CREDIT: DC Comics
Rating: 3.5/5 – Multiple Inkers Made for Art that Failed to Impress.
By ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
Although actress Margot Robbie is getting plenty of positive attention for her portrayal of Harley Quinn on screen, the Suicide Squad movie just released this weekend is getting reviews that are good, bad and everything in between. Unfortunately I haven’t seen it yet, but DC was smart to coincide the release of not one, but two related Rebirth launches with the movie. Not only did we get an all new Rebirth issue of Harley Quinn by the same fantastic team that just wrapped up her previous series, but we also got a Rebirth issue for Suicide Squad by writer Rob Williams, artist Philip Tan and a few different inkers.
DC has lately, much more than I like, used a team of inkers to finish their books. I’m not a huge fan of Philip Tan’s art to begin with, although I loved his Green Lantern run that introduced Larfleeze. I think his pencils lend more towards natural and organic landscapes or alien settings moreso than what we see in this issue. His Rick Flagg never looks quite right in both face and anatomy and Deadshot’s mask and costume has a Witchblade-like feel to it making it much too busy rather than sporting a more clean and streamlined look. Adding in the three inkers and the book failed to impress me visually. There are multiple styles within this issue that are all similar, but less cohesive than I’d like to see. With Jim Lee alternating art chores on this book I know this series will be a big seller, but that jarring change between artists may eventually begin to turn off fans.
In terms of story, Harley Quinn doesn’t dominate the story or action which is good as Rob Williams balances the small cast that stars Harley, Deadshot, and Boomerang. They’re tasked with saving and extracting a scientist out of China who has developed a meta-bomb that’s capable of giving normal people powers for thirty-six hours, but it also negates the powers of super heroes for the same amount of time. Like the other Rebirth issues, this is a done-in-one story that is designed to attract new readers and I think the story definitely succeeds here. There’s maybe a bit too much set up at the beginning with Amanda Waller and Rick Flagg, but it provides a mechanism for Williams to tell the Suicide Squad’s origin. Of the two Suicide Squad related releases this week, Harley Quinn was the more enjoyable, but this issue had a solid story despite art that I just couldn’t enjoy.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
https://comicspectrum.com/ Covering the full spectrum of comics culture
Follow ComicSpectrum: 
ComicSpectrum Comic Reviews 