Secret Six #24 and #25 - DC

There was something about these 2 issues that just seemed a little off to me. Don't get me wrong, they were both good stories . . very entertaining, but . . it just felt like I was missing something. And I'm not sure what that was. In issue #24 we find the members of our cast in the old west. But they don't seem to know each other. There's the whole 'six degrees of separation' thing, but . . one on one . . they're just acquaintances. So they live in this little town called Separation Flats. Ragdoll, Peter, is like the local jester. But he comes from a rich family. He and his sister, Alexandria, had a father who was very rich and owned a silver mine here. It was supposedly dried up, but the town went together and bought it. It ended up paying off. Now, apparently, Alexandria wants that family mine back. And she's willing to kill the whole town to get it . . if she has to. Maybe even if she doesn't. She seems to enjoy killing. Anyways, she's hired Slade Wilson as her enforcer. There's a big gun-fight and everyone ends up dead. Well . . everyone except for Alexandria. As Blake lay dying in the street, Alexandria asks him what he was thinking. How could he possibly think that their ragtag misfits could possibly defeat this woman's resolve. 'Thought . . we might be heroes.', was his reply. To which Alexandria replies . .'Not in this lifetime, Mr Blake. Not in this lifetime.' And that's it. So I don't know if Gail Simone was giving us an imaginary tale here, or maybe just a dream. Or it could have been an Elseworlds tale, but . . that part is never fully explained. Me? I'm just going to chalk it up as a footnote in this teams history. J Caliafiore does the art. Like I said, it was entertaining. I just didn't understand the purpose, or the chronology. Anyways, in issue #25 we move on to a new storyline. In it, Bane and Jeanette have put together a new team, which consists of Gigantia, Lady Vic, Dwarfstar and Killer Shark. And they've taken on a job for a mob bosses' soon to be ex-wife. Apparently she's not happy with the terms of their divorce . . monetary or custody, and has sent Bane and his team to renegotiate. This all happens as the mob-boss is out to sea on his yacht. But shortly after arriving Spy-Smasher shows up. She's as surprised about the new team as anybody, but she's not here to stop them . . she's here to hire them. Next we see the rest of the team . . who are in a bit of disarray right now . . especially Blake, gathered up by Tremor. And she was sent by Mockingbird. It seems that this all has to do with what's been going on in the last few issues of the Warlord. You know, the whole alien invasion thing . . or whatever that is. Anyways, we see the team at one of the portals to Skartaris. She's about to send the team in, but . . Bane's team is already there. We don't know how they got there, just that we see them standing in a Griffin's nest. And then they have to fight for their lives. Plus I'm not sure how either team is supposed to cross the portal. I thought the Warlord characters on the other side closed them off. That's how issue #16 of that series ended . . with them containing the threat to the world inside thier own. But apparently the government wants to make sure that they succeed, and are sending in back-up. I'm guessing that through the course of this storyline, half these characters are going to end up dead. And by the time these 4 issues are done . . we'll probably have a new line-up . . and only 6 characters left. But I'm just guessing. However, I was just looking through the previews and it looks like somebody is setting up both these teams. It sounds like someone has sent them both in so that they'll go at each other. But we don't know who or why. And, even though they're in Skartaris, it looks like we won't see the Warlord until issue #28. Anyways, it's an entertaining storyline by Gail and J Caliafiore. And there's some beautiful covers by Daniel Luvisi.

Secret Six #23 - DC

This was an entertaining little one-issue story about the Secret Six. It was a bit predictable. I mean . . the outcome was never really in question. But, it was nice the see the various members of this group in action again. The latest story being mostly about Catman, it was nice to see the depravity and psychopathic behaviour that these various members can stoop to when the mood is right. Basically, some rich guy, who gives people the chance at the ultimate hunt tricks the Secret Six into coming to his island so that they can be the 'game'. He takes their weapons from them, and fits them all with shock collars . . as if that's going to slow them down. He also gives his 'huntsmen' advanced technology and weapons. Still, with all of that . . we still know that the Six will kick all of their asses and shut this guy down. It's just a matter of how long it's going to take, and how merciless they're going to be about the efforts. But, even being predictable . . it was exciting and fun. John Ostrander is the writer for this issue, with RB Silva doing the art. It looks like Gail Simone and J Calafiore will be back next issue. And in a couple of issues our team will be heading into the land of Skartaris . . the Warlord. That should prove interesting. In the meantime, they're still covering these books with the beautiful art of DanielLuvisi.

Secret Six #22 - DC

This was actually one sick, twisted little issue. We find out that this Mr MacQuarrie . . the one who kidnapped Blake and Cheshire's son . . this whole thing was actually all about Cheshire. Blake just got caught up in it by association. This guy had developed some terrible disease that was going to kill him . . slowly. When he found out, he wanted to tell his family, but his wife and daughter were in Qurac on some humanitarian mission. So before he could even let his family know what was wrong with him . . Cheshire, then known as Jade Nguyen, set off a nuclear device in the heart of Qurac. Apparently ever since, he's been waiting for the day that he could get his revenge. Which is where Blake's son came in, and thereby . . Blake. When it came down to it, Mr MacQuarrie could care less what happened to Blake, or what he did to the lackeys that he hired to do this job. All he cared about was putting Cheshire through as much anger and frustration as he had experienced when he lost his family. In the end, he tells Blake that he sent the child to be adopted, and won't tell him where. And in turn, Blake calls Cheshire to tell her that there was nothing he could do. Their son is gone. She's completely distraught, which satisfies the old codger to no end. And then Blake kills him. Through all of this, we see a little more of Blake's background . . his childhood . . his formative years. And we see how, and why, he was forced to kill his parents when he was about 8 or 9 years old. Meanwhile . . while all of this is going on, the rest of the team is trying to handle Scandal and Black Alice trying to kill each other. Alice had tapped into Etrigan's power last issue, and it really turned her rage on. To make a long story short . . she's frustrated because when she taps into someone else's powers . . she doesn't necessarily know how to use them. Her father is sick, and she tried using Raven's powers to heal him. But she didn't know what she was doing, and . . she thinks she gave him cancer. So . . I hate to say it, but . . right now . . the future of this team is kind of up in the air. Black Alice takes off on her own, and . . who knows if and when Blake will be back. But to be honest . . this teams always been kind of up in the air. Which, really, is what makes them so cool. Gail Simone is doing a fantastic job here. I love the way she handles all of these characters. And she's done some great character development along the way. And J Calafiore's artistic style fits this book really well. Not to mention Daniel Luvisi's fantastic covers. This is a title that I've come to look forward to every month.

Secret Six #21 - DC

Well . . Blake is still on the trail of the guys who kidnapped his son. I think he's given up hope that he's still alive, but . . he's still going to make the guys pay who did this. And maybe, somewhere deep down . . as a father, he does have some hope that he can save him. But if so . . he's hiding it very well. He's focused on one thing only . . stalking and hunting his prey. This issue we actually get a little glimpse of Tom as a child. His mother cares for him deeply, but his father is a narcissistic bastard who thinks of everything, including his wife and son, as his possession . . or trophy. Depending on how good of a mood he's in. Basically we get the picture that his father is the one who shaped him into the man he is today. I actually feel sorry for the guy. Anyways, from the last issue he's picked up a lead. He's looking for a guy . . 'Big guy. Near seven feet. Speaks Afrikaans. Goes by the name of Loki.' He's goes to South Africa to warn one of the low-lifes that he knows. He wants him to warn Loki. He wants Loki to know that he's on his trail. For some reason this Loki guy has himself deluded that Blake is going to fight him with honor. That he'll come at him like a lion. But, I think, what he fails to take into account is that in Blake's eyes . . there's no honor in what these guys did to his son. All sense of honor was thrown out the window when his helpless, infant son was dragged into whatever beef they had with him. Plus . . Blake really isn't a nice guy. And he's definitely not one of the 'good guys'. And like the cats that are his namesake, when his family is threatened . . he will attack . . fiercely. Which he does. He sneaks up on Loki by jumping in the back of his truck when he's leaving a bar. In the garbage back there, he finds one of his sons stuffed animals . . the one you see on the cover. Blake takes him apart piece by piece. But the only information he gets from him, before turning him over the his lion friends is that his son is still alive . . and waiting for him. Next issue should wrap up this story-arc with all the ferociousness that is in Blake's heart. The other part of this story that I liked was the teams use of Black Alice. Well not the whole team, just Scandal, Deadshot and Ragdoll. They have no idea how to keep up with Blake, so they're relying on Alice to use her supernatural powers to assist in the tracking. She starts out by borrowing Dr Occult's powers. But she has no idea how to use them. And later for some reason . . some how, she taps into Jason Blood's powers and turns into a female version of Etrigan. I'm not really sure what the Etrigan part of all of that was about, but . . it was interesting. And amusing. And Jeanette and Bane have put together their own team to aid in the search. They've gathered up Giganta, Dwarfstar, Lady Vic and King Shark. We don't get to see them in action. They're just making their acquaintances for now. I know we're on a serious story-arc right now, but . . I love the way that Gail Simone can still write some subtle humor into her stories. And while doing that, keep the Blake part of the story so intense. I continue to be impressed by Gail's talent every month. I also thought that J Calafiore did a great job with the art. This book continues to be one of my favorite team-books out there. It's a great bunch of characters and I really like the dynamics and relationships between them. By the way . . another great cover by Daniel Luvisi.

Secret Six #20 - DC

At the end of the last issue, the guy who hired the Secret Six was holding Thomas Blake, and Jade's son hostage. Well . . he wasn't actually doing it . . he was attempting to feign ignorance. But the goons that he hired were. Their demands? 'One year of life for your son, for every one of your team-mates that you kill . . in the next 5 minutes.' At first it looks like Thomas is going to do it. But then he turns the tables on them. 'No deal. Go ahead and drop him. Drop him! I'm going to hang up this phone, but I want you to understand something. You'll run, you'll hide. And in the dark . . I'll find you.' And then he quits the group. He knows he has to go after these guys, and I think he'd prefer to do it alone. It's not that the others would hold him back. They might actually help him. But . . he has to do this alone. This is personal. First he goes to check on Jade, and then with her help he's off to Italy after the only one that she was able to identify, Claudio Rinetti. He's a mob enforcer, and he's as mean as they come. Thomas enjoys taking him apart piece by piece. It takes him three hours to get the information out of him that he wants. So that leaves him on the trail of the other two. Meanwhile, Scandal, Deadshot, Ragdoll and Black Alice are on their way to see what they can do to help their teammate. Leaving Bane and Jeanette alone in the House of Secrets. I wonder what kind of trouble they're going to get in to. This was chapter 2 of the Cats in the Cradle story-line. I've really enjoyed Gail Simone's stories on this series. I like the way that she operates this group dynamic . . this, dysfunctional group dynamic. There's also a great cast of characters here. J Calafiore appears to be the artist . . at least for this story-arc. Also, isn't that a beautiful cover by Daniel Zuvisi? This guy is incredibly talented.

Secret Six #19 - DC

What a fantastic book. I love the way that Gail Simone handles these characters. Even Ragdoll gets a little more exposure this issue. And I gotta tell you . . he is one creepy SOB. This issue our group is going after Brother-Blood and his little cult. It appears that they've been hired to try to find a young man that went into their group a short while ago and hasn't been heard from since, James MacQuarrie. Black Alice has gone in undercover, but it isn't long before she's found out and is strapped to the sacrificial table. The group comes busting in, but it's Ragdoll that saves her from the man with the daggers. Alice is so overcome that she starts flirting with him. That's pretty creepy. Deadshot's observation is hilarious . . 'Even I know this is trouble. We can't have them doing . . stuff . . can we?' Which is part of what I love about Gail's writing . . her subtle, wry humor. Anyways, as bad as Brother-Blood's cult is . . it appears that the real 'bad-guy' here is Mr MacQuarrie, James' old man . . the one who hired our little band of over-achievers here. While they were busy on a fool's errand for this guy's son, he had sent his own team after Catman's. And they're pretty good because they have to go through Cheshire to get to him. They've all gone to MacQuerrie's estate to collect payment for their most recent job, but the old man is a game player. As they're talking the phone rings. 'This is what you must know, "Catman". We have your son. There's nothing you can do about that, Blake. Believe me. You could go bonkers trying, mate. But we will make a deal with you. One year of life. In a secluded location. That's what he gets. On year of happy, joyful life for your boy . . . for every member of your team you kill in the next five minutes. Tick tock, Mr Black.' I understand why this MacQuerrie guy wanted the cult wiped out . . they killed his son. But I don't know, yet, why he's so adamant on taking down the Secret Six. I'm sure we'll find out next issue. And I'm interested to see how Blake is going to handle this. J Calafiore does the pencils this issue. My only complaint is that I'm not sure that I agree with Alice becoming a part of this group. She's young, inexperienced, and definitely doesn't have a grasp of the full extent of her powers yet. I'm guessing that this is just a stepping stone for her . . a learning experience. She probably won't be here for long. But I'm guessing before she leaves it'll be at the expense of one of the current members. Anyways, great book. If you're not reading it, you should give it a shot. It's pretty cool!

Secret Six #18 - DC

I think Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad are a fantastic set of characters. I just don't see why we can't have a Suicide Squad book on the shelves also. Although, these 2 titles are similar . . the circumstances of their situations and missions are quite different. Plus with the Secret Six, they can define their own morality rather than having it chosen, or shoved down their throats, by Amanda over on the Squad. But, having said that, we do find out at the end of this issue that Amanda . . she's actually Mockingbird. You know . . the mysterious person that brought this group together, and gives it it's missions. But I don't think that she exerts the type, or measure, of control here that she does with the Squad. Anyways, this whole crossover thing has been because she wanted Deadshot back in her group. It seems that she felt that the Squad had lost a little of it's edge with his departure. So she decided that she wanted to bring him back in. And that's why she's put the Secret Six through hell. Although . . it didn't help that all of this happened during Blackest Night and both groups were attacked by the Black Lanterns. We do learn a couple of secret though, this issue. Back at Belle Reve . . the reason there were so many Black Lanterns available, is because Amanda has a secret section where she experiments and dissects deceased villains and heroes. Plus we learn about her Mockingbird secret. The issue ends with Deadshot shooting Amanda, near the heart, when she asks him to come back with her group. 'Be honest. Plenty of you been wanting to do something like that yourselves. And I owed her a bullet for what she pulled with me. This is over. Waller comes at us again . . I shoot her in the head. I see any of you approaching any of us . . I shoot you in the head. No further warning. Just dead. Get the f#$% out of here and take your team of lapdogs with you.' I absolutely love the way Gail Simone handles these characters. Of course she had some help from John Ostrander with this story-arc. He is the Suicide Squad expert afterall. J Calafiore does the art. All in all I thought this was a thrilling story-line. I can't wait to get back to the Six . . or Seven, next issue. But . . I really liked this one. It was the perfect team-up. Both in terms of characters and creative talent.

Secret Six #17 - DC

This is part 2 of the story that started in Suicide Squad #67 last week. First of all . . isn't that a beautiful cover by Daniel LuVisi? Last week we find that Amanda had recruited someone to replace Deadshot on her team, Yasemin Soze. The problem is . . she had the skills, but not the nerve. After she fails a mission, Amanda decides that she's tired of playing with generics, and wants the real deal. So, she sets up a trap for the Secret Six. She draws them all to Belle Reve, leaving Scandal and the House of Secrets alone and undefended. Well . . as far as she knew. But, it isn't called the House of Secrets for nothing. Anyways, the team is back at Belle Reve fighting the Suicide Squad when all of the sudden they're besieged by Black Rings. And this area has a lot of ugly death for them to chew on. Including Yasemin, whom Deadshot has only recently killed. This issue shows the various members of both teams going at each other with everything they've got. In fact, it looks like some of them may have killed each other. If they didn't . . it wasn't for lack of trying. However, soon King Farraday lets Amanda know about the situation here, with the Black Lanterns. I'm guessing . . next issue, they're all going to have to work together if they think they have any chance of beating this assault. Gail Simone and John Ostrander co-wrote this issue. I assume since he's intimately connected to the Suicide Squad. Overall . . I thought it was a great story. Everyone took on their antithesis in the opposing group, and . . other than almost killing one another, it was pretty much a draw. Personally, I think there's still a place in the DC Universe for the Suicide Squad. And I'd really like to see their adventures again. J Caliafore does the art, and I thought he was perfect for this book. Unfortunately . . this story doesn't conclude until issue #18, which we have to wait a month for. Bummer!

Suicide Squad #67 - DC

The only question I have is . . where does this story continue after this? This is only a 1 issue series. Right? Ok . . I took a look, and I guess this story continues in Secret Six #17 . . out next week. I was just a little concerned there. The story comes to an abrupt end . . and a next issue blurb isn't supplied. I just wasn't sure where to go next. Anyways, this story picks up in the Hall of Justice when the Black Rings are reviving all the corpses there. Of main import is the Fiddler . . for some reason. All we know for sure is that he has a hard-on for Deadshot. Next we see the current set-up of the Suicide Squad. It's still operating out of Belle Reve, and Amanda Waller is still it's drill sergeant. We see an op that she's got going, and a new character, Yasemin. She's kind of a female Deadshot. But without his experience. Which . . in the current operation causes it to go south. They're trying to kill some South American dictator. So, Amanda realizes that without Deadshot, she's not going to be able to complete this mission. The problem is . . ever since she sent him off with the rest of the villains to that remote planet, he refuses to talk to her. But she has ways of making him cooperate. Next we see that the Secret Six get a mission. They're being paid to liberate a drug-dealer who's being incarcerated in Louisiana. It seems like all their missions end up breaking someone out of jail. Anyways, the prison is . . of course . . Belle Reve. Surprisingly though, they don't smell a trap. Amanda counts on Rick Flagg and the rest of her team to bring these guys in, and capture Deadshot. Meanwhile, she takes a team and goes to the House of Secrets to capture Scandal. She knows that she's alone, and she wants to hold her as leverage for Deadshot. The computer chip bomb in his head won't be enough. He's not afraid to die. Anyways, the issue ends with the team battling it out at Belle Reve . . Amanda is ready to torch the House of Secrets to get Scandal . . and the Fiddler and a whole mess of Black Rings is getting ready to descend on Belle Reve. Afterall . . that's where Deadshot is. And that's why I was so upset when I didn't know where the story was going next. This was a very action packed issue. I thought Gail Simone and John Ostrander did some amazing work together here. J Calafiore does the art. This was a great book. I really can't remember what happened in Suicide Squad #66, but . . I don't think it really matters. This book is actually an extension of Secret Six, but . . I guess they just did it this way for shits & giggles. Overall it was a great book. I can't wait to read Secret Six next week.

Secret Six #16 - DC

First of all this cover . . by Daniel Luvisi, is incredible. He must be new to the scene, but I sure hope we get to see some more of his covers. He did an amazing job with this one. Anyways, this issue is all about Black Alice. Well . . it is the Secret Six book, but . . Alice wants to join the team. She borrows the magic of others, so when she first appears she looks like a female version of the Phantom Stranger. Then she taps into Blue Devil's power. Later she looks like Thunderbolt, and then she taps into Banshee's power. The reason she wants to join? 'I need money. My father's sick.' At least that's what she tells them. It could just be because she's bored and she thinks this will be a kick. The funny part is . . everyone is considering it, because she could really be a heavyweight for this team. So Scandal is the only one protesting. 'You can't be seriously considering this, you kick me off the team and bring her in?' She suggests the Deadshot do something to make her feel unwelcome, so . . they all go to a strip club. That was a bit of a stretch, but . . it was interesting. They all end up getting in a scuffle . . of course, and she's not deterred in the least. 'Finally. I found somewhere I fit in.' I think this was kind of a fill-in issue before this book crosses over with Blackest Night. Plus, before that story Suicide Squad #67 will be coming out. I believe that story leads directly into it. That should be an interesting story. I love Gail Simone's work here. I think she's doing a terrific job. It seems like she has a special affection towards these characters. She's got everyone of them down, and I love the way she handles them all. This issue Peter Nguyen does the art. I believe he's another newcomer to the scene. It's a pretty decent job. Some of the panels are incredible looking. I can't really compare his style to anyone else's. He's definitely got his own. He shows some real potential. Another fantastic issue. I can't believe we're up to issue #16 already. My, how time flies!

Secret Six #15 - DC

Our nefarious group takes a side-bar this issue is this entire book is dedicated to Deadshot. It seems that Floyd is having a little problem with control recently. Not control in his shooting, but rather in controlling his urges. Basically, he wants to kill everyone. So, he's asked to meet with the Padre whom he got to know at Belle Reve. You know, back when he was in Suicide Squad. Anyways, he goes by Reverend Richard Craemer now. It seems that he's left Belle Reve. Or maybe he left Amanda. Anyways, Floyd is hoping that the Padre can give him a little insight. During their conversation we get a look at where Floyd came from, and what made him into the man he is today. I mean . . it's not very detailed, but . . it does give us some of the basic events leading up to him becoming Deadshot. By the way . . Deadshot has been around for quite a while. He was first introduced way back in Batman #59, 1950. Who knew? Anyways, the Padre works out that everything seems to rotate around Floyd losing everything . . his parents, his family, his brother . . and then a few months ago, Batman. It seems that Batman was the final straw, and now Floyd's convinced himself that he's the one that should be dead, not everyone else. I thought it was a nice little tale with my favorite member of the Secret Six. And overall . . I thought it was a great book. First of all we get a beautiful cover by LuVisi. Then John Ostrander joins the title with this issue. Besides Gail, he probably is the best authority on Floyd's character. He wrote this issue expertly. And finally, J Calafiore does the art. I've always liked his style. I especially liked his framing approach this issue. A new story-arc starts next issue, so . . if you're not reading this book . . first of all, you're crazy . . but this would be a good point to jump in. Don't worry. The water's warm. It won't hurt . . much!

Secret Six #14 - DC

This issue pretty much wraps up the whole story-line about Mister Smythe . . the apparent warden of this government run jail / resort / facility. This is where they've been holding the Amazons that were arrested after the Attack of the Amazons story-line. The Six were originally approached to be guards, or body-guards here. But once they found out that the Amazons were here, including Artemis . . they also have Diana who came here to help her sisters but was then captured . . . they became split on how to proceed with their mission. After witnessing what happens here, they know that the real bad guy is this Smythe character. Heck, he's even got a Grendel captive to eat the Amazons if it comes to that. That's a little . . out there. Anyways, this issue Catman and Jeanette are working to try to get the Amazons to safety. They've been split up from Bane and Scandal. Scandal wants to help the women, but she knows that she can't do so without sheer power. She can't doing without Bane and the Venom. So she takes 4 vials of it herself. Meanwhile, Deadshot and Ragdoll who have remained true to their contract with Smythe, are trying to help him. Ragdoll is the first to have a change of heart, and in the end Deadshot knows when he's picked a loosing side. And Wonder Woman kills the Grendel. But I think the most important part of the story was what Bane tells Scandal as they're flying away. 'Every mission you undertake ends in injuries and non-payment. I am assuming command. You now will observe my orders. Jeanette agrees that this maneuver is necessary. I'm sorry. Our current situation in untenable. My first command is . . you are off the team, Scandal Savage.' Oh yeah, and in the end . . Deadshot takes out Smythe. Smythe does give us a little information though this issue. When he sees that his plans are about to go down he says to his assistants, 'It wasn't supposed to end like this. We were going to save the world. I've failed you Mockingbird.' So, Mockingbird was behind all of this? That's someone who has plagued the Secret Six ever since their very first series . . back in 1968. It's been over 40 years and we still don't know anything about this Mockingbird . . other than that the name is brought up every now and then. Another mystery piled on top of all the rest of them. Gail Simone is doing a great job with this book. But then again, it's got to be fun to write this book about these anti-heroes. I'm sure it's a lot less confining that a traditional super-hero book. She seems to be having a lot of fun. And, I'm still thrilled by Nicola Scott's artwork. She's helped this issue by Carlos Rodriguez on pencils, and Doug Hazlewood and Mark McKenna on inks. Overall the whole book looks fantastic.

Secret Six #13 - DC

Have I mentioned lately how much I like this book? I'm so glad it came back . . and even happier that it's a continuing series. These characters are fantastic. Just when I think Ragdoll can't get any more ludicrous, he says or does something that really cracks me up. While Wonder Woman is knocked out, Ragdoll has taken off her boots and Tiara and put them on. Then he looks at her lying on the floor and says, "Hey! I wonder, could I get in that bustier?" Deadshot looks at him and says, "Dunno'. Lots of people have tried." To me . . this is what makes this book so great. Gail Simone, in all of her writing prowess, has given these b-list characters a-list attitude. Yes this is a great adventure. The Six are going to end up saving the Bana-Mighdall, easing their return to Themyscira. And they face a major obstacle with the Grendal. There's lots of subterfuge and back-stabbing going on . . more than half the characters have switched sides more than once during this story. It's like they're trying to decide between getting a pay-check, restoring their individual reputations, or doing in their hearts what they know is right. I know the 'heart' path isn't one these guys usually take, but . . it looks like they're going to end up doing the right thing. Anyways, besides that great plot and story . . what I really like about this book are the unique, individual personalities of these characters. Something that couldn't be accomplished if Gail wasn't such a talented writer. She's put them in the position where you want to love and hate them at the same time. You don't always agree with what they're doing, or how they're going about it, but . . at the same time you can understand their motivations and decision process. It's demented and twisted, but . . in a creepy kind of way . . it all makes sense. And, despite the obstacles and odds, they generally come out on top. You kind of have that feeling when you're rooting for the under-dog. Anyways, it's a great book, and a fantastic series. If you're not reading it . . you should! Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention how much I love Nicola Scott's pencils. I swear she gets better and better every issue. This is one of the books where you get your moneys worth.

Secret Six #12 - DC

Well . . it ends up that Jeanette is the Banshee. I didn't make that connection. It caught me completely by surprise. I knew there was more to her character than we'd previously seen, but . . I wasn't really expecting this. I like it when I can be surprised. Anyways, Diana showed up at the end of last issue . . as you can see by the cover . . and has no problem taking out most of our team of misfits here. That is, except for Jeanette. She put up a pretty good fight. And then? Then she turned into the Banshee, and with her scream took Diana out. Afterwards, Scandal and Bane head back to the barracks with Jeanette and Artemis. They're objective is to get off the island while Deadshot, Cat-man and Ragdoll hold off thier employers. The boys think they have a pretty good chance though . . they have something to offer them in return . . Diana. As it turns out, her presence seems to be what this whole operation was all about. It seems this mister Smythe is trying to recreate the nine circles of hell beneath this island. And, much like Dante's original story, at the end the devil is shackled. Mr Smythe has his own devil shackled and he's hungry. He's hungry for Amazon flesh. I think Gail Simone is doing a great job with this book. I'm glad that they decided to bring this team back, and not just as a mini-series. There's a lot of potential here, and I think Gail is just getting started. Plus, I think, Nicola Scott's pencils get better and better with every issue. I love her stuff. This issues cover is by Daniel Lu Visi. It looks pretty good. Huh?

Secret Six #11 - DC

This is a rather strange predicament that our team has found itself in. They've taken a contract to work for a man . . a man they don't even know, and have no name for, only to find out upon arrival that he's a modern day 'slaver'. He's a 21st century slave-trader. And right now, his prize possession is . . Artemis. We heard him call her by that name last issue, but . . I thought, ' . nah. It couldn't be!' We don't know yet how he came to have her in his possession . . it fact, he claims that he's holding many Amazons. But we haven't seen any of the others yet. And, at the end of the issue, Wonder Woman shows up. I don't know if she knows about the rest of them, but she's arrived to avenge her sister. On the final page of the issue it appears that Artemis is dead. That, in itself is an interesting plot development, but most of this issue focus' on our modern day tyrant. Like I said, we don't know who he is yet, but we have met Emil. He's the little guy who's like his right-hand man, and originally recruited our little group. When our main characters arrive on his little island, he feeds them, and then gives them a soliloquy on how many wonders of the modern world were built upon the backs of slaves. He's doing the same thing here. He's building a prison. But not just any prison . . the ultimate prison. A prison so all-encompassing that it will eliminate the need for any other prison . . in the entire world. And now, apparently, the team finds itself divided. They deliberate, but Thomas states that they have to honor the contract that they accepted, and Floyd? "If the Bat's too much of a coward to kill the Joker, wouldn't you rather have him here, with all his little Arkham playpals? Lotta dead smiley guys might tend to thing so, I bet." They find themselves battling each other, internally and physically, literally, when Jeanette takes it upon herself to release Artemis. That's when Wonder Woman shows up and apparently during their little 'in-fight', somehow, Artemis has ended up dead. I've loved this book ever since it's relaunch a couple of years ago. I thought the first mini-series was great. At first I thought this second run was just another attempt at that. I was very pleasantly surprised when I realized that this would be a continuing series. And was even more thrilled to discover that Gail Simone would be continuing to write it. I love her work, especially her sense of humor, and the way she handles these characters. Nicola Scott is also doing a fantastic job with the art. This continues to be one of my favorite books every month.

Secret Six #10 - DC

It appears that our misfit band of miscreants is on a new mission this issue. This is what we know so far . . there's this tyrant, Mr Smyth, who runs a mine, I think, on Devil's island. I'm not sure where that's at, but it appears to be somewhere around South America. Smyth though is actually a slaver, as he captures people, locals, and makes them work in the mine until they can't anymore. Apparently though, this Mr Smyth also works for someone . . Mockingbird. This is the piece of information that draws our little band into this story. I'm not sure, it's been a long time since I read it, but I think Mockingbird was the protagonist in the original Secret Six mini-series back in the 60's. Although the identity of this person was never revealed. They were lead to believe that Mockingbird was one of the original Secret Six. Anyways, this group is sent to escort something to Devil's Island. All they know is, "It is something beautiful. We are recreating god's will here, and this is the beast that will remove all doubt. It will terrify and inspire. It will consume the disbelievers. It is very ancient, my friends. Very precious and terrible!" And then they have to crash-land because the locals have decided to rebel. Smyth is there and he has Artemis in his custody. He also asks for a show of faith and has Deadshot kill an escaping prisoner. It turns out that she's actually the slave woman that Smyth was interrogating at the beginning of the issue, Mina. This was her punishment. "Hey, if I wanted her to suffer, I would have made that happen. I don't got anything against her or anything. Just an escaped prisoner. She ran, I shot. I don't know what you want from me." To which Smyth tells them all, "Welcome to Devil's Island ladies and gentlemen. Where you truly belong." I absolutely love the work that Gail Simone is doing on this series. I love her stories and the way she's developing these characters. Whodathunk that this team could actually pull of an ongoing series? Well . . apparently Gail did. Also, Nicola Scott is doing a great job with the art. Her covers are also improving. Her interior art though looks better and better with every issue. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite team-books. It's always fun to support and root for the 'anti-heroes'. They don't get much more 'anti' than these guys . . and gals.

Secret Six #9 - DC

This was an interesting little one-shot story. Cat-man, Bane and Rag-doll have gone to Gotham to try to catch someone who is abducting the children of some very rich people. Actually Cat-man had picked up the contract. The hilarious part of the story, and the tie-in to Battle for the Cowl, comes in the banter between Thomas and Bane. They both spend the entire issue ribbing each other about how 'secretly' they would each like to have a shot at wearing the cowl. Both of them know that it'll never happen, but . . I think deep down they both wonder what it would be like, even if just for a little while, to have that much clout and moxy. The dialogue between them was hilarious. And then . . throw in the Rag-doll on top of it . . "Never fear, old chum! The he/she wonder is on the case! Holy capital punishment or some such!" With the other 2 both playing, and ribbing at Batman the whole issue, Rag-doll spends it in a mock Robin costume the whole time. Finally, at the end, after they've taken down pretty much this whole gang, Nightwing shows up to scold them for their action. They have been leaving a wake of bodies in their path after all. "I have wounded to tend to, and this isn't the only crime going down in Gotham tonight. So, let's imagine that I didn't see the 3 of you here, tonight. Let's imagine you hit the road before I turn around. But just so you know . . you're now on my radar." Thomas is pissed, but Bane stops him from saying or doing anything he might regret, and they take their leave. But that doesn't stop him from grumbling, "The sanctimony. It gets me every time. No one gave them that power. They just took it. They always take it. I see that sneer. And I hear that contempt. And I remember why I hate those little dictators! One saves a terrorist, one kills a terrorist. Who did more for the world in the end?" I really like the 'anti-hero' status of these characters. There's a spot in the issue, where one of the kidnappers is holding a kid at gunpoint and says, "Back off, heroes! Back off!" Thomas looks at Bane and says, "Heroes? You think he means us?" To which Bane replies, "The definition is extraordinarily fluid. He could well be." What a fantastic line. I think Gail Simone is doing a tremendous job here. I also think Nicola Scott is doing a good job. I especially like the cover. If you aren't reading this book . . this is definitely one that's worth giving a shot. It's got good characters, great dialogue, interesting stories, and some stellar artwork. What's not to like?

Secret Six #8 - DC

This issue Carlos Rodriquez does the art. It looks good, but I have to ask . . where's Nicola? I mean . . she does the cover, but . . ? Anyways, this issue actually raises a few questions for me. First of all, Scandal meets up with Liana again. She's the stripper that they hired for Scandal's party because she looked liked Kay. Scandal thought that she'd felt a connection, but . . she didn't know if it was just because they were drunk. It appears though that Liana really did feel a connection. Now that she's found Scandal, she wants to go out with her. Also in the amorous department, it appears that Jeanette is bizarrely attracted to Floyd. As she puts it, I think it's his death scent. Anyways, Scandal doesn't know if she should go out with Liana, and Floyd is actually scared of Jeanette. Well, I don't know if he's so much scared of her or actually just the thought of 'dating'. So they all go out on this double date, and are followed by this biker gang who's after Floyd for messing with them. However, before the date started, they all promised each other there would be no killing. So he's had to beat them up a couple of times, discreetly . . in order for their date to continue uninterrupted. Basically, that's how the whole issue goes. It was a just a bit of character development for these four. Now, the questions I have . . Rag-doll is in the trunk during all of this. He falls asleep . . which they don't even notice he's gone, or find him for 2 days . . and we get a twisted look at his dreams. My question is, why? What was the point of all this. It did nothing to help the story, so . . it all just seemed like a waste to me. Secondly . . our group has ended up at the House of Secrets. How did that happen? I thought maybe I missed an issue or something, but I really don't know how, or why, they ended up here. And again, why here? What's the point? Anyways, I'm glad that Gail Simone has stayed on as the writer of this series. I think she has a unique take on these characters that I don't know if anyone else could replicate. Also, I'm glad that this is a continuing series now. The first mini was way to short, and the first 6 issues of this title seemed to fly by. There's a lot of stories these characters have to tell. I feel like we've only just begun to get to know them.

Secret Six #6 & #7 - DC

Well, I had every intention of only doing the one issue here. After all, I thought that this issue was the culmination of this first story-arc. However . . I was wrong. The story actually wraps up in issue #7, so . . since that one is also in my stack . . I thought I'd include it also. What the heck? First of all, I want to say that I think Nicola Scott is doing a tremendous job on this series. I first noticed her art in Birds of Prey, and there I thought she had tremendous potential. However, I think that she's only gotten better. I love the life that she's brought to these characters. Of course, none of that would even be possible without Gail Simone's fantastic scripts. These 2 definitely seem to work very well together. Anyways, issue #6 has the characters still in Las Vegas and dealing with their recent knowledge that Junior, one of the major players that's also after Neron's "get out of hell free" card, is actually Ragdoll's sister. So now, not only do they have to deal with her, but they also have to get Bane out of her clutches. Of course all of that works out, but now Junior is also after our miscreant team because they've all seen her true face. This bothers her so much that she even shoots her own henchman because he's seen her. Also it looks as if this Jeanette may be joining our rag-tag sextuplet of anti-heroes here. First of all, she's jonesing for Floyd . . something about her being able to smell or see the death on him. She calls his guns the 'death-bringers'. And we also get a little of her history. Apparently shes 200 or 300 years old. But in the end, none of that matters because Floyd betrays everybody, shoots or runs over them all, and grabs the card and takes off for Gotham on his own. By the way, in Gotham, the Mad-Hatter is also after our little group for the way they treated him during his short membership. Issue #7 shows the team on the road . . Tarantula with Floyd, but the rest of the team on their own. Yes they all survived Floyd's attack. During Tarantula's talk with Floyd we find out that he wasn't trying to kill them, just slow them down so that he could race to Gotham and face down the hell-storm that's waiting for them on his own. He was actually trying to help them . . maybe even save them. He just has a weird way of showing all those friendly emotions. Anyways, long story short, when they all meet up in Gotham there's a huge cast of villains waiting for them. There's a lot of fighting, but in the end Tarantula and Junior are fighting on the bridge and all of the bad-guys with energy powers blast them at the same time. They both go up in flames and off the bridge. During the fight Tarantula stated that she had the card which is how she and Junior got so close. So, upon their deaths, it appears that there's no more card, so . . no more fighting. After all, who's going to pay them now? Everyone takes off in their own direction, and with Jeanette our group has it's 6 again. It's funny how that works. Oh yeah, and in the final panels we find out that Scandal actually has the card. I made a mistake in previous blogs thinking that this title was a mini-series. I'm actually very glad that it's not. I enjoy everything about this title . . the writing, the art, and the characters. And I'm sure under Gail and Nicola's guidance . . the best is yet to come.

Secret Six #5 - DC

It seems like this rag-tag group of 'wannabe' heroes is barely holding it together this time around. Bane has been captured by Junior and his henchmen, and the rest of the team, while visiting Scandal's friend Jeanette in Las Vegas, has been poisoned by Cheshire. So while we seen Junior take Bane apart piece by piece, everybody else is in Jeanette's Hotel, the Nocturne, puking their guts out and waiting for the platoon of bad-guys to make another strike at them. There is after-all a 10 million dollar bounty on each of their heads. Junior wants the Get Out of Hell Free card that Scandal now has in her possession. Supposedly it was made by Neron himself. But the gang is supposed to take it and Tarantula back to Gotham. Jeanette, I guess, has her own people take care of all the thugs at her hotel, while the gang goes to rescue their team-mate from Junior. They get there just in time and in the process . . they find out that Junior is actually Rag-dolls sister. I have no idea where that came from . . or why? I'm not sure what this all means, but . . I guess we'll find out next issue. I love Gail Simone's stories. This one confused me a little at the end, but . . . overall I still think she's doing a tremendous job. I also love Nicola Scott's pencils. I think she's got a brilliant future ahead of her. Unfortunately . . for this series . . there's only 1 issue to go. So sad. To bad. I'm gonna hate to see it go. But . . this is their second series in as many years, so . . who knows? Maybe we'll see them back here again soon. One can only hope.