Suicide Squad 3: Death Is for Suckers

Comic Info

Suicide Squad (3) #15

Reprints Suicide Squad (3) #14-19 (January 2013-June 2013).  Deadshot is dead after killing himself in the battle with Regulus…or is he?  Harley Quinn finds Joker has come back for her, but their toxic relationship reaches a new level of toxicity.  When both Deadshot and Voltaic resurface as team members, Task Force X has some questions for Amanda Waller.  A rescue mission has Yo-Yo facing off against his sister Red Orchid, but a surprise return could mean another big change for the Squad!

Written by Adam Glass, Suicide Squad Volume 3:  Death Is for Suckers is a DC Comics New 52 title.  Following Suicide Squad Volume 2:  Basilisk Rising, the collection features art by Henrik Jonsson, Sandu Florea, Cliff Richards, and Fernando Dagnino.

For me Suicide Squad has always been hit or miss.  There have been some fun members, but I often find the missions rather blasé.  This holds true for this iteration of the Suicide Squad.  The internal battles with Waller and the crew of criminals is always much more interesting than the missions they are going on.

The first storyline in the collection is a two part tie-in to Death of the Family which ran through most of the Batman books.  It was an important rematch of Harley and her favorite main squeeze Joker.  It does serve to show the purpose of how Harley is changing from the one dimensional Joker worshipping character that she started as and transforming her into a multifaceted interesting anti-hero…a lot of this series can be credited for her Margot Robbie portrayal in the film versions.

Suicide Squad (3) #19

The series then kicks into a rescue mission which like all Suicide Squad missions doesn’t go as planned.  What is interesting about this second storyline is that Task Force X learns that not even death can help them escape.  The return of dead members demonstrates that Waller has ultimate control over them and there is no “easy way out” if she doesn’t want them to have it.  I also particularly like the re-introduction of the Unknown Soldier at the end of the volume and look forward to the plans for the character (Suicide Squad is a good modern match for him).

Suicide Squad has its moments, and I do like a lot of this run more than some of the other Suicide Squad appearances.  I get the purpose of Suicide Squad, but I also don’t necessarily get the practicality of it.  It seems like there a probably enough hero grandstanders who want the glory and fame of being a “hero” (not to mention masochists who like to inflict pain) in the world that they wouldn’t have a hard time filling the ranks of a superhuman army that’s only goal is to follow orders (kind of a U.S.Agent)…but that is a different comic idea all together.  Suicide Squad 3:  Death Is for Suckers is followed by Suicide Squad 4:  Discipline and Punish.

Related Links:

Suicide Squad 1:  Kicked in the Teeth

Suicide Squad 2:  Basilisk Rising

Suicide Squad 4:  Discipline and Punish