COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Suicide Squad #23

Writer Ales Kot

Artist Rick Leonardi

Publisher DC

Ah Suicide Squad. You have been one of the most consistently good books of the New 52, no matter WHO is writing it. It seems each month you bring laughs, action, thrills and chills to your readers and that is true for Issue 23 as well.

One of the best things about the Squad is it always has that rotating door of villains that can show up from time to time, this I feel keeps things fresh and new every so often. So the current Squad of Deadshot, Harley Quinn, King Shark, Cheetah and the Unknown Soldier have been a very fun team to see together. Throw in Amanda Waller and James Gordon Jr. and you have a recipe to see psychotic killers do what they do best under the watchful eyes of a government agent.

Issue 23 continues the new run on the story by writer Ales Kot. After the Squad’s trip to Viva Las Vegas in the last issue we find them in a foreign country hunting down the man responsible for the hypno-tech the team came across last issue. With each member of the team responsible for a certain part of the mission we get a great look at what each are really capable of and why they are all members of the Squad.

While taking time to focus on how each member contributes to the current mission we also are treated to some more information on the deal Harley made with Amanda Waller a few issue ago that would allow the Squad to have the bombs taken out of their necks. We also find out a little more about the specific details that would allow the Squad members to receive their freedom from Belle Reve. This allows Harley to shine a little, I have always been a fan of her New 52 incarnation and this really allowed her to show us a little bit of not only the psycho but the intelligent woman inside as well.

What was nice about this issue was its tie in to the recently cancelled Team 7 series. With John Lynch back on the scene we get some fantastic monologues from Waller. Even the first word bubble of the issue from her is pure genius. I was really glad that they not only mentioned Team 7, but also did reference readers, through text box, back to the series. Team 7 was a great title that showed us the early lives of some of the DC universes most famous government agents. While it was cancelled way too soon for my taste as it has since also tied into the current Trinity War, I am glad to see that it has not been forgotten.

Also the inner monologues from James Gordon Jr. really had me delving deep into the mind of an intelligent psychotic with mommy issues. The whole issue it seems as if he is in a daze, talking about what it means to be in love. We know he has been harboring a creepy thing for Waller and I think soon it is going to explode and come out of him full force. James has issues this is true, but the one thing about him is he is intelligent and things will start to get interesting very quickly.

All this and then the main story of the Squad using every trick in their respective arsenals to take down Lynch and his crew of super powered cronies makes this issue aptly tag-lined as “Overkill” and you have a book that just keeps you reading over and over.

Now I would be remised if I didn’t mention that yes Kot will be leaving this series, but this series was fantastic before him and will be fantastic when Matt Kindt takes over. It is always fun to see how a new writer takes the characters and we have seen that throughout the whole New 52 run. That is the nature of the game in comics, writers come and go and yes, the Squad is no different. So make sure you pick up Kot’s run but also pick up the rest before and after, as these are some of the best character stories currently in DC.

No matter WHO is writing the Squad this has been one of the best books each month. Don’t pass it up!

4.5 out of 5 Nerds