*Warning: Review May Contain Spoilers!
Things get rolling quite quickly in Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 with President Obama threatening to shut down Task Force X. Apparently a super secretive team full of villains and loose cannons with no real oversight doesn’t sit well with the President and it’s up to Amanda Waller to set things straight. Waller is a badass and her handling of the President and Task Force X prove her worth as Director of the ultra covert program.
The very existence of the Suicide Squad brings up the question of what measures need to be undertaken to keep people safe. Combine that with threats in locations across the globe that could destabilize the political integrity of the country and the raison d’etre for the team is established. It doesn’t take long for the action to begin as Waller moves to put the final touches on her volatile team.
To help keep a lid on things, Waller reaches out to Colonel Rick Flag who has been hidden away deep within Guantanamo Bay for disobeying orders. His act of treason has angered the wrong people and it’s not until Waller needs him that he’s given a shot at freedom. For silver age readers there’s even a reference to Flag’s grandfather and the original Task Force X.
Task Force X are called into action to rescue a scientist named Mark Ljungberg who is being held captive in Mongolia and is under the watchful eye of an army of superhuman terrorists called The Dogra War. Ljungberg has created a meta-bomb that’s capable of turning average people into meta-humans and is also able to do the reverse.
Rob Williams does a good job of setting up the different personalities in the group that for the moment consists of Harley Quinn, Deadshot and Boomerang. The banter between the team members is light and in direct contrast to the sometimes bloody action that’s on the page. Williams’ script introduces some mystery surrounding the characters, particularly where Flag’s backstory is concerned. It’ll be interesting to see how much that angle will be developed in future issues.
Philip Tan’s gritty art style is a good match for the tone of the book. The only downside to the art is the fact it was inked by committee (Jonathan Glapion, Scott Hanna and Sandu Florea) and gives it an inconsistent feel. Despite that, Alex Sinclair’s colors are dynamic and really make the artwork pop.
Overall Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 is off to a good start. Well written with pleasing artwork, it’s a good jumping on point for readers who are unfamiliar with Task Force X. For long time fans it’s a solid return for the Squad complete with a nod to DC’s silver age past. With a new set of terrorists to fight and the potential for trouble all over the globe it appears that the Suicide Squad will be entertaining each step along the way.
