Review: Suicide Squad Volume 1 - Trial by Fire

Recognizing the necessity for Task Force X, the tough-as-nails Amanda Waller resurrects the program and recruits a handful of dangerous criminals into this so-called Suicide Squad. Under the field leadership of Colonel Rick Flag, she sends them off in service of their country. Should they fail, these expendable agents will be disavowed – or worse.

Suicide Squad Volume 1: Trial by Fire collects Suicide Squad #1-8 and Secret Origins #14, written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Luke McDonnell.

The great thing about this book is that it doesn’t read like an average work of superhero fiction. Writer John Ostrander pulls inspiration from military and espionage thrillers, adding a tinge of bureaucracy with international intrigue to the narratives. The tone is gritty, with an emphasis placed on action and the intricate psychology behind the characters involved. There’s also an undercurrent of uncertainty as Ostrander has a penchant for ensuring that not all characters return alive (or sane) from their missions. This book is simmering in its pacing, mirroring Cold War era storytelling sensibilities. Needless to say, Ostrander’s initial eight issues of Suicide Squad aren’t crowd pleasers that amount to light reading. They can be dense, challenging and slow in pacing, but they’re also complex and exciting.

The stories presented in this trade are almost entirely episodic. The trade begins with Secret Origins #14, which acts as a prelude to the series and gives us the origins of both Amanda Waller and the historical precedents to the then-current Suicide Squad.  It’s almost entirely composed of flashbacks, which are admittedly quite dull. The only valuable information gleaned from this issue is regarding the fateful mission that soured Rick Flag’s relationship with his lover Karin Grace and the circumstances surrounding what transformed Waller into such a hardened badass. The series itself then kicks off with a two-parter that sees the Suicide Squad venturing to the fictional country of Qurac to undermine the terrorist efforts of the Jihad. These two issues were a fantastic way to begin the series as its espionage tinted storyline requires the characters to travel to a foreign country, infiltrate the base of operations of a terrorist group, and face off against a cadre of colourful villains. It’s very James Bond in its approach and thrills from panel to panel. This is followed by a one-and-done issue where Darkseid’s Female Furies attack Belle Reve in an attempt to secure the escape of Glorious Godfrey. It’s an action-heavy story that highlights the individual capabilities of the Suicide Squad, as well as the incredible skill the Female Furies have as Darkseid’s top assassins. Another one-off issue sees Deadshot impersonating a vigilante stoking the flames of white supremacy in an attempt to undermine his efforts and to alleviate racial tensions in America (it’s unnerving how little has changed since 1987 in that respect). It’s a little out of place overall and overly simplistic in how it approaches its themes. This trade draws to a close with a three-part story involving the Suicide Squad going on a rescue mission to extract a writer from Russia who has been unfairly incarcerated. The mission goes south rather quickly when they discover she does not want to be rescued and when the Enchantress goes rogue. It’s an admittedly dated adventure that has Cold War tropes all over it. The Russians are all written as one-dimensional archetypes, but the action and concentration on deeper themes regarding free speech and martyrdom help to counterbalance this. Much like the introductory two-parter, this multi-part narrative is influenced heavily by the spy thriller genre and is an engaging follow-up to the 007-esque opener. Its aftermath, an (almost) action-free character study provides a fascinating conclusion to this trade.

What really draws me into John Ostrander’s world for the Suicide Squad isn’t the stories themselves, as they’re certainly fairly generic, but rather the incredible character work that he does. I’m most fascinated by the female characters in this collection. It should go without saying that Amanda Waller is the standout. Her gruff persona and take-no-prisoners attitude is highly entertaining, but there’s also an undercurrent of loyalty beneath that tough surface and her tragic past makes it easy for readers to empathize with her. Similarly, June Moone’s unique predicament of being the host to the evil entity known as the Enchantress draws sympathy from readers. The June and Enchantress personas are at constant odds with one another and that creates tension within the narrative as we’re unsure just how much damage the Enchantress will cause when she’s in the driver’s seat. Though she’s written in more of a supporting role, I also found Nightshade to be a really engaging character. She’s initially introduced as the team’s contact point in Qurac, having been working undercover within the Jihad, and her role then evolves into being an invaluable member of the Squad as the team’s resident teleporter. Layers of complexity are added to her character as we see that she has feelings for team leader Rick Flag and that she’ll push herself past her limits for the team. Aside from these three, Deadshot and Rick Flag are also standouts. Deadshot is an absolutely fascinating character who is unapologetic in his approach to relationships (or lack thereof) and his extremely grey conscience. He’s contrasted against the by-the-book Flag who becomes very much invested in this team and who appears to value life much more.

For those looking for the hilarity and insanity of the Suicide Squad film, Trial by Fire may not be an ideal read. It’s grim and gritty, with a decidedly serious take on the team. The bureaucratic aspects are played up, with the narratives playing out more like an Ian Fleming James Bond novel than your average superhero popcorn flick. That’s not a bad thing either. There’s a real sense of intrigue to the stories Ostrander created here and the characters have a lot of depth to them, with many being quite sympathetic despite being criminals or having questionable morals. Luke McDonnell’s art further compliments these stories. His characters are expressive and dynamic, with scenes involving the Enchantress being especially thrilling. He manages to make her seem genuinely creepy despite the fact that she’s dressed in green and wearing a pointy witch’s hat. Ostrander and McDonnell make for a great team. Together they make this collection of stories truly entertaining.

RATING: B

Review: Secret Six Volume 3 - Cat's Cradle

Amanda Waller is determined to bring Deadshot back into the Suicide Squad and there’s nothing she won’t do in order to achieve her goal – including murdering Deadshot’s current teammates in the Secret Six. Then, Catman goes rogue when his son is kidnapped by a group of sociopathic mercenaries.  Deadshot, Scandal, Ragdoll and Black Alice take off after Catman, leaving Bane and Jeannette to assemble a new Six to fulfill another contract.

Secret Six Volume 3: Cat’s Cradle collects Secret Six #15-24 and Suicide Squad #67, written by Gail Simone and John Ostrander with art by Jim Calafiore.

It should go without saying that Gail Simone’s Secret Six is like the spiritual successor to John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad. As such, it’s really no surprise that a team-up between the two writers should be nothing short of brilliant. Ostrander flies solo on issues 15 and 23 of Secret Six, while the two share writing credits for issues 17-18 and Suicide Squad #67. This union sees a crossover between their individual creations as Amanda Waller orchestrates a plan to wrest Deadshot from the Secret Six and bring him back into the fold at Belle Reve. What follows is a rather impressive set of action sequences, illustrated by the capable Jim Calafiore, as the Secret Six face off against the Suicide Squad. The dialogue is impeccably well-done with an edge of dark humour that is a trademark for Gail Simone’s body of work. Of course, it is naturally Amanda Waller that steals the show. Her ruthlessness is the stuff of legends, while her interactions with many of the other characters (particularly Scandal) are electric. There is also a level of unpredictability due to the presence of Black Alice, who was added to the team by Simone in issue 16. She adds in a little comic relief, particularly when paired with Ragdoll.

Simone takes the wheel fully for the four-part “Cats in the Cradle.” It’s an arc that really fractures the team – Catman goes AWOL, Bane and Jeannette form a new Six, and Black Alice loses it on Scandal. Simone also delves into Catman’s past, revealing an abusive childhood that left him shattered and with darker impulses than any of his teammates could have guessed. It’s not an arc where a whole lot happens, as it is light on plot, but it’s heavy on character development. “Cats in the Cradle” is basically just Catman going off the deep end and seeking bloody vengeance on the captors of his son, while his teammates unsuccessfully try to pursue him in order to bring him home. Amidst all of this action though is a whole lot of insightful, and often funny, dialogue that reveals a lot about the cast. We’re able to sympathize with Black Alice through her father’s illness while we finally begin to see Ragdoll as more than just comedic relief. As mentioned previously, Black Alice and Ragdoll are paired up with one another. It’s a totally batty combination, but it works due to Simone’s quirky dialogue. It works as yet another example of Simone’s near incomparable ability to create engaging team dynamics. From the palpable homoerotic subtext between Deadshot and Catman to Scandal’s relationship with an erotic dancer to Bane’s overprotective father vibe, Black Alice and Ragdoll are just yet another endlessly amusing gift that just keeps on giving.

As a whole Secret Six Volume 3: Cat’s Cradle is crazy good. It’s an entertaining read practically bursting at its seams with intense action and hilarious dialogue. The characters continue to be relatable, which is kind of messed up since they’re all violent monsters in one way or another. Ostrander and Simone’s Secret Six/Suicide Squad arc is incredibly satisfying, while “Cats in the Cradle” helps to both tie up loose ends and to introduce new team dynamics. While it concludes with two regrettably forgettable filler issues, this collection features high quality storytelling. Though I selfishly wish the insanely talented Nicola Scott were able to remain the permanent artist for the entirety of Gail Simone’s run, Calafiore’s pencils for the bulk of the issues collected here are expressive and match the overall tone of the series.  Cat’s Cradle is dark and bloody in all the right ways, making it a must-read for anyone with a twisted sense of humour. More importantly though, it has a cast that is distinctive and multi-dimensional.

RATING: B+

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 5 - Walled In

During the Crime Syndicate’s takeover of the Earth, the most dangerous villains are freed from their prisons in hopes of unleashing anarchy on the world. With the members of Task Force X free from her purview, Amanda Waller must find a way of bringing them back into the fold in order to defeat the Thinker.

Suicide Squad Volume 5: Walled In collects Suicide Squad #24-30 and Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller #1, written by Matt Kindt and Sean Ryan.

This collection functions as a pseudo tie-in to Forever Evil. The plot of that event has bled over into the lives of the Suicide Squad, creating a slight jump in the overall flow of their narrative. It’s jarring and makes the title far less accessible than it previously had been. Readers unfamiliar with Forever Evil are likely to be confused as to what’s going on and even those who are may be displeased with the direction taken with the Squad. Harley and co have been freed from Belle Reve, while Amanda Waller is stuck in the prison she formerly ran. It’s an inversion of roles, but is done haphazardly as a result of Forever Evil imposing its status quo onto the DC Universe at large.

Overall, Walled In is a bit of a chore to read. Its narrative hinges on two teams converging on Belle Reve with the intention of defeating O.M.A.C., a powerful cyborg that the Crime Syndicate has turned into a weapon. What’s really cool about this arc is that we see Power Girl and Steel teaming up to help in the effort to stop O.M.A.C. Power Girl in particular is a standout in this volume, as her snarky personality and aggression on the battlefield give her a unique presence amongst the other characters. King Shark is another memorable character, whose development is rather notable. We finally get his origin (which is tragic, I might add), cementing my growing affection for his character. Sadly, Power Girl and King Shark are pretty much the only good things about this volume. Harley Quinn oddly fades into the background, Deadshot continues to be unremarkable and the rest of the cast is kind of blah. 

This particular volume acts as the final note in the Suicide Squad saga that started with Adam Glass at the helm in 2011. As such, Walled In provides zero closure and almost no character development. It closes on something of a cliffhanger, which is obviously intended to be the lead-in to the New Suicide Squad title. It’s recommended to those who have stuck with the series, but isn’t an essential read to anyone looking for some Suicide Squad fun.

RATING: C-

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 4 - Discipline and Punish

After a disastrous rescue mission, the Suicide Squad return to Belle Reve battered and fractured. Little time is left for them to recover as they’re forced back into the field with a new, mysterious leader. If that weren’t enough, Amanda Waller finds herself inextricably allied with the sociopath James Gordon Jr.

Suicide Squad Volume 4: Discipline and Punish collects Suicide Squad #20-23, along with the Harley Quinn and Deadshot Villains Month tie-ins.

Discipline and Punish is a fast-paced action romp that pushes its characters to their limits. This collection is fairly short, with the bulk of its content being pulled from four issues of Suicide Squad. However, writer Ales Kot makes the most of it. Kot keeps the cast small and writes each character with a very distinct voice. The addition of Batgirl’s psychotic brother to the cast was completely unexpected and provides an interesting twist to the overall dynamic of the book. He functions as Amanda Waller’s devoted right-hand, which is both weird and fascinating all at the same time. Of course, there’s no denying Harley is still the star of the book. Her continued interactions with Deadshot, as well as a scene involving her dealing with a faux-Joker, serve as standouts for her character. Her dialogue is on point and there’s this persistent sense that she could betray the team at any given moment.

Another character I’ve grown to like in this series is King Shark. He started out as a one-dimensional aggressive tank in earlier collections, but Kot is finally exploring the inner psyche of this would-be villain. There’s a child-like innocence to him, as well as an intelligence that Waller prefers for him not to exhibit. On the flipside of this there’s Deadshot. Like King Shark, he’s been developed further and is still obviously intended to be one of the books mainstays. Unfortunately, I just can’t bring myself to care for this version of the character.

The Villains Month tie-ins for Harley and Deadshot that were collected in this volume are of an inferior quality to the main series. They function awkwardly as half-baked origin stories, supplemented with contextualization for where both characters are siding in the events of Forever Evil. Harley’s story is predictably the better of the two. We’re given a glimpse into her childhood, seeing that academics were the only way for her to escape from the dysfunction that surrounded her. In the cons column, the events of the issue do clash slightly with the origin we were given in the first volume of Suicide Squad and her mass murder of children seemed a little over-the-top even for her. Deadshot’s one-shot, meanwhile, was wholly unremarkable and lacked any developments that would endear the character to me.

I would cite this volume as being a turning point in my affection for the New 52’s Suicide Squad. Under previous writer Adam Glass’ pen, the series functioned as “Harley Quinn and a bunch of random D-list characters I could care less about.” However, the continued feverish pacing of the title and the eventual development of the rest of the main cast made it a must-read. It’s a fun book that never takes itself too seriously, like a big budget blockbuster that knows it’s absurd and unbelievable. 

RATING: B+

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 3 - Death is for Suckers

When the Joker re-emerges after being presumed dead, he seeks out his one-time partner-in-crime Harley Quinn to help him in his quest to destroy the Batman Family. There’s just one problem – Harley is no longer a willing participant in his twisted games. He turns against her, but soon discovers she’s more than capable of taking care of herself.

Then, the Suicide Squad is charged with rescuing a person from Amanda Waller’s past. This once again brings them into conflict with the maniacal Regulus.

Suicide Squad Volume 3: Death is for Suckers collects Suicide Squad #14-19, written by Adam Glass and illustrated by Henrik Jonsson and Sandu Florea.

Glass smartly plays to his strengths, which means he places a lot of emphasis on Harley Quinn in this trade and the results are incredibly satisfying. This volume could easily be called “The Emancipation of Harley Quinn,” due to its decided progression and development of her character from comic sidekick to independent woman. Unlike many other writers have in the past, Glass portrays Harley as no longer entranced by the Joker and as someone who is actively making an effort to be autonomous. He does this by isolating her from the Squad and shows that she’s capable of handling the Joker all on her own when she returns to Belle Reve alive. Further attention is paid to her in combat situations, where she kicks tons of ass. If it wasn’t obvious already in the preceding trades of this series, Harley Quinn is the real star of Suicide Squad.

Thankfully, the other characters are starting to grow on me as well. Notably, I find myself particularly intrigued by and interested in King Shark. Glass is deliberately mum on his backstory, but hints at there being a tortured and intelligent mind behind the villain’s aggressive façade. He also gives us a little bit more of a tease with regards to Deadshot’s past and starts to portray him as a little bit more self-serving (finally!). The character he develops most though is Yo-Yo, a total random who I’m certain very few people cared to know more about. It seems like he’s intended to be the team’s Rag Doll, but isn’t quite as twisted or humorous. Sadly, El Diablo is largely excluded from the action in this collection. He was one of the more interesting characters, so it’s a little disappointing to see him left out.

On the whole, Death is for Suckers is a vast improvement over the previous trade. It’s exciting, it’s fast-paced and it’s much more focused on developing its cast. Interestingly, the book actually benefits from being tied into the “Death of the Family” storyline that otherwise derailed most of the other books. The art is also considerably more consistent. All in all, this collection is worth the read especially if you’re a Harley Quinn fan.

Rating: B+

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 2 - Basilisk Rising

Having apprehended Harley Quinn after her escape from Belle Reve, the Suicide Squad is in shambles. Harley’s betrayal plus the certainty of another traitor in their midst has increased tensions within the team. Yet, they must work as a cohesive unit in order to infiltrate and take down the villainous cult known as Basilisk. Can they get along long enough to defeat the nefarious Regulus?

Suicide Squad Volume 2: Basilisk Rising collects Suicide Squad #8-13 and 0 and Resurrection Man #9, written by Adam Glass and with additional writing by Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett.

This collection begins with a crossover with Resurrection Man, assisted by fan-favourite scribes Lanning and Abnett. The Squad are tasked with bringing in the aforementioned Resurrection Man, but are intercepted by another party who are charged with taking him down. This two-parter is largely unnecessary and comes across as filler, giving the impression that it was created if only to give Harley time to recover from her injuries sustained during “The Hunt for Harley Quinn.” Even still, there’s a suggestion that Waller’s motives in apprehending Resurrection Man have further implications down the line. Regardless, the crossover fell flat.

The bulk of Basilisk Rising deals with the Squad’s fight against Regulus and his organization Basilisk. This storyline takes the team abroad, where the traitor finally makes his move and thereby nearly destroying the Squad and Amanda Waller in the process. It’s very G.I. Joe-ish (Basilisk = Cobra), which creates a problem tonally. It’s evident that the Squad is meant to be something akin to Gail Simone’s Secret Six, but with a twist of militarism thrust in. Glass is still valiantly trying to make us care for these characters, but they continue to lack the depth necessary for keeping the readers’ interest during an otherwise unremarkable story arc. I want to like these characters, but find that I’m not given enough to really invest in them. Glass could have killed off Deadshot, El Diablo, King Shark and Black Spider, and I probably would have welcomed their replacements with general ambivalence. There are exceptions though – Amanda Waller and Harley Quinn.

Harley is the real star of Suicide Squad. She’s funny and unpredictable, which makes her far more interesting than her more dour teammates. After the events of the preceding trade, it’s also suggested that Harley has two distinct personalities – the villainous Harley Quinn and the more upstanding Dr. Harleen Quinzel. This allows the character to waffle between zany and sharply observant. Truth be told, the issues without her full presence are a bit torturous. Similarly, Amanda Waller carries a presence that’s exciting for readers. She’s a total badass and is not one to be trifled with. You never know what she’ll say or do next, so it makes her all the more fascinating. Of course, it also helps that Glass elaborates on her past as this allows the reader to understand her and sympathize with her more.

Taken at face value, Basilisk Rising is a run-of-the-mill book about a secret paramilitary force that goes on James Bond-esque missions for a shadowy organization. The story leaves a lot to be desired, as does the character development. The frustrating thing, however, is that there’s so much potential with this book. Glass does a great job with Harley and Amanda, while the concept of Basilisk was really cool. The real problem it seems is that Glass doesn’t do enough showing. He hints at events from the characters’ pasts, but doesn’t elaborate on them. After 13 issues, he needed to show us something. We can’t care for characters if they’re all forced into generic roles with bland dialogue. Harley stands out because she’s so amusing and because we got to see her origin play out in the last trade.

Rating: C+

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 1 - Kicked in the Teeth

When a techno organic virus breaks out during a football game, the shadowy (and entirely expendable) Suicide Squad are sent in to contain the outbreak and retrieve the antidote. Things go awry after members of the Squad are killed and injured, prompting a messy clean-up and a change in plans. Then, Harley Quinn orchestrates a prison riot to mask her escape from Belle Reve in order to learn the truth about the Joker’s apparent demise.

Suicide Squad Volume 1: Kicked in the Teeth collects Suicide Squad #1-7, written by Adam Glass and illustrated by Federico Dallocchio and Clayton Henry.

When DC Comics launched their New 52 initiative in 2011, they had cancelled the beloved Secret Six – a quirky and dark Gail Simone-penned book about a ragtag team of former villains turned mercenaries – and seemingly hoped to fill its spot by reviving the Suicide Squad. With a roster boasting Secret Six mainstay Deadshot and Batman baddie Harley Quinn, this new team promised to be punchier and more colourful than it had ever been. Indeed, Glass’ relaunch of the Squad is showier and louder than the more procedural series that preceded it written by John Ostrander. The characters are darker, snarkier and there’s a distinctive lack of heroic figures to balance things out. This time around, it’s all about the villains.

There are quite a few characters to keep track of in these first seven issues – Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Black Spider, Captain Boomerang, El Diablo, and King Shark, to name a few. However, Glass places most of the emphasis on developing Deadshot, Harley and El Diablo to varying results. Deadshot fails to be as interesting as he was when Simone was writing him in Secret Six. He’s not quite as coarse or vulgar, which largely results in him seeming cold and detached. El Diablo fares better, particularly due to the morally conflicted nature of his character. This makes it easy to empathize with him and gives him a more humanistic appeal. The real star though is Harley Quinn. She steals every scene whenever she opens her mouth due to her integral role as the comedic relief. There’s also a dark side to her character and she’s the most unpredictable of the bunch. Her revised origin also makes it far easier to understand and sympathize with her. Unfortunately, the shallow portrayals of everyone else makes it hard to care for this cast and so the reader is less likely to have an emotional reaction when something bad happens to them.

The action this volume is relentless. It’s brutal, gory and non-stop. Glass never allows his characters any rest, which helps to amplify the drama and heighten the tension. The viciousness of the events of this collection are further emphasized by the vibrant and flashy artwork. This gives the book a darkly grotesque appeal that serves as a distinction from other mainstream titles that play it a little more safely. That said, action and art aren’t enough to make a great book. Narrative and character development are crucial to maintaining an interested audience for long periods of time. Sadly, Glass does not consistently do that here.

I thoroughly enjoyed Suicide Squad, but it lacked that “It” factor. Perhaps it was due to the constant revolving door of guest stars or the inconsistent development of its main cast. One thing is for certain though – the storylines weren’t unique or enthralling enough. The zombie outbreak at the onset felt a little too trendy, while a prison riot is really nothing new. The hook-up between Harley Quinn and Deadshot was another point of contention. It felt contrived and awkward, so it’s really no surprise that quite a few were unhappy with this interaction being jammed into the narrative. 

Even still, there was a turning point where the story became much more captivating and that was during the two-part “The Hunt for Harley Quinn.” In this story, the Squad is deployed to Gotham City where they are tasked with bringing Harley in dead or alive after she goes rogue. Interspersed with these scenes are flashback sequences detailing Harley's revised origin story for the New 52 continuity. Glass takes a darker and far more aggressive approach to the character's background, where she's significantly more autonomous and violent prior to even donning her iconic red and black duds. In essence, she's less of Joker's put-upon child-like sidekick and more like his equally as psychotic partner. That said, it would have been better had she had a more protective costume and if the book's artists weren't so fond of showing off her ivory figure at every possible chance they were given.

Comparatively speaking, Suicide Squad fails to fill the shoes of its spiritual predecessor Secret Six. It’s brash and exciting, but lacks the heart and quirkiness that made the latter so addictive. Overall, Kicked in the Teeth is hit-and-miss in terms of quality. It’s a fun read, but it’s far from being worthy of any critical acclaim. There are definitely some great things about this book and there are some not-so-great things about this book. About half the cast is interesting and have the capability to really grab the readers’ attention, while the other half is just kind of there. The narrative is jam-packed with pulse-pounding action, but is also indistinct and lacks originality. The glimmering beacon at the end of this is the incredible potential present in this book – particularly when it comes to the portrayal Harley Quinn, El Diablo’s origins and the mysterious Basilisk organization. Thankfully, the positive shift in quality happens towards the end. This suggests growth within the title, implying that the best is yet to come. For anyone looking for a primer to this summer’s big screen adaptation of Suicide Squad, this trade is probably the best place to start.

RATING: B-