It's summer 1984 on Pelican Road. Right where the street ends there's a boarding house. It's mostly filled with junkies and the neighbors eye it with suspicion. Everything kicks off one day when Tommy Brandt stands up for Karina Lane. Tommy's been in love with Karina for awhile and seeing her with an abusive prick like Sid, something inside him snaps. And if their neighbor Palmer Sneed hadn't stepped in waving his badge something inside of Tommy really would have snapped. A rib most likely. Palmer's intervention catches the eye of lonely housewife Toni Melville. Her husband is a well regarded clinical psychiatrist but he's apparently more concerned with his patients than his own wife. Well, two can play that game and she's happy to welcome Palmer into her bed. But the real hero of the neighborhood is eleven year old Lila Nguyen, AKA The Roller Derby Kid. Earlier in the summer Tommy was clearing out the garage of the boarding house and gave Lila a box of comics. Ever since that day she has been obsessed with being a superhero. Cape, domino mask, roller skates, the works. She's the eyes and ears of Pelican Road. And she's the first to see the private eye. She's doing her rounds before going to her lookout when she sees him. And she knows he brings trouble. She immediately goes to the homeless vet Ranko who she's befriended. She brings him food while he's been living rough behind the 7-11 while seeing Dr. Melville. Lila is worried he could get in trouble. She's worried a lot of people could get in trouble, especially Tommy and Karina. They've been robbing the houses in the neighborhood for drug money while also taking a dip in the houses' pools. Lila even confronts Tommy that he needs to cut it out. But Tommy knows that he's not the reason the PI is in the neighborhood. Jack Foster is there for Karina. He's been sent by her family to find her. She skipped out on court ordered rehab and needs to go home. But Tommy doesn't want her to go home. He wants this imperfect but somehow perfect summer to never end. Though that's impossible. While Palmer waving his badge at Sid might have been the start of things, the match that lit the fire, it's the PI's arrival that is the fuel. Because everyone has secrets, the affairs and the petty larceny are nothing when you learn that Palmer isn't even a cop, he's just waving his father's badge around. And the PI knows it. The PI knows all. And then Lila finds the body. A body that isn't there once the police arrive and shatter the taut atmosphere of Pelican Road, a place where murder lurks just below the surface.

When I was younger I read the expected comics, Archie, Richie Rich, The Family Circus, and once I developed taste, Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes. Then there was the darkages, and yes, that is a Philomena Cunk reference. I didn't pick up any comics. For years and years I went to Westfield Comics to buy my Red Dwarf magazines and trading cards. Because you can never have enough Red Dwarf or trading cards in your life she says as she tries to offload a whole bunch of trading cards to anyone who wants to buy them. What got me back into comics was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Firstly, because they had tie-in editions, and eventually because that's how the series continued. But being exposed to comics again meant I started to pay attention and started picking up series that other people recommended. And if I ever remember who told me to read The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen I'm coming for you! Thanks to my library, which has a stunning collection, I started to find creators I really connected to, Bill Willingham, Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda, Cullen Bunn, Tyler Crook, James Tynion IV, and Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. A decade ago I picked up Fatale, Book 1: Death Chases Me and I was hooked. It's noir, it's eldritch, it's got amazing art! I devoured the whole series in a matter of days, actually having to go to Westfield Comics to buy the final arc because the wait at the library was too long. After that I was an acolyte. The writing and the art just can't be beat. Though I do like the stories that tend to veer towards the supernatural, like Fatale and Kill or be Killed, but you can't fault their Noir Old Hollywood vibe either. In 2018 though an interesting thing happened. They released My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, an original graphic novel instead of issues on an approximately monthly basis. This was so successful, along with the expanded arc from Criminal, Bad Weekend, that starting in 2020 with the first Ethan Reckless book all their joint projects are now graphic novels. Continuous stories that aren't serialized. Though Covid did also play into this decision with supply chain issues. There have been five Ethan Reckless books to date, and other deservedly lauded books like Pulp and Night Fever. But for me it's all about Where the Body Was. This 2024 release was the hit of nostalgia that I'd been craving. Focusing on a dead end road in the summer of 1984 it tracks an intersecting cast of characters over what ends up being a rather momentous summer. I mean there's a dead body, and then there isn't! One of my favorite films of all time is The 'Burbs and this tapped into the same suburban vibe that tilts to the ominous. But there's also a fluid narration that gives us past and present. And most importantly of all, it namechecks one of the greatest episode of The Twilight Zone ever, so says my Dad, "Walking Distance." For those sentimentalists among us who love intrigue and art and human connections, even if you've never picked up a graphic novel, let me say, try this one. It really is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, I allowed the book to be archived before I could download it.

I always look forward to a new Brubaker/Phillips piece of work and this advance copy was provided by Netgalley. Great art and colors as usual in this mystery/multi character piece set in 1984 over a period of a few weeks. We are introduced and get to know many characters and eventually a body is discovered. I started out getting into the story and wondering how these characters would interconnect or develop, but eventually not enough was really happening to keep me engaged. I found the ending to be underwhelming and while some of the characters were interesting, there was just not enough going on story wise for me to rate this much higher than 3 stars.

Brubaker delivers a multi POV story that slowly reveals itself like a puzzle box. Press on one side of the box and the box transforms while drawing the reader inside.

The premise of this book was pretty cool! That did draw me to the book and I’m glad I stuck around. The way this book was written and the way each story was told made this a fun ride. The characters are so well written and thought out and the plot really does live up to the hype. I don’t want to give too much away but the characters and their opinions of the murder felt like I was watching it happen live. The dialogue and the story had me hooked from beginning to end. The emotions were so intense throughout the pages and I couldn’t put this one down.

I enjoyed reading this for personal, not professional (educator) reasons. Whilst I would not use this book in a professional setting, I would happily read this interesting murder mystery again!

Neat one shot comic based around a body that’s found in the road in a small community and all the small town mysteries happening around it. Solid, fun Brubaker and Phillips.

"because everything's about feelings when you're a kid"

I thought the setup was super cool like having a map and a cast of characters with flashes of them now and then like a true crime documentary, plus I'm always a sucker for an 80's summer mystery, but this was just okay. It was missing any wow factor or any reason for me to care about whose body was found or what happened to it. Most of the characters also seemed to fall into stereotypes which might've been a factor for my not caring, but idk I expected more than just this little snapshot of their work that felt more like a magazine you'd find in a video game that does nothing for the story but is just kinda cool and part of an achievement of reading all the comics in it

An intriguing murder mystery from a celebrated comics frontrunner, this is an intriguing, Rashomon-style whodunnit with a darkly comic streak throughout.

This was so good I loved every minute of it. I absolutely loved this graphic novel. It reminded me of an older detective show.

A crime noir comic that dives into dark and gritty underbelly of the city, exploring themes of corruption, redemption and blurred lines between right and wrong. Brubaker gives you a crunchy story, with its intricate plot, character driven narrative and moral quandaries.

One summer, on one street, how many lives intertwine and one man ends up dead. It was slow to start (I knew it was a murder mystery going in but the dead body doesn't appear until after the halfway mark!) However, it definitely needed the lead-up to really dive into the characters first, and I loved how it all came together in the end (and kept me guessing!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the advanced copy of this comic.

Where The Body Was is a story of love, loss, nostalgia, and relationships wrapped up in a murder mystery. The way the story is told, with information slowly being unveiled, will keep you guessing and engaged. The paneling is done well, with a good flow, making the story easy to follow Full of fourth wall break style interviews and dry humor, Where The Body Was manages to weave together a rich and vibrant story in such a small package.

This comic is great for fans of character driven narratives, murder mystery whodunit stories, and those who enjoy Ed Burbaker's other works.

I really liked this graphic novel. It took me a little bit to figure out the format but once I did, I loved it. The little story vignettes was unique for me and really kept me reading. I also found it just on the edge of realistically bizarre, which was fun. I definitely will be looking to read more from this trio. I really hope it’s in the same vein.

Highly recommend this one!

Classic Brubaker and Phillips with a twist. These two are masters of the crime genre after putting together a stellar run of titles over the last couple of decades. This book does things a little bit different by keeping the location to a quiet suburban street, and mixing up the characters to include more everyday folks. Phillips’ art is, as ever, outstanding, and the character work and narrative by Brubaker is griping.

The best team currently working in comics deliver the goods once more. An intricate puzzle of a book that draws the reader in right from the start.

The description "Like a true crime podcast crossed with a long-lost diary" was absolutely true. I loved the format of this graphic novel. The ending, though, of how the private investigator really does felt like a cop-out.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Where the Body Was” by Ed Brubaker is a graphic novel that delves into the complexities of crime and romance, set against the backdrop of a seemingly ordinary neighborhood. Brubaker, alongside his long-time collaborator Sean Phillips, presents a narrative that intertwines the lives of its characters in a manner that is both intricate and compelling.

The story unfolds on Pelican Road, a picturesque street that harbors more than its fair share of secrets. With a cast that includes young delinquents, a cheating wife, a respected policeman, and a homeless veteran, Brubaker crafts a tale that explores the lengths to which people will go for love, and how power dynamics can shape those expressions of love.

The novel’s structure is ambitious, initially presenting a neighborhood map and a cast list, suggesting a complex story that requires active engagement from the reader. However, this complexity does not always pay off. The geographical layout, while detailed, does not significantly impact the unfolding mystery, and the narrative sometimes feels too familiar to Brubaker’s previous works.

Despite these criticisms, “Where the Body Was” shines in its character development. Brubaker’s script, complemented by Phillips’ art, creates a vivid world where each character’s motivations and desires are palpable. The story’s shift from a crime narrative to a romance feels somewhat forced, but it does not detract from the overall experience.

The artwork by Sean Phillips, with colors by Jacob Phillips, is a standout feature. The visuals capture the mood of the story perfectly, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative. The lettering style, though understated, adds to the book’s unique style.

Really enjoyed this tale of interconnecting lives and the fronts that everyone puts up to protect themselves. It seems to be a murder mystery and there are many potential subjects: the man pretending to be a cop, flashing his dead father's badge; the psychiatrist, overworked and falsifying the records of his patient, a homeless Vietnam vet; the young guy, breaking into houses to try to impress a girl. It all takes place on one small street, where a young girl skates around in a mask and cape, pretending to be a superhero/detective. Excellent artwork as usual. And the solution, when it comes, is pretty much perfect.

"Where the Body Was" plunges readers into a gripping blend of true crime and intricate storytelling, unlike anything seen before from the powerhouse duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Set in a boarding house teeming with secrets and a cast of complex characters, this tale weaves together the narratives of a neglected housewife, a young girl with superhero aspirations, a disillusioned cop, and a determined private detective on the trail of a runaway girl. As their lives intersect against the backdrop of a fateful summer, the truth behind a murder unfolds through multiple perspectives, each shedding light on the tangled web of love, loss, and violence in the suburbs. With a meticulous attention to detail, Brubaker and Phillips craft a haunting narrative that reverberates through decades, exploring the depths of human nature and the consequences of a single act of violence. Illustrated with the duo's signature style and accompanied by a map of the crime scene, "Where the Body Was" is a tour-de-force that will captivate fans of true crime podcasts and mystery aficionados alike.