Suicide Squad New 52 #16 Death is for Suckers!

Here we are again with the Suicide Squad. Now last time we saw them they were either doing some jungle thing with Basilisk or they were fighting Joker. Not even sure we can count either as proper continuity but whatever. Here they are in hospital at Belle Reve/Reeve. this can only mean one thing... oh no, FLASHBACKS!

Yep, now they're back in Mexico. Harley is all mushy that Deadshot shot himself instead of her and now she's demanding to carry his corpse back to base because reasons. King Shark talks a lot more in this issue but I'm guessing that's only because Iceberg and the others are a little out of it. He's also a bit nonsensical.

Captain Boomerang says one line and King Shark gets all uppity telling him to shut up before he (racial slur about Australians and BBQ's) him. Captain Boomerang's not worried - he lives in the Great Southern Land of the Great White Shark and he's used to sharks. To this King Shark replies that he's a Hammerhead and he eats Great Whites like Tic Tacs. Umm...

I'm not sure if King Shark is pointing out his species change from Great White to a Hammerhead - that we're still not sure why this happened - or if the writers actually don't know the difference between these two sharks.

Cute head, eats like rays and shit

Holy giant teeth Batman!

Yeah, um.. no. I don't think your species is gonna dominate Great Whites any time soon, King Shark. Try throwing your bravado around when it makes sense.
We just get past this nonsense and then Captain Boomerang and Harley have to blurt out some stupid line about spankings which just seems so out of place in the panel, like it was just crammed in there to be like "Oh, they're totally a team just hazing each other! Also, our token female Harley is kinky!" Blegh.

Grey Lora teleports in from somewhere and starts fronting like "I should'a killed youse when I had the chance!" Don't remember Grey Lora? Hey, I wish I was in that boat. She's not even wearing grey... like what the hell? Anyway, that editor I like sooooo much has put in a kind note about what issue we can find her originally in. Not that that explained anything about her apart from she exists and is like.. there.



The artist is at it again! Where are they running to? It looks different to where they were heading before. Where the hell is Grey Lora supposed to be? Harley runs to attack - throwing up jazz hands and gang signs while the poor chump Iceberg's hand has unfrozen (it's only been a couple of panels since we saw it frozen solid) and it's pouring out blood. Don't tell me it's because he was punched in the face because you can clearly see it dripping life fluid before he's hit.

Harley: outdated pop culture saying
Grey Lora: generic thug threat
Harley: under utilised clown props
Grey Lora: I'mma zap you biyatch
Harley: doesn't understand distance, colours change randomly
Grey Lora: oh no the main character beat me how how why

That's basically the fight scene. There's a bit where Harley says "the tip of your tail is where the electricity comes from so I can grab the other bit safely" even though the panel we just saw before this shows electricity running down most of the tail. Then Harley just stabs Grey Lora with her own tail even though Grey Lora's tail appears to be alive and able to obey the merest whim she has.

What the actual hell?

Back to hospital - Harley wakes up to find Deadshot standing over her doing creepy hand things. She threatens him, recognises then kisses him, then kicks his ass because of the Joker (helpful editor note: 'see last issue!' fuck this guy is a loser) so she's decided she's too good for him or Deadshot. So... were they actually in a relationship? I'm not even sure if they officially banged enough to be technically called a one night stand let alone any relationship status!

What is he even trying to do here?

So why did she kiss him if she didn't want him? Oh, it's a clever ruse so she can speak to him confidentially.. pretending they're enemies so they can work together and find out what weird shit Waller is pumping them with. I've got a niggling feeling that Waller's contact lens heard all of Harley's conversations with the Joker, so wouldn't that be recorded as well? Oh yeah, very next page. Totally broadcast into Waller's boombox.

Iceberg has gone into an ice cocoon, El Diablo is revealed to have gone to the dark side but he only gets one panel because Harley and Deadshot need more time to sort out their feelings. Black Spider is revealed to have not been brainwashed or drugged... which he already told us before so there's some more money down the drain.




Deadshot is still confused, horny and grumpy about what's going on but is temporarily distracted by some old team mates revealed to be alive, namely Yo-Yo and Voltaic. Editor's note comes back YET AGAIN to tell me to read issue 2. Once was enough, you bastard!

Did they steal a chicken walker from Star Wars??

Speaking of, Yo-Yo makes attempted sexual innuendo about Chinese food which is about as appreciated as Harley's Fifty Shades of Grey reference. Now he's got to go kill his sister. Who is in the ... Chang Gang. Good gravy that's the worst gang name I've heard in a while. Great.
What's next on the Cultural Insensitivity Tour?

The Short End of the Jester Schtick

Yeah, nothing much happened here, and what did happen - the bits that are meant to be shocking just come off as unimportant compared to Harley and Deadshot's... whatever you want to call it. Is there some reason we can't have a good black ops comic without weird, creepy romance shit thrown in?
Hmm, that's probably too hard. Let's try for a good black ops comic first of all.

Waller was downright friendly in this issue which is weird. Still not sure why she's so keen on bringing Harley and Deadshot back from the dead. I mean, she 'kind of' explained why she wanted Harley but now her and the imitation Joker are kaputz what use does she have for her?

At least this issue alluded to a bit of genius beneath all the pasty skinned pop culture referencing semi-sexual just got mah nails did weirdo.

Wotta Comedian!

Deadshot: Wait, I know you. You're that crazy chick we saved from Basilisk. 
Visyak: You join one cult and everyone thinks you're crazy..

Boomerang: Gotta say -- Squad fits me like a glove. Get to kill all these people with no repercussions. I might just stick around. 

Deadshot: So... you didn't mean what you just said?
Harley: ...I meant some of it.
Deadshot: Which part?
Harley: Like I know? If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit crazy.

Harley: Give me a hotel heiress's sweet sixteen gift.
Deadshot: What.. are you talking about?
Harley: OMG. HELLO. A nose job. 

Waller: Smooth. Not sure what you see in this guy, Harley. 
Harley: Hello! I obviously have low self-esteem.
Waller: Enough said. 

Harley: Hey, Yo-Yo. Thought you were dead. Where you been?
Yo-Yo: Hanging out inside this guy.
Harley: Cool. 
Yo-Yo: No. Not really.