Gail Simone and Simon Calafiore
"Caution to the Wind: Blood Honor"- Previously, we began the final steps of Bane's magum opus: To break Batman. The team chose to focus on taking out all of those close to Batman, but the list became convoluted when some did not want to kill children like Batgirl or Robin, and Catman refused to let Huntress be a target. So, currently the only name on the table still is Red Robin. Anyway, we now begin the end...
Summary: We open to the day before the epic charge into battle, with Bane in bed with his girlfriend/date from a couple issues ago. She snuggles with him commentingon how gentle he was, and he responds that she is little mass so he did not want to break her petite frame. (This guy is a real charmer). She says she feels so safe with him, and he grunts and begins to leave. She asks if his wanting to protect her is a good thing, and he simply responds "Only for my enemies." He tells her that he realized when he protected her that he could never break Batman as long as he had people he cared about and that could help him. If he is destined for Hell as he is told, then he will not go there as a comedy, and must destroy Batman. He kisses ehr on the forehead and says, "In 24 hours, I will be dead. As will all of my associates. That is my vow. Or... you will be empress of Gotham City, beside me. I must go now. Thank you for the use of your nethers" (This line is brilliant and will be used by someone soon, I'm sure. If you survive... let me know how it worked). We jump to the present, as the teams are set up to take down the four targets: Red Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, and after some arguing, Huntress is replaced with Azrael. Scandal and Jeanette are given Azrael, and before anyone can get any other orders, a crate nearby begins making noises. So we get this scene:
Turns out there is a family living in the crate and Bane begins to question the success of his mission because his team is too human. Jumping back to the mornign before all this, we have Deadshot, Ragdoll, and Catman fishing on the side of the docks and discussing how smart this "take over Gotham" plan really is. We also find out that Ragdoll uses his underwear (Superman underoos, it seems) to catch fish, and we are treated to this great moment that every reader has thought since way back in Villains United:
I personally have been a huge fan of the friendship these two guys have, and figured this final issue would be one killing the other, but that does not happen. Sorry for spoiling that. As it turns out, they are using a mobster as bait for something after the mobster killed a child in a kidnapping gig. He refuses to talk so King Shark rises out of that water and eats the guy. Fun times... Jumping back to the present, Catman argues that the homeless family is harmless so they should not be harmed, and Deadshot argues that they can't let them go so the idea of hostages is maintained. But Jeanette interupts the argument as she smells the power nearby. She knows that the superheroes have found them. This is thanks to the Penguin having connections all over the world with the superhuman community. He called everybody. We move outside the hideout to see: Black Canary, Jade, Blue Beetle, Stargirl, Hawk, Dove, Fire, Booster Gold, Wildcat, Wondergirl, Red Robin, Ravager, Donna Troy, Obsidian, Congorilla, and Huntress at the head. She tells them to surrender and release the hostages. Booster makes a fuss that they are silly villains and that anyone could take them. Huntress is quick to point out their resume. They took down the entire Secret Society of Supervillains, two of them have overpowered Superboy, one of them made Wonder Woman a drooling vegetable, and the leader is the only person who ever broke Batman. Catman shouts back that they have no intentions of hurting the family, but they will if one person sets foot inside. Scandal gets upset and says that no more innocent people are getting hurt, and Jeanette calmly tells her that there's no way that this is going to end well, and she refuses to be imprisoned again. And we are given this quote that I love:
Epic. We cut to earlier this day, where Scandal and Jeanette are going into a hospital and Scandal is very nervous. She enter's Lianna's (the girl that they rescued at the beginning of issue 34) room, and then Knockout comes in. We then see how alike the two women truly are and while we seem to be setting up a breakup by Scandal, she is actually up to something else:
Yeah... spitting in the face of marriage laws everywhere. Cutting back to the present, Huntress realizes she's made a mistake putting the six in a corner like this. This is compounded when the next supergroup shows up: Batman (Bruce), Batman (Dick), Robin, Green Lantern John Stewart, and Captain Atom. Huntress slinks away into the warehouse and knocks Knockout out. She decides to trade herself for the hostages, which I thought was a bad idea.. and I'm not the only one:
But Bane is a good man beneath all his hard surface. He also gives gifts.
Which is why you always send a letter to Bane when you want the more dangerous Christmas gifts. Deadshot notices the two Batmen, and wonders if everyone just takes turns being him for a while. Scandal puts in a call to Amanda Waller for help, but she disavows all knowledge of the team. Black Alice sends Ragdoll a text that says Good Luck and I'm Sorry. Huntress tries to talk them into a surrender because they can't win, but they refuse. Catman gives us a summation of the entire series: "We're the Secret Six. We're always outmatched and outnumbered. And we never really win." While the others realize there's only one way out, Deadshot notices the next group to join the party: Steel, Red Tornado, Rocket Red, Superboy, Superman, and Supergirl. Jeanette begins to freak out, and attempts to attack Huntres, but Blake pulls his knives and puts them to the banshee's throat. Deadshot pulls a gun on Catman, and then Scandal puts her knives to Deadshot's throat. Typical S6 standoff. Ragdoll interupts and states that they are worthless and the scum of the earth, but they have one redeeming trait: They don't know how to surrender. Bane takes this time to hand each of the six a vial, stating simply that its been an honor. Huntress walks out the door crying, and stands with the rest of the heroes. The walls of the hideout crumble as the six run out, all hopped up on Venom. What happens next I can only put to some classical music like the Godfather's ending, or something else extraordinary. Huntress narrarates the rest of the story. I'd be doing a disservice to the writer if I didn't quote this entire sequence.
"They'd all taken the Venom. Like an invading admiral burns his fleet, they left no return passage. And our side, the "good" guys were only too accomadating. We made the classic mob mistake of tripping over ourselves to get to them, but it didn't help the Six much. I stress again. They didn't ahve a chance or prayer. But they were more than capable of killus us along the way (Doctor Light and Congorilla are shot, not fatally). So maybe we got a little brutal when the first blood drawn was ours. I'm sure they'll all feel bad later. I mean, if some villain bones got broken, hey, they started it, right? No one said anything but we all felt it. We fought villain teams all the time. Not like these guys. These guys fought for each other. They protected each other, and they would fight to the death, no question. (Catman is winning his fight but he is shot inthe back by Huntress) I couldn't let that happen. In the end we won. Of course, we did. We always win. Because we're heroes. Right? Its because we are heroes... and it will damn us all to Hell."
We cut to Bane being carried off to Blackgate, as he gives us a narration about how he could no longer be tied to that group because Bane must be alone. He discusses that his plan left no room for error. Either he was killed or he will win a kingdom for his beloved girl. He is strapped down with restraints on restraints and concrete. In the end panel, he opens his eyes and breaks the restraints, and kills the guards, citing that his kingdom awaits.
Highs: Do I even have to say anything anymore? This comic is amazing, and going out like they did is a credit to the series. I'm sad to see it go, but I'm happy it was like this.
Lows: However, I am not a huge fan of Bane getting the final page. I realize this was his plan, but this series is about a team, not a single man.
Verdict: A+. Just brillaint and I just hope and pray it returns... and is not screwed up by the reboot.
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