved the series to Image Comics, producing a series of one-shots and original graphic novels, before launching a new ongoing series in 2019.

7.4.2. Incognito (2008-2011)

Following the success of Criminal with Marvel's Icon imprint, Incognito was the second launch for Brubaker and Phillips. It told the story of Zack Overkill, who was placed in witness protection after informing on his supervillain boss. The series was reprinted by Image Comics in 2017.

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
IncognitoIncognito #1-6176TPBIcon9 Dec 2009978-0785139799
Incognito: Bad InfluencesIncognito: Bad Influences #1-5144TPBIcon27 Jul 2011978-0785151555
Incognito: The Classified EditionIncognito #1-6; Incognito: Bad Influences #1-5336OHCIcon5 Sep 2012978-0785165743
Incognito: The Classified EditionIncognito #1-6; Incognito: Bad Influences #1-5368OHCImage12 Sep 2017978-1534305427

7.4.3. Fatale (2012-2014)

With art from Phillips, and colors from Dave Stewart, Fatale is a part-pulp, part-horror story of a femme fatale, set between the 1950s and 1970s. Brubaker said it came from trying to push himself creatively. "It seemed like a bigger challenge to try to do three noir tales that are wound around a horror story examination of the idea of the femme fatale archetype."

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
Fatale Vol. 1: Death Chases MeFatale #1-5144TPBImage10 Jul 2012978-1607065630
Fatale Vol. 2: The Devil's BusinessFatale #6-10136TPBImage15 Jan 2013978-1607066187
Fatale Vol. 3: West of HellFatale #11-14128TPBImage9 Jul 2013978-1607067436
Fatale Vol. 4: Pray For RainFatale #15-19144TPBImage25 Feb 2014978-1607068358
Fatale Vol. 5: Curse The DemonFatale #20-24144TPBImage7 Oct 2014978-1632150073
Fatale: CompendiumFatale #1-24656TPBImage30 Jul 2024978-1534327658
Fatale: Compendium (Indigo Canada version)978-1534337916
Fatale: The Deluxe Edition Vol.1Fatale #1-10288HCImage18 Mar 2014978-1607069423
Fatale: The Deluxe Edition Vol.2Fatale #11-24440HCImage24 Nov 2015978-1632155030

7.4.4. Velvet (2013-2016)

Co-created with Captain America artist, Steve Epting, Brubaker described Velvet as "A Cold War-era story about a spy that nobody sees coming, even-or especially-all the spies around her". The story came to comics after being rejected as a television pitch, with Brubaker noting that producers wanted a younger, less experienced character, which he found "appalling."

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
Velvet Vol. 1Velvet #1-5128TPBImage1 Jul 2014978-1607069645
Velvet Vol. 2: The Secret Lives Of Dead MenVelvet #6-10128TPBImage2 Jun 2015978-1632152343
Velvet Vol. 3: The Man Who Stole The WorldVelvet #11-15136TPBImage27 Sep 2016978-1632157270
Velvet Deluxe EditionVelvet #1-15414OHCImage4 Apr 2017978-1632159151

7.4.5. The Fade Out (2014-2016)

Set in Hollywood 1948, Brubaker and Phillips' The Fade Out tells the story of a screenwriter who awakens in a room with a dead actor. Brubaker stated that the details of the series, such as the FBI's use of informants, were based on real historical events, even if the central murder and cover-up were fictional.

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
The Fade Out: Act OneThe Fade Out #1-4120TPBImage25 Feb 2015978-1632151711
The Fade Out: Act TwoThe Fade Out #5-8112TPBImage29 Sep 2015978-1632154477
The Fade Out: Act ThreeThe Fade Out #9-12128TPBImage23 Feb 2016978-1632156297
The Fade Out: The Complete CollectionThe Fade Out #1-12360TPBImage20 Nov 2018978-1534308602
The Fade Out: The Deluxe EditionThe Fade Out #1-12384OHCImage18 Oct 2016978-1632159113

7.4.6. Kill Or Be Killed (2017-2018)

Brubaker and Phillips combined to tell a 20-issue story in which a relatively normal art student turns into a gun-toting antihero. Kill Or Be Killed was described as Death Wish meets Breaking Bad, focusing on a protagonist forced into vigilantism.

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
Kill Or Be Killed Vol. 1Kill Or Be Killed #1-4128TPBImage24 Jan 2017978-1534300286
Kill Or Be Killed Vol. 2Kill Or Be Killed #5-10176TPBImage15 Aug 2017978-1534302280
Kill Or Be Killed Vol. 3Kill Or Be Killed #11-14120TPBImage23 Jan 2018978-1534304710
Kill Or Be Killed Vol. 4Kill Or Be Killed #15-20144TPBImage21 Aug 2018978-1534306516
Kill Or Be Killed CompendiumKill Or Be Killed #1-20600TPBImage25 Feb 2025978-1534333949
Kill Or Be Killed: The Deluxe EditionKill Or Be Killed #1-20624OHCImage26 Nov 2019978-1534313606

7.4.7. Reckless (2020-2022)

Co-created with Phillips, Reckless is set in Los Angeles during the early 1980s. It tells the story of former FBI agent, Ethan Reckless, and projectionist Anna, with their crusade for payback on villains. Brubaker's inspiration was to explore what a pulp hero would look like without "all the blatant racism and sexism" prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s versions of the genre. The idea emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic as a form of escape for both creators.

TitlePagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
Reckless144HCImage22 Dec 2020978-1534318519
Reckless: Friend Of The Devil144HCImage27 Apr 2021978-1534318366
Reckless: Destroy All Monsters144HCImage26 Oct 2021978-1534319240
Reckless: Ghost In You144HCImage19 Apr 2022978-1534322080
Reckless: Follow Me Down144HCImage18 Oct 2022978-1534323421

7.4.8. Friday (2021-2024)

Originally published on Panel Syndicate as an e-comic, Friday was co-created with Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente. The series was re-released as a trio of paperbacks by Image Comics.

TitleIssues collectedPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
Friday Book One: The First Day Of ChristmasFriday #1-3120TPBImage9 Nov 2021978-1534320581
Friday Book Two: On A Cold Winter's NightFriday #4-6120TPBImage20 Dec 2022978-1534324596
Friday Book ThreeFriday #7-9128TPBImage6 Aug 2024978-1534327733

7.4.9. Standalone material

TitleCo-creatorPagesFormatPublisherReleasedISBN
PulpSean Phillips72HCImage29 Jul 2020978-1534316447
80TPB26 Jan 2021978-1534318854
256OHC17 Aug 2022978-1534323025
Night FeverSean Phillips120HCImage13 Jun 2020978-1534326095
Night Fever (Indigo foil cover version)978-1534399150
Where The Body WasSean Phillips144HCImage16 Jan 2024978-1534398269
Houses Of The UnholySean Phillips144HCImage3 Sep 2024978-1534327429

7.5. Other Publishers and Standalone Works

  • IDW Publishing:
    • Black Sails (with Sean Phillips, unreleased 3-issue limited series - initially announced in 2004 but abandoned in favor of Brubaker and Phillips' Criminal)
    • Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition - Last Call: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" (with Sean Phillips, story created for the collection; hardcover, 360 pages, 2022, ISBN 1-68405-698-5)
      • In addition to this short story, Brubaker provided commentary for the section of Darwyn Cooke's preliminary and promotional art for the Parker series and the section commemorating Cooke.
  • The Spirit Centenary Newspaper (with Sean Phillips, untitled 1-page story in the tabloid-sized anthology, LICAF, 2017)
  • Friday (with Marcos Martín, drawings, and Muntsa Vicente, colors; digital, Panel Syndicate, 2020-2024). Published online in English and Spanish, published in print in English, Spanish and Catalan. Collected in print via Image as:
    • The First Day of Christmas (collects #1-3, trade paperback, 120 pages, 2021, ISBN 1-5343-2058-X)
    • On a Cold Winter's Night (collects #4-6, trade paperback, 120 pages, 2022, ISBN 1-5343-2459-3)
    • Christmas Time is Here Again (collects #7-9, trade paperback, 128 pages, 2024, ISBN 1-5343-2459-3)

8. Impact and Critical Reception

Ed Brubaker has significantly influenced the comic book industry, particularly within the crime, noir, and superhero genres, earning widespread critical acclaim for his distinctive storytelling.

8.1. Influence on Crime and Noir Comics

Brubaker is widely credited with revitalizing and shaping modern crime and noir narratives in comic books. His work in these genres, often in collaboration with artist Sean Phillips, is characterized by its gritty realism, complex and morally ambiguous characters, intricate plotting, and deep thematic exploration of human psychology, guilt, and the consequences of crime. Series like Criminal, Fatale, and The Fade Out are considered seminal works that have elevated the crime comic to new heights, demonstrating a sophisticated approach to the genre that resonates with both long-time comic readers and new audiences. His narratives often subvert traditional tropes, offering a more nuanced and often bleak portrayal of the criminal underworld.

8.2. Character Reinventions and Key Contributions

Beyond his crime work, Brubaker has made significant contributions to character development and universe-building within the superhero genre. His most acclaimed reinvention is that of Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier in Captain America. This transformation, which turned a long-dead sidekick into a complex, tragic, and influential anti-hero, profoundly impacted the character's legacy and the broader Marvel Universe. The Winter Soldier storyline was not only a critical and commercial success but also served as a major inspiration for the highly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Brubaker's runs on titles like Daredevil and Uncanny X-Men also showcased his ability to delve into the psychological depths of established characters, adding layers of complexity and realism to their narratives. His contributions often involved exploring the darker, more human aspects of heroes and villains, moving beyond simplistic good-versus-evil dichotomies.

8.3. Critical Reception and Notable Controversies

Brubaker's work has consistently received high praise for its compelling writing, strong characterization, and ability to craft intricate, suspenseful plots. He is celebrated for his commitment to research and authenticity, which lends a grounded feel to his crime stories. Critics frequently highlight his mastery of pacing and dialogue, which creates an immersive reading experience.

While generally lauded, Brubaker's work has occasionally drawn public discussion. A notable instance occurred in February 2010 with Captain America #602. The issue depicted a group of anti-tax protesters, which some readers interpreted as a negative portrayal of the Tea Party. The controversy escalated due to a sign in the background, added by the letterer without Brubaker's knowledge, that read "Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!". Both Brubaker and Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada apologized for the unintended political message, and the error was corrected in subsequent reprints. Brubaker later stated that he received death threats from "peaceful protesters" as a result of this incident, highlighting the intense reactions that can arise from perceived political commentary in popular media. Despite such isolated controversies, his overall critical reception remains overwhelmingly positive, with his body of work frequently cited for its quality and lasting impact.