Now also reading Secret Six, maybe for a different reason

[Dard]

I usually buy only one, at most two DC series at any time. I mostly buy TPBs or random picks these days. A constant suscription ist simply too expensive, not knowing how good stories will be in the future.

I'm also somewhat afraid to subscribe to a title because I have a lousy track record so far. Either the series existance has been totally ignored after its cancellation (PAD's Supergirl), its protagonist was ruined afterward(Batgirl) or both (Young Justice).

I have now subscribed Secret Six, although I am almost sure that the series will eventually end up like described above.
Like for example Batgirl, the characters in Secret Six are only really good when someone writes them who has a deep understanding on how they tick. Otherwise, they would just be cardbord villains like hundreds of others. (look at the Six' appearance in Salvation Run, for example).
When Gail leaves this series, the series will be automatically finished. It's not impossible that another could write them decently, but at best I suspect the Six would either end up dead or like somewhat-heroes. It is too damn hard to write amoral murderers who are somewhat likeable at the same time. It's not like I don't like reformed villains. No, Thunderbolts was a great series. But there are so many hero books and so view interestingly written villain teams, that's why an actual entertaining title with villains who (mostly) don't even want to be something different.

Now, even if I get lucky and the series isn't ruined at its end, it will very likely ignored afterwards. Partly for the same reasons. Any possible survivors will turn back into standard villain individualists. (again, see Salvation Run)

Strangely, this made it actually easier to subscribe to the series. I know that although I would eventually miss these guys, at least I can understand why they would be gone. Contrary to the other series examples I gave, which were just mishandled.

There is one more aspect that speaks in favor of this series.
Unlike most other DC series, this one is comparably unlikely to get tangled up too much in crossovers. Sure, there's the Battle for the Cowl, but that one's not too bad. And ironic: If I understand it right, the group was born from a crossover, to 52, correct?
Still, it isn't safe, as the Death of the New Gods showed.

Other random thoughts:
- I hope the Knockout subplot is continued. Her death was pretty sensless and wasteful (like those of many other New Gods) and she was a great character.
- I hope that Gail continues to give us a reminder once in a while that these are really villains.
- I hope to see the Six eventually succeed in a mission again. Sure, Scandal has the card so she's somehow a winner, but "get out of hell free" cards don't pay the rent.
- I hope Nicola Scott continues on the series a long time. She's pretty much reference when it comes to clean superhero art style.
- I hope to eventually get to know why on earth Bane joined the team. It doesn't seem that the team has anything to offer what he needs or wants. I have one or two possible ideas, none of which are very plausible.
- I hope Secret Six stays out of mass scenes. Issue 7 was pretty good but hardly my favourite. There's no way Scandal can point to the dead guy, claims he had the price, and everybody swallowed it. Stuff like this is why I really dislike mass scenes in superhero comics. They are rarely credible.
- I think I would like to see Scandal actually try to find out who killed Knockout. We know she's vengeful, but all she seems to do here is get drunk. We readers know that such a search would be futile, but does she know?

[Thok]

There is one more aspect that speaks in favor of this series.
Unlike most other DC series, this one is comparably unlikely to get tangled up too much in crossovers. Sure, there's the Battle for the Cowl, but that one's not too bad. And ironic: If I understand it right, the group was born from a crossover, to 52, correct?
Still, it isn't safe, as the Death of the New Gods showed.

The current team came out of Villains United, a lead-in to Infinite Crisis. (The concept of the Secret Six predates that, although not with villains on the team per se.)

That said, you may also want to look at Ostrander era Suicide Squad (if you can find it, as DC refuses to put out trades for it.) In particular, that's where Deadshot really became Deadshot in terms of popularity and personality.

[Karl O'Neill]

Secret six has a lot going for it, A great writer, A great artist and some fantastic immoral driven characters.

Funnily enough I am more excited for next issue more than any other issue so far and this is confirmed to have the battle for the cowl trade dress.

So says comics contiuum.

[Drcharles]

Quickly reading through this, it seems that you are well into the SS, like so many here also, Gail and co have recognise that they have a mega hit on their hands, and so long as they are on the bk, there will be a fan base, but, I would also go out on a limb, and say that the SS would survive with with other writers, due to the fact that at the momnet this is the G/A of Supervillian bks.
Gail was on BOP for quite some time wasn't she ?
Also I don't know what the earlier incarnations of the SS were like, how do they compare with this new series ?

[Thok]

Also I don't know what the earlier incarnations of the SS were like, how do they compare with this new series ?

Earlier stuff involving this Secret Six team (the Ragdoll/Catman/Deadshot/Scandal group) is Villains United, a secret six mini, an arc of Birds of Prey, and a flashback scene in an issue of Detective, all of which is good (all but the Detective issue are written by Simone.)

The general idea of six people working together, blackmailed by a person named Mockingbird to help him do stuff goes back a while. I don't think there's a collection of those stories and there are at least two versions of that idea for a Secret Six team. That's also more Mission Impossible than the current team.