Well, Secret Six ends not with a whimper, but with a BANG! And a BLAM! And a CHOP! And so on.

Kudos to Gail Simone. This series has been a blast to read, and this issue brought it all to a head. Simone really built the tension well. We go from planning the job to hostage drama to Reservoir Dogs showdown to Butch and Sundance blaze-of-glory conclusion. Obviously we were building to a big climax, but I didn't know to what degree Bane's plan would succeed, if at all. I've been expecting some deaths before the reboot, but I really didn't know what would happen as I read this. Up until Merkel's speech, it really seemed like things go have gone either way. Whack as he may be, he said what nobody else could admit but knew inside.

Her characterization of all the characters has been great throughout the series - each one has a unique manner and voice you can almost hear in your head as you read. One highlight of the series has always been Simone's writing of Bane. This issue was no exception. He's so coldly analytical and formal it really makes a lot of what he says funny, but in a dark, creepy, detached way. I really liked his advice to the child hostage, as well as the post-coital exchange with "Miss Spencer." Great stuff.

My only complaint about the story was the epilogue. It was too much like something out of a slasher film - is Jason/Michael Meyers/whoever really dead? But I guess if you're paying homage to the other things I mentioned above, why not that as well. Still, it seemed tacked on as an afterthought. I did like the explanation for why Bane lead the team on such a suicide mission, though - that was my question earlier in this arc. So I give her a pass.

J. Calafiore's art was good as usual. He's a master of facial expression, which is part of what makes this book fun to read. He really got to stretch on this issue - there must have been 30-40 characters in this issue, all the big guns, B-listers, bystanders, bitten-in-half mobsters... a huge cast, and they all looked good. His cover was also excellent, with the characters dismantling the logo, signaling the end of things.

Sure looked like everyone except Bane died. Still not sure which, if any, heroes might have bought it - Superboy and Dr. Light (the female hero, not the male baddie) appeared to be laid out after the battle.

It's been a great ride. I can only hope we get the Six back again someday in the new DCU. And I hope Simone is at the helm, with Calafiore or some similar talent on pencils.

And don't forget to pour one out for the dead homies.