New Suicide Squad #5 Review

Written by: Sean Ryan
Art by: Tom Derenick and Rob Hunter
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: December 10, 2014

Like I Got This Music in My Mind

I have been a fan of the New Suicide Squad to the point of liking Sean Ryan's writing despite a team I'm not crazy about.  I guess I'm not the only one who feels that way including Ryan, I would guess, because after four issues, we are getting an (almost) new team.  Out with Deadshot and Joker's Daughter (yea!) and in with Captain Boomerang, Ninja Manbats and Reverse Flash.  Sounds good to me.



The issue opens up with a quick segment that sets up the new arc.  It looks like China is manufacturing their own superhero army.  Me and you know that never works out, but I guess that news never reached China.  We then leave the Great Wall to pay a visit to THE Wall.

Amanda Waller is going through her morning routine and we get to see almost everything.  It gets pretty damn personal and left me kind of sad.  Ms. Waller leads a pretty lonely life.  Of course, when she gets to work she assumes the role...all business.  Her business is getting the Suicide Squad in shape and kicking ass and thankfully she's fully in charge because Vic Sage is in D.C. begging for the "blow up the heads" codes.  The Wall is back on top.

If you are a fan of Deadshot, the next scene will upset you.  After the disaster of that last mission, Lawton is busy in physical therapy.  He may think he's close to be ready, but Waller declares him "broken".  I'm sure he'll be back in action, but not right now.  There's a new Squad in town.

I really liked everything Sean Ryan did with Amanda Waller this month.  In the first few issues she just came off as a screaming jerk, but her he humanizes her a bit.  Her work is her life, because she doesn't have much of a life.  Poor Amanda.  That's all well and good, but everyone who buys Suicide Squad probably want to see the...Suicide Squad.

I really like this team and love how Sean Ryan introduces them.  On route to their next mission, Captain Boomerang gives Black Manta a little advice about Squad membership, while Harley listens to the voices in her head.  Today the voices sound like Taylor Swift.  Hilarious.  My favorite members?  The quiet Manbats standing in the background.  I never have liked the Manbats, but seeing them standing so stoically, not knowing they are just a near endless supply of cannon fodder made me laugh.  My laughing turned to cheers when I saw them kicking ass and severing heads.  In fact, the whole team kicked ass.

Sean Ryan uses this first mission to show the powersets of the new members and the interaction between the team and Waller.  It is really well done and ends with the Squad face-to-face with whatever the Hell those Chinese guys were cooking up in the beginning of the issue.  I don't care what they said, these things don't look perfect to me.  I really enjoyed this issue.  It's a soft reboot of sorts, but Sean Ryan does it in such a natural way.  Nothing seems forced at all.

With all that said, I was not a fan of Rob Hunter's art at all.  It was inconsistent at best and just plain bad at it's worst.  I have a little thing with Characters maintaining a consistent look throughout the issue.  Call me crazy, but Hunter doesn't seem to care about such nonsense.  Harley is the worst offender.  I do love Juan Ferreyra's cover which may be my favorite of the year.

Bits and Pieces:

I really liked Sean Ryan's soft reboot of this book.  He got rid of everything that didn't work and replaced it with something awesome.  Next he should get rid of Rob Hunter's art and we may have something really special here.  If you want a team book with an edge, look past the art this month and you'll find a winner.

7.8/10