Secret Six #4 Review

• Written by: Nicole Maines

• Art by: Cian Tormey, Stephen Segovia

• Colors by: Rain Beredo

• Letters by: Steve Wands

• Cover art by: Stephen Segovia, Rain Beredo (cover A)

• Cover price: $3.99

• Release date: June 4, 2025

Secret Six #4, by DC Comics on 6/4/25, finds most of the Secret Six captured, thanks to Banshee and the U.S. Military, but Jon, Catman, and Jay Nakamura escape to learn deep, dark secrets.

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Is Secret Six #4 Good?

Recap

When we last left the dysfunctional team in Secret Six #3, they infiltrated a Checkmate-sponsored nightclub to gather intel about who freed Amanda Waller from prison. The night was filled with much cat-fighting and relationship drama. The issue ended when the team's cover was blown and the nightclub's boss, Banshee (Not the one in a romantic relationship with Jimmy Olsen. The other one called Jeanette), stepped onto the dance floor to put the heroes in their place.

Plot Synopsis

In Secret Six #4, Banshee emits her siren song of guilt, knocking everyone out. Just before consciousness slips, Dreamer telepathically tells Jon Kent to get Catman away in a super-leap before he passes out. It works. Meanwhile, Jay Nakamura learns his intangibility powers make him invulnerable to Banshee's sound attacks, so he hides and sneaks onto a waiting military truck where the others are stored for transport.

The next morning, Jon wakes up in a crater with Catman. As they travel to locate the rest of the team, Catman recounts his history with Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot. Despite Catman's denials, Jon suspects Catman and Deadshot have feelings for each other.

The issue ends with Jay Nakamura finding out the U.S. Military is partnered with Checkmate and knows everything about Amanda Waller's plans for Gamorra Island.

First Impressions

Nicole Maines sure is wasting an awful lot of time with drama and subplots that have nothing to do with the task at hand. It's very likely nobody was clamoring for the backstory on Catman and Deadshot's working relationship, especially when there are bigger fires needing attention.

How’s the Art?

The art looks fantastic. There are no complaints on that front. Stephen Segovia is one of our favorite artists, so it's no surprise that the mix of action, powerful poses, and dramatic framing would be on point. That said, Cian Tormey shares art duties on this issue, and it's doubly impressive when you consider you can't tell where one artist ends and the other begins. Really great stuff.

What’s great about Secret Six #4?

If nothing else, this issue does a fair bit of work elevating Catman as a certified badass on multiple levels. His tough-as-nails personality comes through loud and clear, and his willingness to kill creates separation between him and Batman in a clear way. So far, Catman is the star of the show.

What’s not great about Secret Six #4?

Nothing significant happens in this issue. Sure, you learn a lot about the relationship between Catman and Deadshot, but is that necessary? No. Do Catman's feelings matter to the plot? No. Does the lengthy flashback get anyone closer to finding Waller? No. Do the annoyingly grating personalities of all the team members help distract you away from the fact that the plot hasn't moved an inch in two issues? Nope, not at all.

What is Nicole Maines doing here besides wasting time and squandering an opportunity?

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Secret Six #4 talks a lot but says very little when readers get an extended flashback to explain the working relationship between Catman and Deadshot. Nicole Maines delivers plenty of relationship drama but at the expense of plot, pacing, and urgency. Still, the art is pretty darn good.

5/10

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JSA #8 Review

• Written by: Jeff Lemire

• Art by: Gavin Guidry

• Colors by: Luis Guerrero

• Letters by: Steve Wands

• Cover art by: Michael Cho (cover A)

• Cover price: $3.99

• Release date: June 4, 2025

JSA #8, by DC Comics on 6/4/25, unveils the secret plan of the Injustice Society to unleash Hell on Earth, a plan which started during WWII.

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Is JSA #8 Good?

Recap

When we last left the team in JSA #7, the JSA took time out from combatting the Injustice Society's master plan to have a funeral for Ted Grant, aka Wildcat. During the funeral, regrets were expressed, doubts were shared, and the leadership confronted the Holy Trinity of the Justice League when it was suggested (mostly by Batman) that the JSA wasn't handling their business. The issue ended with the supposed ghost of Kid Eternity receiving a summons from the deceased members of the original JSA to deliver a critical message.

Plot Synopsis

In JSA #8, we finally learn what the Injustice Society is up to and why. The issue begins in 1945, near the end of WWII. The JSA arrived in Germany, by request of Sgt. Rock, to stop Hitler's surviving super soldiers from recovering the Spear of Destiny. Rock tells them the location of the Spear, and Unknown Soldier offers to escort Wildcat and Hourman into the secret tunnels beneath the cathedral where the spear is stored.

Outside the cathedral, the rest of the JSA battles Axis Amerika. Midway through the battle, it's clear the Axis Amerika members are stalling to prevent the rest of the JSA from interfering with whatever's happening inside the cathedral.

Down below, Unknown Soldier guided Hourman and Wildcat to the cavern where the spear was hidden. They found Wotan and Jonny Sorrow weaving a spell. Why? To open a doorway to the Subtle Realms so that the Unnamed Ones would enter our world and unleash Hell, with the Injustice Society as their human rulers over an enslaved population. Dr. Fate detected the dark ritual, teleported inside, and stopped Wotan in his tracks.

The issue ends with the 80-year cycle nearing its conclusion, giving the Injustice Society the next window to bring forth the Unnamed Ones.

First Impressions

JSA #8 is a great step forward for the series, but I fear Jeff Lemire's choice to explain what's happening comes much too late to salvage the title's sales numbers and reader count. Is it a perfect comic? No, but it goes a long way toward dispelling the confusion and adds a little wow factor with several neat cameos tossed in for good measure.

How’s the Art?

Gavin Guidry continues on the title for a fairly solid action fest. Lemire's script calls for action and supernatural shenanigans on multiple fronts, and Guidry handles the range of action handily. Guidry's style is a little lower on the detail scale, especially when it comes to textures and contours in the costumes, but it's still a solid showing overall.

What’s great about JSA #8?

The big positive of the issue is Jeff Lemire's big idea - explaining what the Injustice Society has been up to for the previous seven issues and why. That lack of clarity handicapped the series since the first issue, so pulling back the curtain makes a big difference. Plus, this issue is packed with characters who haven't been seen in years, which is an unexpected treat.

What’s not great about JSA #8?

Jeff Lemire's big reveal about the ISA's plan needed to pay off the wait. It does not. In effect, you have power-hungry villains scheming to bring forth monstrous, Lovecraftian gods into our world to destroy the seats of power and enslave humanity, ensuring the ISA are the top dogs, albeit subjugated to otherworldly gods. It's not a new concept. In comics, you could almost argue it's unoriginal. At this point, even silly. Who wants to rule over a decimated planet? 

For Jeff Lemire to spend seven issues playing coy with a "been there, done that" plan is a sizable disappointment.

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

JSA #8 recounts the world-ending plan the ISA intends to execute, a plan in the works since the end of WWII. Jeff Lemire's script is packed with action, cameos from long-absent characters, and high stakes, but the plan is far from original and doesn't pay off the long wait to learn about it. Still, Gavin Guidry's artwork is solid, and this issue was a reasonably fun read, even if it comes much too late in the arc.

6/10

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Absolute Green Lantern #3 Review

• Written by: Al Ewing

• Art by: Jahnoy Lindsay

• Colors by: Jahnoy Lindsay

• Letters by: Lucas Gattoni

• Cover art by: Jahnoy Lindsay (cover A)

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: June 4, 2025

Absolute Green Lantern #3, by DC Comics on 6/4/25, follows John Stewart as he makes a curious discovery about the green energy dome surrounding his town.

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Is Absolute Green Lantern #3 Good?

Recap

When we last left Hal and Jo in Absolute Green Lantern #2, we learned that Abin Sur's arrival in a small town was followed by much death. Abin Sur arrived to test and judge anyone who approached him. Those who did not pass the test were obliterated. In the present, Hal and Jo peacefully sit in a wrecked diner, trying to figure out what happened to each of them.

Plot Synopsis

In Absolute Green Lantern #3, the issue begins with John Stewart talking with Todd Rice about something he found in the street near the body of the biker who died when he smashed into the green barrier. The only thing that survived was a gold-plated earring. After a series of increasingly large tests, John proves that the energy barrier can be disrupted by anything covered in or made of gold.

In the now, Hal tells Jo that he can't control the Black Hand energy. It wants to consume and destroy the light. Jo doesn't know how to control her green energy powers or turn them off, so Hal's hand instinctively turns into a gun and blasts Jo. She creates a forcefield to block the blast and punches Hal through the diner wall with a green construct fist. She flies to where Hal landed several yards away and chastises him to get the Black Hand under control.

The issue ends with John demonstrating to Hal and Jo his discovery by opening a temporary hole in the green dome, Abin Sur putting a stop to John's experimentation permanently, and Hal deciding to weaponize John's discovery.

First Impressions

I'm sort of intrigued by what Al Ewing is doing in Absolute Green Lantern #3, but the plot pacing and the lack of clarity are quickly becoming a deal breaker.

How’s the Art?

Jahnoy Lindsay does his level best to mix creepy sci-fi elements with a grounded story about an alien invasion. Lindsay's gritty visual tone harkens back to the Drive-In movie days when a small desert town was besieged by an alien invader for some unknown purpose. If Al Ewing is going for sci-fi horror, Lindsay creates the visual experience perfectly.

What’s great about Absolute Green Lantern #3?

Al Ewing takes a bit of early Green Lantern lore, recasts it into the Absolute Universe context, and sets up what could be an interesting weakness for what is presumably the galaxy's most powerful weapon. Early Green Lantern lore introduced the color yellow as a weakness of the power ring's constructs. Here, it's gold. The twist feels like a nostalgic callback and a modern update, which is a neat revelation.

What’s not great about Absolute Green Lantern #3?

Holy Pete! The absolute worst mistake a comic writer can make is convincing themselves they have all the time in the world to tell their story without regard for keeping the audience engaged. Unfortunately, Al Ewing is doing just that. The plot centers on the backstory of "What happened?" by unveiling bits and pieces in baby steps, while the present conflict between Hal and Jo lacks a lot of the missing context.

Plus, the action moments, while done well by Jahnoy Lindsay, are few and far between. The issue feels small and lacking in urgency.

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Absolute Green Lantern #3 brings to light an interesting revelation about Abin Sur's power, but there's not much more to the issue. Al Ewing's homage to sci-fi horror has the right tone, but the pacing is too slow, and the lack of urgency and wow moments is an energy killer. Jahnoy Lindsay's artwork is a great fit for the sci-fi horror feel, but it's not enough to save the script's inability to grab you.

5.5/10

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Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 Review

• Written by: Deniz Camp

• Art by: Javier Rodriguez

• Colors by: Javier Rodriguez

• Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

• Cover art by: Javier Rodriguez (cover A)

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: May 28, 2025

Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, by DC Comics on 5/28/25, sets Detective Jones on the trail of random arson breakouts across the city caused by the "White Martian's" mind control.

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Is Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 Good?

Recap

When we last left Detective John Jones in Absolute Martian Manhunter #2, the Detective learned he survived a blast from a suicide bomber through the arrival of a green alien consciousness (that doesn't come from Mars). The consciousness arrived on Earth to stop "White Martians" from sowing dissent and instigating violence to create a rapid extinction of humanity... or something like that. The issue ended with the new partners stopping a mass shooter.

Plot Synopsis

In Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, the partners team up for a new threat - random people creating mass acts of random arson. It starts with Detective John Jones meeting Detective Mayweather at a murder scene, one of twenty-four across the city. In each case, a seemingly random citizen set fire to a sleeping homeless person. When Detective Jones interrogates several of the arrested suspects later, the "Martian" detects the "White Martian's" influence on people with traumas that weaken their resolve.

Later, Jones presses the "Martian" for an exploration of what the "White Martian" wants. The best answer he can get, given the language and perception barriers, is that the "White Martian" has a need to destroy. When he gets home, Jones's telepathy allows him to pick up on the thoughts of his wife, reflecting the rocky state of their marriage. To break the deluge of hurt thoughts, Jones goes upstairs to see his son, and he's surprised to see the boy playing (maybe) with the "Green Martian." 

Suddenly, Jones receives a call about more fires. This time, random people are burning down their homes, the homes of others, businesses, and shelters. The issue ends with Jones racing to a homeless shelter to get people out before the place burns down. During the last rescue, a woman on fire gives voice to the "White Martian," telling Jones and the "Green Martian" that "It's about the smoke."

First Impressions

File this comic under "the one about mixed metaphors." Deniz Camp's latest entry in the esoteric series zones in on the idea of hurting people who hurt people, and it's only through the haze of "special smoke" that the mind can be opened wide enough to see it. You get the impression this series would work better released as a trade paperback on April 20th, aka 4/20.

How’s the Art?

Javier Rodriguez's suggestively ethereal art is fine for what it is if you're looking for something different. This issue does seem to have a little more detail and attention paid to the faces and facial expressions, so there's a noticeable uptick in artistic quality.

What’s great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #3?

Now that the series has shifted into a loose semblance of episodic storytelling with a vaguely recognizable plot, it's a little easier to follow. Readers who picked this issue up, hoping to understand what's happening, will find this issue fills in one or two gaps to bring the picture into focus.

What’s not great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #3?

For everyone else, this issue, much like the previous two, is drug-addled gobbledygook. Deniz Camp's obsession with heavy-handed social messaging isn't as heavy in this issue, but the notion of the poor and disenfranchised suffering fiery ire through projected trauma comes through loud and clear. There's nothing wrong with injecting (drowning?) social messaging into your story, but the plot still needs to be clear and relatable.

If we presume Detective Jones is the main character, what does he want since he's apparently abandoned his investigation into the suicide bomber? What are the obstacles to his goals? You could presume it's the "White Martian," but even Jones doesn't know for sure what the "White Martian" is doing and why. If Jones can only react to the "White Martian's" influence on people's minds, how does he have any hope of stopping it since the "Green Martian" appears limited to enabling the perception of thoughts?

The list goes on and on. Camp continues to hyper-focus on being weird and esoteric for the sake of being weird and esoteric. Admittedly, some pieces are now filled in, but at this rate, it'll take another five issues before we get a full picture of what's happening. Does anyone really want to spend that much money before the story finally gets started?

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 brings a little more clarity to the series, but the basics of plot and storytelling are woefully incomplete. Deniz Camp's drug-fueled homage to changing perception through the "smoke" is probably better enjoyed if you read the collection on April 20th.

5.5/10

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