Review: Get to Know the Delightful Nikki Finch in 'Secret Weapons' #0

Nikki Finch quickly became a fan favorite, and you'll love her even more after Secret Weapons #0.

Slight spoilers incoming for Secret Weapons #0, so if you haven't read the issue yet you've been warned.

Secret Weapons was a delightful surprise in 2017, and delightful is the perfect way to describe Nikki Finch as well. The Harbinger Foundation castaway is one of several Psiots fans meet in the core series, but writer Eric Heisserer and Adam Pollina have the chance to explore her origins even more in this one shot, and Nikki doesn't disappoint when the spotlight's focused on her.

Secret Weapons #0 Preview Gallery

Finch was already likable in the core series, but seeing what she went through firsthand only invites the reader's empathy even more. She's stronger than she knows, and that's not taking into account her unique powerset, which allows her to understand and speak to animals. Seeing what she lost on her journey to the Harbinger Foundation isn't just played for sympathy though. Nikki is not a beaten lemming just trying to survive. While it hasn't gone the way she planned, this is still her life now, and that's more than you could say for her before she left for Harbinger.

Her birds are a constant source of humor throughout the issue, they aren't just used for laughs, as Heisserer and Pollina use them to also create one of the book's most poignant and touching moments just over midway through. In fact, the art is one of the book's many highlights. The visuals are constantly evolving to keep your attention, and every scene seems to mirror the protagonist's outlook in some form or fashion, creating one more connection to keep you invested.

Secret Weapons #0 is not a necessary element to the core series, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth your time. Getting to know Nikki Finch was a joy, and any chance to visit the world of Secret Weapons one more time is one you don't want to miss.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.

"An essential new chapter in the Harbinger mythos is about to be revealed as Nikki Finch – a future founding member of Livewire's squadron of misfit telekinetics – relives the never-before-told saga of her recruitment and activation at the hands of Toyo Harada's Harbinger Foundation in a must-read standalone special from two of Valiant's most accomplished storytellers!"

Secret Weapons #0
Written by Eric Heisserer
Art by Adam Pollina
Cover A by Raul Allen (NOV172021)
Cover B by Veronica Fish (NOV172022)
Cover C by Sibylline Meynet (NOV172023)
Variant Cover by Sija Hong (NOV172024)
Variant Cover by Adam Pollina (NOV172025)

Secret Weapons #0 lands in comic shops on January 3, 2018.