Introduced to the Secret Six.

I started reading Gail Simone's DC books a few years ago, and devoured the work she had done on Birds of Prey.  There was another team that she's well known for writing, and I'm reviewing a great book that introduced me to them.  That team is called "Secret Six".  Walking into this story the most I knew of the involved characters watching Bruce Timm's animated DCU, reading a Secret Six story in the pages of Birds, and reading Jack Kirby's Fourth World.  This gave me a running start, but you can also pick up this book with less familiarity.

The first thing I noticed about this trade (Secret Six Vol. 1 "Villains United") is the book's size.  I love a lot of issues in a trade, and DC was generous here.  13 issues.  They are all but divided by an event called "Flashpoint".  Flashpoint and the subsequent "New 52" revamp changed the entire DC Universe in various ways.

The first six issues tell of how the Secret Six team was first created.  It's a six issue arc, and a bonus tie-in issue I'll get to.  Between 2005 and 2006, there was a story arc by Gail Simone called "Villains United".  In the midst of chaos and DC rogues everywhere, a mysterious character named Mockingbird creates a team of mercenaries who he would send on missions.  They were put together to counter a rival organization consisting of other villains.  There are so many different characters written into the scenes that when you're not seeing combat, you're watching what chemistry comes from different individuals.

At the end you get a 7th issue showing the heroes' perspective of what's going on.  Not just any heroes, but Oracle, and the Birds of Prey with some help from their friends.  Simone has a very loyal fanbase, it its transparent that both writer and fans alike love Barbara Gordon.  In the past Gordon was paralyzed from the waist down, and developed a new superhero identity as Oracle.  A part of the New 52 that made some of the most noise was that Barbara would start walking again (in a Batgirl series skillfully written by Simone for the first 34 issues).  Seeing Oracle, Nightwing, Manhunter, Hawk, Dove, Lady Blackhawk and other Birds of Prey again was awesome.

The last six issues of the trade paperback are where Simone picks up in writing the Secret Six. for the New 52.  Most of the characters from the Heroes United roster return.  The team is completed with a mighty woman from Jack Kirby's planet Apokolips and a Batman rogue who seems more disturbed than usual.  Between having some antiheroes, some characters who are socially off-putting, and someone who grew up in a much different culture, the doors are wide open to all kinds of impulses, emotions, misunderstandings, treachery, and heartbreak.  All of that laced with some humor to break the tension.  There was even an appearance from the Doom Patrol.  A team I knew from the Teen Titans animated series.

Looking back on the book as I write, I'm noticing another little parallel between two members of the Secret Six.  One is being pressured by her father (a very notorious DCU baddie) to continue his criminal legacy.  His shoes aren't necessarily ones that she wants to fill.  In contrast, one of her teammates is a family man.  We see in some moments he's on leave, that this DC villain doesn't want his daughter exposed to his violent profession.

There's many twists, and I've been fighting the temptation to spoil some of them in my gushing.  This book has gotten me hooked on Secret Six.  I've got the next bountiful volume awaiting review in the weeks to come.