Showcase Presents: Suicide Squad

by Robert Greenberger

When the Suicide Squad debuted in early 1987, the era of grim and gritty comics had been embraced by DC and Marvel. Readers seemed ready for stories that explored the dark underbelly of superheroes and this series took them places previous unvisited around the DC Universe. The series remains a much beloved project from that time and it is being celebrated with Showcase Presents: Suicide Squad, collecting the first 19 issues along with the Doom Patrol/Suicide Squad Special and the crossover issue of Justice League International.

John Ostrander was new to DC, a playwright turned comic book writer coming over from First Comics where he had proven to have a great ear for dialogue and a good sense of character. He was plotting Legends and was hoping to write a series spinning out of the company crossover. As project editor, I sat with John or chatted by phone at length and slowly, the notion of heroes and villains working together, performing impossible missions coalesced.

If anything, John brought politics to the DC Universe post-Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Squad was a branch of the federal government, overseen by the imposing Amanda Waller who defended them to the highest echelons of Washington. The team was being sent into another land to do dirty work that could have ignited a diplomatic incident or worse, a war.

By maiming one of the villains in the first escapade, it was made clear the stakes were for real. And yes, it was Slipknot, and we killed Mindboggler – C-list villains, but it served notice that the anything could and would happen. So when higher profile characters appeared for missions, readers were left to wonder what might happen.

Johns’ next great touch was in characterization. Waller was a force of nature but he also shaded the Squad members, explaining why heroes like Bronze Tiger and Nightshade would be willing to work with reprobates such as Captain Boomerang (who turned out be viler and nastier than even we imagined). We saw Boomerang masquerade as Mirror Master so he could still commit crimes because he couldn’t resist. And then there was the long-running subplot with the cream pies – never let it be said John didn’t have a sense of humor.

Finally, John created one of the richest and most varied supporting casts ever introduced at the outset of a series. By setting the team within Belle Reve prison, we staffed it with a colorful bunch so the Squad had people to interact with and they gave the book a rich feel.

This was grim stuff, and gritty to watch so it needed a street-level action artist. Luke McDonnell was just coming off Justice League of America so I snatched him and he delighted in designing the prison, the supporting cast, and technology we needed. He was game for setting the stories anywhere from Qurac to the Nightshade dimension. Adding a slick patina to the art was Karl Kesel followed by Bob Lewis, and they gave the series a strong visual  identity.

There’s a reason the Squad has endured and been used time and again. There’s a reason Amanda Waller continues to be used throughout the DC Universe (and used on Justice League Unlimited and Smallville – heck, she has her own action figure!). Here’s a great opportunity to find out why I continue to name this book one of my proudest editorial achievements during my time at DC.