New Suicide Squad #3

The Good

I won't lie, a big reason I'm following this is because of the cast. I want to see more of Deadshot, Black Manta, Deathstroke, and Harley Quinn. Joker's Daughter, though? Well, she's just going along for the ride, I guess. It's safe to assume a fair number of you, the oh-so-loyal Comic Vine readers, feel the same way about this book. Thankfully, writer Sean Ryan makes some decent progress with a couple of the characters in this chapter. It won't blow your mind or offer a new look at the individuals, but it's just entertaining enough to keep me wanting more.

First and foremost, this chapter's a love letter to how much punishment Floyd Lawton can take. As you remember, he was shot twice in the last issue and -- totally not a spoiler -- he obviously survived the encounter. Now that he's in custody, there's remarks about how much this dude can take. It's not the most insightful or thought-provoking story arc for him, but it's nice seeing he isn't a pushover and it's fairly badass. Black Manta's essentially just acting like the leader, which is fine and all, but Harley Quinn gets the best spotlight here. Basically, Joker's Daughter is a troll (like you expected anything less from her?) and this conflict finally explodes. The battle itself isn't anything to write home about (largely because the visuals take a big drop in quality), but the dialogue is good enough and conclusion is surprisingly funny. As for Deathstroke, well, we've yet to see where that story is heading, but he does appear and you can consider my interest piqued.

The Bad

The visuals here are majorly inconsistent. Usually I can tolerate a shift from one style to the next, but the fluctuation during the big fight is shockingly drastic. The cliffhanger is smooth and great looking and most of the other work is serviceable, but what should be the biggest and most memorable moment of the book is filled with seriously rough character work. There's awkward positions, huge changes in how characters appear, and cartoonish effects which contradict the dark, violent and twisted events that are taking place. Blond's coloring is consistently good, but it really doesn't make up for this drastic shift, unfortunately.

I'm glad the dynamic between Harley Quinn and Joker's Daughter was brought forward, but everything else feels like it's just inching along and there isn't much intrigue to be found. Yeah, I'm stoked about the cliffhanger, but nothing else really has me excited or immersed in this group's mission. We continue to see how the Russian authorities are handling it, but why is time being spent on them instead of the characters this book needs to focus on and develop? We've yet to get any proper insight or critical information from their side other than "they're working on robots and don't want the world to know about it." Also, I'm really hoping there's some more depth given to Vic Sage soon. He really can't be that dumb and arrogant, right? ...right?

The Verdict

"It's okay" really is the easiest way to describe my feelings about NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #3. The overall narrative isn't doing much to win me over and what should be the most exciting bit is ruined by some stiff and seemingly rushed artwork, but I'm still interested enough to see what'll develop with several of the villains and the writing with Quinn was certainly enjoyable. There isn't a lot of substance here and I'll give this one just a few more chapters to pick up the pace and dish out bigger developments, but the ending most definitely has potential and the conclusion with Quinn was solid.

Its okay is a fair summery of this series so far. It's nothing special just okay.

Like I said, I think this series should have just stayed canceled, and I think DC should have gotten rid of Joker's Daughter, since nobody seems to like her. You can't make a good series by mixing two things people don't like.

REVIEW SM/WW! It was really good and Soule's last issue... also so people can see my review :P

I agree, I think that the Suicide Squad works best when it's a bunch of C to D-list villains running around getting killed (you know SUICIDE squad), but even then it's not something that should last 30+ issues.

I was waiting on the reviews to pick up before trying this out. Like you I love the cast (except Jokers Daughter) but "it's ok" isn't worth the investment and expense it'll cost to follow this title and hope it gets better. Maybe I'll check it out once it hits a stride.

Ostrander killed a character off in the first issue and the whole Squad still had more depth/development than anyone's gotten here so far. :/

@youknowwhattodo said:

Exactly, professionals like Black Manta and Deathstroke bring it down. Not to mention there's no point of having Deathstroke here if DC is going to give him (another) solo series.

I'm curious, who would you like to see on the team? Personally, I would love to see some z-listers that haven't really been used in the New 52 yet.

Like the saying goes, "2 wrongs don't make a right"

The nail has been hit on the head.

DC continues to lag behind in their take on non-super covert ops type stories. I was so stoked about the new direction in issue 30, which at least looked fun, but again this series just falls flat. Though I must admit I got excited hoping to see Joker's Daughter killed off this 3rd or 4th mulligan they've taken on the New 52 Suicide Squad remains meandering and listless.

@meatwadf said:

Honestly I'd love it if DC mixed things up and added a few Wildstorm and Vertigo characters to the team.

Pointless relaunch.

@captainmarvel4ever: As the biggest Wildstorm fan (prove otherwise!) I would love to see that. My only problem would be that I'm not the biggest fan of how they've been integrated into the DCU. Still, a suicide squad with Tao or something sounds bad ass. Lol

@meatwadf said:

Same here, however I actually have a lot of hope for the Wildstorm characters fitting in. I think if DC can get a good footing with them we could see the evolution of some truly great stories. Also on an unrelated, yet positive note, it looks like Gen-13 could be making a return soon.

I'm in the minority, I like this relaunch a lot, but Joker's Daughter has got to go, she's pointless.

Nailed it. This won't last 12 issues.

I wouldn't mind seeing Gen 13 return. Hell, I would love to see a straight up revival of all the major Wildstorm books in the DCU. A true Jenny Quantum led Authority would be bad ass.

@captainmarvel4ever: Remember! This is the Suicide Squad. Maybe they brought her on the team to die?

@meatwadf said:

I think DC is saving WildCats for a later time, and what I would really like to see is the Authority rival the Justice League as the world's greatest heroes. After all when you really consider the scope of having DC, Vertigo, and Wildstorm in one universe, the possibilities are endless.

However one thing that is being heavily hinted at is a Gen 13 book featuring the classic Gen 13 and Superboy. If DC makes that I may as well go stand in front of DC headquarters and just start throwing money at them.

lol, I was thinking that earlier but didn't want to say it :)

@captainmarvel4ever: I feel the same way you do about Superboy & the Ravag...I mean Superboy & Gen 13 if they put out a solo Martian Manhunter book.

Honestly I do think that's why she was brought on the team. Which is a pity. I was actually kinda excited to see if they could truly handle this obscure Teen Titan and do something neat with her. Sadly they couldn't.

@crazyscarecrow: Yeah I feel the same way, sadly I think the fact that the main Titans book under Lobdell was so bad, that any spin off series could not properly grow, which is why all of them were canceled.

However I have high hopes that DC will bounce back with a new line of books about young heroes, especially since the Titans are getting a TV series, which means DC will put in extra effort.

@captainmarvel4ever: I thought the latest Teen Titans book was pretty entertaining. Beast Boy was green again and was really fun to read! I have faith in the new series.

I've been reading a lot of Titans history recently and really when you think about the time when the Wolfman/Perez run that pretty much is looked at as THE Teen Titans book. Everything that came before wasn't that great. I mean it was good. It was wacky, stupid, fun, full of colorful characters. I really do like the originals just because it is how the Titans started out and because it is a product of its time and you really can't compare it to anything that came before. Though the Wolfman/Perez run came from that. They made the Teen Titans into a stupid/fun book into something that was really worth sitting down to read and really, truly feel for the characters. Really, truly use these characters and ideas to their fullest.

It they could do it from a continuity where Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad called each other "groovin" and Lilith Clay was dating a caveman surely and make something great with it all surely someone could do it with the New 52 Teen Titans.

@crazyscarecrow: Same here, it's starting a little slow but it looks like it's in good hands, and it can only get better.

I also agree, that series was the best comic book of the 80's and it defined the Titans. The writer of the new series said he's using it as inspiration for his current run, which is very good to hear.

@captainmarvel4ever: Titans and Daredevil are the comics of the 80's. That's nice! I really hope to see more of those elements applied to this New 52 team.

I'm not getting the hate towards Joker's Daughter. I love the character, especially after the one-shot by Marguerite Bennett a few months ago. I absolutely love the back and forth between her and Harley Quinn.

1st arc of this was pretty EHHHH but at least each arc has gotten a bit better.