The story here continues from the last issue. The Squad tries to lay low while waiting for their ride and protecting the package. Too bad there’s a bounty on their heads and Mad Dog is trying to collect. The issue presents some nice twists, some that may impact the team in later issues.
One gripe I have with the series as a whole is the “member loss of the month” motif. If this turns out to be a recurring thing in the series, I feel that it will get old after a while. However, it currently works for the series.
The story is presented in non-chronological order, which is one way to keep things interesting. One event is the near-sex scene between Deadshot and Harley Quinn. This might be seen as an unnecessary addition by some, but it really shows Harley’s character and how she really doesn’t take the situation too seriously. Or maybe she is taking it seriously and she’s playing a card of some sort. Or maybe she was just horny. Either way, it reveals more about her than hammers and mayhem. Deadshot, on the other hand, is the opposite. He takes a lot of stake in the teams success and tries to ward off Harley’s advances. His giving in shows that, as hard as he tries to be, he too is only human.
The rest of the issue is action packed. Lots of fighting, quippy dialogue, the norm. Diablo and Black Spider get some bonding time in, although its short lived. There isn’t much King Shark in this issue though. Overall, I really liked that we get to see more of the characters personalities this issue. By the end of the issue, the team ends up with a new leader at the end of the issue, and none of the members are happy about it. I’m sure this won’t bode well for the new leader.
The art in this issue is a large jump ahead from the previous two, largely due to the fact that one artist is used this time. In the previous two issues, multiple artists were used which presented a large amount of inconsistency. That’s not to say Cliff Richards isn’t pulling his weight. He does a really nice job with this material and it’s a shame he won’t be coming back for the next issue. I particularly like his work with shadows and shading. It really makes the characters stand out and certainly helps set the mood for each panel.
Overall I was satisfied with the issue. Adam Glass continues to keep the story interesting, and keeps me wondering what might happen next. Artwise, I do hope they bring Richards back for future issues. That’s not to say Federico Dallocchio and the other contributors haven’t done well with this book. They certainly bring their own style to the series, and it’s a style that certainly works. I simply prefer Richards’ work here. Here’s looking forward to the next!
Rating: 
