Thursday, August 4, 2016

Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special


   When the superhero Hawk (of the duo Hawk & Dove) is caught running guns to the Contras by the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, Amanda Waller is ordered by the President to assemble a Suicide Squad. Hoping to show up Waller and her elite program, high-ups from Central Intelligence formulate their own plan and manipulate the Doom Patrol to conduct their own rescue mission. 

    Like with all team-up stories, both groups will see the other as a threat and the fur will literally fly. But, when the two teams look like they are ready to rip each other's throats out, a new player unexpectedly enters the arena- the Soviet backed elite of armored warriors: the Rocket Red Brigade!

     This 1988 special was an interesting mix of real life meets sci-fi/ fantasy. With appearances of both Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and the Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad involved in the Iran-Contra mishap- this is kinda how I wish history really went down for the 40th President of the United States. Or maybe the folks at DC got a little too political for this one...

     Other than Colonel Flag and Amanda Waller, this line-up is unlike any version of Suicide Squad that I have ever come across. With a team-up of C-listers that I have never heard of including the Thinker, Mister 104, and the Weasel, this is a pretty weak group of villains. But according to the afterword, DC would only allow unpopular and expendable characters for the mission to Nicaragua. 

     And don't get me started on the Doom Patrol line-up. Who are these people? Other than Robotman, honestly, who the heck are they?

     One plus to this special is the team of writers and artists involved. This book features one of the first published works by Eric Larsen of Savage Dragon fame. It's also co-written by one of my good Facebook (and semi-professional) buddies Paul Kupperberg. So despite my misgivings with the line-ups of both super teams, this is an epic book that I would say often gets swept under the rug due to a lack of superstar superheroes! 

     Often found in bargain bins nation-wide, this is an affordable Suicide Squad one-shot that could be the gem in your collection.
     
   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

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