New Suicide Squad #7 Review

Written by: Sean Ryan
Art by: Tom Derenick, Rob Hunter and Vicente Cifuentes
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 11, 2015

Lost in the Supermarket

I had been a supporter of Sean Ryan's New Suicide Squad...at first.  It has definitely been a work in progress with a rotating squad that is going to change again in June. Rotating characters aren't the problem, however.  I actually like the idea of new villains jumping in when things get a little stale...it got rid of Joker's Daughter, right?  No, the problem with the New Suicide Squad has been a story that doesn't seem to have any weight to it and is content to just tread water.  Does that trend continue this month?  Let's take a look.




The issue opens up with a sad peek at Deadshot in Belle Reve (or Bette Reve as it said in my digital copy...what's up with that?!?) that didn't do anything for me except make me wonder "why".  I haven't cared one bit about Deadshot being sidelined in this arc, but I wouldn't mind him being Waller's right hand man come June.  I guess we'll have to wait and see on that because it's off to China to catch up with the Squad.

They are traveling in their A-Team van, looking for the clone that survived last issue.  We'll call him "Starman".  In the best part of the issue, they end up in a replica of Metropolis that Manta explains is one of many ghost towns scattered throughout China.  Starman is there and a huge battle kicks off and continues through a supermarket and streets and ends up with Reverse Flash hurt (again), Black Manta telling us about his complicated relationship with Aquaman (again) and Man Bat missing his head.  At least that part is new.  We also get some character development with Starman.

When the Chinese Army shows up and forces their control on their "failed" experiment, he join the NFL and shouts out "No More".  I guess his mask was a mind control device because the moment he rips it off, he is calm and controlled...and the target of every Chinese tank in the area.  They blast him through the faux Daily Planet and the aftermath has him and the Suicide Squad in grave danger.

This issue is full of action, but again, it just falls flat.  While we get some character building with Starman, he is far from a great villain.  The character flip at the end looks to put the Chinese Government as the real villains and that has me yawing as well.  I hope June brings a worthy villain as well as a new team.

The art is just okay this month.  It was a bit pencil heavy at times and I haven't liked Harley's character model since Jeremy Roberts left, but I did like Starman and the Metropolis backdrop.  It is kind of like the book itself, good at times, but mainly just mediocre.

Bits and Pieces:

This book is in desperate need of an overhaul.  The story has gone nowhere and because of that, the team just feels stale.  Luckily, it was announced that a new Squad is hitting shelves in June, because IU can't take much more of this.  I can't say I'm excited about the last issue with Manta, Harley and the gang next month, because what we've gotten with them so far has felt like a big missed opportunity.

5.0/10