Suicide Squad Question

[Goldenbane]

I've never read a Suicide Squad comic, but I've enjoyed the animated movies Hell to Pay and Assault on Arkham. I have a question about the squad. How come they don't use any moderately to higher tier super villains? Like...a villain around Spider-man's power level or so (I understand why they couldn't use someone too powerful like Black Adam or Doomsday, but more mid-range villains might be manageable.). The only real major super powered villain on the Squad, that I've seen, was Killer Frost. All the other villains tend to be tech or skill based characters. Even in my DC RPG books, they only list mostly tech and skilled villains as Suicide Squad members. Not saying there's anything wrong with those types, but wouldn't be nice to have a good heavy hitter sometimes?

[A Platypus Rave]

Out of continuity.

they main idea of hte Sucide Squad was to look at what some of the B level villains were doing when they weren't bothering heroes.

in continuity

they've had a few heavy hitters like Chemo and a reverse flash... but for most of what the Squad does is generally stuff is meant to be black ops secret stuff... drop someone with powers of a god someone will most likely notice, which is what Waller and co. don't want.


Despite what the movie said the point of the squad isn't "To take down Superman if he goes evil" after all if that was the case they wouldn't bring someone whose powers is guns and a woman whose power is craziness and also she has a bat/mallet.

It's like Queen Bee is causing problems in her country, or an assassin is somewhere and we want them neutralized... etc.

Deadshot shows up there to kill the target... ok well he's a mercenary that's what he does... one of the more powerful guys it looks a lot more suspicious.

[Joe Neglia]

Jun 23, 2018 21:53:59 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Despite what the movie said the point of the squad isn't "To take down Superman if he goes evil" after all if that was the case they wouldn't bring someone whose powers is guns and a woman whose power is craziness and also she has a bat/mallet.

Yes and no. While the Waller character and the Squad soon fell into that role, the original formation of the team post-Crisis/pre-New52 in the Legends event happened exactly because the positive public sentiment toward Supes and the others was starting to sway and Waller got her project okayed based on the principle they were putting together a team that only answered to the government and could take down any threat, including rogue heroes.

As far as why they don't have higher-tier members, mostly it's the "they'd be too powerful usually to be used like that" thing. But at least pre-52, the Squad had - over the years - such members as Penguin, Bane, Superboy, Parasite, Captain Cold, Poison Ivy and Black Adam.

[Jiren]

They had Zod on the team a few months back......let's just say it didn't go well

[Zone Was Wrong]

Jun 24, 2018 3:17:03 GMT -5 Jiren said:

They had Zod on the team a few months back......let's just say it didn't go well

Highlighted why Waller and crew can't force anyone more powerful that Enchantress to work for them.

[BlackoutCreature]

The goal of Suicide Squad recruiting is to find someone best suited to the job at hand and who can also be controlled. So yeah, Atrocitus might be able to do anything they need him for, but good luck figuring out a way to keep him in line. If the thief who's super power is "boomerangs" can do that specific job on the mission just as well, he's probably a better pick.

[Goldenbane]

Jun 23, 2018 23:15:29 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Jun 23, 2018 21:53:59 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Despite what the movie said the point of the squad isn't "To take down Superman if he goes evil" after all if that was the case they wouldn't bring someone whose powers is guns and a woman whose power is craziness and also she has a bat/mallet.

Yes and no. While the Waller character and the Squad soon fell into that role, the original formation of the team post-Crisis/pre-New52 in the Legends event happened exactly because the positive public sentiment toward Supes and the others was starting to sway and Waller got her project okayed based on the principle they were putting together a team that only answered to the government and could take down any threat, including rogue heroes.

As far as why they don't have higher-tier members, mostly it's the "they'd be too powerful usually to be used like that" thing. But at least pre-52, the Squad had - over the years - such members as Penguin, Bane, Superboy, Parasite, Captain Cold, Poison Ivy and Black Adam.

Superboy? What was he doing on the team? This wasn't Superboy Prime, was it?

[WoodStoner1]

I will point out that the SS pretty much started with Firestorm villains :-)

[Kevin Hamilton]

Jun 24, 2018 10:54:15 GMT -5 Goldenbane said:

Jun 23, 2018 23:15:29 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Yes and no. While the Waller character and the Squad soon fell into that role, the original formation of the team post-Crisis/pre-New52 in the Legends event happened exactly because the positive public sentiment toward Supes and the others was starting to sway and Waller got her project okayed based on the principle they were putting together a team that only answered to the government and could take down any threat, including rogue heroes.

As far as why they don't have higher-tier members, mostly it's the "they'd be too powerful usually to be used like that" thing. But at least pre-52, the Squad had - over the years - such members as Penguin, Bane, Superboy, Parasite, Captain Cold, Poison Ivy and Black Adam.

Superboy? What was he doing on the team? This wasn't Superboy Prime, was it?

No it was Superboy. He was workin with them to take down the Silicon Dragons--a main antagonist group in his own book in the first couple of years. Watery Grave is what the 3 part story was called. That early 90s run was a lot of fun. Kesel and Grummett did good work. And I know people like how Connor Kent became more serious and such later on, but I'll always prefer 90s obnoxious Superboy.

[Ultimo Gallos]

I miss the original Suicide Squad. The Silver age military one. Now thanks to that horrible movie it looks like we will never get a good SS comic again.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Always thought they had a great kayfabe explanation of not wanting anyone too powerful to control. SS is really one of the better comics ideas ever. A shame it was turned into the movie it was, because there was def money to be made.