DCU Comic Book Reviews

SECRET SIX #16

The Rabbit and the Grave

February 2010

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Peter Ngyuen

Inks by Doug Hazelwood and Mark McKenna

Cover by Daniel LuVisi

Synopsis

The police escort Enos Kertz to a deserted field where he buried the girls that he molested and killed, in order to provide their families closure.  However, the Secret Six free him from custody.  They take him to one of the fathers of the victims, who wants to exact his own revenge.  Nearby, Black Alice watches with interest.  She confronts Catman and Deadshot and wants to know how much the job pays.  She wants to join the Secret Six.  The team gathers together to discuss if they should let her join.  The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of police, who may have followed them after they freed Kertz.  The team decides to run away.  However, Black Alice steals Jeannette’s Banshee powers and takes out the cops.  When things start to get out of hand, Scandal attacks Alice, who proceeds to beat her.  Based on what she can do, Bane decides to let her join.      

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

For me, this issue broke down into two parts, so I’ll review it that way.  In a nutshell, the first part was brilliant and the second part was average.  The two parts together create a very good issue, a one-and-done story that also sets up the next big story to come. 

I should not be surprised given that this is a book about villains, but the opening sequence was chilling in the way Simone wrote the Enos character.  It was disturbing and effective, creating a despicable character.  I think this is key, because the father is essentially committing murder, but knowing Enos is sick and perverted, we kinda look past it.  The entire sequence works well, just in terms of the story of Enos and the father.  Where I think it takes on added depth is the role of Catman and Deadshot.  Not only do the job they are paid to do, but then they also explain to the father the best and most effective way to torture and kill Enos.  It says a lot about the sick, demented way those two think.  They are helping someone commit murder, but it is the murder of a child abuser.  It clearly is the best example of the anti-villain roles that Simone has cast the team. 

The last part, once Alice confronts the team, descended into a little bit of chaos and didn’t quite work for me, but it did serve to introduce Alice and bring on board.  There is a lot going on, with the team, the club, the police, and so forth and it whips by pretty quickly.  It isn’t bad, but there was nothing really all that exciting and in some ways a little bit predictable.  There is no way that Alice would be introduced without some showing of her powers and abilities.  And since she wants to join the team, it is almost a forgone conclusion she would use her powers to showcase herself to the team.  And while it may be a little predictable, Simone injects her usual morbid humor that makes the scene come to life a little more than it might’ve. 

I thought Bane had already kick Scandal off the team (from issue #14).  If that were the case, why is she still hanging around the group?  Why would she be part of the discussion on Alice’s potential membership into the gang?  Scandal even mentions at the end about being kicked off, despite the fact that Bane doesn’t repeat what he said in the earlier issue.

I am not surprised that Black Alice made an appearance in this title.  She is a pet character of Simone’s and like a lot of writers, Simone tends to return and reuse her favorites.