Writer: Andy Diggle
Artists: Jock, Colin Wilson, Ben Oliver, Shawn Martinbrough, Nick Dragotta, Ale Garza.
Publisher: Vertigo/DC Comics
The Losers was a very bold experiment when it was offered to the reading masses in 2003. It was an action series that was coming from two creators unknown to American readers offering a tale of espionage, action, comedy, and suspense that could’ve been easily cancelled before it finished its tale. There was no spandex in sight. It was being published by Vertigo, DC’s adult themed imprint dedicated to horror, crime, magic and occasionally the gonzo comedy. The Losers did not fit in anywhere. That is why it is special and deserves a long term discussion on how well the book worked in its 32 issue run.
The Losers is the story of five U.S, soldiers who are written off by their bosses because they asked the most dangerous question…Why? These men wanted answers and decided that the best way to get answers is by knocking things down. They are: Clay, the leader; Jensen, the communications and comic relief man; Pooch, the family man and supplies person; Cougar, the silent, scarred sniper with something to run from. Finally there is Roque, a man with too many secrets and not enough loyalty. They are joined by a woman named Aisha. She’s the scary sexy one who no one understands. Five will go to hell for the truth. One will become the foe that dogs them every step of the way. Along the way the team notices a pattern to their problems and it has one name, Max. He was The Losers boss on the fateful operation that went sour, the devil in their dreams, the object of hate, and the cancer that prevents the team from going home. He is also the United States’ shadowy go to man for all things terror related. He makes it, sells it and once in a while does all of this for Uncle Sam.
The creative team, Andy Diggle and artist Jock bring a compelling story that melds two very distinctive styles; the over the top action film and the political thriller. Diggle brings to the table a fluid use of language to every character, and gives each one a natural voice that does not repeat. From Cougar’s stoic silence, to Clay’s raw, indignant snarl, to Jensen’s comedy, to Aisha’s hate, everyone has a different sound and way of speaking that makes for a real ensemble cast as opposed to a group of like sounding people who have no distinguishing features outside their appearance. The story also brings to the table a clarity that is vital when complex story points are discussed, it never reads like a history lesson. Diggle knows that he is going and entertaining the reader with a real world tinged thriller and remembers to throw in some detailed thought and construction to every element of the series.
The writing also rewards those who have read the series from the beginning. The series starts off simply with a theft of money and that activity leads into very dangerous conspiracies, lies and secondary characters that at first seem to be inconsequential. The story then reveals that no moment or characters are without meaning or use. As the series expands, Diggle collapses his mysteries and character arcs leaving the resolution satisfactory on its own and expanding on the greater context of the tale. Every element becomes important and that is due to Andy Diggle’s skill and sense of knowing that his story needs a beginning, middle, and an end. The story is all essential, with no filler.
The art, both the principal interior art and each cover as illustrated by Jock has a very shadowy, kinetic look that is reminiscent of Chaykin, Mignola and Kirby that brings an air of mystery and momentum to the page. Jock brings a simple storytelling shortcut to the table that is very much ignored by most artists in search for a detailed, clean line. A dimension is given to the art through the use of shadow and black on a page which brings a sense of place and danger. The best example of Jock’s artistic excellence is the covers for every issue. Every one of them has a design sense that would make them stand out in any medium. The reason I gave the book a look at in the first place was the outstanding cover to the first issue - so bold and direct, it demanded to be read.
The fill in artists bring their strengths to the series, yet do not contradict the established appearances of each character. Colin Wilson’s story, focused on the dreary, caustic terror of post Chernobyl Ukraine, has a visual sting and mastery that has the most complimentary appearance compared to Jock. Ben Oliver’s arc displayed a softer line that brought a sense of life and place in London, whilst Nick Dragotta brought a surreal appearance to the Iraq adventure. Shawn Martinbrough delivered a very stark display into the lives of the team after their first adventure where each one of the cast focuses on different aspects of the mission and their lives and Ale Garza draws the only single issue spotlight on Aisha, which gives the reader a look into the most dangerous cast member of the team. Every artist worked, by bringing their best without being distracting from the whole.
The Losers is a series that displayed a sense in which the creators did not know the rules of what comic readers wanted in their books. By ignoring what everyone else had done, they went on to create a series that entertains, makes the reader think, laugh and curse when things do not go right for the team. In other words it is the best action movie series on paper that has not made it to the big screen… so far!
- Francis Davis a career drunk with a love of comics and movies, lives in and works for the City of Chicago. Confidentiality agreements prevent him from saying exactly what he does, but it is important.