The first issue of the Crossed comic book series, published by Avatar Press, marked the beginning of one of the most controversial and visceral franchises in modern horror literature. Created by writer Garth Ennis (known for The Boys and Preacher) and artist Jacen Burrows, the series debuted with Crossed #0 in August 2008, followed by Crossed #1 in October 2008. The Premise: A Pandemic of Pure Malice
Patrick: It looks like a storm...
What is Crossed?
The infected develop a red, cross-shaped rash on their faces—hence the name. But the physical transformation is irrelevant compared to the psychological one. The Crossed retain their intelligence, memories, and motor skills. They can talk, set traps, drive cars, and use weapons. But they are enslaved by a singular, maddening desire: to inflict the maximum amount of suffering possible before they die.
When readers locate a copy of Crossed 1 comic, they are buying into four specific sequences that have become legendary (or infamous) in comic history. crossed 1 comic
: Most readers find it more accessible through trade paperbacks (TPBs) or hardcovers that collect the entire first volume (Issues #0–9). Availability
If you're a fan of dark, gritty, and intense comic book series, then you owe it to yourself to check out "Crossed" by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. This critically acclaimed series is a post-apocalyptic tale of survival, violence, and redemption, set in a world where a mysterious event known as "The Big Event" has caused the vast majority of the world's population to contract a strange and deadly disease. The first issue of the Crossed comic book
This anti-narrative is deliberate. The horror comic genre typically promises catharsis: the hero kills the monster, the cure is found, order is restored. Moore refuses this promise. The very form of the comic—fragmented, dialog-heavy, often obscuring violent acts in dense panels of text—mirrors its theme. You cannot tell a coherent hero’s story in a world where coherence has died. The “full stop” of civilization has been removed, leaving only an endless, run-on sentence of suffering and forgetting.
