What do you think?
Rate this book
Thief of Thieves #1
Thief of Thieves, Vol. 1: "I Quit."
Conrad Paulson lives a secret double life as master thief Redmond. There is nothing he can't steal, nothing he can't have... except for the life he left behind. Now with a grown son he hardly knows, and an ex-wife he never stopped loving, Conrad must try to piece together what's left of his life, before the FBI finally catch up to him... but it appears they are the least of his worries.
Collects issues #1 - #7!
978-1607065920
Collects issues #1 - #7!
978-1607065920
152 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2012
19 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kirkman
2,510 books6,994 followersRobert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.
Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.
In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.
Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.
In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
July 30, 2025
Twisty heist story that unfolded in a very satisfying way.
I forgot how good this one was! And I loved the little nod to Kirkman's Invincible universe when the FBI director's son was playing with the action figures and watching a cartoon starring Robot. Did I miss that the first time around?
A retired thief, cocky government agent, disgruntled ex-wife, bumbling son, scary crime boss, and a crazy partner in crime all collide to tell a cool story in I Quit.
I'm still not sure how I missed finding out about this title until recently.
I'm looking directly at my Shallow friends here...
The good thing about being so late to the party is that I can binge on these suckers. I think there are 7 volumes so far? <--you can't see it, but I'm rubbing my hands together like a cheesy villain.
It says the writers are Robert Kirkman & Nick Spencer, but this really feels more like Spencer's dialogue to me. I'm not sure exactly who is actually writing what but whatever they're doing, it's working.
If you're a fan of crime comics you'll want to grab this one.
Highly Recommended.
I forgot how good this one was! And I loved the little nod to Kirkman's Invincible universe when the FBI director's son was playing with the action figures and watching a cartoon starring Robot. Did I miss that the first time around?
A retired thief, cocky government agent, disgruntled ex-wife, bumbling son, scary crime boss, and a crazy partner in crime all collide to tell a cool story in I Quit.
I'm still not sure how I missed finding out about this title until recently.
I'm looking directly at my Shallow friends here...
The good thing about being so late to the party is that I can binge on these suckers. I think there are 7 volumes so far? <--you can't see it, but I'm rubbing my hands together like a cheesy villain.
It says the writers are Robert Kirkman & Nick Spencer, but this really feels more like Spencer's dialogue to me. I'm not sure exactly who is actually writing what but whatever they're doing, it's working.
If you're a fan of crime comics you'll want to grab this one.
Highly Recommended.
October 14, 2016
Question: Where do old thieves go when they retire?
Answer: Well, it’s a pretend retirement; so, some end up somewhere on the French Riviera, meet snooty blonde babes and, since this a Hitchcock gif, you cut/pan to a fireworks-as-coitus shot.
Here, it’s…
Don’t be fooled. There’s no note of finality here. It’s a set-up for monkey business, an escapade, a caper…
…and not a very clever one. You can feel the “creative” wheels turning the deeper you get into this book. If you’ve seen a heist movie, it doesn’t matter which one, you’ll be several steps ahead in reading this.
Dude, you have some expository ‘splaining to do.
Bottom line: I expected more from the Kirkman/Spencer duo, but the end result is warmed over Brubaker served with a side of grits and Aunt May’s wheat cakes. Not horrible, but not anything I’ll invest anymore time reading.
Answer: Well, it’s a pretend retirement; so, some end up somewhere on the French Riviera, meet snooty blonde babes and, since this a Hitchcock gif, you cut/pan to a fireworks-as-coitus shot.
Here, it’s…
Don’t be fooled. There’s no note of finality here. It’s a set-up for monkey business, an escapade, a caper…
…and not a very clever one. You can feel the “creative” wheels turning the deeper you get into this book. If you’ve seen a heist movie, it doesn’t matter which one, you’ll be several steps ahead in reading this.
Dude, you have some expository ‘splaining to do.
Bottom line: I expected more from the Kirkman/Spencer duo, but the end result is warmed over Brubaker served with a side of grits and Aunt May’s wheat cakes. Not horrible, but not anything I’ll invest anymore time reading.
September 25, 2019
"I'm Conrad Paulson. I'm a consultant. I'm divorced. I'm working on an unpublished novel . . ." -- Conrad 'Redmond' Paulson, thief
"You're Redmond. You're the greatest thief who ever lived. The Federal Bureau of Investigation pays me to make you the greatest thief who ever lived . . . in prison." -- special agent Elizabeth Cohen, pursuer
Thief of Thieves takes a standard crime or heist story - other reviewers have noted similarities to the movies Out of Sight and Ocean's 11 - AND main character (who reminded me of Richard Stark's a.k.a. Donald E. Westlake's anti-hero thief 'Parker' from a long-running book series) and pumps it full of life with the expected sideways angles of plot development, a diverse cast of shady characters, and bold Technicolor illustrations. So if it's not an original 'one last score' tale at least it was still entertaining.
Another notable aspect was the presence of strong female characters in an often male-dominated genre -- Redmond's dishy but uber-capable 'Gal Friday' / protege Celia was equally fierce and funny (the finale conversation with her angrily wielding a shotgun, for example) and Redmond's determined nemesis Agent Cohen (tasked with an impossible assignment in nailing the slippery Redmond and his crew) are more charismatic or interesting than some of the stereotypical guy roles that fill the story.
"You're Redmond. You're the greatest thief who ever lived. The Federal Bureau of Investigation pays me to make you the greatest thief who ever lived . . . in prison." -- special agent Elizabeth Cohen, pursuer
Thief of Thieves takes a standard crime or heist story - other reviewers have noted similarities to the movies Out of Sight and Ocean's 11 - AND main character (who reminded me of Richard Stark's a.k.a. Donald E. Westlake's anti-hero thief 'Parker' from a long-running book series) and pumps it full of life with the expected sideways angles of plot development, a diverse cast of shady characters, and bold Technicolor illustrations. So if it's not an original 'one last score' tale at least it was still entertaining.
Another notable aspect was the presence of strong female characters in an often male-dominated genre -- Redmond's dishy but uber-capable 'Gal Friday' / protege Celia was equally fierce and funny (the finale conversation with her angrily wielding a shotgun, for example) and Redmond's determined nemesis Agent Cohen (tasked with an impossible assignment in nailing the slippery Redmond and his crew) are more charismatic or interesting than some of the stereotypical guy roles that fill the story.
September 3, 2020
Conrad Paulsen is a retired master thief. When his son gets into a bind, he gets pulled back into a shadowy world of high stakes threats. Yes, you've seen a lot of this before if you've seen any heist films like Ocean's 11 or To Catch a Thief. I mean how many variations on the theme can there be? Kirkman and Martinbrough do it very well though. There's enough infighting, backstabbing, and ulterior motives to keep this really interesting.
March 7, 2013
I actually really, really enjoyed this. I get that there really isn't anything that original here, but it's put together in a really fun way. The characters pop, the dialog can be snappy while being something that actual people would actual say, and the heists are really fun to read. And I can't say enough good about the art. It reminds me, in some ways, of Sean Phillips's consistently fantastic art for the Criminal series, but with more of a contemporary thriller feel than the retro, noirish one Phillips brings.
It's worth pointing out that, despite his top billing, Kirkman wrote little, if any, of what's on the page. That credit rightfully goes to Nick Spencer, the writer on this arc. It seems Kirkman's position on the series is something like a showrunner on a TV series. How much of what we see is his and how much is Spencer's we'll probably never know, but I feel comfortable giving Spencer the credit for the specific dialog on the page.
It's worth pointing out that, despite his top billing, Kirkman wrote little, if any, of what's on the page. That credit rightfully goes to Nick Spencer, the writer on this arc. It seems Kirkman's position on the series is something like a showrunner on a TV series. How much of what we see is his and how much is Spencer's we'll probably never know, but I feel comfortable giving Spencer the credit for the specific dialog on the page.
December 1, 2017
The story was pretty familiar and I didnt love all the art but all in all this was a pretty entertaining story.
September 3, 2012
The title is unintentionally ironic - there are a number of elements to this book that have been stolen from similar stories. If you've seen the Steven Soderbergh films "Out of Sight" and "Ocean's 11" then you'll notice them in this book too. A suave gentleman thief sidles up to his ex-wife in a restaurant and begins a back and forth that shows they have chemistry, still kind of love each other, but the woman is unwilling to allow herself to go with him. This scene is in both this book and "Ocean's 11". Then the gentleman thief has a complex sexual relationship with the female FBI agent after him - "Out of Sight" anyone?
There is a big team heist job set up for the final third of the book which involves "Ocean's 11" style montage where each member of the team is recruited, and then the heist involves rappelling down to the vault! It's like the writer Nick Spencer just watched "Ocean's 11" and woke up thinking he imagined it all.
Blatant rip offs aside, is there anything here worth reading from the creative mind of Robert "Walking Dead" Kirkman? Not really, it's a story you've probably seen before (I know I have) and the writing certainly doesn't stand out nor does the art. Kirkman didn't write this, he created it, and Nick Spencer did the writing. It barely held my attention to the end, the constant deja vu is too distracting and, overall, if someone asked for a template for a thief story this would be it.
Expect the movie version to star George Clooney...
There is a big team heist job set up for the final third of the book which involves "Ocean's 11" style montage where each member of the team is recruited, and then the heist involves rappelling down to the vault! It's like the writer Nick Spencer just watched "Ocean's 11" and woke up thinking he imagined it all.
Blatant rip offs aside, is there anything here worth reading from the creative mind of Robert "Walking Dead" Kirkman? Not really, it's a story you've probably seen before (I know I have) and the writing certainly doesn't stand out nor does the art. Kirkman didn't write this, he created it, and Nick Spencer did the writing. It barely held my attention to the end, the constant deja vu is too distracting and, overall, if someone asked for a template for a thief story this would be it.
Expect the movie version to star George Clooney...
March 8, 2015
Re-read on March 8, 2015.
4.5/5
I finally got my hands of volume 3 of this series and I wanted to give a reread to the previous volumes to refresh my memory a bit. And I don't know, there's something about this comic. It's surely not new, stories about crooks trying to leave life of crime behind but having their past catch up to them have been done to death. But it's a pleasure to read Conrad's shenanigans especially towards the end of the book. Martinbrough style is clean and nice to look at and Serrano's use of chiaroscuro is stunning. I realized that it suits Conrad's personality and even if it wasn't intended, it really makes the book stand out.
Thief of Thieves has managed to balance the criminal part with Conrad's family and the flashbacks give us needed information and show a different more idealistic Conrad. I really liked the contrast between both Conrads and both his lives. While closing the story in here, there's a hint at more to come so you are not left with a huge cliffhanger but a reason to keep reading.
I enjoyed it this time more than before; I remember that I was a little confused by what was going on the first time. One thing I can say if it doesn't matter how many times I read this, I always really enjoy it even if I know the outcome. Give it a try.
4.5/5
I finally got my hands of volume 3 of this series and I wanted to give a reread to the previous volumes to refresh my memory a bit. And I don't know, there's something about this comic. It's surely not new, stories about crooks trying to leave life of crime behind but having their past catch up to them have been done to death. But it's a pleasure to read Conrad's shenanigans especially towards the end of the book. Martinbrough style is clean and nice to look at and Serrano's use of chiaroscuro is stunning. I realized that it suits Conrad's personality and even if it wasn't intended, it really makes the book stand out.
Thief of Thieves has managed to balance the criminal part with Conrad's family and the flashbacks give us needed information and show a different more idealistic Conrad. I really liked the contrast between both Conrads and both his lives. While closing the story in here, there's a hint at more to come so you are not left with a huge cliffhanger but a reason to keep reading.
I enjoyed it this time more than before; I remember that I was a little confused by what was going on the first time. One thing I can say if it doesn't matter how many times I read this, I always really enjoy it even if I know the outcome. Give it a try.
September 1, 2015
Bullet Review:
This was okay. Basically, a lot of the thief tropes rolled into one - the heist, the mastermind who wants out, the mastermind and his ex, the mastermind and his screwed up son, etc. Nothing above average but not 100% snooze-worthy either.
But definitely could have used a couple more women outside of the ones lusting after Conrad.
This was okay. Basically, a lot of the thief tropes rolled into one - the heist, the mastermind who wants out, the mastermind and his ex, the mastermind and his screwed up son, etc. Nothing above average but not 100% snooze-worthy either.
But definitely could have used a couple more women outside of the ones lusting after Conrad.
July 2, 2019
Thief of Thieves didn't start off all that well for me, but the story did get better and the clever little ending was enough to wrap up the story for a three star rating.
Redmond is a world-class thief. His son is a world-class loser. So when the FBI can't indict Redmond they go after his son. Redmond must turn in a $7-mil heist and its crew to get him released. That's the basis for the story and I am not going to spoil it for you. If this Oceans-11 kind of story is your kind of thing then you will like this comic.
Positives are the story. Kirkman does a good job with this first volume and while I am not 100% sold on the characters, the plot has be interested enough in the rest of the series. Is this the next "Walking Dead" and I will not sleep till I get the next volume? No (though Kirkman wishes it so). But neither will I turn my nose up at it.
The art? It isn't awful but not noteworthy either. Mediocre is the best term for it. So good plot and story, toss up on the characters-it could be hit or miss, I'll need more issues with them before I judge, and mediocre art all combine into a 3 star rating. I'm in no rush, but I'll keep an eye out for the 2nd Volume.
Redmond is a world-class thief. His son is a world-class loser. So when the FBI can't indict Redmond they go after his son. Redmond must turn in a $7-mil heist and its crew to get him released. That's the basis for the story and I am not going to spoil it for you. If this Oceans-11 kind of story is your kind of thing then you will like this comic.
Positives are the story. Kirkman does a good job with this first volume and while I am not 100% sold on the characters, the plot has be interested enough in the rest of the series. Is this the next "Walking Dead" and I will not sleep till I get the next volume? No (though Kirkman wishes it so). But neither will I turn my nose up at it.
The art? It isn't awful but not noteworthy either. Mediocre is the best term for it. So good plot and story, toss up on the characters-it could be hit or miss, I'll need more issues with them before I judge, and mediocre art all combine into a 3 star rating. I'm in no rush, but I'll keep an eye out for the 2nd Volume.
July 30, 2016
3.5 stars
This starts of quite slow and switches back and forth like pulp fiction.
It's about a cop and the best thief of their time battling it out. He assembles a group to pull off a job to get his son out of jail similar to oceans 11. That is when it gets interesting and sets it all up nicely for the next volume.
This starts of quite slow and switches back and forth like pulp fiction.
It's about a cop and the best thief of their time battling it out. He assembles a group to pull off a job to get his son out of jail similar to oceans 11. That is when it gets interesting and sets it all up nicely for the next volume.
May 10, 2013
Art's nice. Simple form of realism without being over-padded.
Story was all déja-vue. The Italian Job, Ocean's 11, and a bunch of others have already told what is basically the same exact story.
A few "fun" instances, but over all, pretty run of the mill stuff.
There are alot of way better crime stories comics out there *cough*Brubaker's Criminal*cough*.
The only thing that does manage to stand out is the cinematic artwork.
Story was all déja-vue. The Italian Job, Ocean's 11, and a bunch of others have already told what is basically the same exact story.
A few "fun" instances, but over all, pretty run of the mill stuff.
There are alot of way better crime stories comics out there *cough*Brubaker's Criminal*cough*.
The only thing that does manage to stand out is the cinematic artwork.
January 31, 2022
Not my favourite art style but I'm a sucker for heist stories so I'll check out the next one for sure.
October 27, 2020
This book was decent and alright. We pick up with this guy named Conrad Paulson aka Redmond whose the greatest thief of all time and his sidekick Celia at a party of some guy Arno whose like a sponsor of their heists and they having a part and we learn Redmond is quitting but then again an agent named Cohen is after him but the FBI can't get anything on him because he is that good. And we get backstories like when he met Celia, his wife Audrey and her brother James, their earlier heists and all. And then fate comes knocking, Cohen gets his son Augustus and pins him down and to rescue his son, REDMOND has to snitch to FBI and get his crew arrested but the story takes such a fun turn. And Redmond how he is able to rescue his son and still do a heist with his crew and how Arno is involved is genius. You feel like you know something but you don't. This book was brilliant. The writing keeps you engaged and this feels like a classic heist movie with turns and twists and just says you never walk out of the heist life alive..
December 30, 2015
Wow, really exciting tale of a thief trying to get out of the business. The story, dialog, and art are crisp and this book reads like a damn movie. Looking forward to the next three volumes.
February 21, 2021
Občas mě překvapí, že čtu zcela generický příběh a i tak mě extrémně baví, to je případ i Thief of Thieves. Celé směřování i vyvrcholení příběhu je předvídatelné, což ve finále vůbec nevadí protože je to napsaný takovým sympatickým "catch me if you can" stylem, že jsem si to velmi užil. Co jsem si naopak neužil je art. Martinbroughova lenost nechat několik panelů po sobě postavy bez změny výrazu nebo pozice mě nehorázně iritoval. Hrozně se mi naopak líbily barvy i ink.
Hledáte sice generický ale dobře napsaný heist příběh? Tohle je krok správným směrem!
Těším se na pokračování.
Hledáte sice generický ale dobře napsaný heist příběh? Tohle je krok správným směrem!
Těším se na pokračování.
April 7, 2017
An excellent heist type caper book featuring an experienced thief, perhaps the best there is as he is trying to get out of his old life and patch up relationships he's lost because of his work. Nothing stands out as poorly done, the art is solid, the dialog is excellent, and the story is well crafted leaving me wanting more.
March 8, 2023
Very good, I hope to write a full review shortly.
January 17, 2022
I like to make fun of heist stories because...I don't know, they're always slick and cool. I can prove I like to make fun of heist stories because I wrote AN ENTIRE BOOK that's a heist story about someone trying to steal a log of shit from a science lab. It's called the Heist-est Heist Ever Heisted, further proof that I genuinely enjoy mocking this genre.
You might be thinking, Pete, this isn't really a review of Thief of Thieves. That's right! I STOLE the review space and turned it into an ad for my own book. I'm wearing a tuxedo RIGHT NOW. I'm dashing. Charming. And a thief. I thought you liked thieves? Oh, I get it, you only like them when they're George Clooney or Brad Pitt, not when their eyebrows grow together and then don't just touch, but keep assaulting the borders of the other eyebrow and pushing through, and maybe eventually they'll be two, separate eyebrows again once they pass all the way through each other?
You might be thinking, Pete, this isn't really a review of Thief of Thieves. That's right! I STOLE the review space and turned it into an ad for my own book. I'm wearing a tuxedo RIGHT NOW. I'm dashing. Charming. And a thief. I thought you liked thieves? Oh, I get it, you only like them when they're George Clooney or Brad Pitt, not when their eyebrows grow together and then don't just touch, but keep assaulting the borders of the other eyebrow and pushing through, and maybe eventually they'll be two, separate eyebrows again once they pass all the way through each other?
August 18, 2022
This is a pretty cool comic about a master thief trying to quit "the life" in order to protect his estranged family but finding out that no one else will let him quit. A well worn road story-wise, to be sure, but Kirkman pulls it off.
2022 reread: Never read the final 4 collections so I’m going to finish the series. Love this book.
2022 reread: Never read the final 4 collections so I’m going to finish the series. Love this book.
August 25, 2018
Good story and writing. Although it felt familiar, there were enough unique elements to hold my interest. I liked the art by Shawn Martinbrough, the realistic style reminded me of Sean Phillips (but I like Phillips a lot more). I did not like the colors -- Technicolor, Photoshop-y.
March 4, 2015
A customer recommended this read to me and I'm so happy he did. This heist-y read creates immediacy, drama, great interplay between characters, and a great leading man.
December 29, 2015
*4.5 stars
REAAD ITTTT
REAAD ITTTT
March 22, 2017
What a fun read! There is nothing original here. 007 meets Ocean's 11 meets every other thief vs FBI action plot out there, but the dialog is witty, the twists, turns and flashbacks are fun, and the art is STUNNING visually. Seriously, every page has spot on design.
I picked this one up from my Unlimited Comix collection. Robert Kirkman on the jacket caught my eye, although I see by reading other reviews it may not be "his" full storyline, per se, but I have no solid information on that either way.
Recommend.
I picked this one up from my Unlimited Comix collection. Robert Kirkman on the jacket caught my eye, although I see by reading other reviews it may not be "his" full storyline, per se, but I have no solid information on that either way.
Recommend.
June 13, 2018
Rating: Good, I liked it 😊
Recommended: If you like heist / con artist’s stories.
Would I continue with the series?: Maybe, but not right now.
2018’s Marvel-A-Thon Phase II: ANT MAN: a book involving thieves or a heist.
I liked it, specially the last two issues where the juicy part happens. I found the family drama to be a cliche, I’d to like to know more about Conrad and what makes him the greatest thief on earth. I guess we’ll see that in the later issues.
The was awesome, two thumbs up!
If you like con and heist stories I recommend it.
Recommended: If you like heist / con artist’s stories.
Would I continue with the series?: Maybe, but not right now.
2018’s Marvel-A-Thon Phase II: ANT MAN: a book involving thieves or a heist.
I liked it, specially the last two issues where the juicy part happens. I found the family drama to be a cliche, I’d to like to know more about Conrad and what makes him the greatest thief on earth. I guess we’ll see that in the later issues.
The was awesome, two thumbs up!
If you like con and heist stories I recommend it.
August 16, 2024
THIS was what I was looking for from Kirkman after finishing TWD. Classic heist and thief story but with great plot twists and complex characters. I also loved how each section was stylized and how the chronology of events was played with to make the story even more interesting and fun. Excited to read more of this.
September 21, 2025
What if Oceans Eleven were a graphic novel?
Just like that series of movies, there were a few things here and there that I didn't quite follow. But overall this was a great heist story, with a great cast of characters.
Just like that series of movies, there were a few things here and there that I didn't quite follow. But overall this was a great heist story, with a great cast of characters.
February 13, 2026
So I'd actually read this one in single-issue format when it first came out, but that was a long time ago, and I never finished the series.
This is a good setup, and I already know Kirkman is a masterful storyteller. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
This is a good setup, and I already know Kirkman is a masterful storyteller. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
April 28, 2018
3.5/5
July 11, 2018
If you a fan of heist movies,I recommend this one..... beautiful art and great story,you will never put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews