The Losers, Vol. 2: Double Down

The Losers #2

by Andy Diggle, Jock (Illustrator), Shawn Martinbrough (Illustrator)

On their last roll of the dice, the Losers came out ahead and put a major dent in the illegal cashflow of their former employer, the C.I.A. But to stay ahead, they've got to keep pushing their luck—and that means tracking down Max, the ghost-like C.I.A. agent whose existence is hidden even from Company insiders.

But Max doesn't want to be found—by anybody. And as the Losers follow his barely discernible trail to tiny Montserrat in the Carribean, they're about to learn just how far his influence spreads—and how far he's willing to go to keep his secrets.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Crime, Espionage, Comic Book

135 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Andy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers,Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.

In 2013 Diggle left writing DC's Action Comics and began working with Dynamite Entertainment, writing a paranormal crime series Uncanny. He is also working on another crime series with his wife titled Control that is set to begin publishing in 2014.

Reviews

[47Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put this comic down for two days and I can't recognize anybody any more. On the up side, it's getting interesting.

Max might be a secret identity used since after WW2 for all sorts of covert operations, including terrorism financed by drugs. The Losers are just one of the entities that Max screwed over. A hard drive they stole from Goliath Industries has records that mention Max, but the information must be corroborated with CIA data to get to Max.

Their next stop is Montserrat, an island in the Caribbean. A Goliath team is already working on digging out the safe containing sensitive data. It was buried underground after the most recent volcano eruption. The Losers get close to the safe right when the volcano erupts again. They get away by the skin of their teeth and the contents of the safe get them one step closer to Max.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of The Losers is extremely familiar to the first and that's not exactly for the best. The book has a decent concept, more militant Burn Notice, but the exposition and character development, or lack thereof, is the issue. There is some fun action but the crux of the tale is bullets over thoughts. The book isn't bad but its basic. Jock's art is really good though. Overall, a run of the mill action movie in comic book form.

[Vikas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an action movie in comic form what else can I say. A must read comic ..

I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so like I said in my review of the first volume, I frickin' love this comic. The second volume is no different. All I really have to say is: Jensen hacks in his undies, AND WEARS A PIRATE HAT. That is all.

[Virna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy reading this story.

[Andy Haddon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great action comic, with some though-provoking commentary about US foreign policy and state sanctioned black ops.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite still just being a forgettable A-Team style story, I found this one more entertaining than the first one.

[Đenis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Istý Max hodil na parchantov krádež pekného balíka od CIA. Teraz Parchanti po Maxovi a dôvode, prečo sa to všetko deje. A zdá sa, že každý, kto sa pripletie do cesty, prípadne položí ohľadom problematiky otázku, veľmi rýchlo umiera. Graficky veľmi príjemné, tak ako to mám rád. Tak nejak Expendables, akurát menej expertov na špecializovaný boj.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first volume 3 or 4 times, and seeing the movie, I had totally straight who everyone was, and decided to go on with the rest of the series.

This volume deepens all the characterizations, and continues the plot.

I have to say, I found the movie pretty enjoyable overall, but it's kind of depressing to realize how dumbed down it was. Changes that got made to streamline the story or even tone down the politics I get ("the CIA smuggles drugs to support terrorists" isn't going to fly in a mainstream Hollywood movie these days), but a lot of things seemed to have been changed out of the assumption that the audience can't process moral complexity, and that's kind of depressing. Plus, Aisha deserved better.

[Tays · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Max still at large, Aisha still earning the trust of the team, Cougar minimizing his words, Jensen complaining, Pooch missing his family, and Clay contemplating on how to lead the team to their lives back. Double Down is quite exhilarating. Everything is in shambles for The Losers, and the fight to regain their lives back is getting a tad more complicated than it already was. The art style remains consistent as the previous one. Storytelling is getting a little bit more interesting what with Max still not having a face. I'm getting hooked at this and I can't wait to get it on with the next volume.

[Geoff Sebesta · Rating 1 out of 5]

You would think that having a character constantly give shouts-out to the other works of art the story is ripping off would be refreshing, but it's not. It's annoying.

Competent art, incomprehensible storytelling in places and lots of difficulty telling the characters apart by appearance (though the writer does an admirable job of designating them in the dialogue).

The evil master plan was better when Cobra Commander did it.

I was disappointed in this book, I guess that's why I'm writing this review. I was looking forward to some competent spy fiction. I did not get it.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous. Clever. Layered. Great sequences of beautiful action (cleverly laid out and exposed by Jock) and more of that short, sharp dialogue that immerses you directly into the world of The Losers. devoid of the kind of easy-to-follow explanations that make so many comics "mainstream", Diggle is one of the few that banks on his readers having a brain, curiosity and patience to see where things are unfolding.

Oh, and one word that will stay with me for along time: fucknuts.

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filmilik agendiseiklus jätkub. Usun ma jee et mingi trussikutes ja läppariga varustatud tüüp suudab "sisse häkkida" kuhugi elektrijaama ja terve New Yorgi paariks sekundiks pimedaks teha. Jaa, nii lihtsalt see käibki. Raha saab ka niimoodi et kaevad maasse, kastad ja ootad kuni rahapuu kasvab. Aga noh, eks ta üks film koomiksi kujul ongi, ühtalsi tuletas mulle meelde miks mulle ei meeldi filme vaadata. Igav, tüütu, jabur, sellepärast. Korra meelelahutuseks kõlbab.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have much to add to my review of the first volume in this series. We get a little more character development and a bit of movement towards explaining the conspiracy motivating this whole mess.

It's all kind of far-fetched, but it is what it is. If you're looking for a story about the A-team fighting a secret government conspiracy, this is your book.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of the same action-packed conspiracy theorizing, and I should say that Diggle and Jock are masters of whipping a plot up with lots of kinetic energy. In this instance, I had to look up Montserrat in Wikipedia, as I couldn't tell whether the buried-Plymouth active-volcano plot development came from an alternative present (it doesn't).

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the movie opening in 2 weeks i decided to burn thru the five TPBs that had been loaned to me. Another good solid action tale, but we at least get a little character insight this time (Jensen likes to do his hacking in his underwear, Aisha definitely takes things personally). And, it all wraps on on a Carribean island with an active volcano. For fans of big screen action style movies.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second collection of the series. Like most any comic book, the dialogue is terrible, and there's a lot of unconvincing character motivation, but it's fun. And I'll say, I'm not looking for much more than fun right now.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The action and character development pick up in this volume. It's still a little hard to take an artist who goes by Jock seriously, but his art is starting to grow on me.

[Ben Brackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it.

[gradedog · Rating 4 out of 5]

More excellence!

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent follow-up to the original, much clearer and even more exciting & setting up some bigger mysteries.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this vol. as well.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adds to the characters, and the plot with bigger action. A solid follow up.