Secret Six, Vol. 2: Depths

Secret Six (Collected Editions, vol. 3) #2

by Gail Simone, Carlos Rodríguez (Illustrator), Nicola Scott (Illustrator)

When Batman's cowl winds up for grabs after his death in FINAL CRISIS, two members of the Secret Six think they have what it takes to be the new Dark Knight. But will Robin put up with the unruly team in his hometown? And where have all the forgotten heroes and villains of the DC Universe been? The Six are blackmailed by someone claiming to be their old boss, Mockingbird, into a brand-new mission taking them into the heart of the metahuman slave trade! And Artemis, the former Wonder Woman, returns in the most brutal Secret Six story yet!

Collecting Secret Six #8-14.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Gail Simone is a comic book writer well-known for her work on Birds of Prey (DC), Wonder Woman (DC), and Deadpool (Marvel), among others, and has also written humorous and critical commentary on comics and the comics industry such as the original "Women in Refrigerators" website and a regular column called "You'll All Be Sorry".

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every bit as enjoyable as the first volume, with the added benefit of a more interesting story. The headline story, Depths, is probably helped by at least a passing understanding of Amazons. Lucky me, I have that understanding. But even without that, watching each character have individual reactions to finding themselves in the role of defenders of slavery. It's interesting to see how prisons, and the treatment of prisoners in particular, is Bane's hot button issue. As well it should be. I'm glad that this settled the issue of the Bana-Mighdal (not that it matters anymore, sigh), and I liked the way Simone did it. And I'm especially glad that she got to be the one to write it.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Six is one of my favorite series. The Secret Six aren't heroes, that much is certain, but you can't quite call them villains, either. That position is part of what makes this book so interesting - that, and the fact that the stories are always interesting and engaging and explore the lines that we draw to distinguish between good and evil. Add to that a group of really well-written characters (some of which are hot and some of which are not, but all of which are lovable, in their way) and great character interaction, plus Gail Simone's particularly awesome sense of humor and you have the reason why I like the Secret Six so much.

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's the part where I talk about how great Gail Simone, and rightfully so. She is pretty Boss! This Secret Six series is so good, the team is way cooler than the Suicide Squad and the witty banter between the members is fantastic, it adds a great sense of comic relief to most hairy situations the Six run into. The way Simone has set up each member's relationship to the other team members is also quite interesting. There are some really dynamic relationships within the team. My favorite being between Bane and Scandal Savage. Bane is a far more multidimensional character than I ever really realized. He and Catman have made this series a favorite of mine.

[Julio Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Which one of you did this?

The Batman.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of action and fun in this volume, but it is the character building that shines through.

[Darik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the strongest work Gail Simone has ever done. Secret Six is a perfect combination of incredibly insightful character work (she writes possibly the most nuanced and compelling portrayal of Bane in any medium), sharp social commentary, and a genuinely compelling exploration of the moral distinctions that still exist even among the "bad guys" of the DC universe.

The first two issues are delightful standalones-- the first a comedic double-date starring Scandal, Deadshot, and Jeanette; the second, a quasi-super-heroic outing with Bane, Catman, and Ragdoll. But the main storyline that follows is a gut-punch as the Six unwittingly accept a contract to work for a slaver who's constructing a prison on the scale of a small nation-- and we watch as each member of the team is affected by the sheer inhumanity they are forced to witness and participate in. It's heavy, often chilling material that draws clear parallels to America's use of prisoners as slave labor and its history of atrocities committed at Guantanamo Bay; I wish I could say it wasn't as relevant today as it was when it was published, but I'd be lying if I did.

The artwork, largely by Nicola Scott, is gorgeous, and Gail Simone's dialogue is sharp and witty. But it's the exploration of the characters' limits that sticks with you when you put the book down; the illustration of how systemic cruelty and inhumanity begets cruelty and inhumanity, but how we still have the choice to break the cycle by tearing down corrupt institutions.

(Though to be honest, I wish that they'd taken that particular message a bit farther; the fact that the Devil's Island prison is left standing at the end of the book, and is simply expected to be reformed by putting a single honorable prison guard in charge of the facility, feels like a last-second concession to the prevailing neoliberal ideology that it's INDIVIDUALS who cause problems in society, rather than institutions. Disappointing, but not surprising.)

[Nate]

The two standalones that open this volume are hilarious. First, Deadshot and Jeannette go on a double date with Scandal and Liana. The neo-Nazis from the first book continually try to attack them but Deadshot sneaks away to secretly take them out. Then Bane, Catman, and Ragdoll (cosplaying as Robin) stop a series of child kidnappings. There is a scene of Bane attempting to sing to a toddler that made me laugh out loud.

I liked the main story, too. The crew gets hired to help maintain the world’s largest prison, spearheaded by a madman and built by slaves. When the team realizes they will be defending slavery, and when they learn the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall are being held prisoner, they react accordingly. Simone does a good job capturing the grey morality of the characters, especially Deadshot. As funny as Ragdoll and Bane are, he and Scandal are the standouts here. Main complaints: this story goes on a issue or two long, and there a few plotholes.

[Yongyoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review forthcoming.

[Sebastián · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished this weeks ago I just forgot

[Pádraic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so close to giving this four stars, it's almost the perfect story to plunge the Six into. But then came the half-arsed betrayals, the Amazons, and Grendel. My working knowledge of DC characters being much lower than Marvel, this last came as a surprise. And it depresses me for some vague reason that Grendel exists within the DC universe. Probably other people feel the same way about the Amazons, or Hercules, or Thor and the gang. Well with Grendel at least Wonder Woman snapped his neck. So that's something.

[The Library Ladies · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I do love a good dark and twisted story, I am also quite the fan of fluffy, goofy, one off side stories that round out my favorite characters. That’s the reason that I do find myself reading comics skewed towards younger readers, such as “Li’l Gotham” and “Itty Bitty Hellboy”. I am usually very excited when the adult comics I read go in a more light hearted direction, and I was very happily surprised when Secret Six even got in on this action, at least a little bit, in “Depths”. I will talk about the main, progressing plot line first. But know that there is more. So much more.

In the progressing story, The Secret Six has been given a new assignment by someone who is claiming to be their old boss, Mockingbird, and it leads them to Devil’s Island, where a man named Mr. Smyth hopes to build the world’s largest, and only prison. This concept let the Six explore the idea of prisons, and who we put in them. It never felt preachy, and I really enjoyed the way that it was presented. The best part about this plot progressing story line was that we got an appearance from the HBIC herself, Wonder Woman! I literally screeched when my precious Diana Prince arrived on the scene, and though I didn’t really care for some of the twists and turns in this arc, Wonder Woman’s presence made up for it. As did the expansion of Jeanette’s role. We finally got to see her in full on banshee mode. I had been waiting so long for that. I will definitely admit that I am starting to get a little frustrated with how these team members find ways to betray each other, and I’m starting to fear that this is just going to be par for the course. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, and yet here we are.

But I mentioned a diversion story line at the beginning of this. Before we got into the dark and gritty (and of course sarcastic) story of Devil’s Island, we got two fun side stories featuring the Six and their shenanigans. There is the response comic (I have to think?) to Batman’s Death in Final Crisis, in which Bane, Catman, and Ragdoll take a night to do some good in honor of the fallen Bat. Watching these guys saving children from kidnappers all over Gotham was super cute, especially since Ragdoll was wearing a Robin outfit and none of them really knew how to function as heroes, though their efforts were so sweet and well meaning.

AND THEN there is the double date story.Deadshot and Jeanette go on a date with Scandal and Liana. Who’s Liana? Liana is the exotic dancer that the Six hired for Scandal when she was mourning Knockout’s death in the first volume. She’s back, and she’s such a darling and lovely character that I can’t help but love her. While at first I was a bit worried that Scandal’s relationship with her was going to be weird and macabre (given how much she looks like Knockout), she adds a lovely bit of balance to a group of ne’er-do-wells with her non cynical outlook on life.This entire story may have felt a bit like fanfiction on paper, but it worked because the characters were so true to themselves. I really wish that there were more stories like this in The Secret Six series. They are truly at their best and brightest when they are being a ridiculous and dysfunctional group of friends. I would read this series if it was just a humorous group of regular people having to share a loft, because the characters do work that well outside of being super villains.

I definitely want more. These characters remain incredibly charming and likable, and I hope that they stay that way. If only all comic characters could be written with such wit and complexities.

[T R Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second volume covers issues eight to fourteen of Gail Simone’s 2008 Secret Six series and was quite entertaining, having both humorous and emotional moments. After some focus on Scandal’s love life and Bane’s actions during Battle for the Cowel, the main story of the book sees the Six hired for a mission that sows discord amongst the team while pitting them against powerful foes.

The plot of this story is reasonably good, even if it does seem to be an excuse to cause conflict within the team. The Battle for the Cowel section, before the start of the main plot, is a highlight for me as it gives a nice look at Bane’s character, and this carries on during the main story with Bane getting some nice character moments. The main villain of this arc is a too unlikable for my liking but his enforcer, Giuana, is interesting. The artwork is great throughout the book with some nice action and some great individual panels her and there, and I particularly like the look of the short sequence where Jeannette is hallucinating some of the other characters in historical dress. As she is my favourite character, the fact that Jeannette get some nice scenes in the story is also a plus. There is also some humour in the book that I quite enjoyed, with Ragdoll in particular being a fun highlight of the comedy as usual.

[machado · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Marc Lucke · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed Unhinged, I have to agree wholeheartedy with other reviewers who've pointed out the improved writing in Depths. From the opening scene with Scandal, Liana and Insignificus, Simone displays her trademark ability to blend the banal with the extraordinary: the encounter in the supermarket is layered, funny and revealing.

(as an aside, I love Insignificus: Simone's skewering a very particular kind of misogyny here and I think it's brilliant. Even while he's superficially obsequious to the point of masochism, Insignificus regularly objectifies and demeans Scandal. He conceals his hatred of her under a veneer of self-loathing, but as in any master/slave dynamic, he exerts a lot of [male] power from below.)

The rest of "Date Night" contains some of my favourite moments of the entire book, even if it is a little manipulative (Nazis? Really? We get it, S6 are the protagonists of the book). The team's moral struggles are better explored in the later stories, with each issue delving into an ever more complex series of ethical decisions, culminating in the clusterfuck on that island.

Between Simone's wonderful scripts and Scott's gorgeous art, Secret Six remains at the top of my must-read list.

[ElphaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

We once again join our favorite anti-hero troupe, this time having to navigate Amazons, a prison island, and an event filled double date. I gotta say, this series is still going pretty darn strong for me.

I definitely love the humorous story lines more than the serious ones, though that isn't to say that I dislike the darker tone. The funny story lines just jump off the page, letting the characters fully shine and banter off each other, which is my favorite part of this series. I like Deadshot and Jeanette as a couple, and while it's decidedly on and off again I think that their romantic relationship is the most fun to watch. I also liked the reappearance of Liana, the exotic dancer that the rest of the Six hired for Scandal when she was mourning the death of Knockout. Liana looks a lot like Scandal's fallen lover, but is a charming and sweet contrast to all the other characters.

I am worried about the levels of betrayal that's implied to be coming up.... Keep it together, Secret Six!!

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the brutal carnage of the first volume, the second seems almost tame by comparison. Battle lines are drawn as the team faces both love and prison duty. Summonded to a remote island, the Six are asked to be jailers and oversee the slave mine being run. The discovery of the Amazon warrior Artemis amongst the prisoners - as well as their horrific treatment - splits the team down the middle. Forced to battle Wonder Woman, each other, and the mythical Grendel, the Six proves that every family is a little dysfunctional.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

More great characterization and some nice background on our newest cast member. The Scandal Savage and Gotham stories that lead things off are both terrific. They give us nice, in-depth looks at several of the characters, advance their stories, and at time offer laugh-out-loud humor [8.5/10]. The continued story, Depths, is quite good for what it reveals about the characters, but it probably goes an issue too long [7.5/10].

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the toughest reads on the Secret Six collection. With a focus on slavery, including arguments for and against, the team ends up split on ideological differences. The story is brutal, and reminds you that the Secret Six are villains, even if they spend as much time fighting other villains as they do heroes. That it can delve into issues like it does says wonders for Simone's writing abilities.

[Miranda Bahr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Issue #8 is a MASTERPIECE!!! I think I'd never laughed so hard as I did when Scandal Savage was at the Val-Star or when they went to a double date together. The dark humor was perfectly written and I screamed with laughter most of parts.

I'm a big fan of the Amazons and I usually love the stories involving them, but this one didn't particularly caught me, the slavery issue and all. That's why I gave the 4 stars and not 5.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume got me thinking how similar the dynamic of the Secret Six is to the crew of the Serenity in Firefly. The crew of the Serenity with a much lower average sanity and a much lower regard for human life. Not only is this book a fun wild ride, it's a fascinating examination of human relationships and right and wrong by degrees.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

How is Gail Simone not the Editor-In-Chief of DC Comics yet? Everything she writes is great! She took a series about a ragtag group of villains that no one would care about (save for Deadshot and Bane), and made them into a weird AntiHero Team of villains who take any job, but usually go against the orders as it seems to be against their code of ethics.

[Jeremy DeBottis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took what started in volume 1 and took it further and crazier and even better. A chapter in here takes place in a Batmanless Gotham city, which alone makes the book worth reading. The humor in this volume is stepped up and makes for even a more entertaining read than the first. Based on the first two I plan to continue to check out the other volumes.

[Markus Seaberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually the second trade of the current series. For some reason, the subtitle "Depths" is not showing up in the title. Awesome read, Ragdoll is crazy, Catman is badass, and Deadshot is awesome. All of the characters are very interesting. Gail Simone, you rock my world!!

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two chapters were an excellent mix of humor and anti-hero snark. This is not to downplay the remainder of the TPB which centers on the questions of restoring legal slavery to save the world, and the near dissolution of the team.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder why this is so darn hard to find in stores and so expensive on eBay. Second arc of Secret Six was a great read. Scandal Savage does some serious gory stuff here. Art was decent throughout Depths.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The team have a couple of fun outings and then a serious one. Dates are always interesting when you promise that nobody will be killed. Bane honours Batman's memory. The team gets tricked into helping slavers. Some great stories and nice characterisations. A great read.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm worried about Floyd Lawton on the big screen because I can't imagine he'll be nearly as fun as he is here. Also without Catman to bromance I worry he won't be as interesting. Bane is awesome. Ragdoll is a creepy dandy.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me acuerdo mucho de este tomo pero cuando retome la lectura general de viejas cuentas pendientes de DC seguro caiga.

[Marcus Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love SECRET SIX and "Depths" is maybe the best volume yet of @GailSimone's series.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun and twisted bumpy ride with some great villains.

As D.C. Berman once asked:

"Why can't monsters get along with other monsters?"