Secret Six #1
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott
Unhinged: Part 1
Do my eyes deceive me? Could this honestly and truly be the first issue of a Secret Six regular series? I keep looking at it and trying to find the part that says “Part 1 of 6”, and it’s no where to be found. Thank God.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, one of the mini-series that led into Infinite Crisis was called Villains United. It focused on a team of six villains that hadn’t aligned themselves with the Society (Catman, Deadshot, Cheshire, Ragdoll, Scandal, and Parademon), and were led by the mysterious Mockingbird. The team fought in opposition of the Society, but never fully crossed into the territory of heroes, ending the series on the question of what to do next, and who to side with. They returned in a second mini-series after the Crisis, and then had another appearance in Birds of Prey. All written by Gail Simone.
I am Catman, hear me roar!
It’s actually a pretty cool thing that she has more or less handled the writing of the team exclusively since their debut. Sure a few of the members have popped up elsewhere, but the team as a whole seems to be her personal sandbox that’s closed off to everyone else. To that, I say….GOOD! Characters that appear irregularly, without a solo book, without a consistent writer, tend to never get off the ground. It’s no one persons fault, but when you have four different writers each telling their own version of the characters there’s little doubt in this reviewers mind that while we might see characters that are fundamentally the same, they wont be the same. Actually, a good example of this would be Spider-Man in Brand New Day. With so many writers telling their own stories in a three times a month vehicle and it’s amazing that any decent characterization can come. All it would take is two writers with different ideas and bam, we’ve got a problem.
The Six haven’t had that problem. Gail Simone has taken her babies and kept them held tight in her grasp like a defensive mother hen. She carefully nurtured their development rather then allowing them be whored out relentlessly and pointlessly….alright, so she lost total control of Deadshot, but there was need of a Suicide Squad and he’s the biggest veteran that team has, so it doesn’t count.
So here we are, the first issue of their very own ongoing series, and how is it? Well, if you’re a fan of the Six, then this is easily a must buy. We’re reintroduced to the characters and their lives, and it doesn’t take long to get a feel for where the team is at. Catman is still questioning his own morality, as he’s quick to kill a group of poachers and yet still yearns to be a hero. Deadshot shows less moral ambiguity as he actually robs a store for cigarettes while after stopping a robbery attempt….robbing the store with the same gun that was being use to hold it up initially in an incredibly humorous moment, as he spends the entire ordeal discussing ethics with Catman. Scandal is shown at the peak of her depression over the death of her lover, former Secret Six member Knockout, and given that she’s supposed to be the leader, it provides evidence for why the team is in slight disarray as they do what they can to try and cheer her up. Ragdoll is still the crazy, hilarious, freak of nature, and he continues to provide comic relief in scenes such as when he hits on a stripper. The new member of the team is Bane, who recently served on the Suicide Squad with Deadshot, and he seems to fit the role of the straight man to Ragdoll’s insanity.
The story begins by setting up the threat the team is most undoubtedly going to be resolving, as a man is pulled into a crate by a shadowy figure as two henchmen stand by in blindfolds, where he’s presumably eaten. The crate shows up again a few pages later, barking orders about what it needs next. The book spends the majority of it’s pages establishing the characters, and to this I say…..GOOD! Simone has made this book new reader friendly by accepting the established continuity without making it all required reading. Does it help to have read all the previous appearances? Of course, but you don’t need to have. The book stands fine on it’s own. For the most part it’s solid characterization with a few hints about the ongoing plot, and the team receives a mission at the end to hunt down a character that I haven’t seen since Devin Grayson’s time on Nightwing! There’s even a nod at the end of the issue to their appearance in Birds of Prey, as Catman’s most recent love interest makes an appearance. Here’s hoping that we get to see her face off against Cheshire at some point.
How’s the art? Well, Nicola Scott is no Dave Eaglesham, who did the art for Villains United, but that isn’t a complaint. As much as I love Dale’s art, Nicola Scott proves in a single issue why this team is hers to draw. To say that this issue looks wonderful would be an understatement, as I can’t find a single flaw with it. Much like her time on Birds of Prey, I find myself raving uncontrollably about just how good everything looks. Every character looks unique while maintaining the classic feels to their designs. At no time do I ever find things overwhelming to the point of confusion, rather I find myself following along with the story effortlessly. When I first saw her art on Birds of Prey I said to anyone who would listen that she would be huge one day, and it’s my firm belief that handling the art chores on this series is going to be what propels her to super stardom in the art community.
Comic relief….that induces vomiting.
So what’s the bottom line? It’s twenty-two pages of non-stop fun, as you cheer for the bad guys. It reads great, it looks amazing, and the final score?
9/10
