Suicide Squad, Volume 4: The Janus Directive

Suicide Squad (1987) (Collected Editions)

by John Ostrander

The Suicide Squad has always been held in check by their leader Amanda Waller. But it becomes clear that Waller is sending her agents on missions in the pursuit of her own private agenda called The Janus Directive. Soon other governments and super-villain teams become involved and all-out chaos errupts. Who controls the one who controls the super-villains?

Collecting: Checkmate 15-18, Suicide Squad 27-30, Manhunter 14, Firestorm 86, Captain Atom 30

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2016

About the author

John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.

Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).

Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first of these Suicide Squad trades I didn't really like. I think that's because it didn't feel like a Suicide Squad book. The Janus Directive was a crossover mainly between Checkmate and Suicide Squad but it does drop into Firestorm, Captain Atom, and Manhunter as well. There's a war between the different intelligence agencies for some reason that isn't really clear. The story doesn't make a lot of sense until after the true villain is revealed. Once they go after him the story gets better even if it does rip off Moonraker. I also liked how they reorganized the various agencies at the end of the book. It should lead into some good political drama.

I'd never read any of the original Checkmate issues before. The designs for the Knights have to be one of the best character designs in DC's vault. At the same time, Peacemaker is one of the worst. For some reason Harvey Bullock from Batman is in Checkmate as one of the support staff. It was very odd.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old Suicide Squad was about more than just the criminal members. The political power plays behind the scenes were as important a part of the story as the missions. This volume brings alot of the behind the scenes action into the light. Good read. Recommended

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Janus Directive was never my favorite storyline and reading it again all these years later hasn't changed my opinion. It's too long and some issues didn't really tie into the story. I did really like the Firestorm issue, but it didn't need to be here. On the plus side, Karl Kesel really shines on the art side and he and new SS layout artist John K. Snyder really mesh by #30. Looking forward to just getting back to the Squad in the next trade.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando eu comecei a ter dinheiro para ampliar minha coleção, nos anos 2000, fui atrás de vários títulos que não tinha nela. Um deles era o Superalmanaque DC, da Editora Abril. Foi um título que durou bem menos que sua contraparte da Marvel. Uma das atrações dele foi a saga Conspiração Janus. Quando me deparei com ele, no afã de completar mais um título da coleção, achei a história impenetrável e os desenhos incrivelmente feios. Claro, eu não acompanhava nenhum daqueles títulos do especial: Esquadrão Suicida, Xeque-Mate, Nuclear, Caçador, Capitão Átomo, nunca estiveram na ordem do dia até aquela época. Não tinham a mínima atração para mim. Com o sucesso do Esquadrão nos cinemas, a PaniniTM trouxe a sua fase clássica em encadernados, que eu vinha gostando muito. Até aqui. As histórias desse encadernado que são do Esquadrão Suicida são boas, mas elas são menos da metade dele. Já as histórias dos demais títulos que fazem parte do crossover são fraquinhas demais, com personagens que ninguém parece se importar. Dessas, talvez apenas o Caçador tenha um carisma maior. Apesar deste encadernado ser bem qualquer coisa, gostaria de continuar lendo o título do Esquadrão Suicida até o fim da série, que longe de crossovers é bem boa.

[Dominic Sedillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man! John Ostrander knew how to draw out a story! There are things planted in volume 2 that still haven’t come out, but he cleverly sprinkles hints in there to keep things interesting.

The main story is a huge crossover epic that has a good finish. I like Bronze Tiger as the leader and in this OG Suicide Squad Amanda Waller continues to be a character you love hating. She had reasons and motivations; unlike the modern Suicide Squad stories where she is unreasonably unyielding to her power, ignoring basic logic and common sense.

Also is The Dutchess really Lashina from Apokolips?! I gotta keep reading the next volume to find out!!

[Matt Ferra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first volume of the Ostrander Suicide Squad that I was struggling to get through. The fact that this story was a crossover between a bunch of different series meant that it was flipping back and forth between a lot of different stories and characters, some of them I wasn't super familiar with or invested in. The spotlights on Manhunter, Firestorm, Peacemaker, and Captain Atom were interesting, but so much of it was about Checkmate, which I know virtually nothing about and didn't find as interesting as the actual Suicide Squad stuff.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

What just happened?

[Alex Sarll]

Just as Ostrander's Suicide Squad was getting nicely into its groove, with its uneasy mix of antiheroes and outright scum simmering nicely, it gets derailed by a big crossover. Mostly with Checkmate, which makes sense, given they're both intelligence organisations covertly run by the Machiavellian Amanda Waller – though just to confuse things further, issues of Manhunter, Firestorm and Captain Atom also get dragged in. The basic premise is sound, not to mention prescient, with malign forces taking advantage of the mutual suspicion between America's various secret agencies to set them at each others' throats, then take advantage of the resulting lapse in vigilance. But the execution...dear heavens it's confusing, all footnotes and exposition aside. I know the Squad, because I've been reading their book. Other characters here I recognise from ambient DC awareness – it's fun seeing General Eiling before he menaced the Morrison-era JLA, and already a dick; or Major Force, before he birthed a trope and stuffed a woman in a refrigerator, already saying that he doesn't mind hitting broads, right before getting his arse handed to him by one. And Peacemaker I obviously know as the template for Watchmen's Comedian, though not that he was considerably crazier at this point than the Comedian would ever be. Other people, though...who's the Davros-looking motherfucker who explodes? Only later does it become clear why this would have been important. The Force of July, yet another government superteam, ultra-patriotic loons along the lines of USAgent – had they any prior appearances, or were they just redshirts for this event? And I vaguely suspect Black Thorn did in fact pop up considerably earlier in Suicide Squad, but I've pretty much forgotten her by now, though given she knows Dalton is the best Bond, I'm pleased to make her acquaintance again. The worst of the lot is Bishop, who pops up in one of the Checkmate issues. First of all, when you're up against a chess-themed team, that's a needlessly confusing name for an antagonist rather than a member. But then on top of that, where you assume he'll come into play again later in this collection, turns out no, he was clearly just setting up a Checkmate plotline for down the line, because we never see him again*. And then, just when I'm getting a handle on all this, random ninjas! Who to make matters worse are called Blackadders! And Cap's classic 'WANK!' sound effect gets a challenge from the deeply alarming 'THRUSH!' – Major Force really does hate women, I guess. Lots of references to Talking Heads are made, but spoiled by calling them The Talking Heads. Firestorm is in an Ostrander/Mandrake issue, which reads a bit like a poor man's Spectre, only ecological, and with less character because something's gone wonky with his matrix. The Captain Atom issue is meant to be an epilogue, but reads more like a chapter in an ongoing soap opera, and doesn't feel like it needs to be here at all. And the art, as is so often the way with big crossovers, varies hugely both in style and skill. Though the real tragedy is that given that title, and the size of the cast, they still couldn't find room for a single character called Hugh.

*His plotline also includes one of a number of very obvious late changes to the lettering, which could indicate things were originally slated to fall out otherwise.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

For an attack on spy organisation’s, there were a lot of explosions and fist-fighting (lol I guess that's like every James Bond movie).
I was hoping for a little more subtle espionage to be honest. Maybe some look into investigating the rumour and not just going in guns blazing.

This really did a number on the metahuman team the Fourth of July!
Was it to retire the characters or a subtle jab at how the American government is taking more freedom’s away from its people?

Anyway, the best part of this was how easily I was able to get through a lot of the issues.
The worst thing was the fat shaming. Like, what was the point? You were already knocking Waller down a peg when she stopped being able to lead Task Force X or Suicide Squad without supervision.

I also liked that a super-villain took advantage of a leftover alien ship. Unfortunately, I did feel like the whole time Kobra was not very menacing and a little bit of a joke. Especially the ‘remaking the world in his image’ thing or whatever he was attempting to do.

Links to individual status updates:
Suicide Squad #26│Checkmate #15│Suicide Squad #27│Checkmate #16│Suicide Squad #28│Checkmate #17│Manhunter #14│Firestorm V2 #86│Suicide Squad #29│Checkmate #18│Suicide Squad #30│Captain Atom V2 #30

[Rex Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those multi-issue crossover stories that strafed across five titles. The kind we got plenty of in the late eighties and which quickly became tiresome. The purpose was to boost sales in flagging books, but all it really achieved, from the standpoint of a reader, was to interrupt the storylines of the series you were interested in in order to shoehorn in some part of a bullshit story of which you were only half aware.


That being said, when the entire collection is put together like this, it makes it much more palatable to read, but it is still slightly annoying. After all, you've bought a book about the Suicide Squad and they only appear in about half the issues. The rest of it is filled with various characters to which I have only a peripheral knowledge of, or their Pre-Crisis version, or an Elseworlds version, or whatever. This book collects issues 26 - 30 of Suicide Squad, 15 - 18 of Checkmate, #14 of Manhunter, #86 of Firestorm, and #30 of Captain Atom (the last one could've been jettisoned from the pack in my opinion).

A cold war has erupted between the American intelligence services various metahuman (DC talk for superhero) teams. People have been killed and secrets compromised. This results in a lot of back and forth conflicts. One team hits another. Some people are killed. Lois Lane investigates. Then the real culprit is revealed and finally defeated. Unlike most crossovers however, this one has lasting effects for the Suicide Squad.

[Alan Duran · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Janus Directive in the Suicide Squad was a big crossover between the covert books. I kind of have to question the inclusion of Firestorm #86 and Captain Atom #30 being included. The stories in their respective books didn't seem to add much to the story. Firestorm has maybe one or two related panels, and Captain Atom is only connected because we get a Captain Atom/Nightshade conversation. I don't remember if their relationship had carried over from their old Charlton Comics days or not. We finally get art by John K. Snyder III and Karl Kessel finishes. Their art fits the Suicide Squad well. Another bonus of The Janus Directive story is we get quite a bit of Peacemaker. Peacemaker has climbed his way to the top as one of my favorite DC superheroes. We also get Mark Shaw's Manhunter with some nice artwork by Doug Rice. All in all, the story was ok, but I think they could have cut out the Captain Atom and Firestorm books, since they really did not add much to the overall story. The story could have been confined to SS and Checkmate, and it still would have hung together. Manhunter #14 did provide relevance to the Janus Directive. There story opens on Jotumheim, which is in the the last Suicide Squad movie which also features John Cena as Peacemaker. If you are reading through the SS series, don't miss this one.

[Luana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice of them to put the entire 11 issue Janus Directive event in here (especially considering there's several issues of non-SS books) but also: I have little to no context on who Checkmate are (Harvey Bullock works for them? He not a cop anymore?), what Captain Atom's supporting cast is up to, and why Firestorm has gone elemental Swamp Thing route and how his friends feel about it.

The opening and closing issues of this collection are weird choices: Rick Flag taking down the Jotunheim facility* feels like an epilogue to the previous book, and Captain Atom on a fishing trip having trouble with his son in law being a BLACK (lmao seriously) is apparently officially part of the Janus event but... why?

I liked the Kobra Moonraker shit, delightfully doofy and all, but a little research about why this interdepartmental war and its resulting administrative shake-ups clears a lot up: SARGE STEEL and PEACEMAKER and them were all Charlton Comics purchases that needed to be introduced in the main universe and here ya go.

Well, thanks for the whole event in one book at least, not all DC books do you that favor (lookin' at you Catwoman v3 and half of the War Games event)

*reading this issue JUST before the new movie made me go "haha ok"

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Janus Directive is the fourth volume of Suicide Squad and collects the issues of Suicide Squad #26-30, Checkmate #15-18, Manhunter #14, Firestorm #86, and Captain Aton #30.

The Janus Directive was a 11-issue crossover of the above titles and delays with intelligence agencies being at war with each other. Of course, a supervillain is revealed as the ultimate mastermind of the plot. I am glad that DC Comics decides to collect all of the tie in issues to provide the full story, but it was still confusing. There were so many characters and teams involved in the story line and most of them are C and D-list characters at best. I hadn’t even heard of half of them.

Once the mastermind was revealed, the intelligence agencies came together to battle the villain and stop his world domination plot. The story is very 80s and I may have rolled my eyes numerous times. The end result of the book put all of the intelligence agencies under one command which should make things easier to follow for the future.

[Nate]

The credits page in this book lists no less than 28 different creators. That should tip you off as to what a mess it is. “The Janus Directive” is an ambitious 11-part crossover, jumping between issues of Suicide Squad, Checkmate, Manhunter, Firestorm, and Captain Atom (the latter is a barely connected epilogue). While it’s nice having the complete story reprinted in one place, this thing is emblematic of bad superhero comics, and reminds me why I’m not a fan of events. It’s all plot, going through scenes quickly only to get from point A to point B. A lot of characters feel like they’re in this for no reason. The character-specific issues are better than Suicide Squad and Checkmate because they allow for some character moments amidst the jumbled story. But they’re not enough to lift it out of mediocrity. By the end, I was glazing over dialogue because I just wanted it to end. The low point of Ostrander’s run, largely because it’s not really a Suicide Squad story.

[Rick Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume suffers from the same issue I had with the second volume of this run - too many crossovers. However, this time we get one, overly long crossover instead of many small ones. "The Janus Directive" largely has to do with a conspiracy uncovered by Amanda Waller that leads her to believe that Task Force X is being targeted. Conceptually interesting since it uses elements I enjoy about Ostrander's take on the Suicide Squad like the nefarious politics and infighting, but this could have been done in like 2-3 issues instead of what seemed like a five series crossover. The whole thing reads very clunky and drawn out, leading me to nearly give up on reading this midway through. The salvaging point is that even though Luke McDonnell is not contributing any interiors, every artist delivers some nice artwork together.

[MatiBracchitta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cuando finalmente lograba conectar con los personajes y conocerlos un poco más, me cambian a todo el elenco y agregan dos o tres supergrupos de los cuales no tengo idea... y digo dos o tres porque es todo tan confuso que uno no termina entendiendo absolutamente nada.

Se entiende la idea general, y parece que el planteo puede llegar a ser interesante, pero es todo tan tan tan TAAAAAN confuso que al final solo estas viendo gente peleando contra otra gente sin entender exactamente quien es quien o por qué lo hacen.

Entiendo que este fue un volumen "especial", pero ciertamente espero que se vuelva a la tónica anterior que finalmente parecía estar dando sus frutos.

[Dallas Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot of "Suicide Squad" in this book as it serves as a huge crossover event between the Squad, Checkmate, Manhunter, Firestorm, and Captain Atom.

The crossover has a fantastic premise and the early parts with the Squad are fantastic as well as their moments in the climax!
Peacemaker stands out as the funnest addition.

But overall I don't think I needed to read the other titles that all tie in, and was mostly bored or just kinda following along.

The climax where everyone's storyline collides in the final fight was rather magnificent though! Truly felt like an epic battle and finale!

[Zachary King · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a little lost on this one. This crossover pits all the metahuman agencies against each other, while a mystery villain pulls the strings for sinister ends. This book is overlong, perhaps because issues are collected for the completionist's sake rather than their full relevance to the story (some only feature a page or two of the main plot). Worse yet, the Suicide Squad itself barely appears in this book! Not really skippable, though, as I imagine Waller's new position at volume's end will be important down the road, as is a revelation about Duchess.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crossovers ... it's like they exist for the sole purpose of derailing and damaging otherwise enjoyable series. Even IF I knew who the Checkmate/Captain Atom/Firestorm/Manhunter players were, the choppy plotting and nonexistent characterization doomed this forgettable slog. The action sequences are so cluttered that none of it matters, the Squad is barely featured in their own book, and the revelations come together completely arbitrarily.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crossover stalls Ostrander’s narrative though the issue preceding The Janus Directive has some significant developments. Overall Directive is not bad though some of the adjoining issues feel mostly extraneous to the larger story. The Waller reveal is solid: subverts expectation while further expressing the drive of the character.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big crossover, involving a bunch of DC characters with government ties, about a vast conspiracy to pit several shadowy government agencies against each other.

It's fun, with a twisty-turny plot, lots of action and it changes the status quo of a bunch of characters in ways that doesn't feel forced.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember when the Janus Directive was hitting the books. It was nice because Suicide Squad went biweekly for a couple months. Sadly much of the story appeared in other books. This volume collects all parts, but even then I was not thrilled with this "event".

[Brannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is the complete Janus Directive storyline so we move between issues of Suicide Squad, Checkmate, Firestorm, Manhunter and Captain Atom. It’s a fun story but doesn’t really progress the Suicide Squad storyline much except for Waller.

[John Feetenby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A multi-issue crossover with Checkmate, Manhunter, Firestorm and Captain Atom, this is the least satisfying arc of this Suicide Squad run. It’s lively enough though, and the seventies internecine agency turf war vibe is enjoyable

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty cool crossover that's focused more on Checkmate than the Squad. This volume didn't have the interesting character development and humor of the last one, but I suspect things will return to normal in book five.

[Dude. Beard. Comics. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the world of comic books, few series manage to consistently deliver a blend of action, intrigue, and character development quite like Suicide Squad. In its fourth volume, The Janus Directive, the series continues to impress, offering a thrilling narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The Janus Directive is a crossover event that spans several issues of Suicide Squad, Checkmate, and other related titles. The story revolves around a power struggle between various government agencies, each with their own agendas and secret weapons. The Suicide Squad, a team of incarcerated supervillains working off their sentences by undertaking dangerous black ops missions, finds themselves caught in the middle of this conflict.

The narrative does well in suspense and political intrigue. The writers, John Ostrander and Kim Yale, weave a complex web of deceit and betrayal that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The plot is dense and layered, but never confusing. Each issue reveals a new piece of the puzzle, gradually building up to a satisfying conclusion.

The character work in this volume is also commendable. The Suicide Squad is a diverse group of characters, each with their own unique personalities and motivations. The writers do an excellent job of fleshing out these characters, making them feel real and relatable. The interactions between the characters are one of the highlights of the series, providing a much-needed dose of humor and humanity amidst the high-stakes action.

The artwork, primarily by Luke McDonnell and Grant Miehm, is top-notch. The action scenes are dynamic and exciting, while the quieter moments are rendered with a level of detail that brings the characters to life. The color work by Carl Gafford is also worth mentioning, adding depth and atmosphere to every panel.

In conclusion, Suicide Squad, Volume 4: The Janus Directive is a must-read for any fan of the series. It delivers on all fronts, providing a thrilling story, well-developed characters, and stunning artwork. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer to the series, this volume is sure to entertain.

[Francisco Becerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Waller, the most dangerous woman on the planet. Polically savvy. Ruthless. She knows how to use captured supervillains like no other. And in the meantime, the danger mounts. Amazing read again!

[Jdetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crossovers rarely succeed and this is no different. The issues of Checkmate are a little painful and it's a shame that the regular Suicide Squad comic got sidetracked for this.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh fun.
A real communication issue.
The Meta-Human spy community has a real problem.
This was fun.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars