Today there is good and bad news for the world of comics, especially so for people like me: fans of the genius comics writer, J. Michael Straczynski. First, the bad news: J. Mike Strac, as I lovingly call him, is walking away from comics, according to Bleeding Cool. This man, this prodigious author, screenplay writer, and comics writer, responsible for some amazing comics stories and arcs over the last three decades, is calling it quits with the comics industry.
It is a VERY sad day for comics.
The good news is that two of his beloved properties are finally coming to the big and small screens. "Rising Stars,"tells the story of how 113 super-powered people, born after a mysterious light invades the Earth's atmosphere over a small town in Illinois, deal with the special powers that they were blessed or cursed with, and how those powers come into play on the face of the planet. "Rising Stars" is considered to be one of Straczynski's greatest works, and it spawned a series of spin-offs and even three novels. MGM, has optioned "Rising Stars" for film, according to Deadline. It will be great to finally see this work make the leap!
FUN FACT 1: A few years back, a TV show called, "The 4400" dazzled the airwaves with it's great sci-fi storyline, and excellent cast...And it had MANY (too many?) similarities to "Rising Stars" which had been written several years earlier.
In even more great news for comics fans, Bleeding Cool stated that JMS' "Midnight Nation," is in development under Universal, in conjunction with super-powered producer, Gale Ann Hurd, who has brought us several blockbuster films and TV shows, like the "Terminator" franchise, "Walking Dead" and it's spin-off series, "Fear the Walking Dead." With Hurd attached, this show is GOING to happen. "Midnight Nation" centers around police detective, David Grey, who is plunged into a shadow realm, and must go on perilous quest to find his lost soul. I cannot wait to see what Universal does with such a wonderful story.
Since I own the full runs of both "Rising Stars" and "Midnight Nation," I'll write more about them at a later date.
So, we bid a tear-eyed "adieu" to J. Michael Straczynski, and thank him for his many, many years of great comics stories, From Superman, to Spider-Man, to Twilight Zone and beyond; we hope to soon enjoy some of his astounding comics-based works on the big and small screens, and we wish him the very, very best of luck in his future endeavors.
Bye JMS. Love ya, man.
FUN FACT 2: JMS both created and developed the 90s sci-fi hit series, "Babylon 5," and he wrote over 90 of the scripts for the series of 110 shows. "Babylon 5" won two Emmy Awards and two Hugo Awards.
FUN FACT 3: JMS wrote his first animated script for "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." He was a fan of the cartoon, wrote a script and sent it to Filmation, the producers of the series. They loved the script, bought it and hired him.
FUN FACT 4: JMS co-wrote the stories for Marvel's 2011 Thor, and for the apocalyptic zombie thriller, World War Z.
**Thanks for reading. If you enjoy these articles, please follow me on Google Plus, or Facebook (Tex's Comics News and Reviews) for more fun articles that will boost your comic knowledge. Also, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends on Google Plus, Facebook or any site you like! You can also follow this blog directly. Thank you.
When it comes to no-nonsense, take-no-crap-from-anyone-type artists, at the top of the list, you'll find New Yorker, Howard Chaykin. Chaykin got his start in comics around the age of nineteen with an apprenticeship under one of the best comics artists to ever take up the pencil, Gil Kane. But Kane wasn't the only great to mentor him. Chaykin can boast the mentorship and influence of such greats as Syd Shores, Jack Abel, Wally Wood and Neal Adams.
Howard Chaykin was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1950, but due to the separation of his parents, ended up being raised a bit by his grandparents in Staten Island, NYC . As a youth, he moved around NYC, living in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and Queens. In 1969, he became a gofer and apprentice to Gil Kane, which in time would lead opportunities assisting Wally Wood in the shop he shared with Jack Abel and Syd Shores, and finally an apprenticeship under Neal Adams. Chaykin would publish his first professional art in 1971 in the military publication, "Overseas Weekly," and in 1972, he published his first work for DC Comics. Chaykin is most known as the man who took part in launching one of the most important and best-selling comics of the late 70s and early 80s,"Star Wars" vol 1, Marvel's adaptation of George Lucas' blockbuster film. Chaykin left the series to work on more adult and more complex comics titles (for smaller publishers), like "Star Reach," "Heavy Metal," and his masterpiece, "American Flagg," which I will write about at a later date - which is NOT for young readers. Chaykin also had a lucrative career in paperback book covers. However, Howard Chaykin has continued to work in mainstream comics, doing various works for both Marvel and DC.
Here is a piece that I own, done by the hand of Howard Chaykin:
Here's a panel that Chaykin did for the arc he did in "Punisher War Journal" vol 2, called "In the Blood." In this arc, a deranged guy named Ian is manipulated into impersonating the Punisher by Lynn Michaels (Lady Punisher). This piece is also signed by Howard Chaykin!
FUN FACT 1: Chaykin desires to push more mature, complex and experimental works into the realm of comic books. He has long been critical of the Marvel-Method of writing comics, and comic book writers' (not artists') lack of understanding of how to use the comic book page.
FUN FACT 2: Chaykin has stated that he considers his work on "Star Wars" vol 1 to be "the worst work of his life."
FUN FACT 3: Even though Chaykin considers "Star Wars" vol 1 his worst work, many consider it to be the comic that saved Marvel from bankruptcy. Marvel's sales were dwindling, and they needed a serious cash injection. "Star Wars" provided that. Poor DC Comics, unfortunately, had worse luck, and suffered the legendary DC Implosion of 1978.
FUN FACT 4: There is no denying that Chaykin is a stellar writer and artist, but he has been criticized because what he calls "mature and experimental" some people just call pornography. His series, Black Kiss, was banned by the UK, Canada, and Apple! I have to admit, even as a fan, there are Chaykin titles that I know to steer clear of.
FUN FACT 5: Chaykin also worked for Martin Goodman's now defunct Atlas/Seaboard comics. TEX LOVES ATLAS/SEABOARD! Anyway, he created a character there called The Scorpion. When Atlas/Seaboard and Chaykin didn't see eye-to-eye, Chaykin recycled The Scorpion into Marvel's Dominic Fortune.
FUN FACT 6: Chaykin says that Gil Kane is his greatest influence.
Say what you will, there's no denying Howard Chaykin's contributions to the comics industry - I am glad to own an art piece done by his hand.
**Thanks for reading. If you enjoy these articles, please follow me on Google Plus, or Facebook (Tex's Comics News and Reviews) for more fun articles that will boost your comic knowledge. Also, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends on Google Plus, Facebook or any site you like! You can also follow this blog directly. Thank you.
TEX here once again with that Suicide Squad info to make your neurons grow. :-)
In part I, part II, part III, and part IV (click provided links for previous episodes), of our journey into the origin and evolution of The Suicide Squad, we talked about their origin in 1959, their link to the Suicide Squadron that fought "The War That Time Forgot," the Flag family blood that ties the first two Suicide Squads together, and the coming of Amanda "The Wall" Waller. Today we will talk briefly about the less known volumes Suicide Squad, and then we'll bring it on home to the current iteration of The Suicide Squad!
Spinning out of DC's "Our Worlds At War" cross-over, Keith Giffen began writing Suicide Squad vol 2. He put his signature humorous spin on the Suicide Squad:
General Frank Rock (the WWII hero, SGT. Rock), was put in charge of this new team, dubbed Task Force Omega, along with his second-in-command, Bulldozer, from his days with Easy Company. The series was short-lived, and mainly significant for killing off Batman's old, familiar enemy, Cluemaster.
FUN FACT 1: President Lex Luthor, and Secretary of Metahuman Affairs, Amanda Waller, were calling the shots for this Suicide Squad.
FUN FACT 2: It was revealed at the end of this series that Frank Rock, and Bulldozer had died in 1945, implying that the two people who had been leading the team were impostors. As the series ended, this was never cleared up.
In 2007, John Ostrander returned to write for "Suicide Squad" vol 3, (advertised as "Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag") fifteen years after the end of his amazing run on vol 1. This eight-issue mini-series had some of that old magic, but didn't spark enough interest for the Suicide Squad to have it's own ongoing title. This series spun out of some issues of Checkmate vol 2, and the "Salvation Run"limited series. It is a great story detailing how Rick Flag, Jr. survived his apparent death, survived a stint on Skartaris, survived being prisoner of war for several years in Qurac, returned to The Suicide Squad, and then subdued General Eiling who had used psychological conditioning to control him.
FUN FACT 3: "Salvation Run" was based upon a pitch by "Game of Thrones" creator, George R.R. Martin.
It's my copy of "Suicide Squad" vol 4 #1, written by Adam Glass and illustrated by Federico Dallocchio. When DC Comics relaunched in 2011 with the New 52, The Suicide Squad got a much-needed, and very dynamic update. It centers around Amanda Waller's desire to create an expendable field team, after she was forced to kill one of her team who was injured in a mission that went sideways. She forces many of Belle Reve's death row inmates to perform in insane tasks and torture scenarios to evaluate their suitability to be members of her new Suicide Squad. Members are chosen, including, Harley Quinn, King Shark, and Black Spider, El Diablo and Deadshot - they are fitted with micro-bomb implants to ensure their continued cooperation. We also get the first appearance of of Savant (in the New 52) and Voltaic. The growing popularity of Harley Quinn bolstered The Suicide Squad in this series, making it a pretty solid seller for the thirty issues in which it ran.
Here is my copy of issue #6 of this series, in which The Suicide Squad tracks Harley Quinn to Gotham after she incites a prison riot at Belle Reve and escapes after hearing The Joker has been killed. This comic begins the two-part revelation of Harley Quinn's origin story through flashbacks. Adam Glass did a fine job of fleshing out Harley's origin in issues 6 and 7, delving into the insane connection she has with The Joker.
FUN FACT 5: Harley Quinn has gone through quite a metamorphosis since she first appeared in "Batman: The Animated Series" back in 1992 in an episode entitled, "Joker's Favor." She has gone from being a lovestruck idiot with little more than air between her ears, to a pretty capable, colorful anti-hero.
FUN FACT 6: Harley Quinn was never supposed to last. In "Joker's Favor," Paul Dini thought that it'd be weird to have The Joker pop out of a cake (something historically done by women) to take some cops hostage, therefore Dini created a female sidekick for The Joker inspired by a character in a dream sequence on a daytime soap opera. The character proved so popular that she eventually began to appear in comics, becoming more dangerous and wiley than she was in the cartoon series.
And finally....
It's my copy of "The New Suicide Squad" vol 1 #1, written by Sean Ryan and pencilled by Jeremy Roberts. This volume sees fan faves Harley Quinn and Deadshot teaming up with all new members, Deathstroke, Black Manta, and Duela Dent. With Amanda Waller being pushed aside for Vic Sage to take charge of the team, tensions flare on the team itself: Harley Quinn has serious issues with Duela Dent wearing The Joke's severed face, and calling herself The Joker's Daughter, and Deathstroke voices that he feels Deadshot has no place on the team now that he is a member of Task Force X.
FUN FACT 7: Making Vic Sage a corrupt bureaucrat in this issue, is problematic to fans of the original Question. Anyone who knows anything about The Question knows that he is obsessed with justice, and hates corruption with every fiber of his being. Corrupting Vic Sage, one of the most interesting and offbeat heroes in the DCU, is a WEIRD choice to make.
FUN FACT 8: Don't worry about Deadshot being a redundant member because of Deathstroke - Wilson betrays the team in issue #2.
FUN FACT 9: TEX is not happy that Bonze Tiger hasn't been back as a member of The Suicide Squad in recent years. Task Force X without Bronze Tiger, Deadshot or Rick Flag, Jr. is like a couch with no cushions - it can be comfortable, but not nearly as much as it would be with those dang cushions.
And that's just about all I know about The Suicide Squad, my friends! Just like you, I am excited to see Task Force X hit the big screen:
But this leads us into our FINAL Suicide Squad fun fact:
FUN FACT 10: The Suicide Squad has already made live-action appearances in "Smallville" season ten (revealed to be working for Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent's best friend), and in an episode titled "Suicide Squad" in season two of "Arrow." John Diggle, Oliver Queen's best friend, is a former member.
I hope you enjoyed this journey into the origin and evolution of The Suicide Squad as much as I have. I've tried to hit all the high points, but if you have more to add, or feel that I have missed something important, please feel free to shoot me some comments.
**Thanks for reading. If you enjoy these articles, please follow me on Google Plus, or Facebook (Tex's Comics News and Reviews) for more fun articles that will boost your comic knowledge. Also, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends on Google Plus, Facebook or any site you like! You can also follow this blog directly. Thank you.
What's shaking in your worlds? I hope everything is great, and that you're all gearing up to have a swell weekend!
Here we are, part IV of our journey into the origin and evolution of the SUICIDE SQUAD!! In parts I, II, and III, we examined the first appearance of The Suicide Squad, their disappearance from comics, their reappearance and rebirth, and how both iterations of the team were tied together by the the blood bonds of the Flag family. Not only all that, we saw Amanda "The Wall" Waller burst on the scene, a new, shadowy overseer of Task Force X, directing their actions with an iron will, and an iron hand. If you missed the previous episodes, or just want to refresh yourself on all we've talked about, go ahead and click the above links I've provided for you, and peruse at your leisure. :-)
It was May of 1987, and DC Comics was ready to get down and dirty after the success of "Crisis On Infinite Earths," an amazing series which streamlined the DC Universe. In this same month, "Secret Origins" vol 2, #14 was published, which we talked about last time, that linked the old Suicide Squad with the new team, and revealed the origin of Amanda Waller for the very first time in comics. This comic was written wonderfully by John Ostrander, and penciled by Luke McDonnell. DC made it clear that they had big plans for The Suicide Squad - the very same month, The Suicide Squad got its very first ongoing title:
This is my copy of "Suicide Squad" vol 1, #1, published in May of 1987. DC kept the team of Ostrander and McDonnell together, and launched the Suicide Squad's ongoing title twenty-eight years after the initial team made their debut in "The Brave and the Bold" vol 1, #25 in 1959 - and there was no tryout limited series involved. Even though this series was pretty popular, running for about four years and sixty-six issues, this comic could be found in discount bins for many years. With that gorgeous shot of the new Task Force X set against a solid black background, you have to wonder how many of these still exist in high grades with nary a color break.
"Suicide Squad" #1 is important for other reasons besides being the first issue of the first series that Suicide Squad ever had. The first issue introduces us to some solid archenemy types for The Suicide Squad called...Jihad!
Jihad consisted of Chimera, Djinn, Jaculi, Manticore, Ravan and Rustam. Jihad was a super-powered group of terrorists from Quirac assembled by their evil president, President Marlo, to kill the President of The United States. This is their first appearance ever.
Also in this issue, Karen Grace, a member of the original Task Force X, returns to the team, and villains, Mindboggler, and Plastique are featured on the team as well. Here's a groupshot of the members, living and dead, of Ostrander's Suicide Squad:
FUN FACT 1: Chimera is actually the superhero, Nightshade undercover! She is revealed to be working for The Suicide Squad, and is a member of the team until the very end.
FUN FACT 2: Eventually, Jihad becomes the super-terrorist team, Onslaught, not to be confused with the entity, Onslaught, from Marvel.
FUN FACT 3: The Keene Act is mentioned in this issue - the same act that outlawed costumed superheroes in "The Watchmen." Did Ostrander think that "The Watchmen" would somehow be shoehorned into the mainstream DCU? Were there plans to do so? Who knows? What we do know is that it looks like Doctor Manhattan of The Watchmen has intervened in the mainstream DCU, according to the current DC Rebirth storyline.
On to issue #2!!
Ostrander wastes no time in letting the reader know that this series is all about the dark world of espionage, and the brutality of spec-ops-type combat, all with sometimes disloyal, self-serving super villains. The team chalks up its first casualty; Minboggler takes a bullet to the back of the head, while Captain Boomerang just watches. Why? Revenge for using her powers to embarrass him earlier on. Nope...This ain't no Justice League. Two members of Jihad, Jaculi and Manticore, bite the dust as well. LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR!
Wouldn't it be great if Jihad, or some of its members, showed up in The Suicide Squad film?
More fun facts!
FUN FACT 3: Plastique tries to betray The Suicide Squad to a terrorist named Mushtaq. In response, he knocks her right the heck out. Why? Because Mushtaq is none other than Thomas Tresser, Codename: Nemesis, vigilante turned super-spy, who is also working undercover for Amanda Waller. Nemesis is a great, underused character.
FUN FACT 4: Scott Eastwood has been hired to play an unrevealed role in Suicide Squad. Many think that he will take the role of Dick Grayson. I'm betting that he will play the part of Nemesis.
FUN FACT 5: This was the second DC ongoing series to star a team of super-baddies. The first was "Secret Society of Super-Villains," in the late 70s.
There were so many great things about this iteration of The Suicide Squad that just made it so magnificent, and the definitive Suicide Squad for comics fans who read the series - the great characters, the excellent writing, the irksome suspense of never knowing who was going to die - The Suicide Squad was just top notch stuff. The series was also relevant in some areas, given the rise in terrorism towards the U.S. since the mid 1970s, and the growing push towards harsher tactics as concerning warfare, terrorism, and crime in the 1980s. Remember, this is from the generation that lived through the major illegal drug, and drug-violence, explosion of the 1980s. These were rough times for our country, times which stimulated the rise in popularity of superheroes (anti-heroes, really) like The Punisher, and Vigilante II (Adrian Chase), The Watchmen and Frank Miller's more dark and brutal Batman in "The Dark Knight Returns."
Thanks for coming along on our journey into the history of The Suicide Squad. Come back next time, for more fun that will swell your brain with comics knowledge!
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Once again TEX is ready to rock your socks off with some comic-book knowledge from years gone by! Today we get into part III of the origin and evolution of TASK FORCE X...AKA...THE SUICIDE SQUAD!!
In part I, we talked about the first appearance and origin of the first group to call themselves Task Force X in 1959, and in part II, we talked about the reemergence of the team in 1986, the new roster, and its new, felonious condition.
Now, let's fast-forward to May of 1987, where things really begin to get HOT:
It's my copy of Secret Origins (vol. 2) #14 - a quiet key issue for fans of The Suicide Squad. This issue clears up all the questions about the original team, gives us Amanda Waller's origin story for the very first time, and shows us how Waller convinces President Reagan to keep the team active. Waller hands the President a file detailing The Suicide Squad's greatest tales of derring-do. This issue also introduces retcons to The Suicide Squad, tying them to the Suicide Squadron that fought "The War That Time Forgot," and it features the first appearance of Rick Flag, Sr., retconned leader of the "first" Suicide Squad(ron), that is the father of Rick Flag, Jr., leader of the second team. Essentially, "Secret Origins" #14, shows us the link between the Silver Age team, and the second iteration of the team. Cool.
Some consider John Ostrander's Suicide Squad to be THE DEFINITIVE version of the team. I agree. DC was pretty daring after "Crisis On Infinite Earths," and took a big chance letting Ostrander go into pretty dark places with the creation of Amanda Waller, and the new Task Force X full of hardened criminals used as throw-away pieces under the threat of instant execution. Ostrander took some lesser-known villains and turned them into household names - in homes where comic books were read, I mean. Under Ostrander, The Suicide Squad was sometimes brutal, sometimes ruthless, but always a GREAT read.
FUN FACT 1: Sarge Steel is Waller's adversary in this issue - he wants the Suicide Squad shut down.
FUN FACT 2: Sarge Steel is a cool character that DC acquired from the now-defunct comics publisher, Charlton Comics. And yes, I have his first appearance in my collection. ;-)
FUN FACT 3: If you want to learn more about the DCU, and your favorite characters, you'd be hard pressed to find a better set of comics to read than "Secret Origins" vol. 2. Get it. Read it. You'll be glad you did.
FUN FACT 4: The absence of Bronze Tiger in the latest version of The Suicide Squad (and movie version) is VERY puzzling to TEX. Undoubtedly, since the 80s, he has been one of the best things about the team. You have to respect a dude that can put Batman and his butt anytime he feels like doing so.
Thus ends part III of our journey into the origin and evolution of The Suicide Squad. But the party IS NOT done, folks! Join me next time as we get into a very important first: The Suicide Squad in their very own title!! Come back, same TEX-time, same TEX-station!!
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Hello my brothers and sisters of the comic-book persuasion!
It's me, TEX, back again to make comic book history less of a deep, dark mystery! And we're on and popping' once again with...THE SUICIDE SQUAD!!
Last episode (click the link to read it), we talked about the origins of The Suicide Squad, beginning with "The Brave and the Bold" #25, printed way back in 1959. Now, let's move up the timeline an bit, twenty-seven years later, to the re-emergence, and revamping of Task Force X. And it all begins here:
These are my copies of "Legends" #1 and #3, published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987, respectively. And you ask, "Why are these so important, TEX?"
Shucks. I'm glad you asked. ;)
"Legends" #1 was written by John Ostrander and Len Wein, and pencilled by John Byrne (one of the greats among Superman artists and writers). It heralds the beginning of the new Task Force X / Suicide Squad, by providing us with the first appearance of Amanda "The Wall" Waller, who calls on Colonel Rick Flag, Jr. to lead her new version of Task Force X. This occurs in the middle of Darkseid's evil plan to to humiliate and destroy Earth's superheroes, leaving it open for his conquest.
FUN FACT 1 - This is Captain Marvel's (those of you who are young comics fans, may only know him as Shazam) first post-Crisis appearance, and BOY! are there some changes. He's living in San Francisco and working for a TV station called KWHZ.
FUN FACT 2 - Amanda Waller has been portrayed by six actresses (three live-action films, three-animated films/shows): Angela Bassett, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Viola Davis, C.C.H. Pounder, Penny Johnson and Yvette Nicole Brown.
FUN FACT 3 - This issue also has the first appearance of the monster, Brimstone.
FUN FACT 4 - In "Legends" #1, Glorious Godfrey, an Elite of the New Gods of Apokolips, is sent to enact a smear campaign against the heroes of Earth, operating under the guise of G. Gordon Godfrey - a reference to Watergate mastermind, G. Gordon Liddy.
"Legends" #3 gives us the very first appearance of the new iteration of the Suicide Squad, now a group of the worst of the worst of super-villains, recruited by a covert government entity to take on missions from which they might not return. This is done under the watchful eye of Amanda Waller, and under the iron hand of the team leader, Colonel Rick Flag, Jr.. The Suicide Squad is revived even as Darkseid's plan to humiliate the superheroes goes forward. The people turn against the superheroes, and President Reagan issues an edict that forbids all superhero activity. On to more FUN FACTS!!
FUN FACT 6 - Some members of this Suicide Squad are serving to be pardoned from their prison sentences and are fitted with explosive bracelets, just in case they get out of line. However, Enchantress, Bronze Tiger and Blockbuster do not have explosive bracelets, as they joined the team of their own accord, and for their own reasons.
FUN FACT 7 - Don't get attached to Blockbuster...In this issue, he goes to that big penitentiary in the sky. Or the one in the other place. I don't know. Because I'm not a judge-y-MacJudge-y-pants.
FUN FACT 8 - It looks like this version of Task Force X / The Suicide Squad is inspired by the classic film, "The Dirty Dozen." If you have't seen it, you should. It's pretty great.
As promised, I've taken you from the very first appearance of a very different Suicide Squad in 1959, to the emergence the second that is more like the one we know today - the same that will soon make its appearance on the big screen. And that is the story thus far...But WAIT!! There's more!!
Unfortunately...You'll have to wait until PART III!!
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Welcome to another episode of TEX'S BACK-ISSUE QUEST,
Where we delve into my vintage comics from yesteryear to fill your heads with fun comics knowledge! Today...We get all suicidal with...THE SUICIDE SQUAD!!!
It's my copy of "The Brave and the Bold" #25, published in 1959, featuring the first appearance of...TASK FORCE X / THE SUICIDE SQUAD!!
The original Suicide Squad was a science-based, covert, elite government task force. It originally consisted of Rick Flag, Jr., pilot and elite soldier/government agent; Dr. Hugh Evans, astrophysicist; Jess Bright, nuclear physicist and Evans' best friend and research partner; and Karin Grace, space medicine expert. In this issue which contains the team's debut, Task Force X is called upon to battle The Red Wave beast - a beast trapped inside a red tidal wave which burns everything it touches.
This original team appeared only appeared six times, making its final appearance in "The Brave and the Bold" #39 in 1961. It was created by prolific comics writer, Robert Kanigher, and storied comics artist, Ross Andru. On to the FUN FACTS!!
FUN FACT 1 - After "The Brave and the Bold" #39, The Suicide Squad disappeared into obscurity for twenty-three years. The team next appeared in "Action Comics" #552, in 1984.
FUN FACT 2 - The final fate of the original team was revealed in "Suicide Squad" vol 1 #50 (1991), thirty years later. On their final mission, Hugh Evans and Jess Bright fall, seemingly to their deaths, fighting a Yeti, but not before finding out that Karin Grace was in love with Rick Flag - a revelation that threatened to destroy the team because both Evans and Bright were in love with Karin!
FUN FACT 3 - Jess Bright doesn't die, but is discovered by Soviet forces, captured, and transformed into Koschei the Deathless. You can see him here, beating the SNOT out of Deathstroke:
FUN FACT 4 - The Suicide Squad's history got REALLY convoluted post Crisis. The Suicide Squadron that fought "The War That Time Forgot" in the pages of "Star-Spangled War Stories" in the 1960s was tied to The Suicide Squad, by making the leader Rick Flag, Sr. - the father of Rick Flag, Jr., who was the leader of the "second" Suicide Squad, which in all actuality, was the first Suicide Squad. See what I mean? CON-VO-LU-TED.
FUN FACT 5 - Eventually, Rick Flag, Jr., and Karin Grace broke up, and she was tricked by the Manhunters into betraying him. Luckily, she realized that she was duped, and sacrificed herself heroically to destroy the Manhunter base.
FUN FACT 6 - The original Suicide Squad was so futuristic. They even operated from a Flying Lab, an aircraft with advanced weapons, and capabilities...Including having a fully operational, fully stocked laboratory!
I'm looking forward to the new Suicide Squad film. As the premiere of the film gets closer, I hope that you will continue to journey with me as I explore more of the history of the team, and how they went from a sci-fi team to a team of convicts - the worst of the worst.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoy these articles, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends! Thank you.
