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Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 Review

Comic Books

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 Review

At $4.99 DC Comics is offering up an oversized Suicide Squad story (actually, there are two stories in here) at the perfect time. It’s perfect because the full trailer dropped recently and it was glorious. Can this new comic come as close to being as awesome? Is it good?

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 (DC Comics)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 Review

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This issue is broken up into parts, starting with a Deadshot story and closing with a Katana story. The first is all about Deadshot being used by Waller to enact ultraviolence on bad guys. A new recruit is joining him and he’s supposed to foster his development, but unfortunately for him he couldn’t care less in helping anyone learn the ropes. The second story focuses on Katana entering Markovia for a special mission to retrieve an important person. Unfortunately for her it’s being ruled by a dictatorship calling itself Kobra and they have a lot of soldiers.

Why does this book matter?

This is the book that will be collected and on the shelves when Suicide Squad hits theaters. That means it better be a good representation of the characters, a fun ride, and something anyone can pick up. That sounds like a comic worth keeping an eye on.

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 Review
Kinda like Stormtroopers eh?

Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?

Artist Victor Bogdanovic and inker Richard Friend do a heck of a job with the Deadshot story. It’s very detailed and a lot like Greg Capullo’s work on Batman. It has a darker tone but the faces are even reminiscent of that series. This of course is a good thing and the opening action sequences does not hold back with the violence. Deadshot lives up to his name and takes out quite a few folks, giving us fun violent action in the process. At the same time he looks great in his gear, like some kind of evil demon.

This Deadshot story works very well because of the newbie on the block. Writer Brian Buccellato does a bang-up job creating a sense of tension between them partly because the newbie wants to be tough but also wants to learn. Deadshot abuses this character’s desire to be great by being a total dick to him. The foundation of this relationship is also interesting to watch due to the cliffhanger which will most assuredly force them to fight it out. Buccellato delivers a satisfying intro to the character, two great action sequences and compelling character dynamics. That’s a win in my book.

The Katana story also looks quite nice with solid art by Diogenes Neves. This one isn’t as dark and moody and uses more speed lines to heighten moments. There’s also a full page spread that is divided by Katana’s…katana that is positively haunting as she shows the spirits in her blade.

It can’t be perfect can it?

The Katana story is a bit run-of-the-mill with the dictatorship villain and the reluctant villain-turned-hero being heroic schtick. Since Katana is on her own there isn’t much of an opportunity to flesh her out. She’s a cold and silenced killer and that hurts the enjoyability. Seeing as it’s not nonstop action it feels like exposition more than anything else. There’s also a very random moment where Katana picks up a cat that I found baffling. There’s a line from the villain calling her a “harmless cat” later on, but if we had to have two panels of Katana picking up a cat to set up that rather pointless line I cry foul on that!

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 Review
Badass.

Is It Good?

Two stories that do well to entertain. One may be stronger than the other as Bloodshot is drawn very well with everything you want in a story, but Katana is a nice time too—just much more vapid.

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