Dex's Comic Awareness

Villains United #5(of 6)
written by Gail Simone
pencils & cover by Dale Eaglesham

This story continues to impress and woe me. Only if all DC comics were this good. Our motley band of misfits has seemed to finally broken. Its breaking point was the revelation that Deadshot was the one who killed Catman's pride of lions. Of course we still don't know exactly why HE was the one who did it but I think we can all guess fairly easily, he was trying to get Catman to come to his side. Their tussle was interrupted when Cheshire revealed that she is a traitor. And then the house of cards comes tumbling down and sets up the big finale next issue.

Cheshire keeps hinting to Catman that she's pregnant but he doesn't seem to believe till the end when he's forced to choose between killing her for the traitor she is letting her go with his unborn child. Let's hope he kills the bitch. Also they hint that a lot of Gotham hasn't signed on yet.

Mockingbird is evidently more powerful than they thought as he sees through their lame attempts at subterfuge. Ragdoll and the rest of the cast continue to be incredibly interesting characters. I really wish I could see them fight more. We also learn that Scandal is Vandal Savage's daughter and that's why she is part indestructible. If I knew who that was than maybe I could care more or be shocked or something but I'm not. No matter, this is a good issue and I'm ready to see who Mockingbird really is.

Rating - Good

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Villains United #4(of 6)
written by Gail Simone
pencils by Dale Eaglesham
cover by J.G. Jones

This has been a great book. I don't know how I pick them so well but I really lucked out in picking this mini-series to read over the countless others. I like this concept and these characters so much that I would buy a maxi-series of this. Bad guys fighting bad guys. Of course Simone's good story telling and Eaglesham's art would be necessary for me to keep buying it but hey, I can wish.

Our team of true anti heroes are on the offensive after breaking out of prison. We see the consequences for the Society as their recruitment goes down and a large number of their existing members decide to quit. The team is going after a hive where the society is planning some kind of evil plan. We don't really know what it is but we find out it involved locking up Firestorm as a power source. The team frees Firestorm just as Black Adam and the new Royal Flush Gang shows up. This new Royal Flush Gang is a hip-hop version it seems and they have some of the stupidest lines. Let's hope Simone was trying to be funny with, "Yeah you know me, R.F.G." Firestorm fights off his old captors as our gang of misfits flees.

Scandal actually dons some battle armor and heads into the fray. It’s nice to see her actually contribute other than as a supervisor. The rest of the crew do their usual thing but we find out why Parademon loves Ragdoll so much. Evidently he thinks Ragdoll is funny and he loves humor because there is none on Apoklips. Whatever, it was funny to see him start tearing Deadshot a new one because he thought Ragdoll was dead. We also learn that Catman may be a spy. It all fits but he pointedly did not confirm Cheshire's allegation that he is a spy. Her next revelation is quite interesting and I really can't wait to see what the hell she wants with it, I'm pointedly not telling you what it is she said.

I really like the idea of the society but I really can't help but notice the absence of the Joker. I mean he's really not the team type but still. I can't imagine them not offering him membership. Supposedly his absence is going to be addressed soon. The only founding member I can't stand is Dr. Psycho who doesn't come off as menacing so much as stupidly predictable.

The team gets all black costumes for their raid and I like them much better that way. It makes them not look so much like B-villains, which they all are. Eaglesham, aside from having an unfortunate last name, is doing an incredible job here. His poses are all fun and his close-ups are all clear. This is the best lead up there is, I'd pick this up if you aren't already.

Rating - Great