Secret Six #36 Review

Bane leads the Six in an assault on the Batman and his allies as the fan favorite series ends.

Secret Six #36

Bane’s attempted strike against Batman and his allies never quite happens in Secret Six #36, the (sadly) series finale). In various flashback interludes, loose ends are wrapped up (Bane finally sleeps with Spenser, Scandal marries both Knockout and Liana, and King Shark, Ragdoll, Deadshot, and Catman deal with a last contract against a mobster.

In the main story, their temporary base of operations in Gotham proves A) to be not deserted as they find a homeless family living there, and B) quicky surrounded when the Penguin manages to get a call out via a hidden radio chip, and, well, everybody shows up. Most of the JLA, Teen Titans, Birds of Prey, and more random heroes show up, telling the Six to surrender. The inevitable happens as they choose to go down fighting, a bit like the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Bane ups the odds by giving Venom to all his teammates, and they make an impressive stand before being overpowered. Miraculously, no one dies on either side, although there are wounded aplenty.

The issue ends with Bane being transported to Blackgate, the guards and medics talking about how he’s safe because he’s tranquilized to the point that “Nothing human could be awake.” Naturally, he shows them what he’s made of. Wishing goodbye to Scandal in his head, he shatters his bonds, with the narration of “I am Bane. And I have a kingdom to win.”

It’s a decent ending to a fantastic series. We don’t know what happens to most of them; the DC-nU has been very close lipped about many characters, and the only ones from this team I’ve seen anything at all about are a remodeled Deadshot and King Shark in the new Suicide Squad. Of the rest, there’s no sign nor whisper. Supposedly Knightfall happened in the rebooted history, so Bane should still exist. As to his fate, or that of Catman (who Gail remade so well), Ragdoll and his wonderfully twisted view of life, former Superboy foe (and rare bi character) Knockout, and Gail’s creations Scandal Savage and Jeanette, no clues.

I will miss this title a lot. Gail Simone did a fantastic job with taking obscure villains and making the great, developed characters without tossing out their histories, as so many writers do. I hugely recommend the entire run of this book, and the various specials and minis under the name “Villains United” to anyone one is a fan of well written action, morally grey areas, and just plain fun stories, if somewhat twisted.

Goodbye, Secret Six. I’ll miss you.

Tags: Bane Catman Gail Simone Secret Six