Overview:
Justice League vs. Suicide Squad is a six-issue crossover story published by DC Comics from December 2016 to January 2017. Written by Joshua Williamson with art from Jason Fabok, Tony S. Daniel, and others, it serves as the first significant crossover of the DC Rebirth era.
The story revolves around the Justice League confronting Amanda Waller’s Task Force X, otherwise known as the Suicide Squad. The League, particularly Batman and Superman, are morally opposed to the Squad’s use of incarcerated supervillains for dangerous government missions. As tensions rise, both teams find themselves clashing. The main protagonists are the Justice League, while Amanda Waller, her Suicide Squad, and a mysterious third group serve as the adversaries.
The event was generally well-received for its high stakes, fast-paced action, and the interactions between two vastly different teams. Critically, the arc received a mixed-to-positive reception. Fans praised the action and artwork, especially Fabok and Daniel’s dynamic visuals, but opinions on the plot’s depth varied. Some felt the narrative was engaging but ultimately predictable, while others appreciated the development of key characters like Deadshot.
Background Reading:
- TBD
Related Guides
- Justice League
- Suicide Squad
Best Way To Read:
Main Collection
- Justice League vs. Suicide Squad
- Collects: Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad #1-6, Suicide Squad #8-10, Justice League #12-13
Alternative Collections
Main Story
- Absolute Final Crisis
- Collects: Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2, Final Crisis Sketchbook, Final Crisis #1: Director’s Cut, Batman #682-683
Tie-Ins
- Final Crisis Companion
- Collects: Final Crisis #1: Director’s Cut, Final Crisis: Requiem #1, Final Crisis: Resist #1, Final Crisis: Secret Files #1
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #8 | Prologue | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Batman #13 | Prologue | Not Collected |
| Justice League Vol. 3 #12 | Prologue | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #2 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #3 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #4 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #9 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #5 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League Vol. 3 #13 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #6 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
| Suicide Squad Vol. 5 #10 | Main Story | Justice League vs. Suicide Squad |
References:
Feature Image from Justice League vs Suicide Squad #6 cover at by Alex Sinclair, Howard Porter, and Bryan Hitch
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