DC Just Killed Several Iconic Suicide Squad Members at Once

DC’s Suicide Squad has become a staple of the comics world for an array of reasons, as its ragtag ensemble and action-packed conspiracies have unfolded over the decades. Deadly consequences have always been at the center of the team, as one wrong move on behalf of any of its characters can lead to their explosive death. That possibility was taken to new heights in the most recent issue of DC vs. Vampires, which saw things quickly turn deadly for the black-ops team. Spoilers for DC vs. Vampires #6, from James Tynion IV, Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, Simone Di Meo, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Rex Lokus, and Tom Napolitano below! Only look if you want to know!

Early on in the issue, Barbara Gordon / Batgirl can be seen teaming up with the Suicide Squad, which (in this particular roster) consists of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark, Parasite, and Captain Boomerang. After King Shark and Boomerang began to get into an argument, the team’s comm devices came back online, putting Harley back into contact with Amanda Waller. After Harley explains the situation to Waller — particularly, that she and Deadshot are about to be eaten by their vampire teammates — Waller springs into action, igniting the bombs within their necks and killing them instantly.

Later on in the issue, Batgirl seals the deal by stabbing the vampire Squad members with a stake through the heart. They then discover that The Joker, who they suspected of being the “Vampire King”, has actually become another casualty, and has been drained of all of his blood.

Again, death is always a unique thing within the DC universe, particularly when it comes to the Suicide Squad. Still, seeing King Shark, Paradise, and Boomerang get taken off of the board is definitely shocking, especially with the back half of DC vs. Vampires still to come. 

“I love that idea [that] so much of what these characters do is built on trust,” Rosenberg said in a previous interview with ScreenRant. “It’s trust in humanity, and it’s trust in the people who fight beside you, and trust in the fact that you can win. And we’re just doing everything we can to whittle away at that trust. What do these characters become when they don’t trust anyone, when they’re not sure they can win, when they don’t know that humanity as they know it is going to be the good guys?”

“But I like putting these characters that we all know in new positions,” Rosenberg added. “The obvious thing is, ‘What if they’re the villains of the story?’ But that to me is less exciting then, ‘What happens when you start taking away the things that we’re used to seeing them have? Who do they become, and who are they?’ And that’s why I’m having so much fun on the book, because we get to do both. We get to do unexpected villains and we get to do unexpected heroes as we go on, but also we get to see all these characters in a new position we haven’t seen them in.”

What do you think of DC killing several Suicide Squad members in DC vs. Vampires? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!