Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag # 8 (of 8)

DC Comics
Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag # 8 (of 8)
By Koppy McFad
April 19, 2008 - 04:08

DC Comics
Writer(s): John Ostrander
Penciller(s): Javier Pina
Inker(s): Robin Riggs
Cover Artist(s): John K. Snyder

The final showdown as the Squad battles the traitors within its ranks while taking down an evil corporation in the Middle East.

The action in this story proceeds briskly, giving all the surviving characters a chance to show their stuff in well-choreographed action sequences. At the same time, the creative team remains aware of the 'special relationships' between many of the characters and actually has these characters face off, however briefly, bringing their relationships forward.

Some of the subplots and characters do get wrapped up a little too quickly. The heads of the evil corporation are taken out almost casually and some members of the Squad are eliminated so swiftly, you don't even know they are dead until you see their corpses a few panels later. There actually seems to be too many people killed in this issue, not just bad guys but even Squad members who still had a lot of potential. It is almost as if Ostrander is trying to prove that SUICIDE SQUAD is still the leader in comics when it comes to killing off major characters.

The art is adequate but unspectacular. The characters are recognizable but their don't look very eye-catching. The monsterous Eiling is just an ugly giant, not the terrifying threat who once had the Justice League on the ropes. The one character who does stand out is Twister. It is amazing how how much passion is evident in her face, considering her mouth is where her ear should be.

Well, this still gets three and a half stars out of five.