REVIEW: ‘Suicide Squad,’ Issue #1

Suicide Squad #1 is written by Robbie Thompson, penciled by Eduardo Pansica, inked by Julio Ferreira, colored by Marcelo Maiolo, and lettered by Wes Abbott. It is published by DC Comics. Taking place in the wake of Infinite Frontier #0, the first part of “Assault on Arkham” features Amanda Waller reforming the Suicide Squad with a new roster. Their first mission: breaking into Arkham Asylum to liberate William Cobb, aka the Talon.

The Suicide Squad has always worked best when it is comprised of lesser-known villains embarking on do-or-die missions, and even with Waller’s new mission statement, that definitely is the case. Several members of the new Squad die, and the team is comprised of C-list and below villains including Bolt and a new character named Film Freak who speaks entirely in movie quotes. Leading the team is the ultra-patriotic Peacemaker, who will soon be portrayed on the big screen by John Cena. Strangely enough, he fits perfectly in the group with his no-nonsense manner and brutal fighting style.

Squad stalwarts Rick Flag Jr. and Amanda Waller also make an appearance, and Waller is portrayed in pitch-perfect form. She simply states that she is tired of losing, and as a result, she has reformed the Squad with a new purpose. What that new purpose is, and how it involves Superboy, remains to be seen, but the fact that Waller is willing to keep both Superboy and Flag incarcerated shows she hasn’t lost her duplicity or her edge. This is a woman who even Batman can’t intimidate, after all.

A large part of this is due to Thompson’s scripting. Thompson previously wrote the Future State: Suicide Squad story which seeded elements for this series in its run. And those seeds have now borne fruit. He also brings the types of character dynamics he utilized in other works such as Marvel’s Silk series and Supernatural to make the dialogue between the Squad crackle. Bolt is immensely cocky due to his teleportation, Peacekeeper has to keep everyone in line, and Film Freak gets on everyone’s nerves. Given how the Squad’s roster often shifts, I expect Thompson to continue experimenting with the team dynamic.

Pansica, Ferreira, and Maiolo craft dynamic imagery to match the thrills of Thompson’s script. Pansica favors full pages for character reveals, making the appearances of Peacemaker and Superboy feel larger than life. He also draws intense action sequences, including a two-page spread featuring Talon flipping and weaving out of the panels, cutting and slashing with his knives. Maiolo helps set the mood with the colors. Waller is stationed in front of a bank of computers which give off an ominous green glow, while Arkham’s walls are a cold and foreboding gray. And when Talon first awakens, the background turns blood red—a hint at the violence to follow in his wake.

Suicide Squad #1 more than lives up to its name, featuring an eclectic cast of characters on a dangerous new mission. With James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad on the horizon, Task Force X has made the perfect time to have a comeback.

Suicide Squad #1 is available wherever comics are sold.