• Published August 1, 2016

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I’m sure that after seeing the movie some of you may have been curious about the characters depicted and may have wanted to know a bit more about them. Don’t despair, for I will take a look at the history of the squad as well as the notable members who have made up its ranks over the last couple of decades. The Suicide squad, or Task Force X, consists of supervillains who have been tasked with completing missions that would otherwise be considered as being akin to suicide for most people. Due to the crimes they have committed over the years, they have been deemed to be expendable thus making them ideal candidates for these missions.

Operating out of Bell Reve Penitentiary under the command of Amanda Waller, each member of the squad has been fitted with a micro-bomb which can be triggered by Waller should any of them attempt to escape. Part of the deal that is struck when they accept Waller’s offer involves, in some cases, the reduction of their prison sentences. This has been used as a means of explaining how criminals in the DC universe always seem to appear back on the streets even after being apprehended by the heroes.

The first appearance of Suicide Squad was in 1959 in “The Brave and The Bold” # 25, this first incarnation of the squad didn’t feature villains but had 4 adventurers who had no powers of their own. The notable member of the original Suicide Squad is Rick Flag Jr. who has since appeared in most incarnations of the squad. The other members of the original team were Rick’s girlfriend Karin Grace, Jess Bright and Dr. Hugh Evans.

The modern take on the Squad, in which supervillains were used, has its origins in the comic “Legends” # 3 published in 1987. It saw the induction of mainstays, Deadshot and Captain Boomerang into the Squad and served as the first time that Amanda Waller used criminals to serve as a means of accomplishing missions without risking the lives of valuable individuals. This Team consisted of The aforementioned villains as well as Enchantress , Blockbuster and Bronze Tiger.

Following this came the rotating roster of criminals that has continued to this day. The ones featured in the movie were interesting because they were not taken from a single era, but were instead gleaned from across the various incarnations of the team:

Rick Flag Jr.

In “ Secret Origins” (vol 2) # 14, it is revealed that Rick’s father was the leader of a team known as “The Suicide Squadron” during World War II. They were so named because they were constantly sent on what were considered to be suicide missions. After the war, the members of the Suicide Squadron were transferred to the newly formed Task Force X where they continued their escapades. When Rick Flag Sr. died, his last words were for his son to take his place and continue his missions which is what Rick Jr. eventually by becoming a leading member of the Suicide Squad.

Deadshot

Real name: Floyd Lawton

First appearing in “Batman” # 59, Floyd was a millionaire who used his trick shot skills to fight crime. his real motive though were to for him to one day become Gotham City’s most feared crime lord. Once defeated by Batman and imprisoned, he managed to escape and made his signature red suit , outfitted his mask with a special lens to enable him to aim properly, and vowed to to exact his revenge upon Batman.

Harley Quinn

Having made her first appearance in “Batman: The Animated Series”, Harley Quinn soon transitioned to the pages of comics where her origin was revealed. Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a psychiatric intern who became fascinated with the Joker . He managed to win her trust and eventually seduced her until she helped him to escape. Upon discovering this, the officials locked her up in Arkharm Asylum as well.

Killer croc

Real name: Waylon Jones

Born with the skin condition Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis, Waylon was raised by an abusive aunt after his mother died while giving birth to him.He was later abandoned by his father which left him in the care of his aunt. Following an arrest, Waylon killed a fellow inmate and upon his release, joined a travelling carnival where he became the star attraction wherein he wrestled crocodiles. It was here that he picked up his name due to his ability to kill the crocodiles barehanded and for his unsightly appearance.

Katana

Real Name: Tatsu Yamashiro

Two brothers, Maseo and Takeo Yamashiro, became enarmoured of her. The problem though was that Tatsu had feelings for Maseo, which made Takeo very jealous of their relationship. After their marriage Tatsu and Maseo had children while Takeo joined the Yakuza. Takeo obtained two matching mystical swords one of which, Soultaker, he would later use to kill his brother with. During the battle, Tatsu and Maseo’s home was engulfed in flames and their children were also killed. This prompted Tatsu to muster up enough courage to fight Takeo to avenge the deaths of her husband and children. Having killed Takeo with the very sword that he had used to kill her husband, Tatsu went on to train further and hone her skills which resulted in her assuming the codename: Katana. Though not a villain, her skills with the sword are impressive. The sword is cursed and is able to imprison the souls of those she fells in combat.

Captain Boomerang

Real Name: George Harkness

Hailing from the land down under, George Harkness started creating boomerangs which he would later on use as weapons. after being ridiculed for his strange obsession, he turned to crime. Captain Boomerang became one of the Flash’s rogues and would return to plague him on more than one occasion by creating special boomerangs such as giant boomerangs, exploding boomerangs etc. He is known for being a racist and for his annoying personality.

Enchantress

Real Name : June Moone

In the comics, June Moone was an artist who stumbled upon the being Dzamor in a castle where a costume party was taking place. June was subsequently possessed by Dzamor and upon uttering the word “Enchantress”, she would take on the appearance of this extra dimensional being who is hell bent on spreading her evil ways.

El Diablo

Three individuals have taken on the El Diablo moniker: Lazarus Lane, Rafael Sandoval and Chato Santana.

Lazarus Lane was around in the 19 th century and upon being killed by a bolt of lightning, he was revived by native Americans afterwhich he took on the name “El Diablo”. His powers originated from a demon that was placed inside him which made him a bit like Ghostrider in that he too was a spirit of vengeance.

Rafael Sandoval was initially a member of the city council of Dos Rios in Texas who took it upon himself to rid the city of bad guys. He took up a Halloween costume and called himself, El Diablo. He was later possessed by an Aztec God.

Chato Santana was shot and went into a coma. It is during this time that the original El Diablo, Lazarus Lane, transfered the demon inside him into the comatose Chato, thus making him the new El Diablo.

I hope you enjoyed this rundown of the origins, of the members of Task Force X. The roster of members is always changing which has been the case since the team was first created. Though the members are constantly being replaced by new faces, the book is always about a group that is sent on a mission that could very well be their last.

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Metal Pangolin

His arms are heavy, knees weak, eyes are straining, ‘cause he’s been reading comics from DC, Marvel, Image etc. more than even he can name them. He’s nerdy, but on the surface he looks calm and ready, to review comics, and lets not all forget that, when he writes stuff, it makes people laugh out loud, in real life, he almost never opens his mouth , so watch out....

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Article Tags: Captain Boomerang · dc comics · deadshot · harley quinn · Killer Croc · suicide squad

Article Categories: Comic Book Feature