An impressive first issue is good. An impressive second issue, following up on an impressive first issue, is gold, because it suggests that the creators can pull that kind of quality off on a regular basis. So I was pretty happy that The Losers #2 is as good as the first issue, with more character development, some great moody sequences and another heist/caper that demonstrates a total grasp of what makes stories of that nature entertaining. Jock's moody, shadowy artwork remains the perfect fit for the book, and with any luck, The Losers will join Fables and Y: The Last Man in the ranks of Vertigo buzz books. It certainly deserves to be considered in the same breath as those two great books.
I love a good action comic, and The Losers started off last issue with three action sequences. The action quotient is down a little this issue, but the same tone of an action movie on paper continues anyway. However, the focus is on further character development, the introduction of the next big target for the group and a nail-biting suspense sequence where the team gathers intel on their next target. The character development is probably what really makes the book stand out, and Jensen probably the character who stands out the most. His goofball personality is one of the most dynamic of the bunch, and his interaction with the terrifying Aisha is priceless and funny. Diggle does impressive work with the less outrageous personalities as well, because I'm just as interested in the enigmatic and quiet Cougar, the self-assured Colonel or the sour, mysterious Aisha.
There's a nice tension in the air with these characters, even when they're not doing anything in particular. This issue, they're gearing up, as are their opponents, and you can feel something coming in the air. The introduction of Wade is a story sequence that stuck in my mind very effectively and the Colonel's rundown of Goliath shows off his brains and strategic thinking. I was also very happy with the actual caper sequence of this issue, not just because it featured Jensen but also because it was just fun, quickly paced and with just the right amount of suspense. There may not have been any gunfire or helicopters in this one, but there's still plenty of interesting action.
Many of the really successful Vertigo series have been built upon writer/artist collaboration. Ennis/Dillon. Ellis/Robertson. Vaughan/Guerra. Diggle and Jock are another great combination, because Jock does a great job of setting the tone and atmosphere of the book, as well as defining the characters visually. Every character has a personality just from their look and body language. Pooch has an almost fatherly quality, Cougar a quiet southern charm, Jensen a playful quirky quality, etc. Part of the reason I've become engaged by these characters so quickly is how much personality Jock has given them. I also really love his staging, with a beautiful reveal of the oil tanker sitting next to the Losers' boat, a great shot of Houston that looks desolate and urban at the same time, and some fantastic silhouette work on the warehouse in Houston where the group is operating from. Loughridge's colors are also dead-on in that respect, and I especially love the way he shows the hazy, brownish-red sight of a Texas sunrise/sunset.
When I read The Losers, I'm reminded of the feeling I got when I first got into books like Preacher, 100 Bullets or Y: The Last Man. I anxiously await each issue, which reads well on its own and also builds nicely upon the overall story, and I can't wait to see where this book will be in a year, when the creators have gotten a chance to spend some time with these fascinating characters and situations.
