10. Andy Diggle And Jock On 'The Losers' (2003 - 2006)
For any comic book fans out there whose only experience with The Losers is the fun, if lightweight, movie released in 2010, we can only implore you to give yourself the pleasure of sampling the delights of Andy Diggle and Jock's superb series. Running for 32 issues from August 2003 to March 2006, The Losers was already a deliriously entertaining action movie in comic book form, featuring widescreen adventure, interesting characters and a much grittier and harsher edge than the eventual movie would have you believe, without being overly dark in tone. The Losers were a Special Forces team operating within the Central Intelligence Agency who were betrayed by their handler Max and left for dead following an operation. The series then followed the group as they re-formed and set out for revenge on the agency and Max in particular, always with the intention of removing their names from a secret CIA death list. Over the course of the series the team conducted operations against CIA interests and found out that Max's influence extended further than they ever knew, even within the halls of the American government. The Losers is arguably writer Andy Diggle's (Thunderbolts, Daredevil) best work, as it is the best outlet for his high octane, exciting storytelling. Artist Jock (Batman: The Black Mirror) is a revelation on the book, with his angular and slightly off-kilter style marrying perfectly to the story. The Losers is a great ride from start to finish, and is notable for being one of the few Vertigo books published that didn't overdo it with gratuitous violence, swearing and sex (although there is a healthy amount of all three). Highly, highly recommended.
