The Greatest and Most Important Members of DC’s Suicide Squad
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DC’s Suicide Squad is one of the most important teams in the history of comic books. While I wouldn’t put them on the same level as say, the Justice League of America or the Avengers, they do belong in any conversation discussing comic book super teams.
Over the years and like most other teams, the Suicide Squad has changed its roster. Typically this is done to either A) meet the needs of the mission, or B) based on which supervillains happen to be incarcerated at any given time. Because of this, some important, not so important, powerful, not so powerful, intriguing, and not so intriguing characters have called themselves members. With James Gunn’s colorful band of villains coming together on screen for The Suicide Squad, we felt it important to focus only in the most important members… and here they are.
10. Enchantress
In her first appearance (Strange Adventures #187), June Moone and her boyfriend were on their way to a Halloween party. Before they arrived, they were greeted by a Griffin and a Gargoyle. The creatures laid warning for what was ahead but the two ignored it, believing that the creatures were nothing more than consumed partygoers.
Within minutes of their arrival, an out-of-sight gong struck. The sound triggered a bizarre chain of events. Of note, it caused an image of a minotaur on a nearby tapestry to glow. June, who was no longer at her boyfriend’s side, accidentally fell through a wall into a secret room. In front of her stood a number of frightening figures. One of the figures, a large Red Hood, began to talk. It told her that evil had been awoken this night and that it was up to her to stop it. To stop the evil, it instructed her to utter the words “The Enchantress”. By doing this, June received magical powers that the world had not ever seen.
9. Bronze Tiger
After mercilessly killing the murderer of his parents, Ben Turner took it upon himself to find a master who was able to teach self-control. Unfortunately, although his first master taught him a little bit of what he was looking for, it became apparent that the only reason he was teaching Ben was to use him for his own selfish reasons. As a result, Been sought out a new teacher. This teacher, aptly named O-Sensei, did, in fact, do as he promised and taught Ben self-control. In addition, he also taught him how to harness his inner power.
The Bronze Tiger is as fierce a martial artist as they come. Not only has he stood tall against the likes of Batman, Lady Shiva, and Richard Dragon, but he has also been a member of the League of Assassins and invaluable addition to DC’s Suicide Squad.
8. King Shark
King Shark first appeared in cameo form in Superboy 0 in 1994. He made his first full appearance later that year in Superboy #9.
As one of the youngest (chronologically) characters on DC’s Suicide Squad, King Shark doesn’t have the history that others members do. This, however, doesn’t mean that he’s any less important. As a humanoid-shark creature, King Shark possesses many shark-like attributes. He has superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability. He’s also able to heal at a rapid pace, is resistant to telepathy, is long-lived, and is capable of using sonar.
From a pure strength point of view, King Shark is one of the most powerful members of DC’s Suicide Squad. From a pure terror point of view, he’s also one of its most violent and likely to become unhinged.
7. Katana
Katana first appeared on the pages of The Brave and the Bold #200 back in July of 1983. She was created by Mike Barr and Jim Aparo.
Katana is the on and off-again anti-hero most closely associated with the Suicide Squad. She possesses the Soultaker and the Soultaker is one of the most interesting swords in DC.
As a regular sword, the Soultaker is extremely powerful. As a sword with special abilities, it’s on another level. After the sword strikes down its opponent in battle, the soul of whomever it has defeated becomes trapped inside the sword. This means that the Soultaker has amassed an uncountable amount of souls. Once imprisoned inside the sword, the user of the sword is able to communicate with the souls of their victim.
Without the Soultaker, Katana is one of DC’s best fighters and one of its most capable martial artists.
6. Captain Boomerang
Don’t let his name fool you, Captain Boomerang is as formidable as any.
Raised in a life of poverty, George was the illegitimate son of an American toy-maker and an Australian named Betty. Because of his mother’s infidelity, George grew up hated by his stepfather, Ian.
While in school, George learned to make boomerangs. After making a couple, he also learned that he was really good at throwing them. Outside of his school life, George wasn’t so productive. In fact, after learning that he and his friend attempted to rob a store, he was thrown out of his house by his stepfather.
Seeing the trouble her son was in, his mother provided him with a plane ticket to the United States and instructed him to get into contact with a man named Wiggins (his illegitimate father). As luck had it, Wiggins turned out to be looking for a salesman for his new product…boomerangs. George, naturally fit the bill. Wiggins then supplied George with a costume and gave him the name, Captain Boomerang. Although he now had a paying job, George realized that it didn’t pay too well. As a result, he began using his incredible skills with a boomerang to rob jewelry stores.
5. Deadshot
Deadshot has a history as tragic as any.
Floyd Lawton grew up in a family that had an abusive father at the helm, a mother who wasn’t able to stand up for herself, and a brother whom he idolized.
Fed up with her abusive husband, Floyd’s mother did the unthinkable and asked her two sons to kill him. Not wanting Floyd to warn his father, Edward (his brother) locked him inside a boathouse. With Floyd locked away, Edward made his way to the father. Of course, Floyd escaped and also made his way to their father.
When Floyd found the two, Edward had already shot and paralyzed his father. Floyd climbed into a nearby tree and took aim at Edward. Rather than kill his brother, he only wanted to disarm him. Sadly, that’s not what happened. Just as Floyd took aim, the tree branch supporting him broke and he fell to the ground. The fall caused him to inadvertently shoot the gun. The stray bullet did, in fact, find its way to Edward. However, instead of merely disarming him, it killed him.
From this moment forward, Floyd was forced to live with the fact that he killed his brother whom he loved, to save his father, whom he hated.
4. Harley Quinn
Aside from two characters yet to be named, Harley Quinn is the most recognizable. Harley is the on and off again love interest of both the Joker and Poison Ivy, the reason that DC’s movies were still somewhat enjoyable to watch, and has one of the most fleshed-out backstories in all of comics. As far as movies go, Harley Quinn is the face of DC’s cinematic universe. She was the lone bright spot in the first Suicide Squad movie.
Different from a number of other members of DC’s Suicide Squad, Harley A) wasn’t created inside the pages of a comic book and B) doesn’t really have any superpowers… minus her immunity to most toxins. Harley was actually created for the Batman Animated Series and relies on her unpredictable behavior to carry her through her life as a villain.
If any character ever fit the mould of what it means to be on the Suicide Squad, it’d be Harley.
And why?
Simple. Harley flirts with death every day she’s at the side of the Joker and doesn’t care if she lives or dies.
3. Deathstroke
Wanting to join the army but too young to do so, Slade Wilson found a way to fake his age. Once a member, he was deployed to Korea and remained there until he was sent to Camp Washington. It was at Camp Washington that Slade’s life changed forever. While there, he met and married the love of his life, Adeline Kane. Shortly after, the two conceived a child.
Before he could settle down into the family life, Slade was given an offer that he couldn’t refuse. The offer was one that augmented his adrenal glands so he could resist any truth serum used on him by the enemy. Unbeknownst to him, the augmentation was also designed to turn him into a living weapon, or super-soldier. Suddenly, he had increased strength, speed, and durability. Even though the augmentation was a success, the army refused to let him continue on as a soldier. This shift left him feeling without purpose and depressed. As a result, he turned to the mercenary life.
Deathstroke is without a moral compass. If he is asked to do a job, he does so without compassion for who it affects. This, coupled with his natural abilities, makes him an ideal member of DC’s Suicide Squad.
2. Rick Flag
Rick Flag is one of the founding members of the original Suicide Squad. He, alongside four others, were apart of a group that took on only the most dangerous of missions. In the initial story, it was revealed that each of the four had promised to carry on the work of others who had sacrificed themselves for others.
In the case of Rick, that promise came in the form of his fallen men. Rick watched as his wingmen gave their lives as decoys so that he could fly in and destroy an enemy carrier ship. Afterward, he carried on continuing to make good on his promise to his friends as a member of the Suicide Squad.
Rick Flag is the leader of DC’s Suicide Squad. He is the one responsible for carrying out their missions and the one who sees to it that each member stays in line. Aside from Amanda Waller, there isn’t a more important member.
Speaking of which…
1. Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller is arguably the most intimidating member of DC’s Suicide Squad. She’s the one who selects its members and she’s the one who reports to the government for its failings and successes. In addition to being extremely intimidating, Amanda Waller is also someone who isn’t easily intimidated. In fact, even the likes of Batman has had difficulty intimidating her.
To say that Amanda Waller is the lifeblood of the team doesn’t give her enough credit. Amanda Waller eats, sleeps, and breathes the Suicide Squad. Different from everyone else on this list of DC’s Suicide Squad, Amanda isn’t actually a member. She doesn’t go into the field, nor does she actively carry out the missions. Instead, Amanda Waller sits in her office barking orders at the team.
And that’s it. The most intriguing members of DC’s Suicide Squad. Agree? Disagree? Who do you consider to be some of the most intriguing members of DC’s Suicide Squad?
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