SECRET SIX #7
Written By Gail Simone
Art by Dale Eaglesham, Tom Derenick, and Jason Wright
Published by DC Comics
Release Date: October 21, 2015
When the magic runs out, what are you gonna do?
Black Alice is in the hospital confusing medical personnel while DC’s string of magic users, including Zatanna, Klarion, and the Phantom Stranger, are trying to decide what to do with her. Alice is draining the magical world, and the individuals connected to it are trying to prevent the collapse of a wall between their world and monsters of immense power. The rest of Alice’s crew, minus Big Shot, partakes in some athletic fun and Catman hopes it can help him gain something others team have: trust and dependability. And then the fun begins…
It’s been a while since I’ve seen magic in action over at DC so this issue was very refreshing. The darker corners of this universe, full of powerful and diverse people, has always appealed to me. Secret Six #7 does a great job of showing the connectedness between the magic users in the DCU. That’s something I’ve always loved, and it is reminiscent of Day of Vengeance almost ten ago. The arcane cast among DC’s characters has always been a mix of hero and villain, moral or indifferent, but always valuing the role and power of magic in the DCU tapestry.
Gail Simone is true to form, writing a serious story embedded with witty humor. She excels at snark between characters, holding parts of their essence in the dialogue. Yet, the jokes never overshadow the depth and dire quality of the story. Simone also manages to capture some great moments for our Secret Six, including the revelation that Catman desires something more from working on a team.
Dale Eaglesham, Tom Derenick, and Jason Wright on art depict two very distinct worlds. The House of Strangers is shadowy and enigmatic, and characters filling the space nearly to the brim. The outer world is much brighter and characters’ details are less obscured by darkness. This art team manages to convey many different emotions, particularly among the Six, lending a vital element to the overall story. My favorite character in terms of art was Catman, who seemed different than I had known him in the past, but definitely in a way that maximized his… appeal.
This might as well have been Risk Week for me, jumping on in the middle of arcs or reading entirely new series. Yet again, I’m glad I did. Secret Six is a mix of some of my favorite things in comics, and the story is setting up nicely to end in a major moral crisis or demonic beings from alternate dimensions wreaking havoc. Can we say ‘Win-win’?
The Verdict: 8.0/10
