Secret Six #13 - A Review

Strix has been recruited by The League of Assassins and her friends in The Secret Six aren't taking it lying down. They're just having a barbecue as they work out what to do next. Meanwhile, Strix is pit against a team of killers modeled upon The Six, told that if she cannot kill them all in under a minute, the corresponding team-mate will die!


I love this book. I was saddened when I learned that it wasn't coming back post-Rebirth. Still, Gail Simone seems determined to make sure this book ends with a bang. And I don't just mean Catman being asked to father Scandal Savage's child. *rimshot*


Tom Derenick's artwork is as fine as ever. Derenick is a gifted fight choreographer with a great eye for detail. And Jason Wright's color art proves perfectly applied.

Secret Six #8 - A Review

Black Alice's powers are out of control. And the only thing that may save her life (and the world) is the destruction of four magical columns. At least, that's what the ancient Atlanteans in the robes who just showed up claim. But can they be trusted? Or are the magical super-villains who were trying to kill Alice telling the truth when they say the pillars must be protected if the world is to survive? And can the rest of The Six really entrust Alice to the care of the assassins who were trying to kill them several weeks ago while they deal with sorting all this out?

The only real flaw to Gail Simone's script for this issue is that you have to have read the previous Secret Six series to get the most out of it. Granted, that's a minor concern as most of the people reading this series are probably devout Simonephiles. And a little confusion is a small price to pay for the return of Ragdoll, Jeanette the Banshee and Scandal Savage... though this runs the risk of making the book's title even more inaccurate. But that's all part of the fun.

The artwork proves equally fine.  Tom Derenick and Dale Eaglesham are at the height of their power here. And Jason Wright makes everything pop on the page with his color art.

Secret Six #7 - A Review

There is a kinship between magicians that goes beyond simple matters of Good and Evil. For there are things beyond imagination that seek entrance into our reality and it is the responsibility of all those who draw upon mystic powers to fight such beings and those who might aid them. To that end, an enclave was called to deal with a matter most pressing - a drain upon the force of magic itself that, if not dealt with, could lead to the destruction of all reality!

This drain, it turns out, is Lori Zechlin - a.k.a. the magical parasite known as Black Alice. And as most of her allies in The Secret Six work at Catman's attempt at a team-building exercise (i.e. basketball and mini-golf), a group of magical heroes and villains are converging on the hospital where Black Alice is near death. But The Six do not stand alone, for The Demon Etrigan seeks to aid them...though for what reasons no one can begin to guess!


There almost seem to be two comics in this issue and I love them both. The bits with Catman trying to get the team to bond are vintage Simone, with sufficient slapstick and ribaldry to satisfy most appetites. The other half of the book seems like something from a lost issue of Shadowpact. Yet there is some subtle humor here, with Klarion The Witch Boy and Cheetah attempting to sneak into a hospital unnoticed yet still bothering to bring a plant and a balloon to blend in. 


The artwork is as fine as ever. Both Dale Eaglesham and Tom Derenick do their usual stellar jobs on the pencils and inks in their respective sections. And the colors by Jason Wright leave the finished artwork jumping off the page.

Secret Six #6 - A Review

The secrets of six strangers forced together out of circumstance have been lain bare. The mysterious Mockingbird who tortured them for a year has been revealed as The Riddler. And "Big Shot" has been revealed as Ralph Dibny - a detective with a talent for stretching more than the truth.

Only two important riddles remain to be answered. Where is the diamond that one of The Six stole from The Riddler?  And can Big Shot's wife Sue, now a brainwashed pawn of The Riddler, be saved?



Gail Simone is to be commended for maintaining the mystery of this book for as long and as well as she did. I've been reluctant to reveal any of the secrets in my past reviews, which has made discussing them a bit of a challenge. Thankfully I think I can safely reveal a few things at this point and finally take the time to say this.

Thank you for bringing Ralph and Sue back, Gail. I've missed them. And I can't wait to see how their story plays out from here.


I've greatly enjoyed Tom Derenick's work on Injustice and am glad to see him getting a shot on this title for a full issue. Derenick draws very expressive faces so it is ironic that he should do so well with a title where most of the cast - and the ones most active in this issue - have masks that cover most of their faces. The action scenes are well played, however, and the only quibble I have with any aspect of the art is that I wish a darker green had been used for The Riddler's suit.  It's a little too sub-lime for my tastes. ;)

And with that bad pun, I encourage you to pick up Secret Six if you aren't already doing so.

Secret Six #4 - A Review

This fourth issue of Secret Six takes us back a few days before the events of Issue 3. Here we see our six reluctant allies trying to gather their personal effects before retreating to the safety of Big Shot's suburban home. Unfortunately, the mysterious Mockingbird is already on their trail and has sent a trio of familiar figures after the escaped captives...


Fans of Gail Simone's original Secret Six will be overjoyed to see a few familiar faces in this issue, despite it being primarily focused on further developing the new cast. For instance, we discover that Porcelain is gender-fluid and dresses as a man or a woman as preferred. And lest anyone worry about Big Shot being a bigot, don't worry - his "This ain't right" comment above is in regard to a sharp-dressed man like Porcelain going around without a hat.


This issue sees the return of Ken Lashley, who illustrates the first half of the issue. Tom Denerick (most recently seen by this critic on Injustice) handles the other half.  Both artists are well-suited to their respective sections, with Lashely's moodier style perfectly depicting the urban hell from which The Six escape and Denerick capturing the lighter, more silly escapades in the suburbs.

Secret Six #3 - A Review

Freed from Mockingbird's clutches, The Secret Six need to lay low.  Luckily, Big Shot has a place out in the suburbs. Unluckily, with the exception of Black Alice, none of the rest of the group have the first idea how to blend into The 'Burbs!

Worse yet, there's a traitor in their midst. And someone had weird sex on the couch.


Much as I enjoyed Ken Lashley and Drew Geraci's work on the first two issues of this book, I'm glad to see Dale Eaglesham teamed up with Gail Simone again. The two were partners on the Villains United mini-series that started Simone's original Secret Six and the two creators play off of one another quite well. Dalesham's style is flexible enough that it can portray the more typically proportioned comic book characters as well as the more cartoonishly distorted members of The Secret Six. The whole book looks freakishly perfect... or is that perfectly freakish?


It should come as no surprise that Gail Simone packs this issue with loads of inappropriate humor, wacky fun and oddly touching character moments. The final page, however, came as a total surprise. I shan't spoil the implications of what that page might mean but a second reading of the issue and some fancy detective work might give you some clues.

Secret Six #2 - A Review

Six special souls, trapped together thanks to something called Project: Mockingbird. With one minute to choose one of their own to die, they make a bold choice.  They decide to fight and escape!


It's all but impossible to describe the action of Secret Six #2 without giving away the whole game, so I won't.  Suffice it to say that Gail Simone has surpassed our expectations and surprised us once again.  The story here has little resemblance to the previous Secret Six title. There is less overt comedy and little in the way of costumed action. This book is decidedly more creepy, being closer in execution to a modern horror comic than a superhero title and that is to its benefit.


The artwork itself is born of this same horrific aesthetic.  The visuals here are dark and gritty, masterfully drawn by Ken Lashley with assistance on the inks by Drew Geraci. The color palette chosen by Jason Wright is chosen well, leaving everything looking muted and mysterious.