Suicide Squad

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Suicide Squad
The cover to Suicide Squad #1. Cover by Luke McDonnel.
Publisher DC Comics Schedule Monthly Format Ongoing Publication dates (vol. 1): May 1987 - June 1992 (vol. 2): November 2001 - October 2002 Number of issues (vol. 1): 66 (vol. 2): 12 Creative team Writer(s) John Ostrander, Keith Giffen Artist(s) various Creator(s) John Ostrander

Suicide Squad is a name for a number of fictional organizations created for and owned by DC Comics. The first version first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #25 (1959), the second in Legends #3 (1986). An 'original' Suicide Squad was retconned into continuity in Secret Origins vol. 2, #14 in order to form a connection between the first Squad and the second.

Contents 1 Publication history 2 The Brave and the Bold back-up 2.1 Membership 2.2 History 3 Secret Origins 3.1 Biography 3.2 Membership 3.3 History 3.4 Other World War II Suicide Squads 4 Suicide Squad (vol. 1) 4.1 Biography 4.2 Membership 4.2.1 Task Force X 4.2.1.1 Multiple missions 4.2.1.2 One mission 4.2.2 Post-"Phoenix Gambit" 4.2.2.1 Multiple missions 4.2.2.2 One mission 4.3 History 4.3.1 "Baptism of Fire" 4.3.2 "Mission to Moscow" 4.3.3 "Rogues" and "Final Round" 4.3.4 "The Janus Directive" 4.3.5 "The Coils of the LOA" 4.3.6 "The Phoenix Gambit" 4.3.7 "Serpent of Chaos" 4.3.8 "Mystery of the Atom" 4.3.9 "Rumble in the Jungle" 5 In between volumes 5.1 Biography 5.1.1 Interim members 5.2 History 5.2.1 Hawk and Dove 5.2.2 Luthor's Squad 6 Suicide Squad (vol. 2) 6.1 Biography 6.1.1 Sgt. Rock's Suicide Squad 6.1.1.1 Multiple missions 6.1.1.2 One mission 7 52 7.1 Membership 8 Checkmate (vol. 2) & "One Year Later" 8.1 Membership 9 Depiction in other media 9.1 Membership 10 Squiddy Awards 11 See also 12 References 13 External links

[edit] Publication history

Suicide Squad
Publisher DC Comics First appearance First: The Brave and the Bold #25 (1959) Second: Legends #3 (1986) Created by First: Robert Kanigher Ross Andru Second: John Ostrander Base(s) of operations Belle Reve Prison, IMHS[1]

The first Suicide Squad was a minor backup series about a quartet of adventurers that appeared in The Brave and the Bold #25-27 and 37-39. The Squad consisted of Rick Flag, his girlfriend Karin Grace, Dr. Hugh Evans, and Jess Bright. This team was created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru.

The Suicide Squad was revived in the mini-series Legends, and were created by John Ostrander. The renewed concept involved the government employing a group of super-villains to perform missions that were almost certainly suicide runs, a concept popular enough for an ongoing series titled simply Suicide Squad. They were often coupled together with the government-related series Checkmate, culminating in the "Janus Directive" crossover.

The concept self-consciously emulated the Second World War film, The Dirty Dozen and the television series Mission Impossible. In addition, the existence of the squad was top secret, creating much tension within the group and leading the group to be targetted (unsuccessfully) by the likes of Lois Lane and Batman (who was forced to back off from investigating the group when Amanda Waller (the group's commander) threatened to use the government's resources to expose Batman's secret identity.)

While the team were successful on most of their missions, there were often failures (most notably the capture of Nemesis by Russian forces after a failed mission in Russia) or the death of one or more members. The use of minor villains and heroes added to the jeopardy, as it was not clear whether any given character would survive a mission, and the series did not shy away from killing off some of its principal characters, most notably Rick Flagg Jr., who was killed at the end of the book's second year. The series was also notable at the time for examining the lives, motivations and psychological makeup of its characters with one issue per year featuring the group's psychologist interviewing each member.

The Suicide Squad lasted 66 issues, going on to appear in several guest appearances in titles like Superboy (a Hawaii-based version, incorporating many of Superboy's enemies, as well as Superboy himself) and Chase after cancellation.

The second Suicide Squad volume was published in 2001 by Keith Giffen and Paco Medina. Though the group's first issue featured members of Giffen's "Injustice League" group as the Suicide Squad's membership, the roster was promptly slaughtered save for Major Disaster and Multi-Man (who's powers make him unkillable). The two departed after their one and only mission, leading to Sgt. Rock (who was in charge of the group) to recruit new members, most of which died in the missions they went on.

[edit] The Brave and the Bold back-up

[edit] Membership

• Jess (sometimes called Jeff) Bright^[2]
• Dr. Hugh Evans^[2]
• Rick Flag, Jr.^[2]
• Karin Grace^[2]

[edit] History

In the team's last mission, Evans dies and Bright is captured by forces of the Soviet Union and transformed into the monstrous Koshchei; Grace and Flag split up, though she secretly bears his child. Flag eventually joins the Forgotten Heroes.

[edit] Secret Origins

[edit] Biography

During the days of World War II a team of the 'riff-raf' of the army is assembled into a unit, a group that is highly expendable, and is therefore nicknamed the Suicide Squadron (shortened to Suicide Squad). Several teams were assembled, but their history in comics is only scarcely recorded before Rick Flag, Sr. becomes the leader of the team (and even then, only a few adventures of this squadron are shown). Eventually, after the war ends, the team is, together with the 'Argent' group, put under the umbrella organisation of Task Force X, to later be remolded by Amanda Waller into the version appearing in Legends.

[edit] Membership

• Ace High^[3]
• Beast^[3]
• Blowhard^[3]
• Gyp^[3]
• Jeb Stuart^[3]
• Lawless^[3]
• Nickels^[3]
• Rick Flag, Sr.^[3]
• Shiv^[3]

[edit] History

One of the known missions of this Suicide Squad involves the German fortress Jotunheim in the country of Qurac, where they were assisted by Jeb Stuart. Their mission: Grab a new prototype German tank, incapacitate a prototype atomic bomb and destroy Jotunheim in their escape. The mission is described as being more important than the lives of the Squad (even more so than inherent in the concept) and that most of the Squadders liked this particular type of mission, besides Rick Flag, Sr. They escaped with the tank, but were unable to destroy Jotunheim or destroy the bomb (although it ends up buried).^[4]

[edit] Other World War II Suicide Squads

This World War II-Squad of Secret Origins #14 was a means of tying the Silver Age Suicide Squad to the World War Two Suicide Squad of the "War That Time Forgot"/Dinosaur Island stories in Star-Spangled War Stories #110-111, #116-121, #125 and #127-128 (1963–1966). Members during this era included PT and Prof (#110-111), Morgan, Mace and Dino (#116-121), and Reed and Mac (#125). It is unclear, however, whether this Suicide Squad is part of the current Squad "canon", or if the Squadron in Secret Origins was intended as a replacement for them in DC history.

[edit] Suicide Squad (vol. 1)

[edit] Biography

The second Suicide Squad is a covert black ops government strike team. The team is partially made up of imprisoned supervillains who agree to perform extremely dangerous missions, which are officially denied by the US Government using the prisoners' participation as rationale to claim that the incidents are merely attacks by criminals, in return for a full pardon for their actions. In addition, there are other non-prisoner members such as Nemesis and Nightshade who participate in the team as part of individual arrangements. The Suicide Squad operate out of Belle Reve prison in Louisiana.

To prevent members escaping in the field, the prisoners are shackled with an explosive bracelet that will detonate a certain distance from the field leader, who was typically Rick Flag, who wore a remote control that could detonate or disengage the bracelets as desired. The deadly martial artist called the Bronze Tiger acts as a back up disciplinary measure, and later, with the death of Rick Flag, as field leader of the team.

The group is largely run by Amanda Waller, although at times someone else acts as a cover for her, especially after the existence of the Suicide Squad becomes public. Eventually, the Suicide Squad leaves the government's control and becomes a freelance operation.

[edit] Membership

Because of the nature of the Suicide Squad, this list has been divided between those that serve on multiple missions, and those who do not. Also, the list is split between the members that participate on the behest of the government (Task Force X) and those that are later employed by Waller for her mercenary Suicide Squad after the "The Phoenix Gambit" story-arc.

[edit] Task Force X

[edit] Multiple missions

Amanda Waller[5] Black Orchid[6] Bronze Tiger[5] Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness)[5] Count Vertigo[7] Deadshot[5] Doctor Light (Arthur Light)[7] Duchess (Lashina)[8] Enchantress[5] Javelin[9] Karin Grace[10]

Major Victory (William Vickers)[11] Nemesis (Tom Tresser)[6] Nightshade[6] Oracle[12] Poison Ivy[13] Punch and Jewelee[7] Ravan[7] Rick Flag, Jr.[5] Shade, the Changing Man[14] Slipknot[8] Vixen[15]

[edit] One mission

Blockbuster[16] Captain Cold[17] Chronos[18] Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln)[19] Lady Liberty[20] Manhunter (Mark Shaw)[21] Mindboggler[22] Mister 104[23] Multiplex[24]

Parasite (Rudy Jones)[24] Penguin[25] Plastique[22] Psi[23] Shrike[26] Silent Majority[20] Speedy (Roy Harper)[27] Thinker (Clifford DeVoe)[23] Weasel[23]

[edit] Post-"Phoenix Gambit"

[edit] Multiple missions

Amanda Waller[28] Atom (Adam Cray)[29] Bronze Tiger[30] Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness)[30] Count Vertigo[31] Deadshot[32] Nemesis (Tom Tresser)[33]

Nightshade[33] Outlaw[34] Poison Ivy[30] Ravan[30] Thinker (Cliff Carmichael)[35] Vixen[30]

[edit] One mission

Black Adam[36] Bolt[37] Catalyst[36] Deadline[37] Enforcer II[36] Karma[36] Firehawk[36] Manhunter (Mark Shaw)[38] Major Victory (William Vickers)[36] Maser[36] Shrapnel[37]

Silver Swan[36] Sportsmaster (Victor Gover)[36] Stalnoivolk[38] Sudden Death[37] The Writer[36] Task Force X Pathfinder[37] Kaliber[37] Metamorpheus[37] Sidewinder[37]

[edit] History

[edit] "Baptism of Fire"

The team's first mission in the Suicide Squad title set them up against their recurring enemies, the Jihad. They infiltrate their headquarters (the fortress known as Jotunheim, situated in Qurac) and proceed to defeat and kill most of the Onslaught members. Elements from this first story arc return over the series, such as: The death of Mindboggler, Captain Boomerang's cowardly and treacherous nature, Nightshade's attraction to Rick Flag, Jr., a rivalry between Rustam and Rick Flag, Jr. and Ravan's defeat at the hands of the Bronze Tiger.^[39]

[edit] "Mission to Moscow"

On orders of Derek Tolliver (the team's liaison with the NSC) the Suicide Squad is sent to Moscow in order to free the captive Zoya Trigorin, who is a revolutionary writer. Although the mission is largely successful in its first half, the team finds that Zoya does not want to be freed at all, causing friction amongst the team as they must plan their escape.

In the end, the mission ends with the Squad having to travel across a tundra to reach safety, but come face to face with the People's Heroes, the Russian's own group of metahumans. In the conflict, Zoya Trigorin dies and Nemesis (Tom Tresser) is captured.^[25]

Nemesis eventually escapes thanks to a collaboration between the Suicide Squad and the Justice League International, although the two teams fight one another first.^[40] This conflict is primarily the result Batman's investigation into the Suicide Squad, and his confrontation with Waller, and his being forced to drop the investigation when she reveals that she can easily figure out his secret identity if need be.^[41]

[edit] "Rogues" and "Final Round"

In this story arc,^[42] building on subplots from previous issues,^[43] Rick Flag goes after Senator Cray in order to assassinate him. Previously, Senator Cray had been blackmailing Amanda Waller in order for her to ensure Cray's re-election, threatening her with the exposure of the Suicide Squad to the public, something potentially very dangerous for the existence of the Squad and Waller's career.

At first, there is also the threat of Waller being usurped by Derek Tolliver, the now former liaison between the Squad and NSC, who conspires with Cray against Waller. He is killed by Rick Flag in Suicide Squad (vol. 1) #21.

Waller deals with the situation by counter-blackmail (with help of Checkmate), but refrains from informing Flag,^[44] who, thinking that the existence of the Squad is in danger, decides to deal with the problem himself. In order to stop him, the Squad is sent after Flag, and it is eventually Deadshot who confronts Flag shortly before he can shoot Cray. Instead of disarming or killing Flag, Deadshot opts to kill Cray, nonetheless keeping to the mission statement: To prevent Cray's murder at the hands of Flag.

Against Flag's intentions, the Suicide Squad is exposed to the public, thanks to a note for a press release (exposing the Suicide Squad) left in Tolliver's office, which the police discover thanks to his murder. Flag flees the scene, while Deadshot is shot by the arriving police officers. Unfortunately for Deadshot, who has a deathwish, he does not die from the injuries.

As the result of being exposed, Amanda Waller is replaced by a man called Jack Kale, in fact an actor, working as a cover so that Waller can continue to run the Squad. The team then goes on a public relations offensive, becoming for a time, a prominent heroing team.^[45] Rick Flag travels to Jotunheim, where the Onslaught are still headquartered, and finishes the mission his father couldn't. He destroys Jotenheim but gives up his life to do so.^[4]

[edit] "The Janus Directive"

Main article: Janus Directive

"The Janus Directive" is a crossover storyline that involves an inter-agency war between Checkmate, the Suicide Squad, and Project Atom, who are manipulated by Kobra in order to distract the United States intelligence community from his activities. During the crossover, the headquarters of Checkmate and the Suicide Squad are destroyed as the war between the agencies worsens, as well as costing the lives of all members of the Force of July but Major Victory. In the end, with the defeat of Kobra, the various government agencies are made autonomous, to be overseen by Sarge Steel.

[edit] "The Coils of the LOA"

With the Suicide Squad on the verge of being disbanded by her superiors after Waller's lone wolf tactics during "The Janus Directive", Waller gathers Ravan, Poison Ivy and Deadshot in an assassination mission of the LOA, a group that are planning to create a zombie army. The deal for the villains is simple: The three will help Waller in killing the LOA, and afterwards they are set free. While the villains run after the assassination, Waller allows herself to be put into custody.^[46]

[edit] "The Phoenix Gambit"

The story-line running through Suicide Squad (vol. 1) #40-43 re-assembles a scattered Suicide Squad after a year of imprisonment for Amanda Waller. She receives a presidential pardon, courtesy of Sarge Steel, as well as one million dollars and her old privileges concerning the use of imprisoned villains.

This is done so that Waller can re-assemble her Squad and prevent a confrontation between American and Russian forces in the war-torn country of Vlatava. As the Suicide Squad succeeds and finishes their mission, they go into a new direction, free from the government, as freelance operatives, per the terms negotiated by Waller. Under the leadership of Waller, who herself now also goes into the field as an operative, they are a mercenary squad open to the highest bidder.

[edit] "Serpent of Chaos"

This storyline ran through Suicide Squad (vol. 1) #45-47, Amanda Waller and the Squad covertly sneak into Jerusalem seeking to capture or kill Kobra. But the squad's arrival is detected by the Hayoth, and their Mossad liason Colonel Hacohen takes Waller and Vixen into custody in order to show them that the Hayoth has already captured Kobra. Amanda figures out that Kobra allowed the Hayoth to capture him but is unsure of why. Judith follows Vixen to a meeting with the Bronze Tiger and Ravan, she critically wounds Vixen and is nearly killed by the Bronze Tiger. meanwhile the Atom discovers Kobra's true plan all along was to corrupt Dybbuk the Hayoth's AI team member, Kobra "corrupted" Dybbuk through a series of philosophical conversations about the nature of good and evil, he then attempts to use Dybbuk to start World War III. The day is saved by Ramban the team's kabbalistic magician who has a lengthy conversation with Dybbuk about the true nature of good and evil, choice and morality. Meanwhile Ravan and Kobra have their final battle which results in Ravan's supposed death via poisoning.

[edit] "Mystery of the Atom"

This storyline ran through Suicide Squad (vol. 1) #59-62, the Hayoth mistakenly believe they would be allowed to take Qurac's former President Marlo into custody. This misunderstanding caused the Hayoth to become embroiled in a four way conflict with the Justice League (Superman, Batman and Aquaman) who were there searching for Ray Palmer (the Atom) as well as the Suicide Squad, and the Jihad. After a series of skirmishes Superman ends the free for all with a shockwave caused by clapping both his hands together. The League confront Ray Palmer and he tells them about Micro Force and their murder of Adam Cray, the man who had been impersonating him as a member of the Suicide Squad.

[edit] "Rumble in the Jungle"

The series concludes in issues #63-66, in which the Suicide Squad travels to Diabloverde (an island near the Bermuda Triangle to depose a seemingly invulnerable and invincible dictator calling himself Guedhe, who has his own personal bodyguards, a group of villains calling themselves the Suicide Squad. They go partially in order to free the people of Diabloverde (of which one, Maria, hires them at the price of one peso) and to clear their names.

During that mission they face the other Suicide Squad, who the actual Suicide Squad beats. At the end of the storyline Amanda Waller tricks the despot, actually Maria's husband, into a form of suicide (the despot believes himself to die, and thus dies). Before that each of the Squad members travel through the mystic jungle to Guedhe's fortress and in that jungle face their personal demons (except for Deadshot. The creative team makes a point of showing he is seemingly unaffected or simply does not have any fears. Also note-worthy, the other Bat-villain, Poison Ivy, is not shown facing her fears and shows more concern for her nylons). Afterwards, Waller disbands the Suicide Squad and the series ends.

[edit] In between volumes

[edit] Biography

[edit] Interim members

Bolt[47] Bronze Tiger[48] Cameron Chase[47] Chemo[49] Copperhead[47] Count Vertigo[48] Deadshot[48] Doomsday[49] Flex[48] King Shark[50]

Knockout[50] Manchester Black[49] Mongul[49] Plasmus[49] Quartzite[48] Shrapnel[51] Sidearm[50] Sledge[47] Steel (John H. Irons)[49] Thermal[48]

[edit] History

[edit] Hawk and Dove

The superheroes Hawk and Dove (Sasha Martens and Wiley Wolverman) are targeted by the government, who assemble a new Suicide Squad to combat the pair of superheroes.^[48]

[edit] Luthor's Squad

Lex Luthor organizes another Suicide Squad during his term as President of the United States of America, so that they can recruit Doomsday and battle the alien Imperiex. Doomsday killed the entire Squad upon his release.^[49]

[edit] Suicide Squad (vol. 2)

[edit] Biography

[edit] Sgt. Rock's Suicide Squad

[edit] Multiple missions

• Bulldozer^[52]
• Deadshot^[53]
• Frank Rock^[52] (possibly an imposter)
• Havana^[54]
• Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln)^[53]
• Major Disaster^[52]
• Modem^[54]

[edit] One mission

Big Sir[52] Blackstarr[55] Bolt[56] Clock King[52] Cluemaster[52] Eliza[56] Hawkman[57] Larvanaut[56]

Multi-Man[52] Power Girl[57] Putty[56] Reactron[58] Solomon Grundy Star-Spangled Kid (Courtney Whitmore)[57] Wildcat[57]

[edit] 52

Main article: 52 (comic book)

In the weekly comicbook series 52, Amanda Waller approaches Atom Smasher about building a new Suicide Squad to go against Black Adam.

[edit] Membership

• Atom Smasher
• Captain Boomerang (Owen Mercer)
• Count Vertigo
• Electrocutioner (Lester Buchinsky)
• Persuader (Cole Parker)
• Plastique

[edit] Checkmate (vol. 2) & "One Year Later"

Main article: One Year Later

In the pages of Checkmate (vol. 2) #6, Bronze Tiger rescues Rick Flag from a secret Quraci prison, where Flag had been imprisoned for four years. Afterwards, Amanda Waller enlists the aid of both men in tracking down a rogue Suicide Squad team led by the Mirror Master. The team is eventually revealed as having been under Waller's control all along, and now being led by the newly returned Rick Flag.

[edit] Membership

• Mirror Master (Evan McCulloch)
• Icicle (Cameron Mahkent)
• Javelin
• Plastique
• Punch and Jewelee
• Tattooed Man (Abel Tarrant)

[edit] Depiction in other media

The Squad appears in Justice League Unlimited, beginning in the episode "Task Force X". In that episode, the Squad appears as Task Force X which formed as a US Government force to respond to the Justice League.

Unlike the original, members of the Squad did not appear in their original supervillain costumes during their first mission, considering it was a stealth one: steal the Annihilator from the Justice League Satellite. However, Deadshot appeared in costume in a previous episode, and Captain Boomerang appeared in costume both in a commercial for a candy bar endorsed by The Flash and the later (Season Three) episode "Flash and Substance." The Clock King has also appeared in-costume in the Batman animated series. As an added insurance, members of the team are unawarely fed food laced with explosive nanites that will destroy them if they abandon a mission. Each member has to work for five years to earn suspended sentences.

[edit] Membership

• Rick Flag Jr.
• Plastique (wounded and captured by the League)
• Captain Boomerang (later escaped, or finished serving his time and was released)
• Deadshot
• Clock King

[edit] Squiddy Awards

Main article: Squiddy Awards

The Squiddy Awards given by the members of the rec.arts.comics newsgroup on Usenet ultimately derive their name from the Suicide Squad comic book. The original post, from April 1991, occurred when a regular poster to rec.arts.comics typoed "i" for "a", and other posters, seeing an opportunity for humor, went into great detail about what was going on in the (non-existent) Suicide Squid comic title. The self-destructive cephalopod is often seen on official rec.arts.comics t-shirts at conventions.

[edit] See also

• Checkmate
• List of government agencies in comics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• DC Cosmic Teams: Suicide Squad
• JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED UPDATE
• Rucka, DeFilippis, & Weir on the return of the Suicide Squad @ Newsarama
• John Ostrander on returning to the Squad @ Newsarama