By Harrison Stewart — I was a little apprehensive going into Rogues #1. The creative team looked promising, but if it was going to be just another heist book, superhero comics have tread that ground plenty of times before. I’m happy to report, however, that Rogues #1 is anything but just another heist book. With a tight, character-driven focus that allows its baddies to be bad, writer Joshua Williamson and artist Leomacs add another impressive entry to DC Black Label’s strong library.

First things first, this ain’t your grandparents’ Rogues. But they are old enough to be your grandparents. A decade after hanging up their tights, the former super villains have fallen on dire straits: dead end jobs, insurmountable medical bills, endless restitution payments, and the ever-present threat of having what little they own taken away for the slightest misstep. This is justice served.

Why, then, does it feel so unjust? Williamson expertly sets the stage with characters who elicit a wide range of sympathies. Some are truly trying to be better; others are hardened by the assertion they needed changing to begin with. But all are interesting and compelling enough to give the book real stakes and a reason to embark on the classic “one final score” mission. Yes, there’s still the Ocean’s Eleven style crew-building montage, but Williamson never loses sight of how much his team members have to lose. He imbues them with talents and motivations that make sense for what we know about their past, often making them into sad reflections of what they used to be.

In this way, Rogues is really the Dark Knight Returns of villain comics. The characters’ age isn’t just a coincidence, it’s often important to their character in some way. Take Trickster, for example. The infamous befuddler is now turning magic tricks in nursing homes, faking a broad smile on his plastic surgery-heavy face. He’s lying as much to himself as to the audience. This book is filled with inspired little details like this that make the world feel grounded and the characters real.

Likewise, Leomacs does an exquisite job matching the funny, sad and chaotic tones the script demands. Being a superhero book, there’s still a touch of ridiculousness that the art captures well. Characters in flashbacks often appear in their classic uniforms, driving home the point that their heyday has long since passed. There’s also some brilliant visual storytelling throughout that makes the readers feel as old as the characters, showing a changing Central City with little room for the past, and even less for its bygone criminals.

Overall: Rogues #1 rises above its genre with a thoughtful, well-paced thriller that promises to rank among 2022’s best DC titles. 9/10.

REVIEW: Rogues #1

Rogues #1
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Leomacs
Colorist: Matheus Lopes
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
Ten years ago, the Rogues disbanded and went their separate ways. But time hasn’t been kind to the former blue-collar super-criminals. Caught in an endless cycle of prison, rehab, dead-end jobs, broken relationships, probation, and endless restitution fees, the Rogues are sick of paying for their crimes. Luckily, Captain Cold has a plan. One last job that will leave them all richer than their wildest dreams and free from their past…if they can survive. This is the Rogues as you’ve never seen them before, reimagined by the incredible talents of master storytellers Leomacs (Basketful of Heads) and Joshua Williamson (Batman, The Flash, Infinite Frontier). DC Black Label presents Rogues, a neo-noir heist that will make your blood run cold.
Buy It Here: Digital

Read more great graphic novel and comics reviews!

Harrison manages a comic shop by day and writes comics by night. You can find more of his writing at @stewart_bros