Thief Of Thieves #12


Thief Of Thieves #12 highlights the best of what the series can offer. Between brilliant set-pieces that play well into the genre, an interesting father and son dynamic and all variants of cat-and-mouse plot lines, Thief Of Thieves #12 keeps the action and suspense high on every page.

The official description from Image:

Can Augustus prove to his father that he’s built for a life of crime? Or will Conrad’s worst fears about his son be confirmed as their plan to double-cross the cartel falls apart around them? And who is the familiar foe back on Conrad’s case?

This issue follows heavily from Thief Of Thieves #11, but the basic concept is quick and easy to understand. Augustus and his father, Conrad, want to save a woman from being held hostage by gang members and other typical criminals. Its a simple twist on the heist genre, it has all the conventional hallmarks of ‘get in, get out unnoticed’ that are the basis for both the plot and character, but with a slight twist to keep things more unique.

Yet its the father and son relationship that makes it much more appealing. Although they share the same goals, the constant disagreements on which methods to use leads to constant twists and turns throughout. This is best shown through the writing; not only does the dialogue convey two people forced to work together despite disagreements, it also hints at the much more damaged father-son relationship behind the pair.

On the other hand, this dynamic is so central to the title at the moment, that most of the previous characters and developments have been forgotten. Sure, the FBI make their usual appearance here, in itself an excellent form of escalation. Yet, as for the previously assembled team of experts Redmond/Conrad assembled? They’ve yet to make an appearance or even mentioned again. Are they in-waiting whilst the current developments resolve, or have they simply been forgotten about?

As a whole, Thief Of Thieves seems to be about Redmond and anyone around him making heists. Its a successful formula with long term potential. Yet issues like Thief Of Thieves #12 offer something different; a tightly focused core cast with strong dynamics and personal themes. Furthermore, this issue makes a strong argument for such a title. So much so, its not entirely certain which direction the writers will push towards in the future.

4.5/5

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