Very much like
Nemesis,
Supercrooks is an ambitious idea contained within just four issues. Of course, the former managed to tell a satisfying and exciting story and it so far seems like a certainty that the same will eventually be said of this series as well. While
Kick-Ass 2 and
Superior were spread out over seven issues, this second issue actually ends up benefiting having less room to spread the story out as it quickly introduces us to the team Johnny Bolt is putting together. Had
Supercrooks been longer, it more than likely would have taken place over a couple of issues and there really doesn't feel as if there would have been any sort of need for that. Instead, the first half of the issue plays out in a similar style to the sort of montage seen in
X-Men: First Class last year, as we meet each of the super villains Johnny wants on his team and learn both about their powers and the world that Mark Millar has created here.
This is where the writer is really in his element as we see how these ex-cons and washed up villains are now using their powers. For example, Forecast uses his powers to make it rain so he can sell umbrellas, while we also see that a lot of these guys have ended up in an underground fight club (
"Christ, is that what we've come to? Fighting other crooks for money?" asks an incredulous Carmine). These scenes ground the story in reality and make for an extremely interesting read. The fight club segment also allows artist Lenil Yu to deliver some of his incredible trademark action sequences and this brutal and bloody smackdown allows him to really run wild. While the majority of
Supercrooks #2 puts the spotlight on developing the characters, his pencils still look stunning throughout and the latter half of the issue (which relies on the expressions of the characters involved to tell the story) just would not have worked with an artist not of Yu's calibre. Inker Gerry Alanguilan and colorist Sunny Cho also play a massive role in giving this book a cinematic and gritty feel, while simultaneously making it as stunning as possible to look at.
It's in this part of
Supercrooks #2 where things take a REALLY interesting turn, and while I won't spoil the twist for you here, it's pretty damn incredible. It comes completely out of the blue, but works brilliantly and promises to add an exciting new dynamic to the series as we move into the next two issues. Just as I pointed out the possible similarities between Michael Fassbender and
The Secret Service's Jack, it's hard not to instantly see Mark Strong when this new character is added to the mix. With a big screen version of
Supercrooks currently being worked on by Millar and co-plotter Nacho Vigalondo, one can only hope that this is made a reality. With their target introduced on a stunning final page and new elements introduced to the series in the form of the character teased above and the Praetorian, it's clear that despite the fact that we're now halfway through the series, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Supercrooks #1 was excellent and #2 somehow manages to surpass it. The story and art are top notch and this is quickly shaping up to be one of Mark Millar's best series yet. It's that damn good.