SUICIDE SQUAD #13

[ SUICIDAL SALE ] 

Get ready for an ultimate showdown. It won't be like a jovial hoedown. Punches will be thrown. Teeth will be chipped to the bone. And Amanda Waller will finally get the rather revealing low-down. Unless stated otherwise by Writer: Adam Glass; Artist: Cliff Richards; and Publisher: DC Comics in November 2012. Roll up - roll up - let the battle begin.

So what’s the STORY morning glory?

If this issue of Suicide Squad -- entitled 'Dead End' -- has taught me anything, it's that you should never trust an assassin dressed in purple, and that working for a covert suicidal strike-force can be a right pain in the ass at times!

• Well, if it wasn't bad enough that Harley and Deadshot are both trapped on Basilisk's compound, with their possessed team-mates ready to pounce on them at any given moment. Worst still, back home in America-Land, Amanda Waller has to spend some time with her Nana.
• OK, not only her Nana. The turn-coat, Black Spider, and his group of mercenaries as well. All wanting to kill the Waller's A.S.A.P.
• Ouch! Let's hope Amanda and 'the Gang' pull something out of the bag pretty quickly, huh? Or otherwise death and destruction is imm...

BANG!

Oops! Too late. Though it will be continued thanks to Captain Boomerang and company.

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

One of the stand-out scenes for me in this issue was the one where Deadshot and Harley turned the tide of battle, by chopping Iceberg's hand off. Particularly that bit where they said to each other... 

ICEBERG: What the hell is going on? And where is my hand?!?!?

DEADSHOT: Long story, Iceberg.

ICEBERG: Well, being that I'm missing a freaking hand, I want to hear it!

HARLEY: Well, you, King Shark, Black Spider, and El-Diablo, were all Basilisk sleeper agents. And you woke up when Deadshot cut off your hand in self-defence.

ICEBERG: Okay, forget I asked.

Ha! Nice scene, right? It had exposition and a jaded quality to it, which made it feel funny and relevant at the same time. Though I would have preferred it a lot more if Iceberg said 'f*cking' instead of 'freaking' -- as he did just have his hand cut off!

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

If I'm going to be totally blatant, one of the two best things I liked about this issue is that we can finally put to bed who Basilisk's 'sleeper agent' really is. Admittedly, I would never have guessed that it was everyone. But then again I would never have guessed how this issue ended either.

That what the second thing I liked. BANG! Ha!

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

There was a section to this yarn which I personally felt was very awkward and clumsy to read. It was that part where Amanda's Nana was telling her Granddaughter about how sorry she felt for the way she had treated her in the past. For a start, is this the sort of thing you'd say to someone when you have a group of mercenaries hot on you're heals, ready to kill you? Also, the explanation she gives to justify her stance makes no sense at all. 'I turned my back on you and pushed you into the streets because I care for you'? Ha! Where did Adam Glass get this cr*p from? Jerry Springer?

What was the most CREATIVE thing about this issue?

STORY: Admittedly, it was a rather gruesome part of the story to follow, but for the life of me I've never seen someone cut someone else's hand off, and then use this loose appendage to halt somebody else. Very original that. Plus I did like the dialogue -- as mentioned above.

ART: There's something really strange going on with Cliff Richards's art at the moment. Two issues' ago it was more bold and polished than it was in this issue. As it had a very nice yet earthy dynamic to it, that made the whole read that much more congenial to follow.  

Listen, I am not trying to say that it's now dire in any way shape or form. Heaven forbid. Just less defined in places -- more rushed.

If you had to CAST TWO CHARACTERS in this comic book, who would they be and why?

NANA WALLER: Because Grandma Waller reminds me of the original 'Amanda Waller' (let's hope she is, huh?), I want to cast a great actress whom I always wanted to fill this womanly woman's shoes. Chandra Wilson from medical drama 'Greys Anatomy'. Say no more.

BASILIK: When I first clapped my eyes on this very flamboyant looking villain, I thought to myself 'Boy! Doesn't that sod look like Laurence Llewelyn Bowen from too many interior decorating shows to mention'.  

If this issue had a MOVIE TAG LINE, what would it be?

Keep Your Friends Close. You're Enemies Closer. And Bullets Touching Your Gut.

If this issue were a MOVIE, an OBJECT, or a piece of MUSIC, what would that be and why? 

I suppose on some level this story is about a group of misguided people who will do anything to get themselves out of trouble. Therefore, I think that it would be a nice idea to compare it to the Woody Allen classic comedy 'Take The Money And Run'.

But with less jokes in it of course.

FINAL thoughts...

What a shame. This was another one of those issues of the 'Suicide Squad' that didn't quite hit the spot for me. On a positive note -- it told a story, the plot progressed, and the cliff-hanger was very suspenseful indeed. Yet, on a more negative note -- the characters were lacking character, reliability, and believability, via their actions and their prose.   

Come on Adam Glass. Take a dose of 'Ostrander' and inject this series with some dynamism.

MARKS out of 10? 8.6