By Harrison Stewart — Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 is a serious book. Very serious. Sure, there are moments of levity and humor sprinkled throughout. But it reads more like The Boys than Guardians of the Galaxy. Those expecting the punchy, quirky antics of random super-losers are in for a rude awakening, but a welcome one. Because, with all due respect to the excellent ongoing ser i es, Blaze is the Suicide Squad I've always wanted.

Remember that first trailer for David Ayer’s Suicide Squad? The one that portended a gritty, post-modern character study about the darker side of supers? Well one Bv.S later, dark super flicks were deemed public anathema: “It’s joke-a-minute or bust, folks!” While that colorful formula has worked for plenty of superheroes, including the Suicide Squad, the hesitancy to tell a straight-faced, adult-oriented stories with this property always felt like a missed opportunity.

Enter Simon Spurrier and Aaron Campbell, the dynamic duo behind the recent Hellblazer series (highly recommended). They start with a basic thesis: living in the superhero universe would be terrifying for the average Joe. And everything builds from there.

The plot revolves around a rogue “cape” who is viciously slaying victims across the globe. But this time, Amanda Waller does more than just fight fire with fire. She lights a whole new flame. Five ordinary individuals, among them our POV character, are selected to undergo a fatal process that will grant them superpowers. Paired with more familiar Suicide Squad faces, our new team must race against the clock to stop this terrifying threat before they expire.

With this single, vital twist, Spurrier breathes new life into the franchise, echoing the successful traits of Strikeforce: Morituri but with a darker edge, like Miracleman. Now, death is not just probable, it’s guaranteed. There’s no comeback this time; it’s do, and then die. That tragic certainty gives enormous weight to every moment, every mission, as the reader knows any second wasted is lost.

Adding to that weight is Campbell’s stunning, visceral art. Nestled somewhere snugly between the styles of Sean Phillips and Bill Sienkiewicz, Blaze is a visual tour-de-force. Even as the gore flirts with gratuitousness, it refuses to engage in the comically over-the-top violence of James Gunn, fun as it is. When heads explode and limbs fly (boy, do they), the scene is grotesque and horrifying, a grim reminder of how brittle we are in the face of literal gods. Here, blood means something. And Campbell won’ let you forget it. Mix in Jordie Bellaire’s dark tones and you have a haunting, yet mesmerizing feast for the eyes.

Simply put, Blaze is for adults. And unlike some of its more wacky, irreverent contemporaries, this book doesn’t flinch when demanding answers of the genre’s more problematic undertones. It’s a deconstruction that knows its audience and delivers something novel: a bold, solemn superhero story that actually works.

Overall: Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 is a serious, brutal and deeply human take on the Squad that appeals to both superhero fans and detractors. 9/10

REVIEW: Suicide Squad - Blaze #1

Suicide Squad - Blaze #1
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Aaron Campbell
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
The attacks begin without warning. Brutal, sudden…cannibalistic. A metahuman with all the power of Superman but none of his humanity. An unstoppable being ruled only by hunger and instinct, striking at random across the world. To stop this threat, Harley Quinn, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark have been assigned to corral, nursemaid, and if necessary execute five deadly new recruits: the expendable products of a secret government procedure called BLAZE. They’re ordinary prisoners, endowed with incredible power…and the certain knowledge that it’ll burn through them like wildfire. They have six months to live, maximum. If you’re staring down life in prison, maybe that’s a good deal-especially if you’re Michael Van Zandt, desperate to reunite with the mad lover who forsook you after your Bonnie-and-Clyde crime spree. But that power? It’s surprisingly transferable. As each member of the Squad dies…the others get stronger. What would a hardened criminal do with that knowledge? Worse yet: What would a desperate, lovesick idiot do with it? One thing’s certain: this time the Suicide Squad’s bitten off more than it can chew. Win or lose-they all burn. Simon Spurrier and Aaron Campbell, the creative team behind the critically acclaimed John Constantine: Hellblazer, have been turned loose on the one DC title even more horrific and blackhearted than that one! We suggest you brace yourselves…
Price: $6.99
Buy It Digitally: Suicide Squad Blaze #1

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Harrison manages a comic shop by day and writes comics by night. You can find more of his writing at @stewart_bros