In this issue of Suicide Squad, Katana is looking for proof, Deadshot is looking for backup, and Harley is looking for… sex.
I’m just going to come right out and say it. I’m not a fan of this issue. Everything that surprised me with the previous issue is nowhere to be found here. After a rough arc, I was thrilled to see Williams return to form and deliver a fun, engaging, and exciting story… Unfortunately, we lose that here. This issue is pretty lifeless. Not bad, just severely lacking energy. Williams does attempt to add humor into the issue to help give his script a jolt of something, but it feels forced and comes at the expense of the story.
Most of the narrative is bogged down by Flag explaining what the original Suicide Squad was tasked to do, why they were in space, how they’ve survived these last few decades, and why they came after Waller/ the Squad. While this is needed information to support the narrative, it’s not done in a creative way. Flag literally just recants all of this information to the team. It’s like an exposition palooza. In fact, there’s so much exposition that Boomerang even comments on it.
Typically, you’d be able to balance situations like this out with some solid action, but this issue is also lacking in that department as well. We do get a small dose of action from Deadshot’s team as they battle “zombie robots,” but it isn’t very entertaining. Honestly, the most exciting moment of the issue comes from Katana, and it’s merely a “don’t underestimate me” type of moment.
What does redeem this issue, is the set-up for what’s to follow. Despite the shortcomings of this chapter, the next outing looks to be a promising one. Both teams are in a precarious situation, and I’m anxious to see how the set-up unfolds. I do think Harley’s team in space has the more interesting story, but anything could happen with Deadshot’s scenario, especially considering how this issue ends.
The Art: Eduard Petrovich steps in again for the art on this issue, and his presentation this time around looks a little more rushed than before. There’s a lack of consistency from panel to panel, and the pencils, overall, look messier. I know some of you will think I’m being harsh on the art, but when you get used to work with artists like Jim Lee and Tony Daniel… It’s hard not to compare.
Wilfredo Torres delivers art for the backup story “King For a Day,” and boy does he do exactly that… deliver! I love the style of his art, as well as his color choices. His entire approach feels classic, but I believe it really is the muted colors that help define this back-up.
Breakdowns for this issue can be found in the spoiler tag.
The Good:
Katana. Katana provides the most interesting moment of the entire issue, and all she does is challenge the story that Flag presents. That should be a sign of how boring this issue is. She also gets a cool moment to shine when Flag thinks he’s gotten the upper hand of the Squad by gaining control of their brain bombs, only to learn Katana doesn’t have one.
A Hole in the Moon. Apparently, the original Task Force X operated for decades, protecting the earth from a number of threats, predominately extraterrestrial threats! As it just so happens, almost all of these threats were locked away in a hole in the moon! I wonder what crazy things are down there… More importantly, I wonder if DC has Marvel’s Inhumans trapped down there… I’m kidding… Kind of…
“King For a Day.” The most interesting aspect of this issue is the second part of “King for a Day.” We get another brief glimpse of what Argent was, why it was created, and we’re beginning to learn why King Faraday is relevant to this story. I kind of wish we could just get this story, and leave the main story on the cutting room floor.
The Bad:
Exposition. There’s a lot of exposition in this story, and although the information is needed, it’s just boring. Nobody wants a boring story! There’s honestly not much more to this issue aside from Flag giving the Squad a history lesson. I won’t say this issue is a waste because it provides some interesting details that are crucial to the story.
Characterization. Williams scripts used to succeed because he could craft compelling and engaging narratives that were textured perfectly by the characters… Lately, he seems to have lost those two key factors to success, especially characterization. Some of the things he has the characters saying now just feel off. Most of Harley’s conversations in this issue read weird (“beeee-yatch”), and El Diablo’s dialogue was also questionable.
Waller to the Rescue. Of course, Waller would be the one to come to the rescue… But why not bring some noteworthy villains with her to join the Squad instead of random soldiers? Oh, that’s right, some nobody will need to be killed in the next issue. Cliché.
Recommended if:
- You’re curious to learn about the original Suicide Squad.
- You want to travel to the moon.
- You want to learn more about King Faraday.
Overall: We learn quite a bit of information in this issue, but don’t make much progress concerning the plot. The combination of the abundance of exposition, questionable characterization, and lack of fulfilling action or story make Suicide Squad #28 a rather boring read. It’s not bad, just boring.
SCORE: 6/10
