By Cat Wyatt

Suicide Squad #43 continues the plot a few issues ago, where Deadshot’s daughter has been kidnapped by Kobra. Thanks to Batman, Deadshot actually has a chance to do something about it and save her, but that’s assuming that these two unlikely allies can get along long enough to get there in time…

 This issue starts off with Deadshot wondering about the same thing that’s been on all of our minds this plot. Batman could easily go off and save the girl all on his own. He didn’t have to free Deadshot, effectively ticking off Waller in the process. So the question is, why? Is he trying to give Deadshot a chance for redemption in his daughter’s eyes? Is it more personal than that?

Luckily there are plenty of Kobra agents to distract Deadshot from this line of thinking. Something he’s likely content with. Theoretically the more agents he beats up, the better he’s feeling about the whole situation…though realistically he’s not going to be happy until his daughter is safe and sound again.

If you’ve been looking at this pairing and wondering how on earth they’re going to manage to get anything done, then you’re not the only one. They have completely different styles and moral compasses. Batman obviously has a big no-killing thing going on, and that’s something he expects everyone he works with to abide by. Batman is okay with extreme violence leading to crippling and lifelong pain, but death is where he draws the line (for those that don’t recall this was actually joked about in the last issue).

Deadshot naturally has no problem killing people, and probably even would delight in it when they’re the people holding his daughter captive.  He can and will use rubber bullets when the occasion calls for it, but that isn’t the same thing. And obviously, as a killer for hire, he doesn’t usually go for the nonlethal tactics.

The problem comes when these two types try working together. Obviously, Deadshot doesn’t want to pull his punches…err shots. And Batman is unforgiving on his rules. We’ve seen this clash in almost every team up Batman has been in, so it was only a matter of time. The difference is that Deadshot is a criminal, so Batman probably had fewer issues than normal about punching him in the face for it.

It would be really fun to see Batman and Deadshot truly duke it out here, but unfortunately that just wasn’t on the table for today. Their lovely fight is interrupted by the rest of the Suicide Squad – we knew they were hunting them after all, so it makes sense. They have a new member, Captain Cold, who actually seems somewhat competent, but who knows if he’ll balance out Harley’s insanity and Boomerang’s…well… what does he do for the team again? Other than shout at everybody else that is.

The ‘fight’ between these two teams is relatively brief, but full of craziness. For example somebody thought it’d be a good idea to let Harley fly the helicopter. You know, the one she keeps mistaking for a car or a submarine? Yeah, not a good idea. So really just start the timer now, because we all know she’s going to crash it before the issue is over.

We’re starting to get a glimpse to the true reason Batman is helping Deadshot out like this. It looks like he really wants Lawton to learn how to be a father for her – to learn how to sacrifice when it’s needed. Because Deadshot may be many things, but he is not a man made of sacrifice. Something Batman knows all about. It may not be fair to lay those expectations on anyone else, and yet Batman is so very very good at doing just that.

Hopefully in the next issue we’ll see these two arrive at the Kobra hide out where Deadshot’s daughter is. It looks like things are getting pretty rough for her, so who knows how timely their arrival will end up being.

This plot started out with a lot of potential, and that potential is still there. Unfortunately it feels like not a lot of ground was covered in this issue. They’re really not any closer to Deadshot’s daughter than they were in the last one, and there weren’t any major revelations or anything. Unless you count the Suicide Squad arrival…which was a bit lackluster.

There’s some confusing continuity and timing issues going on with this plot. We know for a fact that there’s something major going on in Batman’s plot right now (the whole wedding and everything) and that’s been keeping him pretty busy. While these issues are being drawn out over the course of a few weeks, it’s more likely to be a couple of days, right? Still, it’s hard to see where Batman found the time to disappear for a couple of days like that. Maybe this is his version of a bachelor party? Actually, wow, that really sounds like him doesn’t it?

The artwork was okay for this issue. Batman and Deadshot both looked good, while the Suicide Squad themselves seemed…off. Especially Harley. Her laughing face looked so plastic and didn’t contain any of the emotion you’d expect for her. More like it’s being done because it’s expected than anything else. Everything else looked okay though, even the fighting, so that’s something.

Score: 3/5

Suicide Squad #43
DC Comics