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  When Vertigo was first created as an imprint of DC Comics, it seemed that the move was designed to divide the mature content that already existed in the DC universe; Hellblazer, Sandman and Swamp Thing amongst others, from the family-friendly, familiar content of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. It could feasibly have been a gimmick. Nothing more than a corporate exercise in attempting to appeal directly to the more mature demographics, who may have been put off by the DC logo and all it’s various connotations. Initially it can be argued this was even the case, there were far more old favourites being published under the Vertigo name than new stories. However that argument no longer holds true, with the introduction of new titles such as 100 Bullets, Fables and Y: The Last Man, Vertigo comics have now created a degree of separation from their parent universe and branched out into original new worlds of their own. The quality of these new titles has been exceptional, particularly the cornucopia of ideas that has expanded the seeming limitations and expectations of a mature or adult title. With the new titles firmly established, the second wave introduced us to a few gems that will invariably become fan favourites. One such treasure is The Losers.

The Losers is a classic ‘Dirty Dozen / A-Team’ storyline for the modern audience, with the grit of the former and comfortable humour of the latter. Certainly this is a mature title (if occasional swearing can be said to be the sole province of adults in this day and age) but this is because of the nature of ideas discussed, rather than an assault on the reader’s standards of decency. It is a familiar story to those who remember the action-orientated, Schwarzenegger and Stallone 80’s, the strings of nostalgia tugged by ‘putting it to the man’ and taking on the world.

The Losers tells the story, through a mixture of flashbacks and present day events, of an elite U.S. Special Forces unit put together because of a single characteristic; they don’t play well with others – hence the title. Having stumbled upon a C.I.A secret too big to turn a blind eye to, whilst on covert assignment, The Losers are seemingly killed. Thankfully that wouldn’t make for much of a story and so the team rise up, under the cover provided by death, to claim a degree of vengeance and clear their sullied names in the process. Enter the shadowy presence of the hitherto unmasked character Max, a highly classified C.I.A handler codename thought to have been out of use for decades. Max is the enigma, a Kiaser Soze-esque character that seems to be behind the team’s misfortunes and also the key to a far larger plot.

Visually The Losers is a sharply drawn comic with strong colours in a rustic fashion that helps create the throwback image. Each of the main characters (the group contains six characters, the five special ops soldiers; Clay, Pooch, Roque, Jensen and Cougar, with the addition of a mysterious female operative, Aisha) has distinctive visual characteristics that create a sense of identity and individuality.

That said, the group has the archetypal assemblage of any recent military unit you’d care to mention from film or literature; Clay the sharply dressed, grizzled leader (very similar to Jack Hawksmoor in the The Authority). Cougar as the chilled out marksman with a cowboy hat. Pooch the machinery expert and token african-american. The hyperactive, techno-wizard rookie, Jensen and Roque, Clay’s hard-nosed right hand man. With Aisha as the stealthily violent female, there is a suggestion that The Losers are merely a group of convenient stereotypes thrown together. Fortunately the writing is original enough that the storyline never devolves into a by-the-numbers, cliché’-ridden tale. Early twists, several interweaving plot threads and a healthy dose of back-story surprises raise The Losers above the average genre piece, establishing an intriguing set-up that seems to broaden in scope the deeper we delve.

The Losers isn’t for everyone, indeed there is a fair case for it being something of a ‘boys own’ adventure, but with a combination of intelligent plotting and sharp artwork there is a lot to recommend it. With three trade paperbacks already out on general release (Ante Up, Double Down and Trifecta) collecting the first nineteen issues of The Losers, there is plenty of opportunity for readers to take the plunge and find out for themselves.

Reviewed by Owen Jones © 2005