Much like Deadpool, Suicide Squad hits theaters in 2016 with a far less complex comic book chronology than, say, your Batman or Green Lantern. Simply put, Suicide Squad doesn’t begin in earnest until the late 80’s, meaning we have a clearer path for a clear and enjoyable reading order.
This being comics, it’s still far from a simple straight line. Below you’ll find all the best Suicide Squad comics, where to start, and relevant events and tie-in reading orders!
Before the Ongoing – Suicide Squad Origins
Most readers will want to begin with Suicide Squad #1, but there’s actually a plausible lead-in for the truly committed.
Suicide Squad: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1
The true origins of the Suicide Squad begin all the way back in Brave and the Bold #25 from 1959! While the issue sold for .10 cents at the time, it’s now worth upwards of $1,000. Don’t worry, you won’t need a print copy to enjoy the Suicide Squad, but a cool collector’s item nonetheless.
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Legends: The Collection
Legends (1986 to 1987) was the first DC Universe event after Crisis on Infinite Earths
Note that the most crucial Suicide Squad reference, Secret Origins #14: “The Secret Origin of the Suicide Squad,” is also included in the first Suicide Squad collection below.
John Ostrander Era Suicide Squad Reading Order (1987 to 1992)
John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Karl Kesel, and Luke McDonnell’s work creating and establishing the first Suicide Squad solo series ranks among my favorite comics of all time.
Fortunately, it’s easy to test the waters just to see if you like Suicide Squad, as the first collection of comics
Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Trial by Fire
Secret Origins #14
Suicide Squad #1 to #4
Firestorm #64, Annual #5
Suicide Squad #5 to #8
Suicide Squad Vol. 2: The Nightshade Odyssey
Millennium #1 to #4
Reading the Millennium event is a bit like extra credit for this period of Suicide Squad. The bare bones of what you need, and what’s collected in volume 2, is Suicide Squad #9 to #18, with Justice League International #13 after SS #12.
Suicide Squad #9 to #12
Justice League International #13
Suicide Squad #13
Secret Origins #28
Suicide Squad #14 to #18
Deadshot: Beginnings
It’s no accident that 2016’s Suicide Squad cast Will Smith as Deadshot, and this solo miniseries showcases the deeply wounded psychology of the assassin in brilliant ways. There’s a reason Deadshot: Beginnings is inside the top 100 of my favorite comics of all time.
Suicide Squad #19 to #20
Suicide Squad Annual #1
Suicide Squad #21 to #22
Invasion!
Invasion! is another DC Universe event that is not included in the Suicide Squad collections. Again, extra credit to provide DCU context for Suicide Squad at the time.
Suicide Squad #23
Invasion! #3
Suicide Squad #24 to #26
Suicide Squad Vol. 4: The Janus Directive
Checkmate #15
Suicide Squad #27
Checkmate #16
Suicide Squad #28
Checkmate #17
Manhunter #14
Firestorm #86
Suicide Squad #29
Checkmate #18
Suicide Squad #30
Captain Atom #30
Suicide Squad #31 to #66
The Universe wide crossovers and tie-ins thin out for this period of Suicide Squad, which was cancelled with issue #66 in 1992.
Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories
I’ll end this era of Suicide Squad with the all-time introduction to Harley Quinn, who will become a crucial part of the Squad in later years. If you’re familiar with Batman: The Animated Series
Return of The Suicide Squad (2001 to 2011)
The Suicide Squad float around the 1990’s, with very limited appearances following their series cancellation in 1992. The Squad didn’t reappear in earnest until a 12 issue series relaunch in late 2001, led by writer Keith Giffen. This second volume is as yet uncollected.
Suicide Squad (Vol. 2) #1 to #12
Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock Knock Jokes
Note that this has nothing to do with the Suicide Squad as we know it at this point in the DCU! Nonetheless, Harley Quinn’s current involvement with the Squad gives us reason to enjoy her comics as well!
Deadshot: Bulletproof
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
A comparable Suicide Squad inspired series, Secret Six is the best villains team-up during the 2000’s era DCU, and offers plenty more Deadshot and Bane action.
Following the events of Infinite Crisis, DC launched 52, a weekly comic with writing from the likes of Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid. It’s a fascinating DC Universe experience, and worth reading in its own right.
That said, it’s a 52 issue comic book series that is only tangentially related to Suicide Squad, and is deeply ingrained in the DC comics continuity of the 2000’s. It’s a recommended read in that context, and if you absolutely want to know what was happening to the members of the Suicide Squad throughout the 2000’s. Most of you new to Suicide Squad can quite reasonably skip.
Checkmate Vol. 1: A King’s Game
Checkmate Vol. 3: Fall of the Wall
Although it’s not titled Suicide Squad, Greg Rucka’s time writing Checkmate is about as close to a great Suicide Squad ongoing as the DC Universe had been in years.
The three collected editions above will cover Checkmate #1 to #22.
Suicide Squad: From the Ashes
John Ostrander returns to the Suicide Squad in earnest, with this miniseries diving into the return of Rick Flag, Jr.
Secret Six Vol. 2: Money and Murder
Secret Six Vol. 3
Gail Simone’s work on Secret Six is so great, John Ostrander teamed up with her to write the all-new Suicide Squad #67.
Secret Six #25 to #36
As far as I can tell, still uncollected, but will wrap up Simone’s run on Secret Six.
Gotham City Sirens Vol. 1
Gotham City Sirens Vol. 2
Excellent Pre-New 52 series focusing on Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Come for the Harley Quinn and Joker elements, stay for the excellent Bat villain team-up series!
Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s Joker graphic novel is out of DC continuity, but will give you a dark, stylized Joker in a way I hadn’t seen him. It’s a good read in its own right, and a clear testament to the flexibility of the Clown Prince of Crime’s character.
New 52 Suicide Squad Reading Order
You can see how Suicide Squad fits into the New 52 with Comic Book Herald’s complete New 52 reading order.
Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Kicked in the Teeth
Suicide Squad Vol. 2: Basilisk Rising
Suicide Squad Vol. 3: Death is for Suckers
Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Discipline and Punish
Suicide Squad Vol. 5: Walled In
Note that all issues of “Walled In” include the Forever Evil
Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Hot in the City
Harley Quinn Vol. 2: Power Outage
Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Kiss Kiss Bang Stab
New Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Pure Insanity #1 to #8
New Suicide Squad Vol. 2
New Suicide Squad Vol. 3: Freedom
Deathstroke Vol. 3 Suicide Run
New Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Kill Anything
Takes you through Suicide Squad #22
DC Rebirth Suicide Squad Reading Order
You can see how Suicide Squad fits into the whole DC Universe with Comic Book Herald’s complete DC Rebirth reading order.
Suicide Squad Vol. 1: The Black Vault
Collects: Suicide Rebirth #1, Suicide Squad #1 to #4
Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Die Laughing
Collects: Harley Quinn #1 to #7
Justice League vs. Suicide Squad Reading Order
Suicide Squad Vol. 2: Going Sane
Collects: Suicide Squad #5 to #8, Harley Quinn & The Suicide Squad April Fools’ Special One-Shot
Suicide Squad Vol. 3: Burning Down the House
Collects: Suicide Squad #11 to #15, Suicide Squad Special: War Crimes #1
Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Earthlings on Fire
Collects: Suicide Squad #16 to #20
Suicide Squad Vol. 5: Kill Your Darlings
Collects: Suicide Squad #21 to #25
Suicide Squad Vol. 6: The Secret History of Task Force X
Collects: Suicide Squad #27 to #32
Suicide Squad Vol. 7: Drain the Swamp
Collects: Suicide Squad #33 to #40
Suicide Squad Vol. 8: Constriction
Collects: Suicide Squad #41 to #44, #47 to #50, Annual #1
Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Katana
Collects: Suicide Squad Most Wanted #1 to #6
Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot
Collects: Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot #1 to #6
Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo
Collects: Suicide Squad Most Wanted #1 to #6
New Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Pure Insanity
Collects: New Suicide Squad #1 to #8
New Suicide Squad Vol. 2: Monsters
Collects: New Suicide Squad #9 to #12, Annual #1, DC Sneak Peek: New Suicide Squad #1
New Suicide Squad Vol. 3: Freedom
Collects: New Suicide Squad #13 to #16, Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot & Katana
New Suicide Squad Vol. 4: Kill Anything
Collects: New Suicide Squad #17 to #22, Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1
Collects: #1 to #12
Suicide Squad: Black Files — The Revenge of Kobra
Collects: #1 to #6
Suicide Squad (2019): Bad Blood
Collects: Suicide Squad #1 to #11
Collects: Future State: Suicide Squad #1 to #2, Future State: Teen Titans #1 to #2, Future State: Shazam! #1 to #2, Future State: Swamp Thing #1 to #2
Collects: Suicide Squad: King Shark #1 to #6
Collects: Suicide Squad: Get Joker #1 to #3
Collects: Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 to #3
Suicide Squad (2021) Vol. 1: Give Peace a Chance
Collects: Future State: Suicide Squad #1 to #2, Suicide Squad #1 to #6
Suicide Squad (2021) Vol. 2: Ambushed
Collects: Suicide Squad #7 to #15
Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum
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Shouldn’t you include Task Force Z ?
Shouldn’t you include Task Force Z ?
Any plans to update this list?
So, are you gonna update this one? to the recent Future State run
Hey, one question, as it is not really clear to me: Is there a tie-in for the “Ne2 Suicide Squad”-Series or am I able to read from #1 thru without any tie-ins?
Thanks
Freddy16
With New 52 as good as finished (there are still some (limited) series being finished, like Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana, and Harley and Her Gang Of Harleys), how does the Harley Quinn comic stand in contrast with the Suicide Squad and New Suicide Squad comic? Is it set in between or after? I mean, Harley seems to be a free woman in her solo comic, but she should be incarcerated to be on the Suicide Squad, right? Please tell me.
Harley Quinn stands alone as a solo comic and does not adhere to the Suicide Squad continuity. Suicide Squad does tie in with other DC titles though.
With the Harley Quinn Rebirth Comic this may change as the Rebirth Comics will have tie ins with other DC titles eg, Suicide Squad and Justice League, I hope Harley does tie in as the stand alone solo Harley Series falls flat due to this.