You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!
Now, I have a confession to make. I totally missed the first issue of Mark Millar’s Supercrooks. Somehow, it just passed me by.
Sometimes, we need reminding just why the most popular writers hold the esteemed position that they do. I no longer found myself excited by the latest Millar project over the past couple of years. Sure, I enjoyed Superior, but for me Nemesis was a bust. I really couldn’t see a point in the series, and if I wanted to read a story that demonstrated such high levels of brutality and strategic planning, well, that’s why I read The Boys.
Still, I did get to read Supercrooks #2, and since today is the release of the second printing of the first issue, I thought I would comment on just how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. Supercrooks is hardly a deviation from Millarworld’s traditional style, but gathers an amusing assortment of flawed personalities planning to do what all great super-villains are forced to do when they hit hard times. Feed upon each other.
A little dose of humorous blackmail of a hero and the media scandal of another, a small group of misfits plan to take down the retired Lex Luthor/Kingpin of their world. Even in the second issue, we can see that it is all going to go horribly wrong, but the explanation as to how this will occur is well worth the $2.99 price tag.
A genuine, first time round first issue today is the return of X-O Manowar. Regular readers are aware I was a great fan of the 90’s Valiant line, but Aric the Visigoth was never a title that really connected for me. Too many anachronisms without justification I always thought. Aric shone best during their initial crossover ‘Unity’, but most appearances after that date seemed more than a little contrived.
However, the same cannot be said for today’s offering. Firmly set during the battles between the Roman Empire and the Visigoths, there is a certain ‘Game Of Thrones’ feel to the early pages that draws the reader in, before we go all spider-alien and goodskin (the armor). In fact, we have yet to go all goodskin on Aric’s side, leaving us a chance to see Aric the man as a hero rather than the Visigoth Iron Man we encountered nearly two decades ago.
Two decades? My word, I feel old. Now, where’s my ale?
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