SUICIDE SQUAD (1987) (part 2)

In this here part 2 of my Suicide Squad pimpin’, I’m gonna highlight to you readers of DEM’S GOOD READIN’ (all three of you) some of the outstanding issues of the series. A bit difficult because John Ostrander’s plotting and scripting was so crazy fun that practically the entire 66 issue run was a classic. So I gotta narrow it down a little bit. Okay, let’s do it! By the way, if you missed part 1, it's over here.

SUICIDE SQUAD #10



This would be in everyone’s favorite issue of Suicide Squad. The Squad vs. Batman and the Squad wins. No shit, they do. See, Batman is pissed off that the Squad exists. He disagrees that unreformed super crooks are given an early parole if they complete and survive their missions. So he plans to expose the Squad’s existence.

But old Bats must have had an off day or something because his presence was detected by the guards.


“Damn! We in trouble now!” You said it, Mrs. Waller. Batman compromised the Squad. That’s a cue for some sweet panels of whup ass. First up, it’s Duchess:

Next up: Deadshot

Now, Batman later reveals that Deadshot pulls his shots around Batman. Why the hell for, Deadshot? Just kill the man and your rep’s secured. Batman seems to be telling the truth as we see here:
Scratch one Deadshot. But it ain’t over yet. Col. Rick Flag still wearing his Day-Glo yellow vest stands between Batman and the main exit.

It must take confidence for someone to go out and fight Batman while wearing what Rick Flag is wearing. Bright yellow in a maximum security prison. Crazy, dude. Still, props to Flag for going three panels with the Bat before getting whammed. Most people don't even last a panel. But you know how the Squad finally stopped Batman? Amanda Waller threatens to expose Batman’s identity.


What the hell? Fingerprints? Seriously? Batman is supposed to be the world’s greatest detective and he got taken down like a punk. In the letters pages in issue #14, there was a full flame on by the fans and Ostrander admitted he goofed. Ouch. But hey, issue #10 is still awesome!




SUICIDE SQUAD #18



It's like the ex-lover who refuses to go away: The JIHAD's back! And they're attacking Manhattan.

The Manticore’s back too. And this time, his face is bullet proof. So how did the Duchess handle this guy?





He got whacked by his own tail!

There’s a new Jaculi but Deadshot takes her down easy. Sure, with Batman, he pulls his shots. Anybody else, he takes them down.


And Captain Cold shows that his ass is just as bad as the rest.


"Hell is cold! And sucker...I am CAPTAIN COLD!" Wasn't he a joke in the FLASH comic? Well, he's bad ass here.


I don't know why but I find that panel hilarious.




Issue 23 was an INVASION tie-in but that’s not why I picked this one out (though it has all the action you expect from a typical issue of Suicide Squad). This is why:

First appearance of Oracle!

When Alan Moore had the Joker shoot and cripple her in the pages of The Killing Joke, Barbara Gordon was already considered an expendable character. It was Ostrander and Kim Yale who thought that she could be revamped as an information broker of the DC Universe. Oracle appeared occasionally in the pages of the Squad but it wasn’t until issue 49 that she joined Task Force X.


Yeah, that's right, kids! That hot babe in the wheelchair you see in Birds of Prey had her humble beginning in little ol' Suicide Squad. Bow to the glory that is Ostrander and Yale!




SUICIDE SQUAD #26. Rick Flag goes on an unauthorised solo suicide mission to Qurac and plans to finish the Jihad once and for all.



Well, at least he isn’t wearing his yellow vest anymore. That ninja body suit is much more sensible.

And they all die. This issue made me sad. And I was quite irritated when I heard that John Ostrander plans to bring Flag back from the dead in the new mini series, Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag. Okay sure, I know this is just the comics and dead characters come back to life all the time. Marvel brought back Bucky for damn’s sakes! And they managed to pull it off. But Flag’s death wasn’t a marketing ploy like Superman's. It was actually quite poignant. And it lived up to the book's name. Anyone could die, no matter how 'regular' a status that character seems to have. I’ll be looking forward to finding out how Ostrander plans to bring back Flag. Make it good, man! I, of course, will get the trade because that’s just the way I am.

So yeah, those are just some of the outstanding issues of the Suicide Squad. There are a whole lot more: the death of Dr. Light (yes, that Dr. Light back when he was a wimp). The resurrection of Dr. Light (probably the funniest issue in a non-funny comic series). There’s the Phoenix Gambit storyline, that massive crossover with Checkmate. I’m telling you, Suicide Squad was pure gold. It’s too bad DC cancelled the Showcase reprint originally scheduled for November of this year. It would make a great tie-in with the current mini series. Maybe they’ll release it together when the trade for Raise the Flag is released next year or whenever.