Review: Secret Six #1

Will Rosenthal ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Gail Simone returns to her hit series, Secret Six, with artist Ken Lashley in this New 52 re-launch. Although, this review is going to ignore the original series and focus exclusively on the merits of this new series and not its difference from the series Simone made a must read for DC fans and comic lovers the same.

The story begins with Thomas Blake, Catman, who is approached by a group claiming to be state troopers, led by agent Robbins. Blake sees through their ruse and a fight brakes out in the Podunk bar. It looks to be in Blake’s favor, until another suckers him with a Taser, knocking him unconscious.

When he wakes up, him finds himself in the locked metal room and in strange company: Porcelain, who has the ability to make material brittle, Shauna Belzer, also known as the Ventriloquist, Damon Wells, a giant P.I. who swells in water, Strix the mute assassin, and Black Alice, who has mage-like abilities.

Their prison holds more surprises with traps, six masks, and the body of Agent Robbins. They then are met with a challenge: Answer the question, “What is the secret,” or people start dying.

The art is a great presenter of this villains-take-the-stage drama. Lashley has the intense dynamic action of Greg Capullo and the frantic and expressive line work of Sean Murphy. It moves the story at a pace that is dance-like, constant and elegant.

Not to mention, this framing shows Simone’s appreciation and love for these characters, as well as the superb ability for storytelling.

Emertainment gives Secret Six #1 a 4 out of 5. Read DC or a fan of Simone? Don’t miss this series. And if you haven’t started, this is a great entry point which looks to build a new legacy, unique to itself.