How The Suicide Squad Should Really Look
Love it or leave it, the Suicide Squad movie ushered a ton of DC Comics' zaniest characters onto the big screen for the first time—and gave each one a makeover in the bargain. While some stayed closer to their original comic appearances than others, there were a few Squad members who were left completely transformed. Here's how the film characters' looks stack up against the source material.
Captain Boomerang
Just like in the comics, George "Digger" Harkness, a.k.a. Captain Boomerang, is not a nice guy onscreen. In fact, thanks to his aggressive attitude, he's one of the least likable members of the group, which is saying a lot. To prepare for the film's interpretation of the role, actor Jai Courtney was even instructed by director David Ayer to "find [his] inner s—bag."
Aesthetically, though, the Captain's live-action portrayal diverges significantly from his drawn form. There are probably no more ridiculous duds than Digger's original boomerang-print tunic and tiny hat, so this is a welcome cinematic departure. This on-screen version is based more closely on Boomer's modern duds. Sure, they both sport a similar grey-blue peacoat and each has a knack for slinging boomerangs, but Courtney's version has much more urbanized clothing and jewelry, and his hair is not the orange shade sported by his comics counterpart. Courtney also extended the character's usual sideburns into fuller facial hair and snuck in a little eye makeup to boot.
El Diablo
The fiery essence of Chato Santana, or El Diablo, was definitely not lost in translation, but there were still some noticeable style changes, most notably seen in his bevy of ink. In the comics, El Diablo sports a ton of tattoos across his body, mostly swirl designs that serve to accentuate his formidable musculature (probably to make him even more intimidating, although the flames he shoots from his body are probably foreboding enough).
With Jay Hernandez in the role, however, the character is considerably smaller in body size, so instead of sticking with the sculpture-like skinwork, his tats were changed to a scattered slew of new pictures and symbols that painted him as a true tough guy. Among his many new markings are hash marks on his eyebrows and a skeletal teeth design featured on his upper lip, as well as a grim reaper scythe on his forehead to show he's in the business of death-dealing.
Katana
Katana's comic journey has included more costumes than we can count. When she first appeared in 1983, she sported a red-and-yellow costume with ridiculous pointed shoulders and fur-topped shoes—you know, the least stealthy martial arts costume possible. Over time, she toned it down into a red-and-gold armor deal with a domino mask, but it's Katana's completely revamped New 52 look that appears onscreen.
Karen Fukuhara's rendition of Tatsu Yamashiro still changes things up in a few key ways. Her screen costume is a bit more conservative than the skin-tight leotards Katana sports in the comics, instead opting for a loose-fitting plain t-shirt and pants. Her mask was also a touch shorter in the film, and she chose not to sport traditional samurai shoulder guards, instead cloaking herself in a silky varsity-style jacket with a few floral homages to her heritage stitched in. Even with these changes, though, Katana is still pretty recognizable.
Slipknot
One of the most significant original design departures in Suicide Squad is seen in Adam Beach's version of Christopher Weiss, a.k.a. Slipknot. The ex-mercenary's big-screen version is still skilled with his ropes and has them on him at all times, and he's also a strongman—so it's the same old Slipknot, as far as his personality is concerned.
Style-wise, however, the movie's costume crew almost totally dumped the character's comics appearance. He'd previously worn a full, muscle-hugging bodysuit with bizarre side windows, loose sleeves, and a mask. In the movie, though, Slipknot got a much more militaristic (and far more practical) suit. Gone was the hokey noose design on his chest; instead, he was decked out in useful utility gear, equipped with turtle shell-inspired shoulder pads and a built-in rappelling harness. And his hair was tied back to look like—what else?—miniature ropes.
Rick Flag
Joel Kinnaman's interpretation of Rick Flag is relatively faithful, but there are still a handful of small style changes. Perhaps the most notable shift is the character's facial hair in the film. As a member of the U.S. Army's Special Forces, the comics version of Rick Flagg keeps a close shave most of the time, whereas the movie version has an anchor 'do on his chin. Kinnaman's also a living, breathing human, so he's a little less beefy than the Flag familiar to DC readers.
However, just like his paper-bound predecessor in the role, Kinnaman's take tended to sport the same Army green jumpsuit and battlefield-grade arms. He also kept the same utility suspenders in use for small storage, and of course, the low guard buzz cut that serves as a not-so-subtle salute to his military service.
The Joker
While Jared Leto's version of the Joker adopted some of the comics' physical characteristics, it was also a new take on the character in several noticeable ways. The hair, for starters: while Leto did keep the Joker's bright green 'do, he slicked it back or to the side, instead of the more unkempt approach often favored by the classic Joker.
Another big difference? Leto's Joker ushered in the era of the character with grilled teeth and litany of threatening tattoos. And while we don't get to see Joker's bare back, set photos revealed a dragon tattoo that looks pretty similar to the one Joker sports in All-Star Batman and Robin. Even his signature purple coat got a biker-friendly update—rather than the playful suit styling of old, he sported a shiny alligator skin number (and went shirtless beneath).
Amanda Waller
Quite a few impressive actresses (including Pam Grier and Angela Bassett) gave live-action life to Amanda "The Wall" Waller before Viola Davis tackled the role in Suicide Squad. Just as in the comics, she was shown as the tough assembler of Task Force X who, in Davis' words, was a "big powerful black woman, hard, ready to pick up a gun and shoot anyone at will."
Unlike many of the other characters in Squad—like Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, for example—Davis' version of Waller bypassed DC Comics' rebooted New 52 rendition of her character and went all the way back to her earlier, more business-oriented look, like in her Legends debut in the late '80s. Her pearls and hemispherical hairdo, for example, were exact replicas some of the earliest Amanda Waller appearances.
Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie hit a home run as the bat-wielding Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, but the character is hardly recognizable as the one that debuted on Batman: The Animated Series. The old Harley Quinn looks like a straight-up jester, which we get to see onscreen during Suicide Squad for one hot second, but later versions of the character lent a great deal to Harley's movie look.
Robbie's take is a postmodern punk complete with colorful pigtails, messy makeup, tattoos, and a get-up that should appeal to cheerleaders and biker chicks alike. The pigtails are borrowed specifically from Harley's appearance in the video game Batman: Arkham City, and the tattered t-shirt is pure Injustice: Gods Among Us. And we can thank her New 52 solo title for those shorts. Still, she's almost nothing like her original appearance.
Killer Croc
Killer Croc's appearance, and even his origin story, have changed so many times over the years that there's really not one "true" Croc, but the guy we see in Suicide Squad is surprisingly true to Croc's very first full appearance in Batman #358, where he's just a guy with a skin condition. During his first appearance, he shows up in a standard 1980s-mobster trenchcoat-and-hat ensemble. In Suicide Squad, he's seen wearing a hoodie, which is pretty much the modern equivalent.
As time goes by in the comics, Croc slowly devolves into a more brutish, animalistic villain, sprouting a tail and a long reptilian snout, so while the cinematic counterpart seems to be a regular guy now, the future isn't looking too bright. Sorry, dude.
Deadshot
It's hard for producers to hide a face as marketable as Will Smith's, so it's no wonder the Suicide Squad version of Deadshot doesn't often wear the character's trademark mask. When he does put it on for a few moments, the onscreen version flips the script and places his fancy sight over Will's left eye. Comics Deadshot favors his right. All of this is a relatively small difference compared to the big picture, however. On screen, he wears a uniform that looks like riot gear, and his usual red-and-silver costume nowhere to be seen. Also, Floyd Lawton has traditionally been a white guy with a little mustache. Honestly, we prefer the Fresh Prince in this instance.
All of this, however, is light years away from Deadshot's first appearance in 1950, during which he looked like a typical stage magician, top hat and all. He tangled with Batman once and disappeared until 1977, when he took on his more modern look...which is still nothing like we see on screen.
Enchantress
In the comics, Enchantress receives her powers after wandering off into a creepy room at a mansion party and talking to a fat magic head in a giant chair, because why not? After blond, bob-haired June Moone transforms into Enchantress, she looks like a standard sexy Halloween witch: green pointed hat, long cape, miniskirt, and thigh-high boots. A little on the nose, but nothing too bad. Later, as she loses control of her powers and turns a little evil, she dons an emerald green halter top and a gold band fitted around her head, with occasional returns to her oldschool look.
In Suicide Squad, Enchantress is an archaeologist who gets her powers from an ancient relic. Whatever got under her skin in that creepy old temple also gave her a complete, gross makeover, making her far more dark and grungy than her comics counterpart, only cleaning up a bit when her powers are at full force. The onscreen Enchantress, played by Cara Delevingne, wears a hunter green swimsuit and a crescent headdress, a weird shadow of her comics counterpart.