There’s was a lot to like in the previous Suicide Squad: Most Wanted series, and it looks like we’re getting a new one out next week (8/10) with two of the less popular members of the team. I’m all for character building, especially when it comes to characters I’m less familiar with. Is it good?
Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Boomerang #1 (DC Comics)
So what’s it about? The DC solicit reads:
From the pages of SUICIDE SQUAD comes an all-new series featuring two of the team’s most infamous heroes, El Diablo and Boomerang! First, a sudden pardon frees the fiery El Diablo from Belle Reve prison, much to the shock (and irritation) of team leader Amanda Waller. Chato returns to his old neighborhood to reunite with his family, but when he’s attacked by a heavily armed local gang and their leader, the deadly, super-powered Bloodletter, will his freedom and his life get cut dramatically short?
Why does this book matter?
Jai Nitz and Cliff Richards are tackling El Diablo, and Michael Moreci and Oscar Bazaldua are tackling Boomerang. The first focuses on El Diablo joining a new team, which is interesting, while the latter is off to show us Boomerang can make it on his own and doesn’t need no stinking team to stay alive. Sounds like an interesting mix of two different types of stories.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
It’s getting hot in here!
The first story in this comic focuses on El Diablo establishing that Waller is a real bastard, while El Diablo himself isn’t such a bad person. Nitz brings in a certain American-centric hero that might just blow some people’s mind (no spoilers!) and he gives the story a nice kick in the pants. Essentially this is a redemption story before El Diablo kicks it with a new team he’s offered and suggests the character needs a new direction. The art is generally good as well, with some interesting layout designs and a darker tone.
Moreci and Bazaldua kick off their story with a full on war going on and the Suicide Squad right in the thick of it. Right off the bat you’ll notice Moreci has a great handle on the dialogue. It gets to the core of each of the characters very quickly. The story itself moves at a good clip, even with a surprise or two up its sleeve. Most importantly you get the sense that Boomerang isn’t such a bad man, it’s just that he sometimes takes shortcuts. The art in this story is quite nice with a lot of detail and some fun splash pages for good measure. The villains in this segment are rather intriguing though at first glance you’ll assume they’re a cliched baddie. Give it time!
It can’t be perfect can it?
A few plot elements in the El Diablo story fall into place too easily, even if it keeps things trucking along at a good pace. It actually telegraphs a few things way too directly to the point where it reads like they are force-feeding us story elements. El Diablo is truly good at heart! Waller is super evil! El Diablo needs to get away from Suicide Squad! And so on, and so forth.
Brutal violence.
Is It Good?
Two stories that both do a lot of things well. If you ever wanted to learn more about these characters, or just see where clever writing can take them, check this title out! You can find this comic on August 10th.
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