Suicide Squad #42 Review and **SPOILERS**

Union of the Snake

Writer: Rob Williams 

Pencils: Jose Luis 

Inks: Jordi Tarragona 

Colors: Adriano Lucas 

Letters: Pat Brosseau 

Cover: Guillem March and Wil Quintana

Assistant Editor: Andrew Marino

Editor: Mike Cotton 

Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: May 23, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Having made the choice not to have children, I can’t help but be suspicious of those that have. I mean, it’s categorically proven that dogs are better than children. So what are these people playing at? Worst of all, a lot of these folks would pervert justice and society just for the favor of their smelly offspring. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Suicide Squad #42, which I have reviewed right here!

Explain It!

There’s nothing people like more than to see unlikely bedfellows made partners. The Odd Couple, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, all movies that feature unlikely pairings of different people that end up working well in the end. Where Batman is concerned, you couldn’t find a character more diametrically opposed than Deadshot…actually, a real reversal of Batman’s character would be some inept, fat person with an emotionally-rewarding childhood. But it terms of what we know Batman to be about, Deadshot is the opposite of that. The characters are similar in that they have a sense of honor, and also that they come from rich families.

So when Batman and Deadshot head out to rescue Floyd’s daughter from Kobra, it works pretty danged well. The action kicks off immediately, when Bats and ‘Shot face-off against a large muscle-head in the midst of becoming a snake, which is a thing Kobra does now. While they fight, several other members of Kobra, also transformed into snake-people, rush out of a bar to assist. Batman insists that Deadshot not kill anyone—or he’s gone!—so Deadshot simply maims and cripples everyone with his hand-to-hand combat and sharp shooting. This is fine, because Batman also maims and cripples the big man, who reveals the location of Kobra’s hideout. I enjoyed this scene, and the employment of a nine-panel grid to show Deadshot’s precise tactics against groups of assailants. Nice storytelling, that.

At Kobra’s underground lair, which essentially looks like the cultists’ place from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Deadshot’s daughter Zoe talks to a half-snake guy named Keenum. He thinks he’s the rightful heir to absorb the soul of the first member of Kobra, Jeffrey Franklin, and tries to kill Zoe so he’ll be the only choice left. Zoe knows a few tricks from her father, though, and kicks his ass while stuck behind bars. Elsewhere, Waller’s sent the rest of the Suicide Squad, which is now Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and Captain Cold, to track down Deadshot and Batman—Batman, primarily, since she’s salty about him having broken into Belle Reve (twice.) The Suicide Squad might want to re-think their task, however, because Batman and Deadshot have been side-lined—by a gigantic, Godzilla-sized cobra! Presumably from Kobra!

I had the most fun with this issue than I’ve had with this series in a while. I think much of it is owed to the fact that almost every character was useful to the story, or at least had something pertinent to do. Also, the pairing of Batman and Deadshot turns out to be quite cool. I am curious to see where this is going, which is about the best you can expect from any comic book. Well, technically a movie option is the best, but Suicide Squad already had theirs.

Bits and Pieces:

Some sweet action and new developments with the Kobra crew (krew?) makes for a good time reading. Plus a membership shake-up for Suicide Squad, finally? Color me excited.

8/10