Gail Simone’s New DC Book Not So New: Writer Hints She’s Relaunching Secret Six

The announcement that Gail Simone was leaving Batgirl this week also included yet another reference to her writing a new book for DC Comics. During a recent Reddit session Geoff Johns mentioned her working on a “Top Secret” project.

Today at the London Comic Con during a spotlight panel Simone hinted to attendees she is launching Secret Six. She then continued the hinting on Tumblr.

The Secret Six was one of the most well reviewed books that Simone worked on while under contract to DC Comics. Spinning out of a Infinite Crisis mini-series, the book ran for 36 issues and was cancelled as part of the new 52. At that time the book had just fallen under 20K an issue.

During the new 52 DC launched Suicide Squad which many saw as a replacement for the Secret Six. That book was cancelled earlier this year when sales fell to just above 20K. That book used several of the same characters that had appeared in Simone’s Secret Six including Deadshot and Killer Shark as well as Amanda Waller.

Suicide Squad just relaunched with a new writer so it will be interesting to see which characters from Simone’s original run appear. Several of the characters including Catman as well as Simone created characters Scandal Savage and Jeanette have not been seen in the new 52. Tremor a character created near the end of Simone’s run appeared in The Movement. Another Simone creation, the modern Ragdoll, recently appeared in Batgirl.

The biggest name from the original run was Bane. Since he appeared in that series, the character gained prominence when he appeared in the final film in Nolan’s Batman Trilogy where he was played by Tom Hardy. During the Reddit session Johns said that Simone was writing XXX XXX which certainly leans toward a top name character such as Bane.

Secret Six was one of DC Comics more diverse books including asexual, bisexual and lesbian characters. Given the current state of LGBQT characters in the DCU, I hope the new Six, if true, continues the trend.

Secret Six was one of my favorite books during its run and i think probably the best thing Simone has written. It combined high adventure, horror and black humor like few other comic books have. I hope the hint is true.