Comic Review: Suicide Squad (2019-) #11

Suicide Squad #11

DC Comics

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Bruno Redondo & Adriano Lucas

The finale of Tom Taylor’s Suicide Squad maxi-series is here! The ex-members of The Suicide Squad are working to stop Black Mask as well as wrapping up loose ends. The action here feels a little rushed, but the resolution is wonderfully done. With this issue, Tom Taylor says goodbye to Suicide Squad, but it’s clear that he has more plans for The Revolutionaries on the horizon.

The cold opening of this issue reveals that Jog, the French speedster that died back in Suicide Squad #5, has risen back from the dead! Plot-wise, Jog ends up becoming a deus ex machina, and a very rushed one at that. I wasn’t a big fan of how sudden he was re-introduced and how fast he came to the team’s aid, but there’s a bigger factor in this that I’m more interested in. It becomes clear that Jog is more significant and more powerful than he seems, and although there isn’t time to explore it now, I hope it’s a story that is focused on more in another series.

With the day being saved pretty fast, the rest of the pages allow for a proper resolution and conclusion for the series. This is where the comic really shines. The characters have all formed a strong bond throughout the series, and I feel a strong connection to a lot of them. There are some nice, quiet moments near the end of this that were very much needed, and I’m glad that they were included. Afterward, one last bit of fun is had with the crew, showing how truly fun and exciting this pairing is and how much they deserve to show up in something again.

The art in this issue is just as great as the rest of the series. I love the way Black Rider is drawn in the opening pages with bold, harsh shadows. The particles and action lines surrounding the climax of the story make it very colorful and exciting, rather than a generic explosion would look. Great visual gags are executed really well, and there’s even more emotion coming from characters than usual. The Revolutionaries all have greatly-varied and recognizable designs that give them each a sense of individuality and identity. I think The Revolutionaries have everything they need to become a successful DC superhero team, and the art solidifies that.

Looking back on this series, I realize that it’s not really much of a Suicide Squad story. I believe that this was always meant to be the launchpad for Tom Taylor’s new group of heroes: The Revolutionaries. I have not read any other Suicide Squad comics, and as such, I appreciate this story for what it was. For hardcore Suicide Squad fans, however, this may come across as more of a bait-and-switch. The story we got instead is still exciting and engaging, so I have no complaints.

So, as it stands, The Suicide Squad is no more. We now have a new, fully-introduced superhero team that I already have a strong connection to. I expect to see The Revolutionaries in more stories to come. However, I don’t expect a lot of the major changes to stay permanent. I’m sure that soon enough Waller will be back in command. Deadshot will probably return with Harley and a new set of bad guys. Then, the title will be relaunched just in time for the release of James Gunn’s movie. Until then, we have The Revolutionaries!

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