The doomed mission to Circe's island during the so-called War of the Gods resulted in the Squad's first massacre since Apokolips. As Oracle's secret files show, however, it would not be true to say that all the survivors were, in fact, members of the Squad. You will find no Retirement Files on Black Adam or Silver Swan, for example, as they were already involved in events on their own, nor are the members of the Captains of Industry relevant (though Catalyst joins the Squad eventually).
Files 032-035 - Previous
Subject: The Writer
Profile: Grant Morrison as depicted in Animal Man
Powers: His writings become continuity (or vice-versa).
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. An inside joke, the Writer was doomed from the start despite the potential his powers had.
Retirement: DECEASED. Killed in combat on Circe's island by one of her manimals when he got writer's block. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Though this avatar of Morrison was killed, there are later instances of Morrison showing up in the DC Universe, among these the reality engineers faced by the 7 Soldiers of Victory and as one of the Architects of the DCU in Tales of the Unexpected's Doctor Thirteen story.
Subject: Karma
Profile: Lame former Doom Patrol member.
Powers: Make attackers he is aware of clumsier.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. The characters added to the Doom Patrol during Paul Kupperberg's run were never popular, and were quickly written out before Grant Morrison took over the book. Lodestone was gravely injured (Morrison managed to use her in altered form) and Scott Fischer was killed unceremoniously during Invasion. Karma was on the run from the law and forgotten. Throw in a dated fashion style and you've got the makings of a death sentence.
Retirement: DECEASED. Shot in the back by an Amazon while fighting one of Circe's beastmen. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Karma was never seen again or alluded to again.
Subject: Enforcer II
Profile: Classic Firestorm villain
Powers: Nuclear-powered armor.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. As ever, Firestorm villains - controlled by the same writer - face a greater risk of being killed, especially those who hark from the then-over "Nuclear Man" period and had not been seen in years. Further, Mica Love was the second character to wear the armor, which means a third could easily have come on the scene if DC wanted it.
Retirement: DECEASED. Killed in combat on Circe's island by an Amazon. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Mica Love's death was confirmed when she returned as a Black Lantern in Blackest Night. A third Enforcer has not become active since her death.
Subject: Javelin (again)
Profile: Lame Green Lantern villain
Powers: Gimmick javelins.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. It is my belief that Javelin only survived his first mission with the Squad because they were up against the non-lethal Justice League. Evidently, Javelin was jailed again in the intervening years, though he is too lame for that capture to have been chronicled by DC Comics (superheroes may not even have been involved). For more information on his life expectancy, see File 017.
Retirement: APPARENTLY DECEASED. Telekinetically lanced through the chest by Circe. (War of the Gods #3)
Final report: Javelin would reappear alive and well at Doctor Cyber's side in Power Company #5, then go on to get his hand blown off by Deadshot. Javelin later joined Mirror Master's rogue squad where he was (finally?) killed. Whether this is the same Javelin as the one later recruited by Prometheus is a point of conjecture. We will have to revisit this case file again, looks like.
Next time, those that survived for sure, but didn't stick around to test their luck!
Files 032-035 - Previous
Subject: The Writer
Profile: Grant Morrison as depicted in Animal ManPowers: His writings become continuity (or vice-versa).
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. An inside joke, the Writer was doomed from the start despite the potential his powers had.
Retirement: DECEASED. Killed in combat on Circe's island by one of her manimals when he got writer's block. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Though this avatar of Morrison was killed, there are later instances of Morrison showing up in the DC Universe, among these the reality engineers faced by the 7 Soldiers of Victory and as one of the Architects of the DCU in Tales of the Unexpected's Doctor Thirteen story.Subject: Karma
Profile: Lame former Doom Patrol member.Powers: Make attackers he is aware of clumsier.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. The characters added to the Doom Patrol during Paul Kupperberg's run were never popular, and were quickly written out before Grant Morrison took over the book. Lodestone was gravely injured (Morrison managed to use her in altered form) and Scott Fischer was killed unceremoniously during Invasion. Karma was on the run from the law and forgotten. Throw in a dated fashion style and you've got the makings of a death sentence.
Retirement: DECEASED. Shot in the back by an Amazon while fighting one of Circe's beastmen. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Karma was never seen again or alluded to again.Subject: Enforcer II
Profile: Classic Firestorm villainPowers: Nuclear-powered armor.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. As ever, Firestorm villains - controlled by the same writer - face a greater risk of being killed, especially those who hark from the then-over "Nuclear Man" period and had not been seen in years. Further, Mica Love was the second character to wear the armor, which means a third could easily have come on the scene if DC wanted it.
Retirement: DECEASED. Killed in combat on Circe's island by an Amazon. (Suicide Squad #58)
Final report: Mica Love's death was confirmed when she returned as a Black Lantern in Blackest Night. A third Enforcer has not become active since her death.Subject: Javelin (again)
Profile: Lame Green Lantern villainPowers: Gimmick javelins.
Mission: During the event known as the "War of the Gods", collect intel from the island fortress of the sorceress Circe.
Chance of survival going in: Low. It is my belief that Javelin only survived his first mission with the Squad because they were up against the non-lethal Justice League. Evidently, Javelin was jailed again in the intervening years, though he is too lame for that capture to have been chronicled by DC Comics (superheroes may not even have been involved). For more information on his life expectancy, see File 017.
Retirement: APPARENTLY DECEASED. Telekinetically lanced through the chest by Circe. (War of the Gods #3)
Final report: Javelin would reappear alive and well at Doctor Cyber's side in Power Company #5, then go on to get his hand blown off by Deadshot. Javelin later joined Mirror Master's rogue squad where he was (finally?) killed. Whether this is the same Javelin as the one later recruited by Prometheus is a point of conjecture. We will have to revisit this case file again, looks like.Next time, those that survived for sure, but didn't stick around to test their luck!
Comments
And it's why we'll see him again in these pages.
I liked when Black Adam recruited the Squad. I think it was the first time he was showed as a badass. Ten years before Geoff Johns!
Roger