REVIEW: ‘Suicide Squad,’ Issue #4

Suicide Squad #4 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, with art by Daniel Sampere, colors by Juan Albarran and letters by Wes Abbott. With one mission done, the Squad might hope for a rest. But as the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked. But what will happen when the Squad is told it must take down one of its own? Something is fishy about the new recruits, and Harley Quinn is taking it upon herself to figure out what it is.

Suicide Squad #4 spends the bulk of its time focusing on character. This is by no means a complaint. Taylor continues to flesh out the Squad’s new arrivals marvelously. The manner in which the team came together adds depth to their story. While these new characters were already far from shallow, this new insight only makes them all the more interesting, especially since it moves them a little more into the grey area of the morality scale. To that point where their motives are understandable, if not quite something you can condone.

But even with these new revelations about the newbies, Suicide Squad #4 is, at its core, a Harley issue. And honestly, I was a little nervous about it. Harley is a character that I usually cannot stand. A light touch needs to be applied to her, or she quickly becomes too much for me. Thankfully, Taylor handles the character wonderfully and subtly. She’s still Harley. Just not too Harley.

The high point of Suicide Squad #4 has to be a great scene between Harley and Deadshot. I knew very little about Lawton going into this series. As the story progresses, I’ve really liked the character. This scene expands on him in some particularly meaningful ways. Doing so also builds him and Harley together. Calling them comrades might be a bit strong, but there is a familiarity between them. It feels like they have come to understand each other in a way. Their world is full of shifting goals and agendas, so they see each other as constants. Even if not completely trustworthy constants.

The art continues to tick all the right boxes in Suicide Squad #4. Sampere’s art captures all the character moments fantastically. The subjects are always expressive, and the angels Sampere always chooses to keep the images feeling fresh.

The page layouts, as a whole, further reinforce the flow of the book. Keeping the eyes going smoothly from one panel to the next. And while the layout provides a smooth path for the eye, the colors continue to capture that eye in the first place. Albarran’s colors are absolutely phenomenal. The choice of color is just magic. I notice more shades and hues in the realm of magenta and orange in these pages. These colors always feel natural, even though I’d never expected to see them. But at the same time, their presence gives the book such a unique visual pop to it that I can’t imagine it any other way.

When it comes down to it Suicide Squad #4 is an excellent issue. While the larger story is getting itself set up, the characters are used superbly to make the issue more than just the sum of its plot. This keeps the book interesting and the reader fully invested. Just as every great comic does.

Suicide Squad #4 is available now wherever comics are sold.