In July of 2005 DC Comics unleashed writer Gail Simone in her own little corner of the DC Universe with the six-issue mini-series Villains United. The idea behind the comic was simple, the various villains of the DCU were banding together as part of Lex Luthor‘s expansive Secret Society of Super Villains, that is until one villain said no. The rest, as they say, is history.
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You know you’re in trouble when Ragdoll is the voice of reason. On the eve of Bane‘s plan to take on Batman by attacking those closest to him the team begins to fray as they are surrounded by heroes who have followed the Penguin‘s tracker to the abadoned warehouse the Secret Six is using as its temporary base.
In an attempt to end things quickly Huntress calls in favors and brings in everybody, and I do mean everybody, to take the Six down, but as Huntress realizes far too late this isn’t the team to back down against an overwhelming show of force. As Ragdoll points out this team only has one redeeming virtue: they simply don’t know when to quit. That’s one lesson they never learned.
The Secret Six aren’t just another super-villain team. As screwed up as they all are there’s something noble about a group who will fight for each other, against all odds, knowing the chance of actually winning is impossibly high. And in this final issue Gail Simone let’s them go out Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid style.
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Is this the end for the Secret Six? Read More »
With the DC reboot just two months away writer Gail Simone gives the first half of the two-part series finale of a comic I’m going to miss a great deal. The path of the Secret Six takes a new turn as Bane‘s view of the world has been altered by his brief state in Hell.
The man who once broke the Bat has decided to lead the team back into Gotham and take on Batman and the entire Bat-Family. The old Bane, with a little encouragement from Catman, seems to be back.
This is a pretty good issue that puts the team on a new path and drafts a new member (but a familiar villain) to the squad, but with the looming DC reboot the question is will Gail Simone have time to tell the full story?
With only one issue left, I’m saddened that this is the end of the Secret Six, at least for now (and possibly for good). Whether the powers that be in the DCU believe it or not, their universe is going to be a lot less interesting without the Six to kick around. Worth a look.
[DC, $2.99]
I’ve never been a big fan of Renee Montoya as The Question. Don’t get me wrong, I love the character of Renee, but her stepping into the shoes of Vic Sage has never sat quite right with me.
What’s interesting is I could make a similar statement about the Huntress. Until Gail Simone took over the first volume of Birds of Prey and breathed new life into the character I honestly didn’t care what happened to Helena. Now I realize I’m going to miss her as much as the other Birds when this series comes to an end in August.
Sure the Birds (or some of them) will continue their adventures in a new title under a different writer, but this group’s adventures are coming to an end.
This issue gives us Black Canary and Dove vs. Junior (in a fight that elevates the villain’s prowess a little too high for my tastes), a Zinda Blake headbutt (no complaints here), Huntress and Question coming to the rescue, and even an appearance by Catman!
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Although the word “family” is never uttered, that’s what this issue is really about. After returning from Hell and saving another of Scandal‘s girlfriends (in a brutal opening sequence) the team returns home to lick their wounds and get back to live as usual (or as usual as it gets for these characters).
While Scandal tries to bury the hatchet with Ragdoll, and King Shark freaks out with how happy Catman is acting, Bane goes out on his first date. It’s unconventional (Bane tells the stripper his life story while atop a Ferris Wheel before severely wounding several would-be-robbers), but turns out to be a pleasant night for the couple (or as pleasant as things get for these characters).
There’s still plenty of fallout to come, including a difficult choice by Scandal and the reported return of a Bane on Venom, but this single character-driven issue (which has its share of bloody panels) is a nice change-of-pace after the trip to Hell and back. Worth a look.
[DC, $2.99]
