DC’s Secret Suicide Squad Rival Just Turned 21—And It’s Better
Why DC’s Secret Six Might Be Even Cooler Than the Suicide Squad
TL;DR: Both teams are groups of supervillains forced to do dangerous missions. But while the Suicide Squad works for the government, the Secret Six works for themselves—and writer Gail Simone made them feel like real, growing people instead of just disposable bad guys.
The Big DC Reboot of 1986
Imagine if your favorite toy line threw away all the old playsets and started fresh with one big world. That’s basically what DC Comics did in 1986 with a massive story called Crisis on Infinite Earths.
- Before 1986: Heroes lived on many different "Earths" (parallel worlds).
- After 1986: Everyone shared one Earth. Power levels were lowered. Continuity was reset.
The first big team-up after the reboot was Legends, where heroes fought Darkseid’s monster Brimstone. This story:
- Laid the groundwork for the Justice League International
- Gave Wonder Woman her first modern team-up with other heroes
- Introduced Amanda Waller—a tough government official who would change everything
Meet Amanda Waller & the Modern Suicide Squad
Amanda Waller isn’t a superhero. She’s not even a traditional villain. She’s a government operator who gets things done—no matter the cost.
She took an old concept called Task Force X (started in the 1950s after the Justice Society retired) and turned it into the Suicide Squad.
How the Suicide Squad Works
- Recruit imprisoned supervillains (Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress, later Harley Quinn)
- Implant bombs in their necks so they can’t run away
- Send them on "suicide missions" too dangerous for heroes
- If they survive, they get time off their sentences
Important Point: The Squad is Waller’s show. She calls the shots. The villains are tools—expendable pieces on her chessboard.
The first series ran until 1992, with several revivals over the years.
Enter the Secret Six: The 2000s "Anti-Squad"
By the 2000s, the Suicide Squad had been gone for a while. Then came Infinite Crisis (a sequel to the 1986 event), and in the buildup, a new villain team debuted: The Secret Six.
Origin Story: Villains United (2005–2006)
- The bad guys united: Lex Luthor, Talia al Ghul, Deathstroke, Black Adam, and others formed the Society—a villain army.
- A mysterious "Mockingbird" hired six villains to fight the Society:
- Deadshot (sharpshooter)
- Catman (Batman-themed hunter)
- Cheshire (toxic assassin)
- Scandal Savage (immortal Vandal Savage’s daughter)
- Rag Doll II (contortionist)
- Parademon (alien soldier)
This six-issue miniseries was written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham.
Why Gail Simone Changed the Game
Key Insight: Gail Simone is an "old-school" writer who builds plots around characters, not the other way around.
What She Did Differently
| Suicide Squad (Typical) | Secret Six (Simone’s Version) |
|---|---|
| Focus on Waller or Harley Quinn | Focus on the team’s relationships |
| Villains stay mostly the same | Villains grow, change, and bond |
| Missions are the point | Characters are the point |
| Catman was a joke | Made Catman cool for the first time ever |
Simone took C- and D-list villains and made you care about them. You wanted to see them hang out, argue, protect each other, and survive.
The Secret Six Timeline
- 2005–2006 – Villains United (miniseries)
- 2007 – Second miniseries
- 2008–2011 – Ongoing series (ended with the New 52 reboot)
- 2015 – Simone returns for 14 issues
- Recent – New miniseries with fresh creative team (including Jon Kent and Dreamer)
Core Members Over Time
- Original: Deadshot, Catman, Cheshire, Scandal Savage, Rag Doll II, Parademon
- Later additions: Bane (had his best character arc here), Black Alice
- Constants: Scandal, Catman, and Rag Doll kept coming back
Head-to-Head: Suicide Squad vs. Secret Six
The Suicide Squad’s Strengths
- More historically important to DC
- Iconic concept: "bad guys doing dirty work for the government"
- Created Amanda Waller (one of comics’ best antagonists)
- Made Deadshot a star
- Inspired movies, games, and TV
The Secret Six’s Strengths
- Better character development—villains become people
- No handler pulling strings—they choose their path
- Relationships matter—friendships, betrayals, romance, found family
- Made Catman cool (seriously, that’s a superpower)
- Felt like a team, not a roster
The Thunderbolts Comparison: After Baron Zemo was defeated, Marvel’s Thunderbolts became villains trying to be heroes. The Secret Six is similar—villains doing heroic things on their own terms, growing over time.
Why the Author Says Secret Six Wins
"The Squad often became too much about Waller or, in more recent years, Harley Quinn. The Secret Six always felt like we were following the lives of the team."
- The Squad uses characters. The Six explores them.
- Few Squad members grew in meaningful ways. Six members transformed.
- Any book that makes you want to read about Rag Doll II is doing something right.
Summary
| Aspect | Suicide Squad | Secret Six |
|---|---|---|
| Boss | Amanda Waller (government) | Themselves (mercenaries) |
| Leash | Neck bombs | Honor, money, loyalty |
| Focus | Missions & Waller’s agenda | Characters & relationships |
| Writer Peak | John Ostrander (1987–1992) | Gail Simone (2005–2011, 2015) |
| Legacy | Pop-culture icon | Cult favorite, critically beloved |
| Best For | High-stakes action, political intrigue | Character drama, redemption arcs, found family |
Bottom line: The Suicide Squad is the more famous team. But the Secret Six—especially under Gail Simone—is the better written, more human, and more surprising team.
FAQ
What is the Suicide Squad in simple terms?
A government program where imprisoned supervillains go on deadly missions to earn reduced sentences. If they disobey, bombs in their necks explode.
Who is Amanda Waller?
A ruthless, brilliant government official with no superpowers who runs the Suicide Squad. She’s one of the few people Batman genuinely fears.
What makes the Secret Six different?
They’re not forced by the government. They’re a mercenary team of villains who choose their jobs—and over time, they become a found family who protect each other.
Why is Gail Simone’s run so praised?
She wrote villains as fully realized people with hearts, humor, trauma, and growth. She made you root for bad guys without excusing their crimes.
Do I need to read Crisis on Infinite Earths first?
No! You can jump straight into Villains United (2005) or the 2008 Secret Six ongoing series. They’re self-contained and new-reader friendly.
Final Thought: If you love the idea of the Suicide Squad but wish the characters had more depth, give the Secret Six a try. Start with Villains United—you might just find your new favorite team.