When Lex Luthor and a handful of villains decided to take it upon
themselves to form a secret society to protect criminals from the Justice
League, there were inevitably a few stragglers who weren’t interested in
playing by Luthor’s rules. Forming under the leadership of Scandal Savage and
her enigmatic director Mockingbird, Catman, Deadshot, Ragdoll, Parademon and
Cheshire set out to undermine Luthor and his cohorts in their nefarious
schemes.
In the world of comic books, superheroes reign supreme so it is rare to
come across narratives focused on the foes they face. Gail Simone’s
Villains United combines an eclectic mix
of rogues with suspenseful twists and witty comedy. There is an air of mystery
about the narrative and Simone keeps the reader guessing. The characters are
multi-dimensional and Simone masterfully fleshes out all six members of the
team. Chemistry is palpable between the characters. Parademon and Ragdoll share
a unique bond while there is some rather brilliant underlying sexual tension
between Catman and Deadshot. Simone specifically places a focus on Catman and
rescues him from the D-list by re-inventing the character as an expert tracker
with the sculpted physique of a Greek God. He shines brightly over the course
of the mini-series and acts as the linchpin for the narrative. Another standout
character is Cheshire. She is devious and deceptive, playing the role of the
femme fatale to a tee. Her capricious behaviour and manipulative machinations
make her a character the reader cannot take their eyes off of. While Simone has
always been known for her solid character work, she fumbles a bit with some of
the characters. Her treatment of Doctor Psycho is inconsistent with the
then-recent portrayal of the character in Greg Rucka’s
Wonder Woman. She also fumbled with Scandal Savage. The character,
while interesting, deserved more attention than she ultimately received. The
reveal of her being Vandal Savage’s daughter was haphazard and random, in
essence de-emphasizing the surprise element to it.
Dale Eaglesham’s art has its moments of brilliance. The way in which he
illustrates Cheshire is nothing less than spectacular. Her slick hair and
revamped costume are great but the grin is the best as it distinguishes her from the
others. It’s also a nice little nod to the Cheshire Cat. Eaglesham does a good
job differentiating many of the characters and most feel like unique
individuals. Catman stands out with his flawless physique and Deadshot with his
swashbuckling appearance. Unfortunately, the art also looks rushed at times and
certain panels lack the details other panels are brimming with.
Villains United is a
fantastic prelude to Gail Simone’s critically-acclaimed run on Secret Six. Her character work is
incredible and she is to be commended for the way in which she re-invented
Catman. The chemistry between the six main stars is palpable and the narrative
itself is intriguing. There are some minor issues here and there but ultimately
they do little to detract from the overall story. For anyone who enjoys villains or
loved Cheshire in Young Justice, this
is a must-read mini-series.
Grade: B+
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