Seven Secrets Vol. 2

Seven Secrets #7-12

by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo (Penciller)

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED FOREVER. The Order is on the brink of extinction. Casper and the remaining Keepers and Holders are forced into hiding in the Faerie realm, where he will discover the truth about his own origins, and that it may be more complicated than he realized. With a new leadership comes a new goal for the Order. Now that the first secret has been unleashed, the time for hiding is over. It's time to take the fight to the seekers.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

149 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

Once a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.

Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.

He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.

He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy plot. Just crazy.
But it works pretty well.



This was (for me) a real improvement because everything gets twisted up and you don't really know who you're rooting for anymore. Who is the real bad guy? Does anyone know?
I like that kind of stuff, especially when it's as well done as it is here.



You also find out that Casper has his own secret. A secret so secret even he doesn't know it he has a secret. Yet.
Alright. I'm officially curious.
Bring on the next volume!

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s all change in the leadership of both the Keepers and the Seekers, revelations fly about various characters, a deadly secret exposed leads to the annihilation of Switzerland, and there’s a traitor in the Keepers’ ranks - but who is it? Also, discover Caspar’s cosmic origins and Canto’s sad backstory, all in Seven Secrets, Volume 2!

Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo’s follow-up to their middling first book wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. Taylor throws in more than a few twists and turns though they’ll only really mean anything to the reader so long as you care a great deal about the characters and I found out that I didn’t much care - at all.

As for the story itself, it’s simply more cat and mouse chasing that was in the first book, which is played out at this point, with the occasional bit of flashback storytelling that built up a couple of characters though, again, if you don’t really care about them then it’s not gonna mean much to you.

Di Nicuolo’s manga-esque art is pretty good and I enjoyed the scene where the traitor was revealed, but generally I was bored with this weak second volume and don’t think I’ll bother keeping up with this series going forward.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Seekers have the Keepers of the Secrets on the run. Time to regroup. Secrets are revealed. People are betrayed. Crazy amounts of action scenes that are difficult to follow. This book has it all. The art is a bit suspect though. The coloring is great. The linework can be weak, especially when it comes to side profiles and action sequences that actually tell a story. Still I'm there for all of it.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

T.T. is just going for it with this title, I'll give him that much.


It's good to be Queen.

Not recommended for fans of BoJo.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the events of the last volume, the keepers of the 7 secrets are on the run looking for a place to lay low, regroup and plan. We also learn one of the seven secrets was opened in Switzerland. Wow!!! That case could do that?!?! But, the case is still there. The plan is to send a team after the case while another team tries to locate the seekers who have been after them. Find their base and take the fight to them to take them out for good. Just like volume 1, we get a major plot twist and reveal. This is bad. Plus Casper showed some new ability. Man, can’t wait for them next volume.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when the Secrets get loose, and The Keepers come under fire? The only thing that can - things get worse.

The story of Seven Secrets continues to get bigger and bigger as our characters go on a globetrotting adventure that destroys entire countries and ropes in world leaders in ways you'd never expect to see. And yet at the heart of it all remains Caspar, our narrator and reluctant hero. While the politics of The Keepers is compelling on its own, it's the human aspect that keeps the story flowing, and manages to make the introduction of more unbelievable elements feel right at home. And of course Daniele Di Nicuolo's art continues to impress, straddling the line between manga and traditional superhero comics.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

No answers are given and no improvement is made after the bizarre ending to the first volume, and in many ways the whole storyline is a sad repeat of the first volume - - secret love produces problematic child AGAIN is the center of the action, only this time they pile on a THIRD secret love results in conflict storyline. Sooo....repetitive, unoriginal, lazy, take your pick of derogatory adjectives since there aren't any good ones to use.

[Parker J · Rating 5 out of 5]

SEXY GAY VILLIANS SEXY GAY VILLIANS SEXY GAY VILLIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Secrets continues to churn a ludicrous premise into a whole lot of fun nonsense. Caspar and the Order return from the realm of the faerie to find that the first secret has been unleashed to terrible/weird effect (Not clear how a "secret" can turn a country - which is a made-up thing - to ash, but okay!). Amon is also pissed about the secret being unleashed and lets the leader of the Seekers know about his displeasure by usurping him.

Otherwise, this second Seven Secrets volume offers much the same thing as the first - extreme fast pacing, kinetic, hard-to-follow fight scenes, and character betrayals. Trust no one, etc. Tom Taylor clearly went to the Robert Kirkman school of writing because this volume, like the last one, offers a relatively stunning cliffhanger. Seven Secrets is dumb fun (and the art honestly isn't that great), but I'm fully on board for more.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took the action, characters and secret keeping from the first volume and cranked it up to a hundred and seven

[Billy Jepma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The worldbuilding in Seven Secrets remains wildly top-notch, but what this volume makes clear is that the setting of the story is far more compelling than the characters leading it. I like the cast Taylor has assembled a lot and admire how unique and diverse they all are. But they lack any meaningful depth and are effectively a handful of characteristics dressed up in (admittedly fantastic) costume designs.

Even Caspar, our protagonist, is primarily a blank slate of righteous do-gooder, and most of the potential tensions promised for him in the first volume are sadly absent from this one. He's an observer, mostly, and unless the next batch of issues radically develops him, I don't see that changing. I'm far more interested in the "villains" of the story than the heroes, as it's the antagonists who have more compelling motivations than the protagonists. I love how Taylor gives his "evil shadow organization" empathetic motivations, but I wish the same were true for the characters we spend the most time with. There are some neat twists in these pages, but since I'm not that invested in the characters, they're only interesting on an intellectual level, which can only get a story so far.

Daniele Di Nicuolo's art is stellar, still, and I remain enamored with the anime-inspired art style the series has made its own. Some of the action sequences are hard to track, but the choreography is very cool and feels pulled right out of something like Into the Spider-Verse. It's Baiaminte's colors that steal the spotlight, though, as the pages sing with a consistent and creative vibrancy that gives the comic the visual identity it has. I'm sticking with the series but can see myself dropping off if the next volume doesn't give me an emotional anchor to hold onto.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Tom Taylor has proven himself to be one of the most exciting writers working in comics based on the extensive work he’s been doing at Marvel and DC, he hasn’t done much creator-owned work outside of his native homeland that is Australia. Published by BOOM! Studios, Seven Secrets centers on the young Caspar, newly recruited into the Order of the Seven Secrets that has trusted in Keepers and Holders to guard said secrets in seven briefcases against all harm. However, after the events of the first volume, where the Order is on the brink of extinction whilst their enemies, the Seekers, have apprehended one of the Secrets, is there still hope for Caspar and the rest of the Order?

Please click here for my full review.

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is every bit as fascinating and thrilling as in volume one, but for some reason Di Nicuolo’s art is vague and messy, and there were numerous stretches where I had no idea what was going on.

[Mikey The Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Secrets got me again… I was like this volume isn’t as good as the first and then they cliff hanged me with Secret #1. Love this series

[Tuni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hooked. The target audience is me. Is it perfect? Probably not, but I am having fun.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! But I think it's one of those types of books that you can't think of too closely because then things really start to not make sense.

[Brandon · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books of the past year, can't believe how it ups itself in how disappointing it is constantly.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book lost me in fairyland. Instead of answering questions, we're piling on even more weirdness. Three stars because there's definitely still a good core idea here, but I think I need to pull out of this series at this point. I'm just no longer terribly interested in fiction that doesn't seem to know where it's going.

[Xroldx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I like the fantasy route Taylor takes in the first pages of this book, but soon enough we're back to full stop action.

[47Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Keepers of the Seven Secrets are an organization that carries out activities worldwide - diplomacy, assassination, protection. The Seekers are their sworn enemies who want the Seven Secrets. The first secret was foolishly opened after the Keepers escaped from Switzerland. As a result, the whole country was obliterated from the map.

The Keepers still suspect they have a Seeker mole among them, so they are extra careful with their next hiding place. Eva, their newly-elected leader, splits the remaining members into groups and assigns them missions. One of the groups is joined by the Queen of England in kidnapping the prime minister, a Seeker who gives them their next lead. Eva's team heads to Thailand where they infiltrate the Seeker base and rig the place to blow up. Their retreat is blocked, but Caspar discovers he can fly and saves the whole group. He is some sort of chosen one.

Meanwhile Canto reveals he is the Seeker mole. And gay AND Amon's lover. What a reveal! I suppose those last two aren't gratuitous like most other LGBT references I stumble across. Canto and Amon were lovers and went through the trials together years before. Canto's torture (a part of the trials) went wrong, but Amon begged him to remain a Keeper and holder of a secret in his place. Amon left the order. Now the two of them are reunited and have gained two secrets.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really starting to get into this story. I didn't know it was still being released; I can't wait for the next volume. The art style is really fun.
Plot summary: Caspar gets lost in the other dimension and finds out he was raised by fairies and later, that he can fly. Amon, Tajana's son, takes lead of the bad guys AKA the seekers. It turns out Canto, who is in relationship with Amon, was the double agent. (Not sure how he was suspected earlier, given his history with Amon). They kill Dimah and Laqueta in the middle of the wasteland that used to be Switzerland. Sigurd is still alive (somehow) and is disguised as one of the other keepers. Caspar, his mother Eva, another trainee Titus, and the Queen of England kidnap the Prime Minister in order to find out the Seeker's hideout. They do, but it blows up. Caspar flies everyone to safety.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tom Taylor, don't fail me now! I think this is the first original series I've seen him helm, so I had high hopes, and observed with sadness the quality of writing dropping significantly in this second of three volumes. I think the problem is a classic one, where the writer has all this world building they want to do, and they have certain plot points and bits of exposition that comprise a broad outline, but then they have no room left for the finer points, which is what Taylor has done so well for years.

Aside from the somewhat tragic dialogue, the art is VERY *SHINY* - doing lots of pretty things with light, but the action scenes remind me of anime or manga in that it's hard to discern what exactly is happening.

[¥uri ݁˖☘︎✟⚚☕︎݁˖ · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was okay, the art is still amazing, but for some reason, I found the dialogue just okay and the novelty of the plot faded by now so it's less intriguing than the first volume, some mysteries are still intriguing (like what are the other secrets) but I still don't care for the character so that really detracts from my enjoyment of the story, I think the biggest problem in this story is that it tries to do too much at the same time, well, at least there is a big revel in at least every issue so it keeps things moving.

overall this is okay, entertaining but nothing special, I am still looking forward to the next volume tho.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Secrets gets better in volume two as a secret is revealed, a monarchy is under siege, and a traitor is making moves. There is a ton going on here, sometimes too much, but I enjoyed this fast and energetic adventure. Caspar still knows so little about his life but its unfolding in front of his eyes. Taylor did a better job this volume narrowing the focus on a handful of elements. The stakes are high and this world is extremely interesting. I'm afraid readers will never learn all there is to know. The art by Daniele Di Nicuolo is dynamic but too stylized at times as some panels were hard to decipher. Overall, a really entertaining tale that has me intrigued.

[Emmett Spain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t love this, but it did show flashes of that Tom Taylor brilliance that makes him a favourite of mine. I really liked how the plot twists and turns and you start to second guess who is a good guy and who isn’t—really intriguing. Though I will say that the messy lore at-play here is kind of ludicrous. I’m all for weird flights of fantasy, but this one just feels a bit all over the place. Perhaps it will all make sense in the end.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still suffers from the "don't get attached to any of the beautiful and interesting characters in this story because they're going to die as soon as you do" issue, but I am still reading this, and I am compelled, and I am beginning to believe that this is the point? The intrigue and ultra-violence have me hooked, the rest, I'm still not ready to pass judgment on. The art & story are intermingled perfectly, with big scenes complimenting big swings in writing.

[Dani Gómez · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4,5⭐️ Asombroso, precioso e inesperado.
Muy bueno, este tomo, se profundiza más sobre el tema de los secretos, algo genial, además de que se le da protagonismo a todas los personajes. 💼

La traición de uno de los personajes es inesperada, no me imaginaba que fuera ese, y menos el porque. 🎭

Cuando se supo que es lo que hizo el primer secreto, cuando los buscadores lo abrieron, no me imaginaba que fuera tan heavy.🇨🇭

Me a gustado mucho, y tengo ya muchas ganas del siguiente!! 😄

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, there are still too many characters in this series to keep track of, but I am still enjoying visiting this world, especially now as it both introduces fairies and suggests the Seekers may not be as evil as the Order says they are. Instead, there's something else going on...maybe. I'm still on board. This one is a lot of fun.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of secrets are revealed. They're pretty much all what I expected from the last volume, albeit with a couple of details I hadn't expected, but that's pretty much just good foreshadowing: I didn't feel bad that I'd sussed them out.

Meanwhile, the action-adventure continues to run high.

A fine continuation of the series.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though not quite as good as the first volume, the deepening of the story and the characters continued. I'm happy to have found (thanks, Shannon!) a series that fascinates me with where it will go next.