Suicide Squad #14 Review and **SPOILERS**

Better Together

Writer: Rob Williams 

Penciller: John Romita Jr. 

Inker: Richard Friend 

Colorist: Dean White 

Cover: Romita, Friend & White 

Back-up Penciller: Eddy Barrows 

Back-up Inker: Eber Ferreira 

Back-up Colorist: Adriano Lucas 

Letterer: Pat Brosseau 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: March 22, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I would like to suggest something radical that could change the nature of many comic books coming from the DC offices these days: superheroes do what they do, in part, because it is fun. They enjoy it. They may be motivated by a death in the family, or guilt, or a youth spent at the 4H Club, but ultimately they zap things with hand blasters because it’s a good time. And villains are the same way. You think it’s expedient for the Riddler to set up those complicated, oversized death traps just to rob a museum? His net profit must be less than five percent—and that’s if he pulls off the heist, which is unlikely. Anyway, I’d really like to see some of this so-called fun employed in this title. Everyone is such a sad sack all the time, tasked with responsibility and misery and bitter feelings, when really they could be reveling in the fact that they can employ their bizarre talents on the government’s dime. Then again, they haven’t gone anywhere outside of New Orleans for like nine fucking issues, so maybe resentment has set in. You know when I’m reviewing the comic book at hand in the introduction, things are about to get heated! Strap in for a potentially incendiary review of Suicide Squad #14, right here!

Explain It!

So Hack is dead. Seemingly. We did see her going slightly digital as she was stabbed by Captain Boomerang at the end of the last issue, so I have a feeling we’ll see her again. But for the time being, Hack ain’t jack. This makes Harley Quinn really pissed off because Hack was totally fangirling over her a few issues ago, and last issue they shared some kind of touching exchange that actually impelled Hack to return to Belle Reve and ultimately get stabbed by Captain Boomerang. After she accused Harcourt of being the mole, and presumably Harcourt saw it happen. So…she’s a mole too, I guess? When a full quarter of your team is working for the enemy, you really have to question its effectiveness.

Speaking of the enemy, as it were, Rustam is destroying Washington D.C.? Is this a thing I’m really seeing without the intervention of any other superheroes? Superman wouldn’t show up for this? Rick Flag and Katana are in chains, being led around to watch the carnage for some sadistic reason that I don’t comprehend. Then they all step into a portal because why the fuck not, it’s not like anything makes sense in this comic book anymore.

See, you want to have your cohesive comic book universe, but then you keep levying massive threats and disasters against our protagonists and don’t take the time to explain the reactions of other characters that are supposed to populate the same space. Since they’ve been in Louisiana for like nine issues, have Swamp Thing drop by. Anyway, Harley goes all berserk over Hack, then she uses the Suicide Squad Deactivated Brain Bomb Closed Address System to tell the gang to get back together. Boomerang is at a bar having a drink and crying, which will be important in the back-up.

Then Harley steals a jet and flies to Qurac, which is where Team Rustam emerges from their portal. There’s a scuffle, Deadshot shoots Harley, etc. In the back-up, Captain Boomerang challenges Killer Croc to a fight because he’s suicidal over having killed Hack and betrayed the Squad. Enchantress convinces him that heroics are better than self-loathing, so they head over to Qurac somehow and rush out to meet Rustam’s Boyz who now also include…Amanda Waller!

So she’s not dead, so there are even less stakes to this story than previously thought. It’s just become very lame, and I’m really getting bored of everyone farting around just so we can return to the same point that we left. For what it’s worth, I think John Romita Jr.’s art was better in this issue than in the previous two, though it had some problems. Eddy Barrow’s art looks pretty spectacular, particularly in comparison. Not worth three bucks, though.

Bits and Pieces:

The story meanders along slowly despite cataclysmic events happening in the background. Looks like most everything will snap back to start soon enough, lowering the stakes to nothing at all. It's tough to root for any characters in this book. Eddy Barrows art, however, is terrific.

3.5/10