Creative Staff:
Story: Jeff Parker
Art: Matthew Dow Smith
Colors: Tony Avina
Letterer: Deron Bennett
What They Say:
Ghosts in the graveyard — run, run, run!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It’s always fun when comics, films, or TV shows, end up dealing with things in your city – particularly if it’s one not normally covered much. As big as Boston is it rarely factors into most comics and TV and occasionally some film material. Here, Jeff Parker brings the Squad to the bean pot where they’re trying to keep a low profile – which is hard for some of the members here until we remember they can alter their appearance. Matthew Dow Smith has continues with the artwork for this installment and that works well as I definitely enjoy his take on the characters and how he presents the city in the early pages. It’s a more character focused issue instead of action so creating more of a sense of space is important.
While I’d love to have the whole book of Harley narrating a tour of Boston down the Freedom Trail or just on a swan boat, the early pages is Waller just killing time while waiting for it to get dark to deal with the real problem. That’s been looming over her for a bit in regard to the Spectre and that makes for some good moments here as we get this oddball crew just walking the commons and coming up with little bits of conversation that bring them to life more. Things do pick up well, however, once Jason Blood shows up and we get some creative secrets of the graves in the city with spirits that still haunt it, which is what Waller is looking for in particular in order to deal with the problem of the key that’s the focus of events.
Naturally, a little action must enter it while tracking down the blacksmith spirit they’re looking for and they run into the Gentleman Ghost instead, Jim Craddock. Craddock’s always got his own thing going and the chance to give form to those in the graveyard here to tear them apart with makes for some awkward fun for the Squad as they aren’t quite sure how to deal with attacks from the beyond. What makes things fun and looking forward to what comes next is how Waller has limited rounds that can deal with the ghosts but also how Craddock takes over Bane’s body and starts to turn the Squad against itself. That will likely get resolved quickly but it’s a fun and surprising moment.
In Summary:
This installment of Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is definitely a fun little romp because it feels a little closer to home for me with its taking place in Boston. There’s a lot of material to mine in this area, like many, that’s untapped in comics to seeing Parker dabble in it a bit is delightful. I really liked what Matthew Dow Smith did the last time around and it feels a bit strong here with the layouts for it and the action flow itself. I also liked what Tony Avina brought into it with the coloring as it added to the atmosphere just right with that pink-hued sunset that gives it an extra bit of eeriness.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: May 2nd, 2018
MSRP: $0.99
