Suicide Squad #4 Review and **SPOILERS**

Bring ‘Em Home Safely. Or Not.

Writer: Rob Williams

Penciller: Jim Lee
Inkers: Scott Williams, Sandra Hope, Jonathan Glapion, Trevor Scott
Colorists: Alex Sinclair and Hi-Fi
Back-Up Artist: Gary Frank
Back-Up Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: Lee, Williams and Sinclair
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: October 12, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I left my Zod

In a Russian prison

In a special cell

Beneath the sea

He’s in there, waiting all alone

Within a sphere of Phantom Zone

How does that work? Is it for show?

Damned if I know

When I get home, to Zod

My bad Kryptonian

We’re gonna rip everyone

A new hole

-       F. Sinatra

Explain It!

Over in an undersea Siberian prison, the Suicide Squad, plus Hack but minus Captain Boomerang, are trying to corral General Zod, while the prison’s meta-human team the Annihilation Brigade are also attacking everyone that isn’t them. Let’s meet the Brigade, shall we? There’s Tunguska, who is sort of like an Atomic Skull that shoots lightning from his finger guns. Tankograd, a big monster in an eye patch wearing power armor from the Fallout 4 video game. Gulag, a cloaked fella that reminds me of Orko from He-Man. And Cosmonut, an awesome dude in a space suit with a mallet for a head. Is Cosmonut going to join the Suicide Squad? Please please pretty please??? There’s also some kind of a blue ghost lady made of glowing tendrils, but I didn’t catch her name. Back at Belle Reve, Harcourt and Amanda Waller watch the Squad get tossed around, and have the usual conversation about expendability.

While Deadshot holds off the Annihilation Brigade, Zod is still running rampant, throwing people around like confetti. He grabs June Moon and is about to reduce her to sticky paste, but Killer Croc intervenes because she’s nice. He bits down on Zod’s arm, and starts to devour it whole like a duck eats crusts of bread. Zod pounds repeatedly on Croc’s face until he lets go, then Zod chucks Croc away which seems to be his signature move.

Tunguska continues to fire energy lightning blasts at Deadshot and Harley, while Cosmonut, to my frustration and indignation, does nothing. Just then, Killer Croc comes sailing by and bowls over the Annihilation Brigade like…well, bowling pins. This leaves only Zod to contend with, so Hack does some confusing stuff that restores the Phantom Zone sphere from which Zod was freed, and Rick Flag kicks him back into it. Then they teleport to Belle Reve. That was easy! Except for the part about almost dying. And Captain Boomerang actually dying.

The back-up is a really well-drawn story of Harley Quinn’s first mission with the Suicide Squad, which is really a test of her loyalty. Flag takes Harley and some nameless fodder to secure some Joker toxin stashed aboard an old bomber, but upon arrival a trap is sprung and everyone is infected—save for Harley, who is immune. Well, somewhat immune, that is—seems like the gas is making her hallucinate the Joker taunting her, while Flag’s military men try to kill Harley Quinn with chainsaws. Harley dispatches a couple of them, but almost gets shot by a shotgun! Luckily, Flag takes the bullet for her before succumbing to the toxin himself. Harley knocks him out and drags him outside to wait for pickup, proving that she’s prepared to do the right thing, so long as it’s okay that she killed those other military dudes who were probably one day to being discharged.

I was getting a little tired of the team hanging around this secret Russian prison for so many issues—luckily, it seems to be over now, and that’s a good thing. These half-issues actually worked well to keep the story moving and very frenetic, while still providing a butt-load of detail and content. I would have liked to see more of the Annihilation Brigade—particularly Cosmonut!—but I expect we’ll see them down the line. The back-up was solid, maybe not as good as what was in the previous couple of issues, but good nonetheless. The back-up artwork is excellent. This has been one of the most consistent titles to have been Rebirthed, and I hope it can keep this pace going into the next arc!

Bits and Pieces:

The wacky Russian prison break (the prison is Russian, not the break) comes to a fairly satisfying conclusion, despite the new threat introduced at the end of the last issue turning out to be no threat at all. Members of the Squad have clearly paired up during this battle, and that's sure to lead to some intrigue in the future. Complete with a nicely-rendered back-up, this title continues to satisfy and impress...satisfy my bloodlust and impress young children with violence, that is! Lord bless it.

8/10