SUICIDE SQUAD

no.6

Writer: Kieth Giffen

Penciller: Paco Medina

Inker: Sanchez (if he wants me to know his first name, he should insist on it being used in the credits.)

      Here we are, six issues in and I don't find my opinions being changed. Giffen's not entertaining me much with his version of snappy banter - clipped, attitude-drenched phrases - and the Medina/Sanchez artwork is barely tolerable; aside from barely-restrained breasts, everything's ugly. When my best thought about a creative team is "at least they're not assigned to something I was enjoying" it's not a good thing.

      On the plus side, .. there's a plus side in here somewhere, isn't there? I mean, besides my so far only having pre-ordered this through #8 so I don't have much more to plod through?

       The return of Deadshot to the group is something of a plus - at least here we have somone who wants to die. This issue's mission - to send the squad into a city operating either on magic or a superscience, that's given an ultimatum to the world concerning a "covenant" - makes more sense than the previous mission to take out the killer ants did. So, that's two moderately good things.

     I'm to the point where I'm wondering if it's only the die-hard Kieth Giffen fans who are enjoying this series. I know I'd enjoy it more with more attractive artwork, but would that be enough? Maybe a little more time spent on why each of the people have volunteered. We know what Deadshot wants, and we've had some background on Major Disaster, but... I need something to get me interested in these characters, and so far I'm not getting any of it. Deadshopt, Killer Frost, even Major Disaster - not to mention what might be done with Blackstarr & Reactron - this should be both engaging and fun, but it's not. It's difficult to take so many self-appointed hardasses' attitudes in stride when they've given me nothing to connect with. The only parts I found myself enjoying were the scenes at the White House (Lex Luthor and Amanda Waller) and the pages with Deadshot. Rock and his whole behind the scenes team - they're the ones I want to see go on a suicide mission and never return. What loads they are. Kill some of them off and I'll stick around a little longer.

    In writing all this I know there have to be people enjoying this series -we can't all just be giving it a try, can we? - and I'm very interested in finding out why. I imagine there could be a die-hard DC universe fascination for some. Suicide Squad remains a teriffic premise, after all, but I simply don't see it being used well here.

     Comments? Drop me a line or post something for all to see on the messageboard.

                                                                                                                                          ---Mike Norton