weekly collection reviews part 7

[victorxd1999]

Previous parts:
part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6

Welcome back folks!
This week's spotlight will go to one of my personal faves, Suicide Squad Trial by Fire. It's a paperback which collects Suicide squad vol 1 (by Ostrander) #1-8 and their Secret Origins issue.


Now, I haven't always been a fan of Ostrander, which is because I never heard of him. I picked this up on a whim and it made me a life long fan of him. Ostrander is the most underrated writer of the 80s/90s. His works on Spectre, Firestorm, Martian Manhunter, Heroes for hire, Hawkman and Suicide squad are unrivalled and almost all one of the best runs the title has seen.

But enough about the writer, let's talk Suicide squad! This is the first incarnation of the now prominent title and both the history of the team and the then current incarnation are explained in this volume. The team, lead by Rick Flag and featuring Deadshot, Enchantress, Bronze tiger, Captain Boomerang and more, is the shade of grey required for freedom. They take on missions too dangerous for anyone else, and they make for great stories. Normally I prefer modern stories to older ones, hence why I don't like much from the 80s and even less from before that. But there are exceptions, and this one is part of it. This book feels very modern. The characters are very interesting and you understand what they do and why. You see them evolve, both in a negative way and a positive way. You see the ways Waller treats the team and how it works. You get a very realistic take on superheroism. This book has interesting plits but like I said before, this book thrives in characterization. Boomerang is a jerk, and you love him for that. Deadshot is cool blooded with nothing too lose, and you get him. The Enchantress is always fighting against her evil, and you care about that (I won't spoil a lot but the best scenes are those where Enchantress is struggling against herself)


I recommend this book to all Ostrander fans (his best work together with Spectre), all Suicide squad fans who want to see how it started, fans of Thunderbolts and fans who enjoy modern feeling older comics

Have you read this book or want to read this? Sound off below

[Diamond]

Ostrander's books are still on my "must read before dying" list, especially Suicide Squad, but they were only available as reduced size TPBs. Now that DC's finally collecting them, I have no money left.

[Balakin]

Ostrander's books are still on my "must read before dying" list, especially Suicide Squad, but they were only available as reduced size TPBs. Now that DC's finally collecting them, I have no money left.

haha, same here!

[victorxd1999]

Same! I'm happy enough they are being collected. Still hoping for Firestorm and Hawkworld (Marvel starting his Heroes for hire wouldn't hurt either)