[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Rob Williams
Artists: Jim Lee, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Francesco Mattina
Inkers: Scott Williams, Richard Friend, Sandra Hope and Hi-Fi
Summary
In the final issue of “Going Sane,” the squad fights amongst themselves while under the power of Zod. Harley has to decide if being sane is really worth it. Would she rather die sane or live and be crazy? Rick Flag proves himself the leader. Hack figures out how to bring Boomerang back from his digital purgatory. Killer Croc’s heart gets broken in a horrific way. Waller, once again, proves she might be the most crazy of them all.
In the backstory, which really works as the prelude to the Suicide Squad VS Justice League crossover, a new inmate arrives at Belle Reve. Who do you think it is? Who would make an excellent addition to the Squad? Bronze Tiger? Vertigo? Captain Cold? All of those would be good choices, but you would be wrong. The newest member of the team is another Doctor because why would Harley have all the fun and medical experience? Does that help? No? OK. I will tell you. Dr. Caitlin Snow: AKA Killer Frost. That should be interesting.
Positives
I want to hug Killer Croc. Each issue he is more and more lovable. Rob Williams has really done an excellent making the biggest, hardest and ugliest member of the team the softest and most cuddly. It is a good plan because the team needs a moral center. Why? It is the Suicide Squad. They are the bad guys. Sure. They are the bad guys, but without a moral center, the only thing keeping them in line would be the bombs in their heads and we all know that bombs in heads only keep one in line for so long. Eventually, the bomb in one’s head will only bring relief. However, if there is a guy on the team who really and truly wants to live, maybe it will rub off.
Rob Williams. Don’t you go changing a thing about this book.
Enchantress: Your nauseous appearance summons up bile’s revolt.
Harley: Yikes. What’s wrong with “it’s not you, it’s me?”
I am not sure if you, dear reader, are sick of reading about Jim Lee, but I am surely not sick of writing about him. He has a constant battle happening throughout this issue. Chaos is reigning down behind the characters. We forget that there are other people at Belle Reve. Lee reminds us. Look at the action happening around everyone. He also has to make Harley look clear-eyed while pushing Waylon over the edge. In all of the drawings I have seen of Croc, page 1 is the most terrifying. “Eat your face” indeed.
Negatives
As we move into the next phase of Rebirth, we have to deal with the fact that Deadshot is an afterthought in this run. It has not been a problem as the books are so good, but he is really a background character. We must assume that Floyd will get to come back to center stage a bit. Everyone had a chance to shine in this run except for Lawton. Sure, he was there, he killed some dudes, but overall, he was superfluous.
Other than the fact that Killer Frost will be part of the crossover, this was not really a prelude to the crossover. It was really the end of the last arc. I don’t mind, I loved the last arc, but I was expecting a prelude.
Verdict
This is not as good as it has been. This is a transition issue and in general, those leave the reader wanting something. Sure, it is nice to have Boomerang back, so there is some resolution there, but overall, this was not as fulfilling as I was hoping it would be. Still, it is better than a lot of other books.
