REVIEW: ‘Suicide Squad’ Issue #1

Suicide Squad #1 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, art by Bruno Redondo, with colors by Adriano Lucas and letters by Wes Abbott. The Suicide Squad is sent to the land down under to take on the Revolutionaries. But the Squad has seen better days. Between the roster looking a little thin and a new man in charge, will they be able to rise up to this newest challenge?

Let me start out with a confession. I’ve never been a huge fan of the Suicide Squad. They’ve just never really grabbed my attention. But with a new number one coming out I figured it was time to give them a chance. As a result of this decision, I can honestly say I’ve read one of the most fun comics I’ve gotten my hands on in quite some time. Taylor makes Suicide Squad #1 a gleeful experience from beginning to end. This even with all the killing involved.

The highlight of the story is easily the  collective group of new character know as the Revolutionaries. These characters are a great combination of powers, personality, and cool visual design. I was instantly taken with them. The promise of their continued presence in the book alone will keep me coming back for more.

Of particular note for these newcomers is their multi-national backgrounds. While having characters from across the world in a single team isn’t anything new for comics, some of these locales certainly fall on the underrepresented side of the spectrum. With personalities hailing from Puerto Rico and  Somalia, along with a Ngarluma woman from Australia, the team is a uniquely diverse group.

While the Revolutionaries are the intriguing bright spot of Suicide Squad #1, on the other end of the spectrum we have new Suicide Squad leader Lok. While not much is revealed of him in this issue, he definitely feels like there could be an interesting story in him. Provided he doesn’t end up being relegated to another military man with a chip on his shoulder.

While enjoyment, spiced with a bit of silliness, is certainly the main event here, don’t think that’s all the creative team behind Suicide Squad #1 is selling. There are some rough kills in this book. This would make for an uneven read tonally if I had any connection to any of the fatalities. As it is, those that die merely serve to show the characters in this book mean business and thus establish a sense of danger for the coming issues.

The art in Suicide Squad #1 is top notch. Every panel catches the eye and pulls you in. Redondo captures all the personality of the characters superbly, bringing energy to every page of this book. This kinetic feeling is further amplified by Lucas’s excellent colorwork. The colors within the panels are the final piece that allows this story to pop.

All told, Suicide Squad #1 was a huge surprise for me. With cool new characters from the far corners of the globe and an entertaining vibe, I cannot state enough how much I enjoyed this issue. If the high level of the quality present here can be kept up I cannot wait for what is to come.

Suicide Squad #1 is available December 18th wherever comics are sold and online at ComiXology through our affiliate link.

Rating: 5/5 eventful beginnings