Marvel Comics/Icon; $19.99

Normally, if you told fans of their series Criminal that writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips were going to take six issues off, those readers would have been dismayed. Criminal, after all, has one of the most loyal followings in creator-owned comics. When the result of their sabbatical is Incognito, though, all bets are off.

Where Criminal is a series of interconnected noir tales firmly rooted in the real world, Incognito begins with a former supervillain named Zack Overkill, who is becoming increasingly frustrated with his mundane existence at part of the Witness Relocation Program. If it sounds like the real world aspect of the noir milieu has gone out the window, that’s where the surprise actually comes in.

Incognito, though with many of the trappings of a traditional super-powered story, sticks to the flavor and pacing that have made Criminal fans so devout. With twists and turns and plenty of human flaws and foibles, it only grudgingly turns into an epic.

It’s a solid read, intended for mature readers, and if you like Criminal or Powers, do yourself a favor and read it.