We all (should) know that Death of the New Gods was a terrible story that did nothing but muck up continuity and convolute the lead-in to Final Crisis (while also having terrible grammar throughout the series). The last thing Final Crisis needed to be was more confusing. Those annoyances aside, the most tragic part of DotNG were the deaths of some particularly awesome New Gods, specifically … Knockout.

Villains United was one of the first comics I read, and I was immediately smitten with Knockout. Her cavalier nature, all-out amorality, and general hotness made her pretty easy to love. Just ask Scandal. So to say she was sorely missed after her death is an understatement. Over the course of Secret Six, it really struck me when Scandal would miss her, too. She even went and got her a Knockout look-alike by the name of Liana … to fill the nonrefillable void.

I was stoked when Knockout returned to the pages of Secret Six, but what was Scandal to do? She now loved Liana, too. Well, our darling Gail put the conventional in unconventional … and Scandal proposed to them both! Brilliant and beautiful. Jeannette’s perfect reaction put the icing on that polyamorous cake. I may have gotten a little teary-eyed. It was an immensely satisfying resolution.

About resolutions …

I had mixed feelings when I first read the final issue of Secret Six. I won’t lie, though. It was striking to see the Six on venom, going for gusto against the entire Justice League … and friends. Balls to the wall (and brains in their asses)! What do you expect? They are losers.

Perfect, homicidal, sociopathic, hilarious, endearing, insane, loveable losers.

Here’s to the the awesomeness that was the Secret Six. To Gail and Jim, thanks for a stellar book, and making sure Knockout was there at the end. The Secret Six will be missed … very muchly.

Batwoman is a shining star in the DCU. I knew it would be. I reveled in every single panel of J.H. Williams III’s stellar art. He wins on writing, too. E. concurs.

Once upon a time I was getting Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, AND Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors. I lost interest and dropped all of the titles from my pull list. I thought maybe, just maybe, that a Green Lantern book with Sinestro as the star could win me back. But while I read Green Lantern #1, all I could think was how do we get a reimagined Superman but GL picks up right after the War of the Green Lanterns? I think we all know why that is, but my brain says, “NO!” Also, Hal Jordan is even more of a cad. Snore.

Action Comics and Batgirl were equally pleasing to me. Rags Morales is a rock star of comic proportions, and Morrison’s Supes is intricate and intriguing. Gail can write the hell out of some Barbara Gordon. Special kudos to Mrs. Simone for humanizing her in such a relateable way, and showing a Babs with an authentic trauma response. Realism for the win.

I was terribly disappointed by Eric Wallace’s Mr. Terrific. I admit that my reason for reading the book in the first place is rather shallow: I think the character is hot, but the story was just as shallow. It portrayed Michael Holt as haughty and dissociated, and don’t even get me started on the clichés regarding race, gender, and belief. This Mr. Terrific is a far cry from the wise and compassionate Michael Holt that Greg Rucka gave us in Checkmate. No thanks, DC.

I am a fan of Lemire’s Sweet Tooth, so both Animal Man and Frankenstein got bought. I gave Animal Man a try, and it felt lukewarm. Some in my geek circle were complaining about the art. I admire the clean simplicity of Travel Foreman’s art, and it does rev up into some rather complex, gory panels. I think this is a quality book, but there was too much Buddy with the morphogenetic field inner-monologue. It got a little boring in parts for me. Maybe I don’t relate to Buddy Baker, but you might.

That brings me to Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., I enjoyed this book more than all the others. I reread it as soon as I was done, and I feel compelled to make a case for it. The art is going to be an acquired taste for some. The colors and lettering are pretty great, but the loose lines and gritty feel might be off-putting. Don’t let it be. It really works with the tone of the book. What’s the tone of the book?

Awesome.

Okay. Seriously. It is just the first issue, but it is quite fun. Lemire skillfully references Frankenstein’s continuity with quick dialogue. There are tons of festive physics oddities and S.H.A.D.E. technology. Frankie is quoting the British poet Milton. Father Time is a little girl with pigtails. There is a crew of “Creature Commandos” complete with an amphibious lady scientist, a mummy, and a werewolf and vampire who have a penchant for bickering. The baddest S.H.A.D.E. agent of all is Frankie’s wife. This book has the right mix of camp and grit, and I can foresee these characters making for a most entertaining monster mash. I need you to go buy it so it doesn’t get canned. Please.

P.S. I am beyond excited about Azzarello and Chiang’s Wonder Woman, tomorrow!

“They call me the Spy Smasher because I kill terrorists, and those who wish harm against our country. You will never, ever be in a room with anyone of a higher authority. Not if you live to be a hundred.”

Combine every relentless hardass you’ve ever known, add a dose of supreme confidence and combat training, provide scary federal credentials, and put it all in one intimidating package topped off with a severe ponytail. The result? Katrina Armstrong, aka Spy Smasher.As written by Gail Simone in the Birds of Prey “Blood and Circuits” arc, Ms. Armstrong was your worst nightmare, and she blew into the Birds’ lives like a blonde tornado. Barbara Gordon is a hard woman to intimidate, but her former college frenemy took her to the brink by going after her team with big, government-certified guns. And by not-too-subtly threatening her dad, Commissioner Jim Gordon. In short, Spy Smasher is valedictorian of the Amanda Waller School of Ruthless Tactics. If you don’t follow her command, prepare to be tirelessly and vigorously hunted.

Has anyone seen Wilkins' manhood? It's gone.

Spy Smasher’s BoP entrance was unforgettable. Storming into the Pentagon, she immediately demanded that some poor bureaucrat – Deputy Administrator Fenton Wilkins — shoot down the Birds’ helicopter. He tried to reason with her later, but she (as they say in some circles) totally pulled his ho card in the sequence above. Oh, and when Wilkins wasn’t quick enough with the coffee, she pulled a gun on him.

Katrina could have been a one-note villain, but Simone wrote the character as a intelligent, extremely capable woman who wants to win, period. She also had an interesting history with Babs. Both were gifted, fiercely competitive students at Gotham State, and they regarded each other with a wary respect. “Kat, not quite a friend, more of a like-minded and pleasantly cordial scorpion with just a smidge of unused venom.” Nicola Scott drew Spy Smasher as dangerously long and lean, with cheekbones that could cut glass. That damn ponytail was practically a weapon, and it reminded me of Madonna’s Blonde Ambition phase.

I define a successful character as one who leaves you wanting to see more of them, regardless of “likability.” Spy Smasher doesn’t have a likable bone in her body, and I wouldn’t have her any other way.

She was a bit of a mystery when she first joined the Six. We knew she had money, we knew she was friends with Scandal, and clearly she had some super-mojo. Her on-again off-again sleeping arrangements with her darling Deadshot qualifies as one of the most festive “relationships” in the DCU, she certainly is unabashed in her prowess. But, it wasn’t until she released the Banshee on Devil’s Island that we really got to see Jeanette. Not only was her origin revealed, she made Wonder Woman foam at the mouth, yo!

She’s demure yet mutant strong, empowered and classy, she never minces words, and for now, she’s Hungarian. That happens to be icing in my book. Rumor has it, there is much we don’t yet know about the saucy banshee, and I bet the rest of her story is juicy as hell.

All hail, Miss Jeannette!

Enjoy it while you can, Catman.

Girls Gone Geek has been alive with the sound of frustration due to the not-so-flattering portrayals of beloved female comic characters. Today, I would like to celebrate a powerful character moment for a G3 favorite, Huntress.

Birds of Prey #11 gave us the long- awaited Huntress/Catman “date.” True to form, it was a helluva read. What Gail does best with the Birds is their inner monologue, and Helena’s was spot-on. Her internal struggle with her outright attraction to Thomas in direct conflict with her sense of his darkness was wildly relatable. You see, once upon a time … I was a card-carrying member of the Bad Decision Bears Club, and by “Bears” I mean “Boys.” Reading one of my favorite female heroines have such a real-world struggle was not only validating, but the way she handled it catapulted this issue in to my Top Ten.

During Catman and Huntress’ brief interaction, she sensed that he’d changed since they last saw each other, and so not in a good way. The once anti-heroic Catman crossed over to the dark side when his son was kidnapped. His full-on killing spree and face-chewing got him a one-way ticket to Hell. Since then, his extreme violent tendencies coupled with random bouts of public nudity are a gigantic red flag of his psychopathology. Huntress knows none of this, but she can smell the bad on him.

Son-of-a ... homicidal maniac

As Catman “helps” Huntress track the bad guys who kidnapped a woman; there is a moment where she suspects dishonesty, and she calls him out, without apology. Helena is a smartie, and after some bad decisions in the past, she decided to follow her instinct. She was dead-on. Not only did Catman lie about his involvement with said bad guys, but he and Deadshot staged the kidnapping, thus traumatizing a woman just so he could get close to Helena. Talk about your tainted love. For all the ladies who love a “bad boy,” that kind of dedication is never good.

Never once did Helena compromise her integrity or dignity. She was smart, empowered, and she walked away from Thomas Blake with her swag fully intact. It was utterly inspiring.

Thank you, Gail.

P.S. YAY! Bat Jammies!

A character, not a "statement"

By now, you’ve probably seen Gail Simone’s fierce, utterly awesome rebuttal to an aspiring comic book writer who said, essentially, that characters should not be forced on publishers for the sake of inclusion. Specifically, gay characters. This person’s argument is annoying for a number of reasons, but what struck me is how frequently I’ve heard versions of this from otherwise reasonable people. Say that you want to see more high-profile minorities in comics, and someone inevitably will respond, “Race/sexual orientation shouldn’t enter into it. I hate it when someone does that just to look progressive. A good character is a good character.” What they’re really saying is the default is white and straight (and often male), and anything outside of that default is possibly tainted by a 1) a quota system or 2) an attempt to appease a narrow, agitated fan base.

I’m sorry, but that is both insulting and outrageously presumptuous. When was the last time someone took issue with the creation of a straight, white, male hero? Fans might deride the character for being lame, but no one will say, “I think the publisher is trying to make some kind of statement here.” Exhibit A: Batwoman. When Greg Rucka rebooted Kate Kane as a modern heroine who happened to be gay, some cynical fans claimed her sexuality was a naked publicity stunt. You could practically hear the sneering. Look, I understand that reporters need a newsworthy hook for a story, and launching a high-profile, gay, female character IS quite a hook. But as Rucka later explained — and readers eventually saw for themselves — being gay is just one piece of who Kate is. Like being an alien is just one piece of who Clark Kent is. Like being obsessive is one piece of who Bruce Wayne is. If Batwoman’s stories had sucked or been strained and inauthentic, that would have nothing to do with her sexual orientation and everything to do with poor writing. Of course, that turned out not to be the case.

Gail came down hard on old boy, but I think she just snapped, and understandably so. Comics are far more inclusive than they used to be, and they keep getting better. But the fact that someone felt moved to complain about a fan’s desire for a marquee, gay, male superhero — in 2011! — floors me. People of color and gays happen to be, I dunno, part of society, not mere artistic fetishes. But what do I know? Perhaps I’m just an angry, unreasonable black geek with an agenda and a quota Excel spreadsheet.

In Birds of Prey #6, not only did I get Sin, but I got Lady Shiva, too. GOOD GAWD, I love Shiva! The appearance of Shiva and Sin was, indeed, extremely satisfying. But, I was not prepared for just how moved I would be by Huntress.

Helena Bertinelli is the kind of girl you want as a best friend because she has got your back. Huntress decides to take Dinah’s place in a battle to the death against Lady Shiva, one of the deadliest people on the planet. THAT is one hell of a gesture. Not only did Helena hold Dinah down to the tenth power, but she stayed on her feet while taking that ass-kicking of a lifetime from Shiva.

Huntress has more moxie than any lady in the DCU. She is Iron Owl.

Daddy issues much?

Secret Six is a book that was consistently good throughout the year. Gail never ceases to blow the line between morality and immorality completely to smithereens in ways that only work with the Six. While there have been many, many “Oh, Shit!” moments in Secret Six, issue #22 made my jaw hit the ground so hard it nearly broke.

In the final chapter of the “Cats in the Cradle” story arc, Thomas Blake takes his animal inclinations to the extreme. After hunting his son’s kidnappers by blazing a trail of blood and entrails, he finally confronts them. A meta by the name of Wallace is particularly arrogant and sinister upon Catman’s arrival, and the fight ensues. Wallace seems to be under the impression that he has the upper hand because he’s all electrical. Whilst lightning and shit-talking are plentiful, Blake takes one lunge at Wallace, and bites his fucking face off. One bite. Then he kills him with his claw-knuckle thingie and the best one-liner … ever. Gail officially sent Thomas Blake up the river to Homocidal Maniac Town, never to return.

J. Calafiore’s illustration is so epically perfect and gruesome that one cannot help but be utterly shocked.

I’d also like to give Calafiore some major props for his work on Secret Six as a whole this past year. He’s more or less melded with the Six, and I love, LOVE how he draws them. Calafiore has stepped his game up every month, and continues to improve. I’m so impressed by this book’s consistency, which is what Secret Six deserves.

Gail Simone has been a regular on my pull list, thanks to her consistently top-notch work on comics like The Atom, Birds of Prey, Secret Six and, yes, Wonder Woman. But when my LCS owner asked me if I’d been reading Welcome to Tranquility, I stammered.

“If you’re a fan of hers, you should be reading this comic,” he said. “It’s her baby.”

Anyone who’s familiar with Simone’s writing knows that she does funny and macabre very well, often within a single panel. Those talents are on full display in Welcome to Tranquility, a Wildstorm comic about a town inhabited by retired superheroes and villains. And what a cast. There’s Minxy Minerva, a daffy millionaire and former child pilot prodigy who crashes frequently. Emoticon is a young troublemaker who wears a mask displaying text symbols that reveal his mood: smiley faces, for instance. Mayor Alex Fury, the former leader of a Justice Society-type group, presides over the town of Tranquility and lives with his wife and fellow former hero/pinup Pink Bunny.

In the middle of it all is beloved Sheriff Thomasina “Tommy” Lindo, who eschews profanity and instead blurts out words like “bull doody.” Personally, I’m stoked to see a black female comics character in a leading role. Sheriff Lindo is the glue and conscience of Tranquility, perhaps the most ironically named town ever. This place is anything but peaceful, roiling with secrets, intrigue, juicy backstories and crazy developments, which result in good read.

The Liberty Snots

You could easily start with the first three issues of the latest storyline, “One Foot in the Grave,” but I’d suggest going all the way back to Vol. 1, which launched in 2006. This is where the characters and their motivations are fleshed out, and where the arrival of two journalists sets off the town’s alarm bells. (And thanks, Gail, for not making journalists look evil. We appreciate it.)

There’s also a nifty subplot involving the Liberty Snots (formerly the Tranquili-teens), a band of young heroes that has shed its clean-cut, TV show image and gone Goth. And punk. Simone has a lot of fun with old-school comic book tropes, like random product-placement ads, one-page gags and “Scooby Doo”-like stories featuring the Tranquili-teens in their G-rated heyday.

Though Wildstorm is soon to be no more, Simone told Newsarama that the current series has been completed, and that the remaining issues will be published as planned. So go ahead and dive in.

Want more suggestions? Check out the lesser-known titles reviewed on these blogs and Read Them, Too:

Adam Strange at It’s a Dan’s World

American Vampire at Doom Patrol

Astro City at K-Squared Ramblings

Booster Gold and Zatanna at Red Tornado’s Path

Essential Man-Thing at Firestorm Fan

Forgetless at Girls Gone Geek

Franklin Richards Digests at  Once Upon a Geek

Glamourpuss at Being Carter Hall

Peter David’s Hulk at Fortress of Baileytude

Jonah Hex at Boosterrific

R.E.B.E.L.S. at Indigo Tribe

Scott Pilgrim at Toyriffic

Son of Tomahawk and Thor the Mighty Avenger at Aquaman Shrine

Spelljammer at HeroPress

Spire Christian Comics at Mail it to Team-Up

Strange Science Fantasy at Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery

The Unwritten at Speed Force

More recently, mainstream comic books have seen plenty of lesbian love, and perhaps that provides extended shower time for the “target demographic.” But, we all know that people who read comics are a much more diverse and intellectual bunch than the stereotype of your middle-aged, straight white guy.

Based on the human population at large, there is a disproportionately low number of gay characters in comics, particularly gay male characters. As with many female characters, gay characters have faced being cast in a less-than-desirable light. So much of what is portrayed in the media of the LGBT community is negative, stereotypical, or outlandish.

Over in Riverdale, the recent addition of Kevin was the gay boy heard ’round the world, and a step in the right direction. This month’s issue of Birds of Prey features two more steps forward. Mega hotties Creote and Savant have a beautiful shared moment when they realize they are in love with each other, and have been for quite some time. It is sweet, affectionate, positive and, yup, it’s gay. Knowing my darling Gail, there’ll be more where that came from. Love is love. HUZZAH!

Awww ... ya big lugs!

Here at Girls Gone Geek, we are not shy about our reverence for writer Gail Simone. Her stories are wildly entertaining, witty, smart, and depraved in the best kind of way. I’ve never met her, although I hope to one of these days. Off the books, she comes across as a gracious and passionate person who cares about her fans and the dignity of people in general.

She’s known to take to Twitter, her tumblr, or the message boards voicing her opinions about various things. She is particularly froggy when injustice or dumbassery is at hand. I tend to agree with her on just about everything. Gail’s poignant letter about why people should care about women who read comics is one more instance of that.

I wanted to share what she wrote.

Please go look and see…

http://womenreadcomicsinpublic.tumblr.com/

That is part of your audience, comics industry. Please note that they are all colors and orientations and from many different faiths and countries.

And please note they are women. And they are reading comics.

Take a look at what comics they are NOT reading on this photo list, it may be the most important detail you take from the entire affair.

Women are embracing comics fandom with a vengeance, as they have already done with sf/fantasy and as they have done with many other media. Women were key to keeping Star Trek’s memory alive in the days when such a thing was unheard of. Women have made the careers of too many beloved film creators to mention.

They can do that for comics, too.

It would be better for everyone if you made that easy. But if you don’t, they’ll do it without you. They don’t NEED to support you. They can always find someone putting out stories that don’t alienate, infuriate, and insult them.

Take a good look because these women are a huge part of our shared future. If doing the right thing because it’s right isn’t enough motivation, then do it for purely selfish reasons, because the female audience is out there, and those publishers smart enough to realize that will benefit while others do not. People like Joss Whedon, Greg Rucka, Brian Bendis, Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman, Stephanie Meyer, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, Brian Lee O’Malley, Terry Moore, Brian Vaughan, Allan Heinberg, and many more already know the buying and buzz-creating power of the female readership. It is no longer hypothetical. It requires no more proof than the repeated successes of these people.

Most of the women involved in Read Comics In Public Day were doing it for fun, just as a shared bit of love for the medium, and that’s wonderful. But sometimes fun is the best activism. Many of these women don’t just buy comics, they cosplay, they write fanfic and draw fanart, they write columns about their favorite books, they convert their friends and sisters and boyfriends and girlfriends to their favorite titles in droves. Time and again, when looking at the surprise hits of the industry, the game-changing titles that came out of nowhere (Sandman, Teen Titans, Swamp Thing, Scott Pilgrim, Strangers in Paradise, Batwoman, on and on), women were at the center of those tornadoes. No simpler lesson is out there than the decades-long support system for the X-titles that has always included huge numbers of female readers.

Don’t be afraid, industry people. You already know how to tell great stories. All you have to do is take a moment to realize, as many of the most successful people in comics and film and prose already have, that the audience is a lot more diverse than you have been told over and over. And they WANT to like your stories.

It doesn’t have to be threatening. It might even be a great deal of fun.

I do believe we’re on the cusp of some wonderful things. Let’s be the highway, and not the roadblock.

And thanks to all the awesome women who participated in this fun event. See you next year with an even louder response!

And again, thanks to the mighty, mighty http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/ for spearheading this idea. I don’t know who came up with it, but she definitely seemed to be the chef who baked this delightful cake, so please follow her and drop her a note of thanks!

Jumping right back into the action from issue #1, Black Canary and Huntress face off with White Canary who is serving the Birds some serious whoop ass. Black Canary manages to get a few licks in. Maybe a few licks too many as she responds emotionally to what seems to be some major hater vibes coming off of this new enemy.

Hell hath no fury like a Canary scorned.

Back up comes not a second too soon in the form of Hawk, Dove and Zinda. White Canary immediately launches Hawk into a brick wall, and makes him bleed. Apparently that’s kind of a big deal. Meanwhile, Oracle is watching as Black Canary is being framed as a murderer on live TV, and not a minute later, major law enforcement shows up to the scene in the alley to arrest Dinah. Being arrested was so not on the agenda.

THIS is Gail's Black Canary

Things go from bad to worse. Upon realizing that they’ve been thoroughly set up, Dinah points the finger at White Canary. Her response: “One of you will die every hour for the next six hours. You choose. Or I will.” Cut to Oracle getting a com from an inconsolable Creote. They were attacked by a woman because of their affiliation with the Birds, and now Savant is dead. Creote is devastated, and kills himself while Oracle is listening.

It's never good when Russian bodyguards start snotting themselves.

Back in the alley, the whole crew happens upon a TV set up for their viewing pleasure. The Action 8 news is on with “breaking coverage” of Black Canary’s messy breakup with Ollie, a wildly distorted version of her almost adoption of Sin, and her identity. Dinah is brought to her knees while White Canary watches from a rooftop above.

Even after all THAT, the high impact moment of the issue is at the end. Oracle realizes that she’s become complacent over the past five years, letting the machines do her work. Whoever this enemy is, s/he is using the grid against the Birds. Oracle dries her tears and reminds herself that SHE IS THE GRID, it exists because she allows it to, and she enacts what can only be the ultimate cyber command “Data Womb Code, Omniscient.” I’m pretty sure that means “IT’S ON!”

The art was fantastic, Ed Benes and Adriana Melo are beyond belief talented. Both artists have a lushness to their pencils – expressive eyes and pillowy lips. Still, their respective styles have some distinct differences. It is quite obvious where Ed’s pencils end and Adriana’s start. REEEMIIIX! Melo makes up for the abrupt shift in art with her up-close face panels and the beautiful splash page of Oracle.

Major props to Gail for immediately addressing some continuity issues that were created after she left the book, like the huge, gaping hot-mess that was the Sin story arc. And I’ve always loved Creote and Savant, but the characters fell to the wayside without Gail’s pen. It’s sad that they met their end, but it’s a memorable scene that tied that loose end right on up. It reminds me that Gail loves these characters as much, if not more, than the fans do. I am certain she will keep on serving up excellence in the form of Birds of Prey for as long as they let her. At least we hope so.

Birds of Prey #2
Writer: Gail Simone
Pencillers: Ed Benes & Adriana Melo
Inkers: Ed Benes & Mariah Benes
Colors: Nei Ruffino
DC
Released: June 16, 2010

Cover art by Dan LuVisi

Secret Six #22

Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: J. Calafiore
DC
Released: June 9, 2010

The comics that I deem “good” are the ones that really tug my emotions or shock the shit out of me. The final installment of the Secret Six “Cats in the Cradle” story arc was a full on jaw-dropper, kids. If you haven’t been reading, you need to grab the trade. I went back to issue #19 and read straight through. This story is intense, fast-paced and clever, and it will make you say, “Oh. My. God.” J. Calafiore’s art style works well for the characters, and his backgrounds add great dimension to the story. Jason Wright’s dark colors are a constant reminder that this ain’t the damn Justice League. Not that you’ll need to be reminded.

The issue takes us right back to Alice being possessed by the demon Estrogan on some ultra PMS rampage, picking a fight with Scandal … over Ragdoll. It’s kinda ridiculous. OK, it’s really ridiculous. Black Alice’s inception in Birds of Prey was so interesting and ripe with potential, but it just has not come to fruition. Or maybe, five years later, I just have a much lower tolerance for bratty teenagers. That’s certainly why Wonder Girl grinds my nerves. Whatever the case, her catfight with Scandal is mildly amusing, only because of Deadshot’s ambivalent spectator commentary.

While Gail is the queen of witty banter, and there is plenty in this scene; I just wanted more from Alice. She eventually gains control of her magic and immediately begins snotting herself. I rolled my eyes at Alice’s “emotional” revelation that she probably gave her father cancer by magic, but was pleased with her moment of maturity when she enlightened the “adults” on Catman’s state of mind.

Speaking of Catman’s state of mind, “Holy what the fucking shit!?!” as someone so eloquently put it on Twitter. I’m usually all for the major spoilage, but not this time, homies. You gotta see that mess for yo’ self. Cheshire’s homicidal, maniacal tendencies have caused one hell of a butterfly effect. Gail took it there.

Now, the question is: Where on Earth will she go next? I hope Alice has gone to master her “skills” or grow up or something, but she seems to be exiting scene. Cheshire is 38-hot to say the least, so will Jade finally get some screen time at Gail’s hand? Catman has blazed past the point of no return. The Usual Suspects – Scandal, Doll, and Deadshot are left to pick up the up the body parts. How is THAT confrontation gonna go? Let’s not forget; last time we saw Bane & Jeanette, they were merc’n with the likes of Dwarfstar, Giganta, Lady Vic, and King Shark. It’s a big bowl of “Holy what the fucking shit!?!” soup.

Whatever tumult is in store for the Six, it is apparently time to get off the teat, son.

Variant cover art by Cliff Chiang

The best friendships are the ones where, even after long stretches of little communication, everyone picks up right where they left off. There are no awkward pauses or, worse, internal monologues about how it’s just not the same.

For fans of Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey run, reading issue #1 of the revived series is like that great reunion with an old friend. Simone stepped away from the book three years ago, and it was canceled in 2009. However, she and original collaborator Ed Benes have wasted no time in returning the Birds to classic, crime-busting form — and we missed them terribly. (Spoilers await.)

The four-part “Endgame” story opens in Iceland, where Black Canary has arrived to rescue a diplomat’s 5-year-old daughter from a terrorist/kidnapper. The beauty of this sequence is that it firmly re-establishes Dinah Lance as one of the world’s most skilled combatants, obliterating the sad-sack wife nonsense other writers saddled her with. Let’s just say there’s a lot of blood on the snow in Reykjavik, and it’s not Dinah’s. Or the 5-year-old’s.

"Where my girls at?"

Shortly, Oracle begins reassembling the team to deal with an anonymous mofo who has a frightening amount of information about the Birds and all their friends/associates. Zinda is dispatched to recruit Hawk and Dove, one of whom has some serious anger management issues. (I wouldn’t have held it against Hawk if he’d tossed that silly, bank-robbing cheerleader off the roof, but that’s just me.) The addition of these newbies to a well-established group is potentially rich with drama, and I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone adjusts, or doesn’t.

This is the REAL DC Trinity

Simone’s affection for these characters comes through on every page, especially in the funny, familiar banter that flies between Canary, Zinda, Huntress and Oracle. The Birds also look fabulous, thanks to Benes’ gourmet cheesecake illustrations and colorist Nei Ruffino’s glowing, moody palette, which really suits poured-on leather under moonlight. Those panels of Huntress cracking skulls while talking to Oracle via cell phone could launch 1,000 gym memberships alone.

As if that weren’t enough, the Big Villain Reveal on the final page is a total surprise, and still a bit of a mystery. I figured it would be Lady Shiva, or even a tween Sin, but the ending suggests that our heroines are in for even bigger trouble. It is totally on — and I couldn’t be happier.

Cover art by Dan LuVisi

Secret Six #20 played out like a well-acted revenge thriller. Catman reminded me of Liam Neeson in Taken. Those baddies effed with the wrong guy! Still, I wish Cheshire had come along to help with the revenge portion of the show. Maybe Gail will bring her around later. Let’s hope.

On the whole, this issue was fast-paced and full of that shock factor these characters are known for, and it set the stage for a hell of a story arc. Thanks again, Gail, for reminding me why I buy monthly issues instead of waiting for the trade.

Secret Six is one of the best books on comic store shelves right now, so I’m puzzling over the 2010 Eisner Award nominations. Based on conversations with my geek posse and articles about the nominees, it seems that most of the nods were totally deserved. However, I have a bone to pick with the judges in a specific category — Best Writer. The five MEN nominated were Ed Brubaker, Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Mark Waid and Bill Willingham. My thoughts:

I haven’t read anything by Brubaker or Waid, so I can’t give an opinion. I’ve heard from several fanboys that Brubaker’s Captain America and Waid’s Irredeemable are excellent. OK. Fine.

Willingham rocks. I LOVE Fables, and I’ve lost hours of sleep because I couldn’t put the trades down. His work is consistent and intriguing, so this nomination makes perfect sense to me.

Johns? Meh. Insert Greg Rucka instead. Sure, Johns is a solid writer, but I’ve never loved his work. The Flash: Rebirth was a snore. Blackest Night was a good time, but I’d liken it to Avatar getting the award for best movie at the Golden Globes over Inglourious Basterds. Johns is just so … mainstream.

(Deep Sigh) At the risk of beating a dead horse, I have to say it: James fucking Robinson got an Eisner Award nomination for the steaming load that was Justice League: Cry For Justice! What. The. Hell?! I’ll spare you the bullet points of why it sucked (click here and here and here AND here if you must know). The bottom line is that Robinson doesn’t deserve it, at least, not for this comic.

There are other writers who are more worthy of a nomination —writers like, I dunno, Gail Simone for Secret Six. Duh. Her writing in this book has been unwaveringly good, and every issue makes me laugh out loud. Secret Six is pure, debauched entertainment, and I love it.

Robinson is up against some heavy hitters, so surely he can’t win. But Ms. Simone’s absence from the ballot is both a mystery and a damned shame.

As we’ve seen in Secret Six, no one does amoral with Gail’s flair. Amoral characters are intriguing because they do the things our conscience and social mores prevent us from doing. We get to live our fantasies through them, and their writers aren’t limited by pesky issues like virtue. Plus, Shiva is a straight-up beast. She’s kicked more asses than you’ve read comics. She’s fast, ingenious, wicked, and not at all afraid to die. That final fact alone makes her a force to be reckoned with. I firmly believe that she could defeat Deathstroke (See previous poll). All Shiva needs is a two-second window, and he’s done for — genetic engineering be damned. Shiva would engineer a beatdown.

To drive the point home, here are some of my favorite Lady Shiva quotes:

“I believe in letting people do as they wish, as do I myself. Sometimes, of course, what I wish to do is kill them and they do not wish to die. This gives life interest.” – The Question #29

“I am not allowing you to pass out. I want your men to see you beg. Then you will apologize with a pain you will remember always.” – Birds of Prey #62

“All this ceremony, and the truth is: the body decays, the spirit is lost. It means nothing. Ashes or earth, I hardly see the significance of where they lay your corpse.” – Birds of Prey #68

“If you ever touch me again, I shall shatter three bones in your arm: the humerus, the radius, and the ulna. I shall shatter them in such a way that shards will protrude into the nerves, causing intense pain! I shall shatter them in such a way that no Western doctor will be able to repair them. Your arm will thereafter dangle from your shoulder like a dead fish. Do you understand?”

And my favorite:

“Perhaps death is just a little bit afraid of me.” – Birds of Prey #63

So, I’m riding the wave of Shiva-is-a-bad-ass-bitch, and as per usual, once she was out of Gail’s hands, someone added suckage to her repertoire. I realize this is part of the multiple-writers nature of comics. I’m not that bitter. But chocolate? As in, Robin (Tim Drake) defeats Shiva by sending her some drug-laced chocolate? Really? Bullshit!

I seriously doubt that a world-class mercenary/martial artist with so many enemies would even consider eating a piece of hotel chocolate. As E. pointed out, “She’s probably on a macrobiotic diet.” The poisoned chocolate was a flimsy attempt at strengthening Tim’s character, I guess because he and Shiva have a past. But honestly, who gives a fuck? This did a major disservice to Shiva’s character. Her sister was murdered, and her daughter broke her neck. Bottom line: Shiva should get more respect than that. As Black Canary put it, “In some countries, being killed by her brings eternal honor to your entire surviving family.”

With books coming back from the “dead” and all, we have The Question #37 written by Greg Rucka. Now, I almost love Rucka as much as I love Simone. He also understands the kick-ass chick. We’ll get to see my favorite DCU lesbian, Renee Montoya, a Black Lantern Vic Sage and (here’s the part that’s got me salivating) an appearance by Lady Shiva. She’s already got a past with Vic. Throw Montoya in the mix, and a few interesting worlds collide. Renee vs. Shiva? I’d like to see that mashup! Rucka had this to say, “[Shiva's] just entirely amoral and committed to her path. … She doesn’t care what you think, ever.” Color me blue, because THAT gives me hope.

Nobody draws Black Canary better than Benes!

I’ve enjoyed comic books and the characters since I was young, but for a long time, it was more from a distance. I’d admire them in a bookstore, peruse a boyfriend’s long box or, on occasion, borrow a trade. But I didn’t collect and follow comics myself — that is, until I met the Birds: Babs, Dinah, Helena and Zinda, as written by Gail Simone and drawn by Ed Benes, hold an über-sacred place in my heart.

I had just started a new job a few years ago when the topic of comic books somehow came up with the IT guy who was setting up my computer. He asked if I was into them, and I was all, “Sure. Kinda.”  I told him I was really into Wonder Woman and chicks who kick ass. He said he had something for me, and the next day, there was a stack of Birds of Prey trade paperbacks on my desk.

I opened the first one that following Saturday morning, and I couldn’t put them down. I was so enthralled that I read until my eyes couldn’t focus, and I developed a monumental headache. I kept on reading.

It is because of those very books that I go to my LCS every Wednesday; spend countless hours reading comics; search the Internet for comic book news and art; display a Black Canary Ame Comi figurine on my office shelf; spend lunches with other comic book fiends, talking for hours on our favorite stories; and now have a blog to talk about it all. Birds of Prey was the catalyst.

Honestly, no other book or set of characters has done for me what BoP did. I’d liken it to the first hit from a crack pipe. Gail’s writing and Ed’s art made me itch. From then on, I was hooked, searching desperately for that same high that I got from the Birds. Some series have come close: Identity Crisis, Secret Six, Rucka’s run on Wonder Woman, Fables, and Detective Comics with my darling Kate. While they all gave me a great fangirl buzz, they didn’t satisfy me quite as much as Dinah kicking ass in her fishnets, Babs taking down a group of men from her wheelchair, Lady Shiva struggling with morality as Jade Canary, and Lady Blackhawk punctuating the action with her hilarious one-liners.

When Gail moved on to other projects, I was terribly disappointed. Especially when DC married off Dinah to Ollie, and essentially ruined what Gail had done with her character. (And can someone please tell me what happened to Sin? Anyone?) In new hands, the book floundered, then got canned. Many, many times I’ve wished for DC to bring the Birds back, with Gail driving. It seems my wish has been granted: The dream team of Simone/Benes is back! And I am so fucking happy I want to cry.

Secret Six #16
Writer: Gail Simone
Penciller: Peter Nguyen
Inkers: Doug Hazelwood & Mark McKenna
DC Comics
December 9, 2009

The Story

*Spoiler Alert*

We’ve all watched movies with serial killers where you wished nothing more than for Justice to assail them squarely in the nuts.  Well, our favorite amoral anti-heroes of Secret Six do much, much worse. Leave it to Gail to make demented so delicious.

The issue opens up with Catman and Deadshot abducting a serial-killing child molester from police custody, only to turn him over to the father of 9-year-old Katie Sanchez, one of his victims.  Mr. Sanchez wants revenge.  Before parting ways, Catman gives the bereft father a few tips.  “When you flense him, don’t think of him as human. It’s just tissue.”  Catman and Deadshot exit scene  to talk about … dinner!  Gail perfectly articulates the fine line these lovable psychopaths teeter on.  The diabolical duo don’t get very far before the one and only Black Alice makes her presence known.

Now, I am beyond thrilled that Alice is back in Gail’s hands.  I loved her at inception, and have been champing at the bit for more of the character ever since.

Having witnessed the tutorial on torture, Alice is unaffected and wants to join the Six.  In her bratty, teenager fresh-from-hell kind of way, she refuses to take no for an answer.  Throw in some strip club shenanigans, Black Alice’s magical mojo, some sentiment from the teddy bear that is Bane, the always welcome witticism of Ragdoll, and you got yourself a Dionysian good time.

The Art

I pretty much jizzed on myself when I got a look at LuVisi’s cover back in August.  I LOVE HIS ART.

But I have to admit; I really missed Nicola, who is about as good as a comic artist can get.  Having said that, I think Peter Nguyen did a excellent job.  The facial closeups were awesome. I absolutely loved what he did with Alice’s costumes as she moved between magics.  The Alice Banshee was some rock star shit, fa sho.  I also dig the ink, which is appropriately ominous. My only criticism is that the faces seemed elongated in certain panels. All in all, enjoyable.

I had a great deal of anticipation for this issue, and I was not disappointed.  I look forward to whatever fuckery the Six can get themselves into next and … and what happens if (OK, when) they make Alice angry.  Cowabunkle!