Suicide Squad: Get Joker #1
DC Comics
Written by: Brian Azzarello
Art by: Alex Maleev
Colors by: Matt Hollingsworth
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
DC Black Label’s newest limited series, ‘Suicide Squad: Get Joker!’, is finally out! Brian Azzarello and Alex Maleev’s three-issue story focuses on Red Hood leading the Suicide Squad on a mission to kill the Joker and end his reign of terror. As a Black Label series, ‘Get Joker’ is darker and grittier than your usual Suicide Squad, and Alex Maleev’s art really showcases that aspect of the story.
Maleev’s artwork is hands down the best thing about the book. His art gives the book a noir vibe that really works when paired with Azzarello’s writing and Hollingsworth’s coloring. The trio works well together and manages to set a very consistent tone to the story.
Jason Todd’s development is also worth praising. It’s clear that he is the main character and Azzarello wastes no time in establishing that. This version of Jason is very different from Chip Zdarsky’s Jason Todd, from ‘Batman: Urban Legends’, another amazing version of the character. If Zdarsky’s Jason is a man using his traumas to make the world a better place while trying to deal with them, Azzarello’s Jason is an unwilling hero, a man not yet ready to face his traumas. It’s interesting to see two versions of the same character that feel so different and unique.
However, the other characters are a bit of a letdown. Most of the first issue is spent introducing Jason and the premise, and no one else gets a chance to shine. While the setup is well done, the other characters suffer from a lack of character development. Harley Quinn and Wild Dog get some exposition, but the rest of the Squad have no depth whatsoever. The new characters, Pebbles, Meow Meow, and Yonder Man are especially shallow, as we have no background on any of them.
Overall, the issue does a very good job at introducing the story and the ending certainly makes you want more. There’s a lot of potential in Azzarello’s story, and I look forward to seeing where it will go.