Secret Six #10

Gail Simone is a sick lady! I think what makes her comics so fantastic is that she makes her villains so despicable. This new storyline introduces us to a crew of morally corrupt slavers. They initially appear as they break the will of a slave by slaughtering those around her. It was an upsetting scene that immediately prompts a gut-hatred of these cruel people. When Simone transitions to a scene of tenderness between Bane and Scandal, it is doubly effective. Not only are we moving to our protagonists, but these two seem like two of the nicer Secret Sixers, so they must be the heroes of the story, right? Possibly not.

Later in the issue, the Six sign up to assist the slavers in their work. It seems these bads have also captured substitute Wonder Woman-Artemis, who doesn't get to do anything this issue. I hope she gets some quality panel time soon, because she is barely window-dressing here. The slavers put down a revolt (with the Sixers' help). Now we're going to see just how far the Six will go. Surely they are there to stop this slavery, right? Bane wouldn't go along with this, and I can't think Catman or Scandal would either. Deadshot and Ragdoll would probably go along with it though. In any case, the new villains and the moral quandry make this yet another riveting issue of Secret Six. I'm still hoping they are just trying to figure out who the new Mockingbird is...

Nicola Scott does a bang-up job, as always. She can handle anything, from the tenderness of Scandal and Bane to the savagery and fear of the opening sequence. I'm also liking the effect on the Jeannette's eyes when she starts to freak out, it is disconcerting seeing her eyes go black.

Excellent