Prison Psychology
I've been a very harsh critic of the New 52 Suicide Squad, partly because of what the did to Amanda Waller, but mostly because it just hasn't been very good. Occasional issues were actually all right, but plenty more were just awful. Not quite as much as Green Arrow, but this series was still far overdue for a creative team change. Lo and behold, this issue marks that change, and like Green Arrow, the new team has completely turned this series around in a single issue with a different and atmospherically darker approach.
For starters, that cover is genius. No recognizable figures, aside from the photographs, just a skeleton in the center of an explosion ripping apart the series in the wake of the new direction. I wouldn't necessarily say the interior art is 100% better, but it is better suited, and hopefully consistent. I will say it's better than the Henrick Johnson art we've had as of late.
This issue is a PERFECT jumping on point, as Amanda meets with her new adviser to analyze he mental states of her current operatives at this point. Not because she cares, but because she needs to be able to keep manipulating them. THIS is the Amanda I know. Not yet 'The Wall' again, but closer than we've ever seen in this series.
What passed for 'dark' and 'edgy' in this series before is put to juvenile shame in the face of the true darkness this issue flaunts. This isn't just 'oh look, guts and gore' dark, this is true deep and intense psychological dark. Amanda has the Suicide Squad tortured on such raw emotional levels that it just blew me away. King Shark especially is really showing signs of emerging as one of the better characters. We also finally get the blatantly obvious reveal of the 'Samsara Serum, a brilliant name btw. Adam Glass tried to create a sense of mystery and false tension when he killed Deadshot twice, but anyone who'd been keeping up with the series remembers Amanda's successful collection of some of Mitch Shelly's body, a.k.a. RESURRECTION MAN. Being so vague about the results just comes across as lazy weak writing, Kot isn't afraid to put it all on the table, with a chilling line from Amanda that makes this plot device work so well.
But the kicker is the final reveal. Big DC readers will likely be able to piece it together before we find out, but the identity of Amanda's new associate, as well as the explanation for how he got there, is definitely a damn smart move. His final thoughts are a little off, half of it works on a pretty brilliant but messed up level, but there's a little touch of potential genuine empathy that I think works counter to the character, while the rest of it is completely fine.
In Conclusion: 5/5
Get it. If you've wanted to like Suicide Squad, GET THIS. It's already so much better than any issue that's come before. THIS is how you write dark stories. Psychological and raw emotion, Ales Kot has shown us his strengths going in, and he's definitely got the right idea for how to write this series.
