Heroes in the Suicide Squad

[OptimusPrime114]

Were there any actual heroes within any past or present Suicide Squad rosters? I'm not talking about the villains or anti-heroes "recruited" by Amanda Waller, but actual heroes.

[Nomads1]

During John Ostrander's 80's run, you had some. True, many could be considered anti-heroes, or vigilantes, such as Nemesis, Nightshade, Bronze Tiger, Black Orchid, etc... Even Rac Shade, the Changing Man, though a cop, and a stand up guy, was a framed man and an outlaw, and as such considered just another crook by his colleagues in the team. However, Vixen was a member in good standing of the Suicide Squad for quite some time. And she had been, and has since been again, a member of the Justice League, and I don't think you get more of a hero than that.

Peace

[Thor-Ul]

Barbara Gordon became Oracle in the Suicide Squad.

[Rac7d*]

Katana both I’m the comics and movies

[The Cool Thatguy]

Not nearly enough, these days.

It's like writers have forgotten how to contrast characters

[JackDaw]

In the original run Rick Flag and Amanda Waller (I understand she is written differently now).

[exile001]

Amanda Waller (I understand she is written differently now).

You can say that again, she used to be a highly complex and nuanced character who hid her massive heart behind a "wall" of coldness and determination. She was a politician with excellent people skills, both in management and in manipulation, who genuinely came to care about the villains she managed (at least to the point of not actively wishing them dead).

Now, she's just a supervillain, little different than Max Lord and even before that her New 52 incarnation was just queen bitch.

We need more skilled writers in comics.

[Frontier]

You can say that again, she used to be a highly complex and nuanced character who hid her massive heart behind a "wall" of coldness and determination. She was a politician with excellent people skills, both in management and in manipulation, who genuinely came to care about the villains she managed (at least to the point of not actively wishing them dead).

Now, she's just a supervillain, little different than Max Lord and even before that her New 52 incarnation was just queen bitch.

We need more skilled writers in comics.

Writers just don't understand nuance anymore.

[JLH]

You can say that again, she used to be a highly complex and nuanced character who hid her massive heart behind a "wall" of coldness and determination. She was a politician with excellent people skills, both in management and in manipulation, who genuinely came to care about the villains she managed (at least to the point of not actively wishing them dead).

Now, she's just a supervillain, little different than Max Lord and even before that her New 52 incarnation was just queen bitch.

We need more skilled writers in comics.

Spot on! She had such depth pre-New52, and it disgusted me when she was made into practically a super-model who wouldn't stand out in the crowd if she was standing on her head. I'm hoping we find out the current Wall is from another Earth and we get the "real" one back...

[Riv86672]

Several Force of July members served w. the Squad.

Peacemaker’s been a member, along with -a- Superboy.

I like having heroes (even nominal ones like those I just mentioned) on the Squad. It makes sense to have some sort of command and control over a such a potentially volatile team.

[j9ac9k]

Mark Shaw Manhunter was a nice fit and can be again after becoming a villain. I mean, I guess - what the hell happened with him as Leviathan? I stopped following because Bendis.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Mark Shaw Manhunter was a nice fit and can be again after becoming a villain. I mean, I guess - what the hell happened with him as Leviathan? I stopped following because Bendis.

No idea. I don't think they ever explained why he did what he did, or how he did what he did, or what his long term agenda was.

Basic Bendis, really.

[exile001]

Mark Shaw Manhunter was a nice fit and can be again after becoming a villain. I mean, I guess - what the hell happened with him as Leviathan? I stopped following because Bendis.

No idea. I don't think they ever explained why he did what he did, or how he did what he did, or what his long term agenda was.

Basic Bendis, really.

Basically, he kept building his nation and big technology thing because reasons, then was suddenly and easily killed by another Talia heel turn (that went ignored). I think it was later offhandedly mentioned that she dismantled the whole thing offscreen.

What a wasted of everyone's time, effort, attention and money.

The saddest thing was I got genuinely invested until Event Leviathan had no ending, typical Bendis. By the time Checkmate rolled around (which I still bought and liked) it was clear DC had moved on from whatever Bendis was doing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bendis at DC must be one of the most fascinating behind the scenes stories in recent history and I'd love to have a few hours and have him, and Didio separately, to get their versions of it.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Basically, he kept building his nation and big technology thing because reasons, then was suddenly and easily killed by another Talia heel turn (that went ignored). I think it was later offhandedly mentioned that she dismantled the whole thing offscreen.

What a wasted of everyone's time, effort, attention and money.

The saddest thing was I got genuinely invested until Event Leviathan had no ending, typical Bendis. By the time Checkmate rolled around (which I still bought and liked) it was clear DC had moved on from whatever Bendis was doing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bendis at DC must be one of the most fascinating behind the scenes stories in recent history and I'd love to have a few hours and have him, and Didio separately, to get their versions of it.

"Why aren't more people reading comics?"

Also: "I know, lets wipe away the entire restructuring of the espionage characters, over 20 issues, in a few pages."

I still blame Bendis, because IMO he has utterly no idea how to execute his stories, but the editors shoulda done something

[exile001]

I still blame Bendis, because IMO he has utterly no idea how to execute his stories, but the editors shoulda done something

I definitely think he has no idea how to end them, or gets distracted by the next thing he's thought up (Johns is exactly the same in many regards).

But yeah, with Bendis you never know if the concept is actually going anywhere or is just a vague idea with no actual story or payoff to speak of (Secret invasion is the prefect example).

Then again, it is the editor's job to reign those tendencies in.