Review: Suicide Squad Vol. 5- Walled In

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is interesting and fun. In some places, flashbacks enhance the current drama and provide good character development. The volume’s conclusion leaves a lot of potential for future storylines.

Cons: In some places, flashbacks distract from the story and undercut big moments. The conclusion wraps things up a little too neatly.

Overall: The final volume in this version of the Suicide Squad series may be the best of the bunch. It tells an exciting and interesting story with a solid level of engagement. Plus, the entire adventure takes plenty of time to have fun while getting to the end. The collection has a few problems in a few places but these only slightly affect the story as a whole. Those who enjoy the Suicide Squad should consider reading this collection.

Story

Suicide Squad Vol. 5: Walled In, by Matt Kindt, is an exciting and engaging volume with plenty of positives to keep readers interested. It has the Suicide Squad and the entire world in crisis, with only a ragtag group of heroes and villains to save them. Watching these characters maneuver against a potentially world-ending threat is exciting and the twists in this plotline keep things interesting. The narrative encounters some small problems along the way and one more significant one at the book’s conclusion, but these do not prevent the overall story from being worthwhile. In the end, this may be the best volume in this Suicide Squad series.

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The primary draw to Walled In is the interesting plotline and exciting levels of action. This collection sees Belle Reve overrun by criminals and has Amanda Waller in a more desperate position than ever before. Meanwhile, the fate of the world is threatened by the schemes of the Thinker and the destructive potential of O.M.A.C. Watching these schemes play out is interesting, especially when the Thinker’s lies are revealed, and the story only gets more captivating as it approaches its endgame. Plus, it provides a wonderful environment for over-the-top fights between characters with exceptional levels of power.

Alongside the main event, a number of flashbacks also add to the overall story. In some places, these flashbacks are enlightening. They provide character development for characters who typically fly under the radar, thus enhancing their current objective. However, in other places, they distract from the main storyline and make pivotal moments feel less significant. Specifically, this problem can be seen when Deadshot kills Warrant, a moment that could have been more significant if it didn’t immediately follow pages of flashbacks.

Another problem with Walled In is the way in which the entire story is wrapped up. As the collection approaches its final chapters, everything about the story is neatly concluded in a way that feels entirely too perfect. This can be seen in Kevin Kho’s sudden ability to destabilize the Thinker or in the sudden reimplantation of the Suicide Squad’s brain bombs. This portion of the narrative feels rushed in a way that slightly undercuts the overall appeal of the collection.

Luckily, the conclusion to Walled In isn’t all bad, as it gives a great set-up to the next Suicide Squad series. Plotlines teased here include Black Manta’s addition to the Squad, enhanced security around Belle Reve, and a new overall objective for the Squad as a whole. However, the most compelling element of this conclusion is seeing Amanda Waller in the dark about her own team’s activities. It will be interesting to see how a character who is typically always in control reacts to that control being taken away. Overall, I left this volume excited to see more from the Suicide Squad.

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Art

The artwork in Walled In starts out good but gets worse as the volume progresses. Visuals from artists like Patrick Zircher and Roger Robinson comprise the collection’s artistic high-points. Chapters by these artists are well-structured and have a serious tone that suits the characters and story very well. However, the collection’s final few chapters feature a significant fall from grace, as movement is incredibly static and the level of detail declines. The end result is a collection with some good points and some bad, causing the overall appeal to fall somewhere in the middle.

Continuity

Suicide Squad Vol. 5: Walled In continues the story from Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Discipline and Punish (Review).

This series of the Suicide Squad comic ends with this volume. However, a new series continues the story in New Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Pure Insanity.

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Most of what happens in this volume is fallout from the beginning of the Forever Evil (Review) event. The exception is the final chapter in this volume, which is fallout from the conclusion of the Forever Evil (Review) event.
• Power Girl mentions a disaster happening where she is from. This disaster is detailed in Earth 2 Vol. 1: The Gathering (Review).
• Superman’s first appearances as a hero and his initial team-up with Steel is shown. These events occurred in Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel.