Secret Six (2008 Series) #36

August 20, 2011

Title: Caution to the Wind Part Two: Blood Honor

Writer: Gail Simone
Art: Jim Calafiore
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Jim Calafiore
Editor: Rachel Gluckstern
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s time for the final stand of the Secret Six. Bane, who is finally beginning to understand emotion, decides that they will be the greatest weapon against the Batman. He plans a series of attacks against Batman’s allies – Red Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, and (over Catman’s protest) Huntress. But when things go wrong, the Secret Six will have to go down fighting.

All credit to writer Gail Simone for making this series work for such a long time. She told a story about villains without turning them into heroes, but still making them perfectly believable and relatable characters. Even here, as they execute a plan that would be the antagonist’s plot in any other comic, as the Justice League, Justice Society and Teen Titans all line up to take them down, we somehow still feel for them. Even the three “bonus” members of the team seem to fill a role – the Penguin gloats, Knockout and Scandal have a bizarre moment of tenderness, and King Shark is ready to go down fighting with the team. The ending is harsh, because we’re watching our protagonists go down hard. And even though what they were trying to do was terrible, somehow, we’re still sad to see them fall.

These are stories that lesser writers would never be able to pull off, but Simone is at the top of her game. It’s a great issue and a great finale to this series.

Rating: 8/10

Secret Six (2008 Series) #2

October 25, 2008

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Unhinged Part Two: The Way of the Traitor

Catman versus Batman! And the team strikes Alcatraz!

Writer: Gail Simone
Pencils: Nicola Scott
Inks: Doug Hazlewood
Colors: Jason Wright
Letters: Travis Lanham
Editor: Nachie Castro
Cover Art: Nicola Scott
Publisher: DC Comics

In Gotham City, Batman traces down Catman to talk to him about the Secret Six’s latest caper (to say nothing of their newest member, Bane). The rest of the team, meanwhile, begins their assault on Alcatraz Island (which, in the DCU, is evidently a metahuman lock-up instead of a tourist attraction) to break out the Tarantula. Only problem is, the Tarantula seems to agree with Batman – taking her out of prison would be tantamount to a death sentence.

Not that the Secret Six really care. They’ve just got a job to do.

It’s incredible how these characters can be so compelling and still so basically amoral at the same time. Although they’re all, technically, “villains,” none of them are written in a stereotypically “evil,” mustache-twirling fashion. They’re more rounded than that, and far more interesting. They’re in it for the money, right and wrong be damned. The confrontation between Batman and Catman is a blast, really helping to solidify Catman as a legitimate threat for this crew. As for the antagonist – man, Simone has created one of the most all-fired creepy bad guys in the DC Universe, and we don’t even know who he is yet!

Did I mention Nicola Scott? You know what there is to say about Nicola Scott? Her artwork is awesome, that’s what there is to say about Nicola Scott. Clean, classic lines, strong characters, dynamic action sequences – she’s got a look that is right up there with George Perez in terms of combining complexity, clarity, and quality.

Issue two? Just as much fun to read as issue one. I’ve got a good hunch about issue three, too.

Rating: 8/10

Secret Six (2008 Series) #25

September 25, 2010

Title: The Reptile Brain Part One: Blood Calls to Blood

Writer: Gail Simone
Art: Jim Calafiore
Colors: Jason Wright
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover: Daniel Luvisi
Editor: Sean Ryan
Publisher: DC Comics

The Secret Six has been shattered. Bane and Jeanette have walked away, rounding up four other villains to shape their own team, while Scandal, Ragdoll and Black Alice try to bring Catman back to sanity. And the two groups, naturally, are on a collision course.

The tricky thing about having a team with a number in the title is that you’re rather limited in bringing in new members (or getting rid of members, should you so desire). Simone has expanded the cast considerably this issue, though, bringing in several characters she’s played with before (such as Giganta and Dwarfstar from her run on All-New Atom). New characters means new character dynamics, and that’s a great way to keep a book like this one fresh in the hands of a skilled writer. Catman’s breakdown is being handled delicately, but the book is still a place to have a little fun as well.  I mean… we have dinosaurs in this comic for crying out loud. Dinosaurs.

Jim Calafiore’s artwork is as good as ever – for some reason his Giganta in particular looks really great to me. What can you say – the man can draw 50-foot women. We also get a good cover by Daniel Luvisi, who give us a clever video game selection screen riff. His pose on Dwarfstar is kind of funky, but the design is really clever.

Great issue, as usual.

Rating: 8/10