Comic Review: Suicide Squad (2019-) #8

Suicide Squad (2019-) #8

DC Comics

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Daniel Sampere & Adriano Lucas

While the ex-members of The Suicide Squad plan their next move in taking down Task Force X, secrets of the past emerge. The origin story of The Aerie is revealed, and it ends up being really sweet. While serving as a good story on its own, it may be more connected to the villain’s plot than the characters realize.

In the previous issue of this series, character and depth were added to Deadshot. This issue gives The Aerie the same attention and service that Deadshot got. While Deadshot has been a known character in DC Comics for quite some time, The Aerie was just introduced in this run. They are still new, so giving them some focus really helps establish them as part of the universe. From the very start of this run, The Aerie and Wink became fan favorites. The couple was even included in one of Tom Taylor’s other series: DCeased: Hope at Word’s End. I can’t tell if Taylor always planned on dedicating an issue to The Aerie’s backstory or if it’s simply fan-service, but either way, I appreciate it.

This issue answers the biggest questions fans had about The Aerie, mainly how they came to be and how they met Wink. It’s a pretty basic story, but the relationship between Aerie and Wink keeps it engaging. There is a lot of dialogue between them in this issue, and it is really sweet seeing how they first met. Wink is instantly shy and awkward around Aerie, but they quickly form a bond as they keep each other company in the terrible institution that they’re in.

The artwork in this issue really elevates the romance between Aerie and Wink throughout their origin story. Their facial expressions and awkward poses make it clear how they feel about each other. Even if there wasn’t any dialogue, the way they stand and the looks they give each other really show their affection. The place that they are locked up in is cold and dark, which is a great contrast to the tender moments they share with each other. Something I have admired throughout this entire run is the use of light rays. Since Aerie has wings, there are scenes where they are flying and the light rays shine off their wings wonderfully.

Aerie and Wink are an incredibly cute couple, and fans of this series are really enjoying their characters. I feel a stronger connection to these characters now and I’m crossing my fingers that they survive to the end (in a Suicide Squad comic, it’s a real concern). I hope to see them appear in more DC content once this run finishes.

Click For More Comic Book Reviews

Read Suicide Squad (2019-) #8 on Comixology