When the world’s greatest superhero team, the Command, defaults on their loans, their secret underwater base becomes the property of the Paybacks! It’s Night Knight’s first mission with the superhero repo squad, and the foreclosure goes smoothly . . . until it really, really doesn’t. I mean, High Guard can see through walls, you know? How do you sneak past that?
The Paybacks is a superhero story for the generation of people who are feeling overwhelmed by student and credit card debt. Although the mountains of debt that the heroes face will make your student debt look like a mole hill next to a mountain (it’s not cheap saving the world, you know). It’s not easy to collect what’s owed from superheroes, and so the repo team that gets sent to collect that debt means business.
I was genuinely surprised last issue how well this concept worked, even going so far as to say that;
A super powered repo squad collecting debts owed by heroes who can no afford to pay off the outlandish debt they took on in order to fight crime. It shouldn’t work. It should be consigned to the draw of ideas that just shouldn’t be.
Thankfully, it wasn’t.
Does the Paybacks #2 match up to the previous issue? Oh yeah.
The writing team of Donny Cates and Eliot Rahal effortlessly capture the same sense of madhouse fun and chaotic mayhem from the debut issue of The Paybacks again throughout this issue, and it’s truly wonderful. The comics’ art wrok by artist Geoff Shaw and colourist Lauren Affe again delivers on the promise shown last issue, and with all the action that happen here you never feel as though you’re loosing sense of what is actually going on. There is one panel where High Guard looks a bit ill proportioned, but that’s only a minor blemish on an otherwise stellar issue here from the creative team. The Paybacks #2 continues the precedent set last issue of delivering a well written, extremely enjoyable comic book that is still one of the most effortlessly funny comics I’ve read this month.
There are too many things about this issue that I loved, but I don’t want to give too much away here, but pay attention to a double page spread that will look like the final scene of Raiders Of The Lost Arc; the little touches and references to other comic book series were fantastic to see. This issue we see Night Knight‘s first mission as a member of the Paybacks, and experiencing several scenes through his eyes as he’s brought into the world of debt repayment is fantastic. The dialogue in this issue is fantastic, and the scene leading up to the double page spread, specifically the dialogue, is one of the highlights in this issue.
If you’re looking for a comic that’s a little different from all the seriousness of the major events this summer, then look no further.
The first issue of The Paybacks was a joyride from start to finish, and so is the second. This is a series that you don’t want to miss out on; it’s a blast of fresh air in a genre that frequently takes itself too seriously. Whether you ask your Local Comic Shop to hold a copy of this comic for you the next time you visit, or add it to your pull list on ComiXology, The Paybacks #2 (released on sale October 21) will be a fantastic addition to your pull list
The only down side to this issue? There’s was no unicorn.
Story: Donny Cates and Eliot Rahal Artist: Geoff Shaw Colours: Lauren Affe
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy
Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy a FREE copy for review.
Indebted superheroes keep turning up dead before the Paybacks can collect. What’s worse, Night Knight suspects there’s a traitor in their midst. In perilous circumstances like these, our heroes do the only sensible thing . . . they split up! Hey, these assets ain’t gonna repossess themselves!
