There’s a new Suicide Squad in town, and they’ve somehow got it worse than the original. The Absolute Universe is in its sophomore year, and the stakes are starting to get higher. The Justice League has assembled, comprised of some of the most ruthless and powerful people in the Absolute Universe. People like Veronica Cale and the Joker have come together to quash the uprising of heroes that threatens their very way of life. But aside from sharing resources, the individual members have their own plans for dealing with the respective heroes giving them grief.
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For instance, Cale has been looking for a way to get rid of Absolute Wonder Woman ever since she first appeared and took out the threat presented by the Tetracide. After Diana sparked a rebellion among the inmates in Cale’s prison for magical beings, Cale went gloves off. She went to the deepest bowels of the government, seeking out metahumans like Zatanna who could dispatch Wonder Woman. Now Cale is putting her Suicide Squad into action, and she’s making sure they do what they’re told, thanks to a weapon way more unique and sinister than a neck bomb.
The Absolute Suicide Squad is Here (Along with Absolute Starro)
In Absolute Wonder Woman #16 by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey, things seem like they’re peaceful, but Diana is sensing something bad on the horizon. Little does she know that Veronica Cale is hard at work on her next plan to take Wonder Woman down. In the depths of Area 41, Cale oversees one of her metahuman prisoners being taken under the knife. The prisoner has just had a parasite transplanted into the back of their neck. And though the parasite isn’t named, we see a familiar-looking starfish-like monster in a nearby container.
Yes, this is indeed Starro, but Cale isn’t planning to use the parasites implanted in her prisoners to control them. In fact, Cale doesn’t care whether she can mentally control them. She plans to use the parasites to act as a failsafe for her new subordinates. Any metahuman who goes against Cale’s mission or doesn’t return will die from the parasite degrading in their bodies. Cale leaves the doctor to transplant the parasites to make sure the rest of the team is ready to go for their upcoming mission.
That evening, at Gateway City’s Natural History Museum, Wonder Woman is the guest of honor for the museum’s latest exhibit. During the gala, Diana feels a major shift in the air, just as a group crashes into the museum in a cloud of blue vapor. At the center of the vapor is Zatanna, who has used a spell to rob Wonder Woman of her power. Zatanna introduces herself and the rest of the Suicide Squad, featuring villains like Giganta, Doctor Poison, and Cheetah. Unfortunately, Wonder Woman has no way to defend herself as the Suicide Squad makes their move.
Incorporating Starro is a Perfect Twist for the Absolute Universe’s Suicide Squad
I’m not surprised at the Absolute Universe getting a Suicide Squad. Cale, and by extension, the government and corporations, aren’t fans of the heroes. So I get them sending in a mod squad to take care of the people they see as a threat to the status quo. But what really does surprise me about their appearance is the incorporation of Starro. Again, I know Starro isn’t named, but come on, we all know that the parasites being implanted in the Suicide Squad members are the spores associated with the classic Justice League villain.
Now, I’ll admit that the neck bombs associated with the Prime Universe Suicide Squad are pretty intimidating. But something about swapping bombs out for parasites linked to one of the most sinister alien threats just feels worse. I’m even more surprised that Cale isn’t counting on the mind control so commonly seen with Starro spores, but rather, the painful death it will cause her team if they stray too far from the mission. Then again, Cale is ruthless, and that’s the kind of ruthlessness required if you’re going to be running a team like the Suicide Squad.
I’m very curious to see what this twist will mean for the new Suicide Squad. Are they less likely to comply without a deadly explosive in the back of their head? Or does the pain caused by a degrading Starro spore make someone wish their head would explode? And what will that mean for this new team as they embark on their first mission against Wonder Woman? There are a lot of interesting factors here with the Suicide Squad in the mix, and I think Diana is about to face an incredibly difficult battle with this team.
What do you think about the Absolute Suicide Squad and their unconventional ‘motivation’? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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