Suicide Squad: An Underrated 80s Comic - Comic Tropes (Episode 10)

[@boblewis2274]

It's strangely flattering to see you review a book I inked back in the day! Problem is, it's hard to look at old work without cringing a bit! lol 😵 Great channel, by the way...I watch often.

[@JO-uy6zs]

Wow! Well done. I always had a strange affection for Luke McDonnels pencils. His hard edged, grim, sorta lame, sorta awesome look is so unique. I'm sure your inks added much to the mystique and allure of the original Squad! Thanks for your work. I loved it.

[@LRM23936]

Ostrander is one of the most underrated writers ever. His name always sold me a book.

[@GreenLuthor]

Why so many Firestorm villains? Because John Ostrander was writing Firestorm's book at the same time as Suicide Squad. He probably needed to coordinate the appearances of villains with their main books (i.e., when Penguin was on the Squad for a mission, Ostrander likely had to get permission from the Batbooks); a lot easier when you can just coordinate it with yourself, I'm guessing. Deadshot's inclusion is an interesting thing to look at, because it very likely could have never happened. Back in the late 70s, Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers were signed on to do a six-issue run on Detective Comics. During that time, they did a Joker story, the now-class "Laughing Fish" story. The only problem was, Joker was ALSO set to appear in the main Batman book that same month. DC didn't want to have two Joker issues coming out at the same time, so Englehart and Rogers added a seventh issue to their run, bringing back an obscure, one-off villain from 1950, and giving him a redesigned costume. Then, about a decade later, when Ostrander was putting together the Suicide Squad book, he was flipping through DC's Who's Who reference guide. He saw Deadshot's entry, thought he looked cool, and added him to the Squad's roster. And he became one of the most popular characters in the entire book. All because DC didn't want two Joker stories to come out in the same month. (Would that they would show such restraint today...) But for that, Deadshot would have remained an obscure one-off Batman villain. Funny how things work sometimes. Ostrander and his wife/co-writer Kim Yale also didn't like the treatment of Barbara Gordon in Killing Joke, so they decided to do something about it, introducing a mysterious hacker named Oracle who was helping the Squad behind the scenes (not even Waller knew who Oracle really was), and who (obviously) was eventually revealed to be Barbara, in a role she would continue in until the New52 reboot. Another little thing that wound up become a big part of DC. And all because they thought the character was done a disservice. Not bad, really.

[@leaffinite2001]

Sounds like smart folks

[@peteredel3431]

WOW!! You called it with Slipknott!

[@BigBossTooN]

It’s hilarious how accurate he called it with Slipknott. I thought this vid was out after the movie.

[@KmanScan]

Other than the concept, this particular series of Suicide Squad might be best known for reimagining Barbara Gordon as Oracle after she's shot and paralyzed by Joker in Killing Joke.

[@christianninsananda9626]

Sorry, I don't condone the shooting of unarmed comic books.

[@jaredgarcia8638]

Here here

[@210SAi]

P.eople for the E.thical T.reatment of C.omics

[@elmori616]

This guy! He just went to a shooting range, with a TMNT t-shirt, hung a comic book and shot at it... I mean, I wonder what people were thinking as they saw him

[@iwritechecksatthegrocerystore]

Agustín Morinico probably “that’s the coolest guy I’ve ever seen”..... 🙄

[@Giantstomp]

I loved this one. This is one of my all-time favorite comic book series of all time! Ostrander's version was the best one hands down because they didn't use it as a tool to simply bring together.

[@Ultr4l0f]

"The movie could be alot of fun!" Ah. The optimism of days gone

[@elijahblechman8633]

The sequel has me very interested. Ngl

[@sawtooth808]

@@elijahblechman8633 with the addition of James Gunn to do the sequel was aces.

[@Rometiklan]

Nice shooting, Chris. Would have been great if you were cosplaying Deadshot while shooting the comic. I never really read the comic but I like that whole premise of using villians to do government black ops. That issue just seemed too outlandish though...like the writer just made it up as he went along. Thanks for posting this!

[@lakrids-pibe]

Karin: I won't stop at anything until I've brought this bomb to the manager.

[@_Dogbeard_]

As an Australian, I take personal offense at this comic's choice to spell "mate" as "myte". Great content though Chris, I'm a new fan of the series and I'm re-watching them all. Please keep it up! It's been great to get a better sense of artists, characters and comics through your earnest humour, so thanks heaps :)

[@overseasafrican9899]

Lots of firestorm villains showed up and/or died because Ostrander wrote Fury of Firestorm for a while before he wrote Suicide Squad. He was very familiar with alot of those characters.

[@Dougeb7]

The range footage was one of your best trope gimmicks. Loved it!

[@pvthitch]

Captain Boomerang is A-List all the way.

[@hyliannerd4541]

James Gunn's The Suicide Squad will be based on the 80s run

[@PyromaniacDelta]

Huh... the back even kinda looks like Boomerang's silhouette. You shot a mirror image of your target, good job!

[@alexdan4ev375]

i thought he was talking about the Suicide Squad from Smallville,well darn it

[@vasp99]

I adored the 80's run of Suicide Squad!

[@benellison5668]

Dude, you have brave and bold 25, wow!

[@aiwaloki]

Wow.. you even kept the protective plastic cover and the cardboard backer on.

[@Orinslayer]

XYZ-deium. Classic tropes right there.

[@kristianfagerstrom7011]

It was so sad to see a movie with such great potential made into complete garbage. Damn it!

[@bfdidc6604]

Agreed. The movie had a kind of cool look but was a hot mess otherwise.

[@denistuohy2535]

The new one is great but the first one was atrocious

[@kristianfagerstrom7011]

@@denistuohy2535 I haven't seen the new one. I didn't even finish watching the first one, it was so bloody bad.

[@denistuohy2535]

@@kristianfagerstrom7011 the new one is incredible I highly recommend it. Aside from a few characters it has nothing to do with the first one.

[@kristianfagerstrom7011]

@@denistuohy2535 Thanks, I'll take a look 🙂

[@Supremmo]

It’s also the issue where one of the Female Furies joined.

[@sawtooth808]

That would be Duchess/Lashina. I read that issue “back in the day” too.

[@TheArchersTungsten]

Damn dude can shoot . That's a nice group especially that you can't really see the shots landing with the comic background .

[@Comic.215]

Nice trope since the movie comes out on Friday. I never read any Suicide Squad comics but I've heard of them from Arrow, Batman assault on Arkham, Some KZbin videos about them on comicbookcast2, and Lego batman 3

[@ComicTropes]

The 80s/90s comics are totally worth reading. At least the first few years. You never knew who would make it out alive. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.

[@malusignatius]

Gotta say, Waller is one of my favourite antiheroes. She's a force of nature.

[@IronShaman81]

Fun episode, also Nice shooting Chris!

[@Ragamuffin-Guesses-cgc-grades]

Another trope with this era of the squad was someone getting pied by a mystery pie thrower. My two favorite characters from this run were Deadshot and Captain Boomerang, they both add a degree of coolness and comedy to the series. Captain Boomerang impersonates Mirror Master with amusing results. DC should think about reprinting the whole run in trade paperback form.

[@MilmorInc]

Can you do a second suicide squad video!? :)

[@sawtooth808]

Co signed, and touch upon the Keith Giffen issues (the 12 issue arc featuring Sgt Rock overseeing missions of the Suicide Squad (and you thought the John Ostrander run of the 80’s killed off characters, I had a co worker who loved comics described Keith Giffen’s run as a “wood chipper series” in how it dispatched characters.

[@210SAi]

What was the second version at the beginning? Was there a TV show I missed?

[@ComicTropes]

Arrow had several episodes with Suicide Squad.

[@210SAi]

ComicTropes thanks, never got into CW Arrow

[@JO-uy6zs]

Original Suicide Squad run by Ostrander was DOPE! I collected it from the day Deadshot shot and killed the giant flaming Brimstone creature in Legends.

[@MrHu9hMungus]

Nice shootin slick!

[@stueygriffith4671]

80s Suicide Squad was awesome! definitly MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE in the comics world. the helicopter SHEBA was sweet too.

[@ArlanKels]

Aww, didn't have the JLU(cartoon) Suicide Squad in the beginning. :(

[@sawtooth808]

Ahh the episode by Darwin Cooke, I loved that one too.

[@shohunt]

You should totally have that a prize for a contest:)!!!

[@williamcase426]

Wow, that issue of Suicide Squad actually sounds pretty awesome. I'm going to have to get a hold of the arc.

[@rubenmolinaherranz1854]

Oh man, I love your content BUT... firing the Suicide Squad #66 because it was boring? I think we have not read the same comic! It was a good comic and a decent ending for a masterpiece series, Ostrander's and Yale's treatment and development of the characters is unbeatable, and they took their time to do an interesting comic book, with very dark things, with politics, spionage, terrible crimes... and they made unknown and silly characters be pretty damn interesting and cool! Each one of this issues deserves to be read, and none of them are boring at all, at least in my opinion. If this was signed by other author and with other artists (until Isherwood the level was so discontinuous) this Suicide Squad would be one of the great comics of DC, much like what happens with Hawkworld miniseries by Truman and Alcatena.

[@karlmeisterfilms9112]

I love suicide squad I wish I have the graphic books and some back issues Imma purchase some

[@ausonius100]

Dont shoot the comics!

[@oldfan4049]

13:17 - And than the Suicide Squad movie turns out to be not fun at all (except for Harley Quinn and the design of the Enchantress).

[@dlwsports563]

In Ostrander’s Deadshot miniseries, Deadshot’s son gets molested and then strangled by goons hired by Deadshot’s very own mother!

[@dawolf856]

I enjoyed the Ostrander/McDonnell run of Suicide Squad. Just started re-reading them in collections. Loved the 2 DC animated movies. The live action movie? Eh!

[@roymakescomics]

Explosive bracelets aren't nearly as daunting as implants in the head/neck. Especially in a world where you could easily attain some kind of bionic appendage to replace your arm after you escape.

[@jonathankraig425]

comic tropes secret identity deadshot!?

[@taviscaron4192]

Yup Boomerang is a jerk. I once read an issue when I was a kid where they're going over a mission and he said something to a female team member to the effect of we need your nice round jiggly talents! I was absolutely apauled and hooked!

[@allanhernandez2508]

I read it from issue #1 (1987) but I stopped because it petered out.

[@johnvankirk5328]

I loved X-Men and some Avengers when first reading comic books ....My favorite comics that were Dc books .....The Suicide Squad and Infinity Inc.

[@benellison5668]

Thats my LCS

[@diamonddylanpage7150]

Ngl I thought slipknot was invented for the first film, yet here he is in t.f.x in 1983

[@letmebehonest3144]

I think an Inglorious Bastards take on sucide squad could be grate

[@alexnejako777]

it's great especially the late 80s to early 90s

[@alexnejako777]

there's a special from the late 80s where a character who Grant Morrison introduced, The Writer , is expended in a Suicide Squad mission

[@localloser7415]

Actually Slipknot didn't die here he was saved and I think either got a prosthetic arm or just didn't have two arms either way he didn't die until way later

[@ChrisHoppe-wordmeme]

Chris, who's your favorite artist/writer on the new SS series?

[@robertbrowne1084]

Surely Deadshot gets every woman pregnant that he is with?

[@bahmat]

Suicide Squad Animated Films >>>> Live Action Version

[@aldi404]

Still haven't watched the movie. Should I?

[@ComicTropes]

aldi404 No.

[@DrewLSsix]

I don’t hate it, it does feel like something you would have seen back around say 1998-2003. Reminded me a lot of Blade 3.

[@tetsujin_144]

I wouldn't particularly recommend it, personally. To me it was the breaking point, the movie that made me lose all remaining faith I had in the DCEU films. After "Dawn of Justice" I was looking forward to a DC movie with a little more fun in it - and Suicide Squad seemed in theory like the perfect fit - villain characters (Harley in particular) seemed like the perfect way to add some color and chaos to what had so far been a fairly bleak superhero movie experience in my opinion. But it let me down, so very hard. So boring, so annoying, so stupid. But if you're curious, sure. You can decide for yourself what you think of it. Your experience might be totally different from mine.

[@jacobstaten2366]

Despite what all the fedoras on the band wagon say, it's a fun movie. There are a lot of middling movies from both MCU amd DCEU that are worse.

[@210SAi]

If you find a $1 copy it’s worth every penny

[@muvs32pap]

May I suggest some 7.62mm ammo for the next run!

[@davidwuhrer6704]

What a concept. Villain protagonists? Like Lobo? Or a government using criminals for wet jobs? Because the Nazis did arm and release violent criminals from the camps against the Red Army. And let's not forget Operation Gladio.

[@shadowhawktalks7814]

Still not sure about you yet...but getting there

[@resholoitam9465]

Love DC 🥰🥰🥰🥰 And also Marvel.

[@ultimatejoshiewoshieness]

The ending was mean spirited

[@MrThankman360]

😭😭😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😛☺️

[@thephantomcomics]

shoot me shoot me

[@jacobstaten2366]

As much as people on the bandwagon hate on the movie, it's still pretty fun and on par, if not better than many other comic movies in both of the main universes. It's "lass oh," not "lass ooh."

[@genghisbunny]

Ah, the glory days, when it was still possible to believe the Suicide Squad movie was going to be good...

[@barriehannon6857]

look on the bright side we got a better one later

[@lablueguy2000]

my issue with the film is that the characters did not look and act natural. it looked forced.

[@DrewLSsix]

NuvYou That’s always an issue in a world with Superman. It would have taken him about a second to arrive on the scene. Even if magic is a weakness of his he would at least have shown up. Would have been interesting if Cavil came swooping in just to be taken down a second after that!

[@johnvankirk5328]

I love Suicide Squad ...i am so appreciative of this video .....years ...later 1. Bronze tiger can beat batman in hand to hand combat ... 2. To this day Amanda's still plotting.. 3. Deadshot is my favorite character in the DC comics.. Hes not will smith or this little game they kill the Justice League really he isnt .... 4. Bring back black orchid and enchantresses lol . 4. Too much movies...its written already just make the movie no need for changes just make the fucking movie. 5. When all fails they are d/e villainns ( but they are not ) be a good fucking writer..stick to the script

[@alexshadowfax1119]

Never expected such pretentious sensitive people in a comic book breakdown lol

[@tonyingram1337]

It was 1987, not 1982. Do some research. I like your stuff, but your research frequently leaves a lot to be desired.

[@allenmozek1]

Destroying media for a gag is kinda shitty, despite how much i love the criticism and insight of the show.

[@allenmozek1]

it reminds me of people who would destroy shaq fu carts, which seems really disgusting and thematically scary in ex change for an internet joke.

[@peterhaslund]

No guns, please. It's not even funny

[@carlg7994]

As a school teacher, I am upset by your casual use of firearms. I desired a legitimate critique of culturally significant media. What I saw was a glorification of gun culture. Maybe the comic portrays violence as a virtue, but should the critic follow suit? I am sorry to say that I cannot continue viewing your content.

[@ComicTropes]

I hardly think I glorified gun culture. I went to a very safe place to shoot up the comic. I punched holes in some paper. And for whatever it's worth, I sold all my guns shortly after this. But hey, I acknowledge that I can't control how someone interprets the message.

[@carlg7994]

@@ComicTropes To be honest, I just get upset when I see guns treated as toys. I live in the South, and I've seen my fair share of reckless gunplay. It literally nauseates me, but that's not on you. I've been watching your videos for a while, but that was the first time I saw gunplay. I appreciate you responding to my post, and I apologize for accusing you of something without having all the facts.

[@MrThankman360]

LOL. You're a douchebag. He isn't glorifying gun culture, he's enjoying comics and fun MAKE BELIEVE violence.

[@MrThankman360]

ComicTropes Why did you sell your guns? Guns aren't the problem with our society, it's the bad people using them. You have nothing to explain yourself about, dude. This person is a busy-body with a self-inflated sense of self-importance. They'll get over it. And I live in the south too (as they do) and while I don't personally own a gun or enjoy shooting guns, I've seen nothing but responsible gun use, ownership, and culture. Things like school shootings didn't happen for hundreds of years and America has never been short on guns. It's not the inanimate objects called guns causing these problems, it's cultural issues. Guns themselves aren't good or bad. People fear what they don't understand and guns are a perfect example of this. Whether a person like this teacher grew up down here in the south or not (and guns are everywhere in the country BTW) if their experience is from movies, tv, video games, and politics they might not have a good grip on the situation in reality and are coming from a place of emotion and feelings.