The creative team of writer Nicole Maines, penciler Eddy Barrows, inker Eber Ferreira, and colorist Adriano Lucas come together to bring to life a new iteration of Task Force X who go on a new mission that spins off from the Titans: Beast World storyline. For this new ongoing series, the hero Dreamer is the central figure, and she has to deal with what kind of hero she wants to be and how far she will have to go in order to preserve justice in her society. Does this first issue come up with the perfect dream scenario? Or does it succumb to being an absolute nightmare? Here are my thoughts, with some minor spoilers.
In this issue, Amanda Waller forcibly recruits a new cast of characters into Task Force X, and they are an intriguing combination. The team consists of Harley Quinn, Clock King, Bizarro, Black Alice, Deadeye, and the hero Dreamer. Dreamer is actually the focal point of the series as Waller sees her as a tool to attain power within the DC universe by using Dreamer’s precognitive and dream-walking abilities. The story begins with Waller giving the team the rundown of the “suicide” mission per usual that involves a group of insurgents that took over the weapons and defense systems of the island nation of Gamorra. Gamorra also happens to be in a state of political turmoil, so it is primed for the radicals to co-op those systems, which Waller doesn’t want to happen because it would be a major threat to global security. The island is blocked off by a shield dome, so Task Force X infiltrates using Dreamer’s powers. Even though the plot so far does not approach new territory, I still found a lot to enjoy about the issue.
Nicole Maines, as mentioned earlier, is the writer, and she actually portrayed Dreamer in the character’s debut in the CW television series, Supergirl. I thought that was really cool because Maines, based on the story she’s telling, probably knows the characteristics and mindset of the character better than most and it shows. She also nails the ruthlessness of Amanda Waller and the comical side of Harley Quinn. While the other members of the team don’t have too much time to develop, each one still has a moment highlighting their wacky personalities. Both Dreamer and Maines are transgender, and I appreciated how seamless Maines wove it into the story without it seeming forced for the sake of it. I also liked this iteration of Task Force X because we haven’t really seen this combination before, and their dynamics and interactions amongst each other are really fascinating.
There are also emotional moments within the issue, specifically when Dreamer deals with the death of a man that she unintentionally kills using her powers. Barrows’ artwork on that page is both beautiful and tragic at the same time because it gives some insight into Dreamer’s past. The illustrations are elevated by Lucas’ colors, and Ferreira’s contributions emphasized the characters’ emotions really well.
While I enjoyed the issue for the most part, I do have minor nitpicks. Prior to reading this issue, I wasn’t familiar with Dreamer and her powers. Although her dream-walking powers were explained through dialogue, I would have liked to have seen a visual of exactly how the team jumped into the Dream Realm. On one page the team is debriefing about the mission and in the very next page they are suddenly in the Dream Realm, albeit there is a written explanation of the transition.
Another small issue I have is that the mission itself is very similar to the plot in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad movie (it doesn’t help that the characterizations of both Amanda Waller and Harley Quinn are reminiscent to Viola Davis’ and Margot Robbie’s portrayals either) where the team has to infiltrate an island that’s been overthrown by insurgents and Waller has ulterior motives. Other than that, I had no other issues.
Recommended if…
- You want to read a new Suicide Squad story with a unique team with different and amusing dynamics.
- You are a fan of the Dreamer character in general.
- You appreciate good dialogue.
OVERALL
Suicide Squad: Dream Team #1 shows that there is a lot of potential for it to be a great run. Maines’ story might not be entirely original from the start, but the dialogue amongst the team is superb and there’s a healthy mix of comedy and drama. The artwork is also top notch and elevates the story. Besides Dreamer and Harley, I’m excited to see how the other members of the team get involved and how the chaos ensues as this new Task Force X is a refreshing take. I’m looking forward to the next issue.
SCORE: 8/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purposes of this review
