The Suicide Squad get a fresh start.
Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 is a solid introduction to the franchise, delivered at the exact moment when DC should be targeting new readers. This issue may not may not put a new spin on the team or characters like Amanda Waller, but as rocky as the Suicide Squad comics have been in recent years, it's enough to simply know that DC is getting back to basics.
Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 could almost serve as a total reboot for the franchise. Vague allusions are made to the team's prior history as Amanda Waller is brought in to answer for her questionable actions, but the focus is largely on establishing the team's role within the DCU and forming a new squad that will eventually mirror the cast of the new movie. Writer Rob Williams focuses the lion's share of his attention on Waller and Rick Flag, two warring sides of the coin that will lead the team into the Rebirth era. Williams makes it clear that Waller's aggressive pragmatism and Flag's unbreakable devotion to honor and duty will form the backbone of the conflict in the new series, and that bodes well for the future.
There's something to be said for the simple fact that Waller is depicted in classic, pre-New 52 fashion again. Slimming down a character whose bulk and sheer talent for physical intimidation were an essential part of her appeal was a huge mistake on DC's part. Now Waller finally looks like "The Wall" again. In general, Philip Tan is an apt fit for the series. His Jim Lee-influenced character designs are certainly easy on the eyes (and will help maintain stylistic cohesion as he and Lee tackle upcoming storylines), but there a certain darkness and grungy texture to Tan's line-work that makes him well-suited for the Suicide Squad. Tan's facial work isn't the most varied, however, with many characters sporting similarly bland grimaces. That's especially a problem with a hyperactive character like Harley Quinn.
The art in this issue also suffers a bit from the presence of three inkers. Jonathan Glapion, Scott Hanna and Sandu Florea are all plenty talented, but thrown together into one issue their styles tend to clash. Hanna's smoother, thinner blacks don't gel with Glapion's thicker, more jagged work. Hopefully this isn't a problem that will carry over to the main series, though Suicide Squad would hardly be the fist Rebirth title to deal with inconsistent art.
No, Suicide Squad Rebirth #1 doesn't offer much that seasoned readers haven't already seen before. Nor dos it place much emphasis on the actual team. But it does manage to wipe away the bad taste of the previous two books and give the franchise the mulligan it needed. Taken alongside the recent Harley Quinn & The Suicide Squad Valentines Day Special #1, it appears that the team is in better hands now.
The Verdict
Based on the critical response to DC's Suicide Squad movie, fans might be better off skipping the theater and picking up this comic instead. It's not exactly groundbreaking storytelling, but it does offer a clean, easy gateway and an enjoyable depiction of the Amanda Waller/Rick Flag rivalry. It suggests that better days are in store for this troubled franchise.
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