What Makes The Secret Six One Of The Greatest Teams In The DC Universe?

There are plenty of memorable teams in comics, from the Justice League to The Avengers. But lesser known teams are just as important and The Comic Vault is looking into the history of several. One of the most interesting teams is The Secret Six, made up of Bane, Catman, Deadshot, Savage Scandal, Rag Doll and Jeannette. Introduced by Gail Simone, the Secret Six were a group of villains that were often painted heroically. Bane, Scandal Savage and Catman in particular were treated sympathetically, making the team’s dynamic intriguing. Although there have been several versions of the Secret Six, Gail Simone’s run was by far the most exciting. The Comic Vault is examining each member and what they brought to the team.

Bane

Bane acted as the stoic devil’s advocate of the group and eventually became the leader. Seeing the Batman villain in a more heroic role allowed different sides of his personality to be explored. His relationship with Scandal Savage could be described as similar to a father and daughter. His affection was so great for her that Bane broke his vow to never take Venom again in order to save Scandal from an army of supervillains.

As leader, Bane removed Scandal from active duty because he didn’t want her to be endangered. The complexity of their relationship is worth reading into because it expands Bane’s character outside of his affiliation with Batman.

Jeannette

Jeannette was an original character created for the Secret Six. A white-haired banshee, Jeannette was active during Revolutionary France. She served Countess Elizabeth Bathory and was forced to watch every murder she committed. Jeannette was betrayed by her husband and became a victim of a botched beheading, which turned her into a banshee. In the modern day, she ran a casino in Las Vegas and eventually joined the team.

In addition to having a long life, Jeanette possesses a high-pitched scream that can cause a coma or death. She also has a ‘death sense,’ which lets her know if someone is going to die.

Rag Doll

The Rag Doll of the Secret Six was the son of the original. He underwent surgery to implant cybernetic joints into his body in order to please his father. The surgery left him disfigured and Rag Doll needed to lubricate his skin regularly to stop his bones from cutting through his flesh. He had the ability to contort and compress his body that helped the Secret Six with infiltration missions.

Catman

Often seen as a joke, Catman became a fully fleshed out character during his time with the Secret Six. He transitioned from a villain into an anti-hero while part of the team. Thomas Blake had been living with a pride of lions in Africa in order to rediscover his self-worth. The lions were killed under the direction of the Secret Six’s leader, Mockingbird, who was Lex Luthor in disguise. Deadshot had been ordered to kill the lions in order to get Blake to join the team. Catman eventually forgave Deadshot and the two of them became friends. For a time, Catman was the leader of the Secret Six.

Deadshot

Deadshot is no stranger to working on morally grey teams, as seen through his membership on the Suicide Squad. Considered the marksman of the team, Deadshot carried out some of the most ruthless acts. His membership on the Secret Six was on behalf of his daughter and her mother. All the money he earned went to them. He also shared a relationship with Jeanette, though it was brought into question several times due to their shifting allegiances.

Scandal Savage

Scandal is the daughter of the immortal villain Vandal Savage. She was trained to fight by her father and originally joined the team to save her mother. Scandal came to care for the her team mates and started a relationship with a former member called Knockout. Scandal and Knockout’s relationship was going well until Vandal Savage launched attacks on the Secret Six as a warning that Scandal needed to produce an heir for him. Knockout was eventually killed and resurrected and she and Scandal entered into a polygamous marriage with another woman.

Like her father, Scandal is long-lived and can heal rapidly from wounds. She fights with a set of wrist-mounted knives called the Lamentation Blades.

The Secret Six are one of the most multifaceted teams in the history of comics. Gail Simone developed each character and made them worth reading about. Another team that Simone has made relevant are the Birds of Prey. Be sure to read The Comic Vault’s analysis of the Birds of Prey and how they represent female empowerment.

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