Suicide Squad #1

History

The modern Suicide Squad was conceived by John Ostrander, who had plotted the Legends crossover event — the first major DC Universe event following Crisis on Infinite Earths — in which he introduced both Amanda Waller and the reconstituted Task Force X to the post-Crisis DC Universe. One account noted that Ostrander initially found the resurrected concept absurd before arriving at the government black-ops hook that made it compelling. Spinning directly out of Legends #3, the ongoing monthly series launched in May 1987 (with an on-sale date of February 3, 1987) under editor Robert Greenberger, with interior art by Luke McDonnell and Karl Kesel on inks, and a striking cover by Howard Chaykin whose logo design was handled by Karl Kesel. The logo credit is noted in a Bob Greenberger text article within the issue itself.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First issue of the first self-titled Suicide Squad ongoing series (Vol. 1), cover-dated May 1987, with an on-sale date of February 3, 1987.
• Written by John Ostrander with art by Luke McDonnell (pencils) and Karl Kesel (inks); cover by Howard Chaykin; edited by Robert Greenberger.
• The series spun directly out of the Legends crossover (Legends #3, January 1987), the first major DC Universe event following Crisis on Infinite Earths, where Ostrander introduced the modern Squad and Amanda Waller.
• First appearances in this issue include: Rustam (Raza Kattuah), the villain-team Jihad (later renamed Onslaught), Jaculi, Manticore (Anastasio Corvo), and Ravan — all created by Ostrander and McDonnell — as well as supporting cast members Briscoe, Flo Crowly, John Economos, Marnie Herrs, and Dr. Simon LaGrieve, and the location Belle Reve Federal Prison.
• Nightshade (Eve Eden) appears undercover within Jihad as the member 'Chimera,' and Nemesis (Tom Tresser) is embedded as 'Colonel Mushtaq' — a narrative device establishing the series' spy-thriller DNA from its opening pages.
• The issue is notable for bringing previously obscure characters such as Deadshot and Captain Boomerang to sustained prominence; the series would later spin off a Deadshot miniseries (1988, co-written by Ostrander and Kim Yale).
• A production continuity error in this issue spells supporting character Flo Crawley's name as 'Flo Crowly,' and depicts her as white or light-skinned, contrary to all her subsequent appearances.
• The story 'Trial by Fire' from this issue has been reprinted multiple times: in the Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire trade paperback (first collected edition, 2011, collecting issues #1–8 plus Secret Origins #14), a new edition in 2015, and again in DC Finest: Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire (March 2025), which expands the package to include Legends #1–6 and related tie-ins.

Cast · 33 characters

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Variants (2)