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