Comic Book Review: The Secret Six #30

Written By: Gail Simone

Artist: Jim Calafiore

Colorist: Jason Wright & John Kalisz

Cover Artist: Daniel Luvisi

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Editor: Sean Ryan & Rachel Gluckstern

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Simone takes humor to a new level with this latest edition of the Six.  Was she forced into using Ambush Bug with this installment, or was it of her own choosing?  Who knows right?  Without a doubt however, Simone gives us laughs and drama all intermingled into one fantastic story that you’ll enjoy from page one to the end.

The two most popular super villain teams come together in Secret #30, whose story will be concluded later this month in Doom Patrol #19.  A lot is going on in this story as MacQuarrie’s grandson inherits a massive amount of cash, the entire rat-pack-like street gang, and a group of beautiful women who turn out to be more than just mere eye-candy.  While all this is going on, the Six run head first into a duel with the Doom Patrol and go tooth and nail in an all-out death match.  Put these two teams together in one book and what do you got?  Well, you’ll need to purchase the book for that answer.

To start off, I have to say that as much as I love Calafiore’s artwork, there are times when I can’t differentiate between characters.  Bane’s “first date” scenario is a hoot, but when Spencer makes her entrance, at first glance I could have sworn it was Scandal all dolled up.  Other than that, Calafiore brings his normal, top notch quality to the table leaving nothing back.  And along with the incredible coloring job done by the Wright and Kalisz team-up, artistically this book is a joy.

One of Gail Simone’s greatest literary qualities is her handle on the characters she’s writing.  The Secret Six and the Doom Patrol are two of the craziest and zaniest teams in comics today, but Simone handles the interaction between these two groups perfectly.  Amongst all of the punching, kicking, and chomping, the two teams were almost at a conversational friendly tone while they tried to kill each other.  Simone hits this story hard and right on the mark, with the nicely added touch of Ambush Bug running around almost clueless to the goings-on.

And just when you thought MacQuarrie (You remember, that crippled and evil old man that pulled one hell of a mind-fuck on Catman a while ago.) was gone forever, Simone throws in that plot-twisting curveball and brings him back.  Only this time, it’s through his grandson, who wastes no time in putting his crime racket together overnight, and looking good while doing it.  I think this addition to the story will be most interesting especially if Catman figures out who this kid is.  Let’s face it, Catman didn’t exactly come to terms with the loss of his son.  He may just find this as a “Sins of the father” type of scenario and take his vengeance out on the boy.  But we won’t know until Doom Patrol comes out right?

Of course the problem with this “ULTIMATE CROSSOVER” is the confusion factor.  I don’t actually follow Doom Patrol so I had no idea that Elasti-Woman was basically a human batch of play-doh, able to regenerate her own body parts.  Why wasn’t she screaming in agony after losing her leg?  I would have been continually perplexed until I decided to Wikipedia the hell out of Elasti-Woman.  This is one of the major problems with crossovers…you have to give your readers some type of knowledge about the guest characters so they aren’t confused about certain things.  But hey, it’s all well and good, it shouldn’t detract from your enjoyment.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

So now the debate begins; who would win in a fight?  The Six or the Patrol?  It’s all so zany and bonkers that it’s hard to really come to any definite conclusion.  This issue will have you rolling on the floor with laughter and griping the edge of your chair in anticipation for what’s going to happen next.  Pick up Doom Patrol #19 in two weeks!

9 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #28

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Jim Calafiore

Colorist: Jason Wright

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Art: Daniel Luvisi

Editor: Sean Ryan

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

“How was I supposed to know Skartaris  was an imaginary world back in DC’s heyday?” a friend asked me when commenting how much he disliked this crazy land Simone decided to use in her incredibly well written arc.  He was worried that, after writing HIS review for #28, the lack of respect for Mike Grell (his words, not mine) would burrow a hole through his brain and never allow him to write again.  No hole was made, but the world of Grell and the amazing integration of the Secret Six by Simone has definitely left a lasting impression.

 I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know Skartaris was a pre-created world until I saw Simone’s grateful shout-out to Mike Grell on the second page.  Now, after having done some research into the world of Skartaris, I have an even greater appreciation for this arc, Simone’s writing, and the classic age of the DC Universe.

Unlike the very negative and elitist review by Mr. Chris Delloiacono, I felt this arc, and this issue specifically, was a fantastic tribute to a forgotten part of DC’s history. I for one would love to see an on-going series where Skartaris is brought back, and it’s Warlord is given a chance to shine once again.  (Please Gail, be the writer for this series…should it ever happen.)  Simone’s sense of revisionist history is very respectful towards the creator and creative in how she takes Mike Grell’s creation and makes it her own.

I was equally impressed with the Simone’s choice of wrap-up, centering around Black Alice and her childhood.  Initially this seemed a little out of place, but as the story progressed, the purpose behind it made much more sense; Calling on the fact that Black Alice is still very much a young lady still discovering who she is and dealing with life as she grows up.  The idea that she was unable to use her powers, not because of where she was, but because of her own uncertainty within herself was a fantastic way to bring Alice back to her old self while giving her a characteristic of humanity.  This was a much needed character development for Alice so she doesn’t feel like some punk kid with super powers.  Although, I’m not entirely sure I agree with Simone making the claim that the last time Black Alice was happy was back when her dad was alive, being very gitty when around Ragdoll.

Simone certainly loves her monsters and the big super-natural brawls; it seems like she has to get a monster story put into one of her titles at least once every year.  And every time she does, the art sores above expectations.  Just like with Wonder Woman #33, the monsters fighting humans was a battle drawn to perfection; giving the dragon-lizard a terrifying look while never parting from the established confidence within the six.

Just like with last months issue, Simone seeps into the story the idea that violence and sex go hand in hand.  Aside from the fact that everyone was half naked during the battle sequences, each character gives off a sexual aura that both utilizes testosterone and their perfect bodies as well.  Even Ragdoll surprises us with his rippling pectorals.  But the after math within the epilogue shows that sex is one of the most effective methods of persuasion in the history of rhetoric.  The Reptile Brain arc was an adventure within the appeal of sex and violence that all other like stories could take lessons from.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

I know I’m an all-things-Gail-Simone one man praise team, but I honestly can’t see how anyone is unable to favor Simone’s story telling over the other writers.  She is such an intelligent and clever writer who hasn’t written a bad issue of the Secret Six since she started this series.  Out of all the comics I read, Simone’s material always gets me in the sweet spot, leaving me wanting more. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

+ 2 Incentive Points

Writing: 10

Art: 10

Themes: 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #27

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Gail Simone

Penciller: J. Calafiore

Colorist: Jason Wright

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Art: Daniel Luvisi

Editor: Sean Ryan

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Bane on a T-Rex…what more could you ask for?  I’ll tell you what, half naked men and women slicing each other up, solidifying the fact that this issue is a true testament that war and sex go hand in hand. (Thank you Doctor Strangelove.) The two teams, both humorously having six members, go tooth and nail in a vicious battle that takes war violence to a new level.  And who’s caught in the middle? The people of the Skartaris tribe, and this very well may be the end of their culture.

I think Simone and Calafiore got together one day and agreed to make this issue the complete and utter visualization of the American dream.  Vigilante men and women turning savage, wearing almost nothing and duking it out to an almost arousing degree.  But this has more to do with the art rather than the dialog, even though there are obvious sexual tensions going on between characters.  J. Calafiore brings in all the stops and more with sexy and savage depiction of jungle war.  Jimmy Palmiotti, watch out, Gail Simone’s sex appeal in this story might rival even yours!

J. Calafiore has truly been raising the stakes on his artistic vision through the Secret Six, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as impressed with his work here in issue #27 than in any other past comics he’s worked on.  The muscular structures of each character and the dynamic and overall cinematography is a gorgeous and a breathtaking sight to behold, in addition to that tremendously beautiful cover of Bane triumphantly riding on the back of a dinosaur by Daniel Luvisi. 

And just a side note, did anyone else catch the cleverly placed dissipating feline as it changes into the temptasciously (yes, I just made up a word, deal with it.  My blog, my rules!) sexual Shakira?  Maybe I’m just perverted, but this is definitely a BIG co-inky-dink for me!  To big to pass up mentioning at least.

But have no fear, if you’re someone who doesn’t mind sex, but wants more substance, Simone is definitely no stranger in making the two work well together.  Her writing in this issue brings out the best of action stories that involve a lot of blood, slicing, dicing, and champing at the bits.  King Shark can attest to that!  But the two plots occurring throughout these pages (one being the main plot and the other a minor, yet mysterious plot which is building a lot momentum) will have you clenching the book with the utmost anticipation.  This whole war between the two teams has turned into some desperate attempt by Shakira to get her husband back into her life, and Agent Waller and Armstrong keep going back and forth in who has the upper hand.  Tension keeps going back and forth all sides, and I keep begging for more!

But this story isn’t without its light-hearted, yet twisted sense of humor.  Like always, Ragdoll brings in his brand of humor and still manages to be as demented as the next super villain.  (Sorry Joker, you’ve got some competition!)  But King Shark is certainly proving that Ragdoll isn’t the only funny man on campus.  And tied together with Deadshot’s dry one-liners, you’ll most assuredly have moments of relief from all the devastation and blood-shed to take a moment to relax, breath, and remember that the Secret Six is nothing but pure, thought provoking fun!

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

This type of storyline is typically not my cup o’ tea.  There’s a certain level of rushing that can occur with a story moving this fast.  But Gail Simone takes it and handles it with delicate care.  I never once felt overwhelmed or blasted away with how much is going on in the story. 

Rating: 10 out of 10

Writing: 10

Art: 10

Themes: 10

+ 2 incentive points

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #26

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Gail Simone

Penciller: J. Calafiore

Colorist: Jason Wright

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Art: Daniel Luvisi

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Like always, the Secret Six comes to the comic book stands as demented and twisted as ever.  Simone however really boosts the characterizations of this team and their individual personalities even more this month; utilizing the weird school girl crush Black Alice has on Ragdoll, Deadshot’s dry humor, Jeanette’s glorious and sexy experience, and the strange father-daughter relationship Bane and Scandal share.

The humor in this issue really does take charge in many places.  Bane, instead of reassuring the natives that he isn’t there to hurt them, pulls a 180 and says “Please put your weapons down…If you wish to live that is.”  I laughed for a good couple of minutes at how unexpected that statement was.  Even more entertaining was Ragdoll’s shout out to the Justice League right before entering the portal to a prehistoric world, much resembling Magneto’s Savage Land.  And seeing Jeanette back down from a fight with Black Alice humorously shows how experienced and wise she is and doesn’t stop her from using classic Victorian style insults.  But as always, Deadshot is saved for the best one liners with his statement declaring his astounded state of awe, “Well I’ll be dipped in dog &#%$.”  It’s very clear as to how much fun Simone had writing this issue.

Clever writing aside, Calafiore out shines anything he’s ever put to comics with top rate battle and dramatic scenes.  Scenes like the battle with the three-headed sea monster and the opening pages where Bane decapitates everyone opposing him rivals anything Aaron Lopresti did for Wonder Woman.  And Daniel Luvisi can continue to do covers for the Six for ever and a day as far as I’m concerned

I’m not sure if I understand the connection this part of the story has with the conversation Waller and Armstrong have about the nuclear attack on the U.S., but Simone has her reasons I’m sure.  I just hope this isn’t the start of a busy and over-plotted storyline.  The Secret Six has been so consistently good since issue one because it doesn’t overdo itself in multiple plotlines.  All I can do here is keep my fingers crossed.

While all this is fun and amazingly well done, the heart of this issue, even though it’s brief, is the emotional moment Bane and Scandal have at the very end.  Bane’s refusal to fight Scandal, and how conflicted she is with going in for the kill and not wanting to hurt her surrogate father is not shocking, but definitely moving.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Fun, exciting, and beautiful.  That’s all that’s needed to describe this issue.  You’ll need to pick up #25 in order to understand what’s going here, but I’m sure that’s not a problem for you.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Writing: 10

Art: 10

Themes: 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #25

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: J. Calafiore

Colorist: Jason Wright

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Art: Daniel Luvisi

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Question: What’s the difference between “good guy” comics and “bad guy comics? 

Answer: The bad guys have A LOT more fun!

There are certain rules that good guys have to follow in order to be consider superheroes right?  Otherwise they wouldn’t be heroes at all.  Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, they all hold up a certain moral code in their heroism which boosts them up on this victorious pedestal that shines angelically and gloriously for the entire world to see.  But with the bad guys, writers no longer have to follow the “rules” and dive into a whole new world of comic book storytelling; giving the readers a new take on the villains’ mindset an motivation.

All the rules change with the Secret six.  If you were to ask yourself, “What would Superman do?” take the answer to that question and think the exact  opposite; Mr. Adrian dies along with his hired guns, Deadshot has absolutely no problem with lying to Black Alice about her cancer infesting ways, and Catman’s value of animal life over human life is nothing short of strange.  Even the giant gryphon defense brigade was handled a lot differently than had it been the JLA who invaded the nest of these protective mothers.  The incredibly construed value of life is what makes this issue so interesting and I can’t wait to see where this story arc goes for the next three months.

The characters themselves are given their own unique voice, not surprisingly.  But what stuck out even more so was the humor that each character brought to the story.  The first few pages had so much dark humor in it I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or be mortified.  Mr. Adrian’s gunmen took Bane’s rather humorous, yet terrifying warning quite seriously, but the scene was intensified even more when King Shark took time to assure everyone that his appearance is not as scary as it may seem.  Simone not only has the ability to give each character a differentiating voice, but also their own defining humor that is unique to them in every way.

I was rather disappointed with the non-continuation of last month’s stellar alternate universe storyline.  The potential story I saw in the issue was beyond description.  But I shouldn’t complain as it was still a good issue by itself, but I was rather sad that Simone decided to leave last month as a loner comic and not flesh out the whole mystery behind the story.

The cover to #25 is fantastic!  It’s creative and artistic, recreating the classic Mortal Kombat, figting arcade game title screen.  And within, the art gets even better.  Jeanette’s wonderful “WTF” face makes me laugh every time as does Deadshot’s “fuck you, I’m the boss of every living soul on the planet Earth” stature.  I was thrown off for one sec on the first page however, since Mr. Adrian’s blonde lotion girl looked a lot like Jeanette, minus the white hair and Victorian wardrobe.

One thing that the newer, less experienced comic book fans might be confused by is the sudden addition of already established villains; Dwarfstar, King Shark, and Giganta, to the ignorant I can see this becoming very vexing and weird.  So for you newbies, this issue will have some added villains that you may not know, but trust me that they have been around for some time…just not in the Secret Six.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Like always, the Secret Six wins high marks for this month.  What will happen if Simone ever decides to leave this title?  How many fans will stick with the title and how many will drop it out of protest?  I’m still thinking about that one.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Writing: 10

Art: 10

Themes: 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #24

Book Information
Written by Gail Simone
Penciled by J. Calafiore
Colors by Jason Wright
Letters by Travis Lanham
Cover by Daniel Luvisi

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion
Boy was I thrown for a loop! Secret Six #24 went to an entirely different place than what I’ve typically seen in the title ever since issue #1. I couldn’t decide if this was some type of alternate reality, a dream state, or if Simone decided to simple change things up a bit just because she can. Whatever the case, the ending led me to believe that this isn’t the end for the new reality of the Six.

This issue takes us back to time in an old western town where Scandal is a bitch of a sheriff, Deadshot is a no good bounty hunter, Bane a deputy, Ragdoll a simple minded puppeteer, Catman a beaten and wandering stranger, and Jeanette a prostitute. All seem to know each other but have completely separate lives apart from bane working as Scandal’s deputy. But with the news of Ragdoll’s evil sister coming to town, the Six must work together as a team and bring down Alexandra and her band of gun slinging hoodlums.

This entire issue, all the way up to the very end, kept me wondering when and if all of this is going to make sense. There’s no way that THIS is where the series is going to pick up after last month right? Page turn after page turn I continually became baffled at the strangeness of it all, always thinking that something was going to make sense real soon; could it be an alternate universe, a dream, I don’t know! But as I hit that last page, I realized there could be a bigger picture to this whole deviation from the team’s normal state of life.

Simone, as always, writes an incredible story that keep your attention at the edge and your mind swimming with questions. There is so much mystery and unanswered questions in this book, yet she leaves enough hints in the story that allude to the fact that this strange new world and adventure won’t end here. The conversation that Catman and Alexandra have right before he died makes me think Catman did something to alter history, or Alexandra has forcefully brought the team back in time. My only question is, why does the team not remember who they were with exception to Catman who was hoping for a more “heroic” period in his life. Simone’s way of giving a traditional story a new twist goes unmatched. And with no explanation of what is going on and why the Six is set in the old west, she proves that she is THE BEST comic writer in the business.

Califore’s brutally bloody artwork is equally great, giving us moments where each character seems strangely unfamiliar and excitingly recognizable. Jeanette’s opening scene where she greets Deadshot was strange to me with her innocent and “girlish” smile radiating all over her face. It wasn’t until the trouble began when she looked like her old self; confident, mature, and sexy as hell. This visual trend stayed fairly consistent with each character except for Scandal and bane, whose relationship and personal demeanor was as it always had been.

I was a little confused at the beginning with Ragdoll’s puppet show; it seems some confusion occurred in the finalization process where dialogue between the two puppets (otherwise known as Ragdoll talking to himself) became switched up between characters. It was only a problem in the first three panels of the first page, but it was rather vexing for a few minutes. Likewise, I felt the transition between a few of the panels were too abrupt and out of place. It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t figure out what was going on, but I had to do a double take in making sure I understood what had transpired.

My Awesomely Climactic Conclusion
With only a few minor distractions, this issue left me in a state of inquisitive satisfaction. Simone gave us a new twist while making us wonder if there is more to this story than meets the eye. My excitement for next month’s installment is beyond description!

Ratings
Writing: 10
Themes: 10
Art: 9.8
Overall: 9.93 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #22

Literary and Artistic Credits

Written by Gail Simone

Art by J. Calafiore

Colored by Jason Wright

Lettered by Travis Lanham

Cover by Daniel Luvisi

Editor: Sean Ryan

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

What a mind fuck!  Seriously, the “Cats in the Cradle” arc has been nothing but perfect.  I can see why Simone’s work on Wonder Women (as of the last three issues) hasn’t particularly been her best work seeing as how much of her effort has been with this story.  This wasn’t a story about the antagonist beating the bad guys or overcoming the odds, this was about a group of people dealing with their inner most conflicts and how they come to terms with them.

The story gives us the finalization of Catman’s past as a young boy growing up with a physically and verbally abusive father whose mind-twisting jargon caused the young Catman to embrace a new way of life, one filled with murder and a stoic, uncaring demeanor.  However, this life changing event doesn’t keep our feline hero from loving those closest to him.  The question raised here is what are you willing to do for loved ones?  What is the best for them?  MacQuarrie brings to light that Catman’s son is very much alive, and adopted by a new family.  Like MacQuarrie said, no one can hurt Catman through his son ever again.  Catman had to make a choice, let his son live a happy life and cause his mother the utmost pain, or go get his son back and wait for the next dubious villain to snatch him away for ransom yet again.  Just like Watchmen, Gail Simone makes you ponder on what you must do when faced with two options, both of which will cause someone a great deal of suffering.  Catman letting go of his son and lying to Cheshire about it could very well be one of the most tragic endings in a comic book I’ve ever read.

The stories stems even further with the Catman’s teammates, mostly dealing with the issue of family.  Black Alice comes to center stage with her amazing bit of oratory, expressing her guilt of theoretically giving her father cancer.  This sense of loss brings Scandal savage closer to the young villain, and even more so with Ragdoll whose defense of Black Alice was an amazing addition to an already depressing story.  (Deadshot really can be an ass huh?  That’s why we like him!) 

I was a bit thrown off by Wallace’s sudden electrifying personality.  It makes sense though in the overall scheme; why were MacQuarrie’s gang of thugs so hard to catch and defeat?  Because they had super powers!  I don’t remember any clues to this fact, but who’s paying attention right?

Calafiore, unsurprisingly, achieves another outstanding artistic finale in #22.  I do miss Nicola Scott, but I’ll take Calafiore any day!  The energy that goes into every panel and character is uniquely his and should be considered as one of THE BEST artists in the industry today.  However, I did find the Stained Glass scene at the end, right before Catman pushes MacQuarrie out of the window, a little hard to look at.  It was very difficult to differentiate the characters bodies from the shadows and colors beaming down on them.  But this could very well have been a purposeful aspect to cause the reader a sense of uneasiness in the moment.  So, no complaints there.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Secret Six is an amazing title and I would recommend it to anyone.  If you are conflicted with paying more money to you’re already long list of monthly titles you pick up, please consider dropping a title or two, this is well worth your money.  There isn’t one issue since this title began that hasn’t been worth the $2.99 price mark and I fully expect anyone whose reads this will come away happy.  Simone doesn’t approach the Six like every other comic book in the industry; it’s new, innovative, and fun.

Writing: 10

Themes: 10

Art: 10

Overall: 10 out of 10

          + 5 incentive points

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #21

Book Information

Written by Gail Simone

Art by J. Calafiore

Colored by Jason Wright

Lettered by Travis Lanham

Cover by Daniel Luvisi

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

There are two comic book authors that I profoundly claim to be just as good as any modern and classical author in history, Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman.  These two men have an uncanny ability to write riveting and enticing storylines that are intelligent, thought provoking, and well researched.  I consider them to be the best writers in modern literature and believe they will go down in history as two of the greatest and most inspirational writers of our time.  That being said, I am so very close in sticking Gail Simone right up there with them.

#21 is a continuation from last month in which Catman holds nothing back in finding his son’s murderer.  The comic progresses forward with Catman going from person to person in his search, while we receive glimpses of his trouble childhood and poor home life.  During the hunt, Catman’s teammates begin a search for him, but only stumbling on his bloody handiwork.  With all that is transpiring, even Deadshot seems worried about his friend and wonders to what lengths Catman will go to avenge his son.

There’s nothing in this comic that isn’t top-notch quality.  Everything from the writing to the artistic talents shows just how much time and effort was put into the story and layout of the book.  The dark and disturbing story from last month is intensified even more with the Flashback sequences of Catman’s past.  It’s no wonder Blake leads a questionable lifestyle, his father was a terrible man who valued the materialistic, sporting, and glamorous aspects of life over his own family.  Catman, while portraying some of his fathers lesser qualities, has nothing but love for his wife and son and is acting out of misguided rage on his quest for revenge.  We are seeing the stain that a parent can leave on their child if proper love and care are not given.

The development of the storyline leads to a rather brutal fight between Loki and Catman, leaving Loki broken and scared with glass, dirt, and blood covering his face and cloths.  This entire sequence was so emotionally driven and violent that I was beginning to wonder if Catman found the wrong man.  Which, as it turned out, he did.  Happy and uplifting moments do not exist in this book in the least.  Things are so bad that something I never thought I’d see in my life time happened…Deadshot became worried about someone else’s wellbeing.  But Catman isn’t the only one with emotional issues; Black Alice goes on a jealous rampage and takes it out on Scandal, calling upon the powers of the demon Estrogan.  I think there’s something in the air that’s affecting everyone’s brains.

Calafiore tells his part of the story just as well as Simone, doing an excellent job at portraying the innocence of a young Thomas Blake, and the tormented middle-aged man.  I was exceptionally impressed by the artist’s ability in giving both the old and young versions of Blake similar facial feature, while making sure the scared past reflects on the much older Blake’s demeanor. 

The flashback sequences were exceptional pieces of work, showing a distinct difference in the past and present by way of tinting the color scheme very slightly.  It was very reminiscent of the old films whose black and white crispness has faded into a yellowish-tan tint.

My Profoundly Climactic Conclusion

I think Gail Simone might and J. Calafiore are going to get some really good marks for the month of April, and for 2010.

Ratings

Writing: 10

Themes: 10

Art: 10

Overall: 10 out of 10

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #20

Book Information

Written by Gail Simone

Art by J. Calafiore

Plot

McQuarrie’s thugs are hanging Catman’s baby boy over the ledge of a twelve story building, and he only has two choices…kill his teammates, or his son will fall!

My Thoughts

It is an awesome thing to know that one of the best pieces of literature out there today is in the hands of a comic book writer.  There is nothing in this issue of Secret Six that isn’t worth the cover price.  There are no happy endings and no wonderfully joyous moments in this book what so ever, yet this issue might very well be the best comic of 2010 thus far.

Writing

I went through this book twice and was unable to find anything wrong with it.  The energy never lags and the dialogue crisp with unending depth and precision.  Interestingly enough, not one of the characters ever deviates from their known characteristics on the literary side of things. 

The drama permeates every page with angst, suspense, and gore, but Simone is no stranger to other sides of the emotional spectrum. (sorry Geoff Johns, couldn’t resist!) As a way to lighten the mood from an already established and dramatically hefty story, Simone reverts back to the surrogate father/daughter relationship as Bane tells Scandal Savage to go to “her room.”  I immediately thought to myself “holy shit, she’s going to kill him,” as did the rest of the team.  It was one of those interestingly tense, humorous moments; something that shouldn’t have happened, but you’re glad it did because it’s friggin hilarious!

The dark and sinister nature of this issue is at a record high for the Secret Six.  Catman has reached a breaking point in his sanity level, (if he was sane to begin with) McQuarrie might just be one of the most disturbingly seedy men I’ve ever laid eyes on, and the ending battle scene between Claudio Rinetti and Catman was as gruesome as a fight sequence can get.  As a fan of storylines that don’t end on a positive note, this issue was absolute candy for me!

Rating: 10

Themes

As I said above, Secret Six verges on being one of the best pieces of American literature to date.  It has defied the all stereotypes that come along in the comic book genre.  Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Justice League, they all retain some semblance of the campy approach in writing comics.  Secret Six, however, has found a way past that, by giving readers a book about a villainous team who don’t care much about anything, except for their teammates.

When Bane first set foot in the DCU, he came off as a heartless soul who only cared about earning a dishonest day’s pay.  But Simone has revamped him into a caring, Hispanic male who seems to be out of place in the Secret Six.  I suspect if he could turn his life around, he would.  But being trapped with no where to go within the Secret Six, he does all he can to protect his teammates, and more importantly Scandal Savage.  Whether or not this caring relationship they have actually turns into something more is difficult to see, especially with Scandal’s homosexual side.  But the moments the two of them share have been incredibly moving throughout this series.  They obviously aren’t getting all “kissy kissy” on us, but no one can deny that these two definitely love each other, even if they don’t realize it yet.

Catman is dished out (very deservingly I might add) as the focus of this issue, showing the readers that he is just as much of a bad ass as Deadshot.  If you ever wondered if anything could scare Deadshot, Catman would probably be it.  The tension that built up within those first nine pages was excruciating.  Imagine just standing there knowing you had to choose between two evils, both of which produces unwanted outcomes.  But of course, no one can truly outclass an exceptionally experienced assassin when it comes to a threat like this.  Blake’s response to the unnamed thug was an amazing twist.  Instead of Catman killing his teammates, he pulls the ultimate 180 and tells him to drop his son, while still informing the thug that he will come after them with no where to hide.  It’s quite a classy way of telling them that he cares about his son, but refuses to play their game.

Rating: 10

Art

Calafiore has made his mark on the Secret Six with this issue.  Catman has always been a lot like Batman, very contemplative, to himself, and talks very little.  The vengeful side of him comes out like a cougar pouncing on his prey, unrelenting and without mercy.  But the visual transition he made in the first nine pages was so sudden and dramatic that I couldn’t figure out what he was going to do until that very moment he picked the phone back up.  He was so conflicted with what to do that he basically said “fuck it,” having a combined look on his face of complete misery and anger.  Calafiore just showed us that he could have told this story without the need of any words at all.

I was particularly fond of the scene back at the House of Secrets where nothing but a black and orange tint was used to display the low lit firelight from the furnace.  Both exemplifying the mood and feel of the team in that given moment. 

Now if you are a fan of Frank Miller’s Sin City, the fight scene at the end might interest you.  Calafiore uses the same artistic technique in creating a shadowing figure with the blood as clear as daylight, streaming down Rinetti’s body in intricate patterns, pooling down at the broken floor below him.  This is so detailed in all its ugliness and gives off the emotional impact I’m sure Calafiore is going for.

Rating: 10

Overall

I don’t see how any comic can beat this issue out this month.  Geoff Johns is good, but Gail Simone really put everything out there along with J. Calafiore.  This very well might be the best comic to come out this year as well!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

            + 3 incentive points

Next Issue Coming May 5^th, 2010

This isn't just a Catman story; it's THE Catman story, as Thomas Blake continues his bloody trail of vengeance tracking the man who took away the only thing he ever cared about! Not for the faint-hearted! Also, Black Alice vs. Scandal Savage for the right to remain in the Secret Six!

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #19

Book Information

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Calafiore

Plot

The Six go on a mercenary mission to save one of their own, Black Alice.  As new character developments arise within this event, we also see a large twist in the story as Catman is given a choice beyond measure…Kill his teammates, or loose a loved one.

My Thoughts

Issue #19 of Secret Six might very well be one of my favorite issues to date of the title.  In addition to creating awesome plot twists and cliffhangers, Simone now seems to be delving into the development of her characters a little more now, which causes for even better storylines to arise.  A lot of the stories in the first 18 months of this title have mainly dealt with Bane and Scandal Savage.  This issue’s focus, however, puts Ragdoll and Black Alice in the forefront while Catman is ready to show his true colors.

Apart from the sheer awesome black outfits worn by Deadshot and Catman, Ragdoll shows that he isn’t just the team’s comic relief.  His attack on the cultist ringleader was a testament to the Six that he can be just as brutal and deadly as the rest of them.  After the leader fell, I drop the book in my lap, looked up and said “This is a new side of Ragdoll I’ve never seen before!”  And while my wife gave a confused, cocked eyebrow look at me, I went back to reading.  Now I find that not only is Black Alice grateful towards Ragdoll for saving her life, she has become immediately smitten with him.  This could turn out to be an incredibly fun plot device for Simone for future issues.  It only showed me that, while still being a dramatic and angst driven book, it still has that light-hearted and fun aspect to it.  Especially when you have scenes like this…

When it comes to cliffhangers, I’m beginning to believe that Simone is the best!  I’m fully convinced that Catman could be more dangerous than Deadshot given that the right emotional trigger is pulled.  Catman is typically very in control of his emotions, but with this particular phone call, I have a feeling we might see a side of Catman unlike ever before.

J. Calafiore brought it up even more from last month.  I loved his attention to detail along with his mastery of shading and sexy and gothic characters.  I felt his visual approach to Mr. Macquarrie was a little strange, but I’m assuming that was the point.  But I do believe he and Simone are starting to work well with each other.  His men and women are becoming sexier as he furthers his work in Secret Six.  He makes Cheshire look incredibly seductive while still scaring the shit out of me. 

I loved his attention to the story in the last page as Black Alice, still smitten with Ragdoll, stares at the lanky lunatic while the rest of the team looks at Catman with glares of concern.

Overall

A stellar issue, Simone’s best on this title in my opinion.  I can’t wait for next months 2 installment of the arc!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming April 14, 2010

Catman heads off to the African continent to find the three men who kidnapped his long lost son! He's been pushed to the very limit, so when the rest of the Secret Six come to his aid, don't be surprised if Catman decides to kill off his teammates as well!

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #18

Book Information

Written by Gail Simone & John Ostrander

Art by Jim Calafiore

Plot

The Simone/Ostrander writing duo finishes their Blackest Night excursion with this issue.  The Six and the Squad have teamed up, much to their dismay, to escape to deadly clutches of the Black Lantern onslaught.  With little hope of success, Amanda Waller brings in a special surprise with explosive results.

My Thoughts

Writing team-ups are always my least favorite for any title.  I prefer having one writer take on a story as it allows for more focus and concentration on the plot.  Having more than one writer on a story can often cause conflict and confusion in my opinion.  This is the reason why I prefer Neil Gaiman’s solo novels to his collaborative books, there’s more focus on the plot and better writing.  However, Simone and Ostrander seem to have a handle on team writing as this issue is in control of the story and doesn’t go off to far over the deep end.

Amanda Waller takes over as the star of this issue with a few great surprises.  But as Simon and Ostrander have shown multiple times, they are more than capable writers and give some shining moments to our other stars.  The issue starts of as one big fight and progresses with no victory for either villainous team in sight.  Then, as one would expect, the twist in the story reveals itself as the hero dissecting laboratory is shown with Waller at the helm.  I really enjoyed this revelation as it shows the core of this comic and why it is one of the better titles being sold in comic book stores everywhere; The team is filled with bad guy with questionable moral codes, the government teams contain those same aspects, and it’s leaders (such as Amanda Waller) also have questionable motives as well.  No one in this title is completely trustworthy, all are conflicted and have misguided ways, and all have troubled pasts which have led them to be this way.  This title is so dark and twisted that is makes for the best stories, and this issue specifically makes you question the loyalties of each individual.

Calafiore, while still a very talented artist, doesn’t seem to fit well with Simone’s writing on Secret Six.  I have nothing to complain about with his art in and of itself, I think Nicola Scott just set a high benchmark in the way the title has been progressing.  There was something classy about Scott’s artistry that meshed so well with this title.  Calafiore isn’t doing it for me though.  Maybe I’m biased and just want Scott to return, but I honestly feel something is lacking in the Secret Six now with Nicola Scott gone.

I was very happy to see Deadshot put a hole through Amanda Waller’s chest.  She is such a good character and has made so many comic book story arcs what they are, but I still hate her!  I don’t want her to die though, I want her to stick around and create more angst driven stories.  But man!  She needed someone putting her in her place, and Deadshot is the perfect man for the job!

Overall

A lot of fun and filled with insults and profanities that makes this book great.  The art brings it down for me, but does detract from the story as much as I imply. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Comic March 10, 2010

Catman's past crawls back to haunt him as Cheshire returns! Could the secret she's carrying spell the end of the Secret Six?

Comic Book Review: Suicide Squad #67

Book Information

Written by Gail Simone & John Ostrander

Art by J. Calafiore

Plot

DC Comics has resurrected many of the popular classic titles from back in the day.  The month of January brings us the best selling title, The Suicide Squad.  With the Amanda Waller at the fore front of the Squad, their mission is to seek out their old comrade, Deadshot, and bring him back into their ranks.  In addition, the Fiddler has risen from the dead and seeks revenge on Deadshot for murdering him all those years ago.  It’s a jam packed issue filled with familiar faces and moving dialogue.

My Thoughts

As much as I love Simone and Ostrander, I’m rather disappointed with this issue.  It contains a lot of fun and adventurous moments, but lacks a certain substance that has defined the Simone Ostrander team for so long.  One thing is for sure, this issue isn’t a shining moment for DC comics and the two writers.

Simone and Ostrander write their typical quality storyline involving great humor, angst driven plot devices, and wonderful character development.  Bane acting the scary, over-protective father figure towards Scandal couldn’t be funnier.  Asking Liana about her sex life before meeting Scandal was ridiculously funny, along with Ragdoll’s inappropriate and ill-timed side comments.  The moments leading up to the fight between the Six and the Squad were very moving and “Secret Sixish,” filled with wisecracks and character appropriate dialogue.

However, one thing that threw me was the shifting from narrator or narrator.  The issue starts off with the Fiddler’s inner monologue and switches to Yasmine’s.  Maybe it’s just me and I’m weird, but typically I prefer to have just one narrator so the story has more focus and drive to a comprehensible conclusion.  Like every Blackest Night tie-in, Suicide Squad #67 starts off with a reminiscent scene by a central character important to the story.  As already stated, the Fiddler tells his story at the beginning, which causes me to believe the stories foundation is centered around the him.  But then midway, Yasmine’s inner Monologue is seen which shifts the focus from the Fiddler to Yasmine.  It then reverts back to the Fiddler towards the end, and by the time I’ve finished the book, I have no idea who the central character was for this story.

In addition, having the two titles on one book is rather deceiving.  The Suicide Squad appears for less than 40% of their own book, and any appearance made by Black Lanterns is less than 10%.  After finishing this book, I came to the conclusion that DC had no real purpose in resurrecting the Suicide Squad except for the mere sake of Slapping the name on a book in addition to the story arc title “Blackest Night” to boost theirs sales.  The plot development from the perspective of the Squad doesn’t exist in this book, and their appearance and confrontation with the Six is rather abrupt and strangely transitioned.

Overall

I’m rather disappointed in this issue, Simone and Ostrander are two of my favorite writers in comics and this issue makes me think they are no more talented than the over rated Grant Morrison.  Granted, this is the first issue I’ve ever read by Simone or Ostrander that I felt was very bad, but it’s still a blow to the crotch.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars