DC Does the Same Good Thing Again...But Better

 

The Suicide Squad came out

um

a bit ago.

And it conclusively proved one thing.

That I'm old now, and given the opportunity to see a new movie at home when I'm busy is something I'm not going to pass up.

But besides that it proved some other things as well.

It proved it's either the perfect film for my family, or one they should never see.

Sure it has deep comic book character and event cuts, and a twistedly violent sense of humor.

On the other hand, it has eyeball things and many of the main cast meeting grizzly ends.

I did enjoy the first Suicide Squad. it was formulaic, if fun.

This one has it's ties to Ostrander's famous run on the title more out in the open, (above and beyond his cameo early in the film) as well as a healthy sampling from Gail Simone's disturbingly fun Secret Six run.

James Gunn brought a perfect blend of action, emotion, surprises, fun and heart to this ridiculous group of characters.

He did something similar in Marvel (in a much less R rated violence manner) with the Guardians of the Galaxy films.   Deadpool worked it's magic (in just as much if nor more of an R rated manner) in the X-men films' universe.

Its a highlight of the DC and Marvel difference between having Icons and Characters that allowed the stories to work the way they did.

Both the MCU and the X-films were strongly established in theaters, before the movies that could playfully make fun of them came along to be huge hits.

While there have been a bunch of DC films, "strongly established" are not the words that come to mind for their universe.

However, the main characters are so Iconic, that them and their relationships to each other and the world didn't have to be established on screen for this jab at them (and, similarly, Doom Patrol) to work.

This film was great fun, but also gave strong emotional ties to the characters, I'm sure it will get some form of follow up.  (Mostly I am sure because James Gunn already finished filming the Peacemaker TV series. )

DC should learn from this, and perhaps stay away from the Big Guns as film protagonists for a while.

Let the Icons hang around the periphery, we all know who they are and what they stand for.  Focus on the lower tiers, the Suicide Squad, the Doom Patrol, and (dare I hope ) the "Super Buddies?"  

I heard there's a Blue and Gold :Beetle and Booster thing in the works, but with the Fourth World film cancelled, I'm not getting too excited until it is released.

They should continue showing what it's like for these less iconic heroes and villains  to try to exist in a world of Pantheonic Icons and build the movie universe that way. It could be much more complex and allow the stories they have been leaning toward in all the films anyway.

Of course, if Pattinson's Batman makes a gazillion dollars, this idea goes out the window again.

But I can dream about finally seeing an Etrigan and Lobo rhyme and "frag" filled brawl on the big screen, can't I?