Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Secret Six (the ongoing)... spoilers

Regarding the last page, i'll say the same thing i would to Anjolie....EAT SOMETHING!

The platinum blonde on the other hand...hot! Deadly and curvy. If only she had red hair,

Now now, that's very bad manners...

Well, i am the Resident Cranky Poster.

That makes me cranky.

Deadshot's probably the best choice of a POV character on the team. He's the least messed in the head.

Gail said she feels Bane has potential, I'm looking forward to his exploration more.

I think Ragdoll's would be too creepy to understand.

#8- Another entertaining issue- this one involving a double-date, a bet, a couple of eyeballs, white-supremicist gangbangers, and a 'Tiny Titans' style look at one of the Secret Sixers.

The story's almost beside the point for this title, which isn't to say that the plots are inconsequential-- they aren't. But the art and the characterization are so strong, that almost any story featuring them's bound to look good.

I dunno. I wasn't much for the art in this latest issue, cept for the "Secret Sixers" segment.

#9-- Ragdoll and Bane teasing Catman about wanting to be the next Batman... fun. Radgoll dressed as Robin and delivering old time banter through a Ragdoll prism... priceless.

Nightwing's guest-appearance was welcome. I loathe the fact that he's about to be the new Batman (unless something *really* unexpected happens), so I savor each appearance of the 'real' thing in the time he's got left.

"TO MY BATPOLE!"

#10-- While the Secret Six themselves do receive some examination (Bane and Scandal, Jeanette and Deadshot), most of this issue goes to the introduction of a new(?) villain and his enigmatic handmaiden.

It all leads to and culminates in a pair of lines in the last panel that should shake these characters to their bones. We'll see.

I thought "Smyth" was a revamp of Sterling Silversmith, but maybe I'm way off (http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/batman/SterlingSilversmith-Tec446.JPG)

I finally caught up to #11 on Secret Six and am once again reminded why this is simply one of DC's best comics and the best in the industry. Gail Simone is at her best with all the things that makes me love her writing and Nicola Scott wows me every month. They are just one of the best teams in comics and I hope they stay on this title for a long time; if not, I hope Nicola keeps following Gail to other projects.

Gail continues to keep us in a zone that is far away from comfortable as possible, yet manages the right blend of humor and sexual tension to ease up a little. She tackles slavery in a way that is both over the top but yet not really that far-fetched, considering its usage in history (particularly Ancient History).

The core of Deadshot, Catman and Scandal continue to be the driving force that makes me really engaged; all three are favorites in all of comics. Ragdoll adds his quirkiness, the Banshee (do we have a codename for her at all?) is interesting and a welcome if not for her interactions with Deadshot, and I'm surprised at how much I am enjoying Bane's continued involvement.

Bringing in Artemis here is welcome as well. Artemis is a great character worthy of more respect than she gets and Gail obviously knows it. Since WW is too crowded for her, I wouldn't mind if Artemis had a continued presence here. And I love her rough around the edges nature, which is played up quite well. Gail also knows how to make a scene brutal without taking it too far--as you would expect her to know how to do, given her longstanding role on the internet in making creators consider this more often.

I could see Artemis replacing Bane, for a short time at least. But, not as a permanent choice. Bane I don't see staying for long anyway, though I might be wrong in that as well.

#13- Scandal's upbringing was even more horrific than I would've imagined. Jeannette's flashbacks are more as I'd expect- since the big suprise has already been sprung, for her (I think).

I'm reminded in this issue why I like Catman so much. That had sort of fallen away in the last half-dozen issues, or so.

I don't know if I really want to read about this stripper/Knockout lookalike all that much... unless she really is Knockout.

Ragdoll's perversity is amusing.

Has Grendel appeared before?

^^^ Re: Grendel - I'm not sure but Gail did use Beowulf in one of her early Wonder Woman arcs. And I think he had a short-lived sword and sorcery type series back in the 70s right? Grendel might have appeared there.

Wow! #13 was a really great issue!!

*That's* right! Grendel followed Diana back from '70's sword and sorcery world, if I remember correctly. At the conclusion of the Beowulf storyline.

The all Deadshot issue is here. And ooooooooooooo


But do I miss Nicola's art!

This is one of the most fun books going, and if you can stomach it, the DCboard for it could use some input. Its no where near as bad as some of the others, including the ww board.

Another great issue. Lots of character development, in a jailbreak and a strip club. Alice was played very well, and that was an absolutely stunning cover. Interior art was okay, but it didn't dampen the quality of the story overall.

Blackest Night Suicide Squad.

This is only a Blackest Night tie-in in a purely technical term. At the start there are 3 pages and the last page deal with Blackest Night. The rest of the book is a clash between the Secret Six and the Suicide Squad (aka Amanda Waller).

From the Suicide Squad, we see them on a mission where they fail due to Deadshot's replacement, Yasemin. I can't recall seeing this character else where so I assume she is new and introduced in this story. So Waller want's Deadshot back.

On the Secret Six side of the story, Scandal has a date while the rest of the group take on an assignment. The assignment is to spring a drug Kingpin awaiting execution from Belle Reve prison.

The characterization is good all around. Gail Simone and John Ostrander know their characters. The story is tight and I can't see any plotholes. There is some Suicide Squad continuity issues I have. Rick Flagg is here and I believe he was killed in Suicide Squad way back when. I don't remember his resurrection. Likewise, Nightshade is here instead of being with Shadowpact. But the story is good enough that I don't mind these continuity glitches. So kudos to Gail & John.

The artist is J. Calafiore and is very good. I am not good for exploring the nuances of the artwork, but I know what is good. Characters are recognizable and you know what is going on.

So, I recommend this if you are a Secret Six fan or a Suicide Squad fan.

That's my Quis, a true partner in immorality

Rick Flagg was "never" killed - was exiled to another place under arrest..until Bronze Tiger found him and freed him with the aid of Checkmate! ( I think, but cannot remember)...or something else...in the Suicide Squad mini-series....oh gosh I may be misremembering the title book. egad! help! that's the book where Windfall, Carapax, White Dragon, Tokamak, Twister, and others got killed or maimed. Chemo too. revealed that Amanda Waller has a "secret" power - acquired nanobot inside her body, thanks to Chemo (?)...

superboymddjr,

I thought that might be the case and I just didn't know the resurrection story. I say "resurrection" because if I remember correctly, the character was presumed dead.

Bought, but haven't yet read Suicide squad #67--but I did just read last month's Secret Six #16 yesterday.

I haven't read Black Alice's previous appearances in (presumably) Simone's Birds of Prey. And so far I'm not impressed. It just seems that Alice's power set just doesn't fit in with the feel of this Secret Six. They're primarily physical characters and now we're incorporating someone who absorbs magic powers? WTF?

Yeah, I know Jeannette's a banshee, and this was highlighted by Alice's using Jeannette's powers. But we all know that Jeannette's manifestations are few and far between (only one display so far) and are indeed undesirable for her to use. So what we normally get is the physical side of Jeannette that works well with the chemistry. Now, we have someone that can look like Blue Devil and presumably a lot of other characters and use their powers. I'm concerned this will upset the chemistry that Gail has done such a great job on this title of executing.

But maybe I'm overreacting. Certainly, she appears to have the requisite mental hangups it takes to belong to this team, so it might work out. Of course, the Six are now seven, so you have to be concerned that Gail is setting up Alice to replace one of the others. Frankly, I don't wanna see that happen! I really like what every member of the Six brings to the team, even though it seems foregone that we'll lose some of them to death or leaving at some point given their volatile nature.

All in all, I'm pleased very much by Secret Six to this point. It's been a pleasant surprise with its terrific writing and art. I took a chance on number one completely blind and have found it to be one of DC's (and all of comics) best reads as it's progressed.

I also have not read the Suicide Squad issue yet but recently read #16. The series continues to be an awesome, strait-up excellent read. You'd think the darkness in the title could be overwhelming, yet it never seems to feel that way.

As for Black Alice, I've read all her previous appearances and its obvious Gail really likes the character (she created her, I think). She's okay but not a character I like all that much. I wonder if there's some kind of buzz about the character on some message board somewhere or something because that seems like what Gail is trying to do.

I've read all of the Secret Six appearances since the first Villains United mini so to me the team is really Catman, Deadshot, Scandal and Ragdoll with other members rotating in and out. So unlike Lardy, I'm fully prepared for one of the six to be gone shortly and someone else to come in. I suspect it will be Bane. I actually kind of like what Gail has done with Bane and his interactions with Scandal and the rest have been great. But he's a pretty good Batman villain and eventually he'll be back there trying to break Batman's back (anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves) so I presume he'll be exiting. I don't mind, as I like the last two slots of the 6 as rotating. Plus, I've come to really like Jeanette and don't want it to be her.

My absolute favorite part of the Secret Six as written by Gail is the 'sibling' type relationship between Catman, Deadshot, Scandal and Ragdoll (the latter being the really weird younger brother type). They are constantly betraying one another, setting each up, kicking the crap out of each other, etc., and yet you know in their twisted minds they all love one another and would die for one another. Its a great dynamic that keeps me coming back for more.

Looking forward to the Suicide Squad stuff.