“Suicide Squad: Blaze” – Book One
Artists: Aaron Campbell
Color Artists: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Review by Adam Ray
Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 is well removed from anything that’s been going on in the current, excellent run of the main series.
This gritty and thought-provoking story gives us a lot to think about, and although we do see many of the themes we’d expect from a Suicide Squad story, we also start to see something very new but true to the spirit of the group as a whole.
There’s something deeply upsetting, in a good way, about the art in this story. There’s something about Jordie Bellaire’s choices and use of saturation here that makes the entire issue feel very lived in. In combination with the wonderfully abstract art by Aaron Campbell – take a glance at some of the vistas at the beginning – we get an impressionistic look at the DC universe through the viewpoint character. This gives the feeling that things are disjointed and strange.
Despite the main Suicide Squad themselves being represented only a little in this first chapter, the portraits we get of the classic team members are sincere and handled with a lot of care. There are takes in Campbell’s designs that harken back very heavily to John Cena and Margot Robbie, and while some may not approve, I think this is a very beneficial choice. Readers will definitely be coming into comics from other media, and we have to be accepting of them. When characters are cast well on screen but are given a similar look in entry point comics like this, new fans can really love that for what it represents.
Conclusion
Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 brings us a new story that’s open enough to go in any direction. It’s unique looking enough to leave a lasting impression on any reader, and well-handled enough to do our favorite characters justice, even while calling back to other media. I’m eager to see how this new title handles its vast potential.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment