James Gunn's The Suicide Squad will introduce a whole new roster - reportedly including DC Comics' King Shark, Ratcatcher, Peacemaker, and Polka-Dot Man. In the comics, there have been countless different versions of the Suicide Squad. The concept is almost tailor-made for continual reinvention; the Squad literally consists of whichever super-criminals Amanda Waller can force into doing her will at any given time.
David Ayer's Suicide Squad was a box office success, grossing almost $747 million worldwide; unfortunately, it was also a critical failure, slated for choppy editing and an inconsistent tone. This was a result of studio interference, with Ayer admitting that his original version was "very different" from the final theatrical cut. Warner Bros. has brought in James Gunn to reinvigorate the brand, and at first it was assumed that he'd be choosing to run with a whole new crew. There are even reports that Idris Elba is in talks to replace Will Smith as Deadshot.
Related: Suicide Squad 2 Should Replace Deadshot With Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke
The Suicide Squad isn't slated for release until August 2021, but details are slowly beginning to trickle out. The latest news is that four of the new team members have been named; King Shark, Peacemaker, Ratcatcher, and Polka-Dot Man. Some of these will no doubt be new to people who aren't familiar with the comics. So just who are they?
- This Page: King Shark & The Ratcatcher
- Page 2: Polka-Dot Man & The Peacemaker
King Shark
Probably the most famous of The Suicide Squad's new members is Nanaue, better known as King Shark. In the comics, King Shark is the son of the Shark King, and he's a savage half-shark killing machine. Created by Karl Kesel, King Shark made his debut as an enemy of Superboy, and it didn't take him long to wind up part of Suicide Squad when Waller needed aquatic muscle in order to take on a criminal gang operating across the Pacific Ocean. Where most Suicide Squad members are compelled with a brain-bomb, Waller felt more extreme measures were needed to bring King Shark on board, and she outfitted him with an entire belt of explosives. King Shark's been a recurring member of the team ever since; he's always been hard to control, though, and on one occasion refused to obey orders - instead attempting to eat another member of the Squad. Arrowverse fans will recognize King Shark as a recurring character in The Flash, where he seems to be on something of a redemption arc. He last appeared in a climactic battle with Gorilla Grodd, a kaiju-esque episode that pitted the two animal villains against one another.
Ayer strongly considered using King Shark in the first Suicide Squad film but decided he wasn't quite comfortable having a character who would be fully CGI. Instead, King Shark was replaced by Killer Croc, who served as the animalistic muscle. Somewhat unsurprisingly, James Gunn has no such concerns about integrating CGI characters into a live-action film; he's already proved he can manage it with Guardians of the Galaxy's Rocket Raccoon and Groot. King Shark changes the dynamics of Suicide Squad a little; the team has largely consisted of Batman rogues, but King Shark operates on a totally different power-level, trading blows with the likes of Superman and Aquaman. Interestingly, in recent years he's been a recurring foe for the Monarch of Atlantis. Given the box office success of Aquaman, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the DCEU version of King Shark reimagined as an Aquaman villain who's been imprisoned.
The Ratcatcher
Created by Alan Grant, John Wagner, and Norm Breyfogle, Ratcatcher is one of Batman's most twisted villains. A former employee of Gotham City Sanitation Department, Ratcatcher was convicted of murder when he stabbed a man. Ratcatcher swore revenge on all those he believed had wronged him, and captured the judge, key witnesses, prison wardens, and even the officer who'd arrested him. He held them prisoner in the sewers underneath Gotham for five years, until one escaped and stumbled into Batman. Although Ratcatcher doesn't have any super-powers, he's a fearsome foe nonetheless; he's learned to control rats through a high-pitched whistle, and usually lives in the sewers, summoning them as a deadly army. According to Collider, Ratcatcher has been switched up a little for The Suicide Squad; this version will be female, and she'll be using her rats to pursue a life of crime. The DCEU's Ratcatcher will also be a fan of poison gas.
Page 2 of 2: Polka-Dot Man & The Peacemaker
Polka-Dot Man
Batman's rogues' gallery includes some of the best, most well-developed super-villains in comics. It also includes some of the weirdest, a perfect example being the Polka-Dot Man, who commits grandiose crimes centered around the bizarre theme of polka dots. Polka-Dot Man is a relatively harmless foe who suited up simply because he wanted to test his mettle against Gotham's new crime-fighter, and Batman views him as little more than a nuisance. His costume is covered with polka-dots; some of them are weapons, others are modes of transportation such as a literal flying saucer. It's true that Polka-Dot Man initially wrong-footed the Dark Knight, but frankly that's easy to understand. Even Batman would have found himself somewhat bemused and confused by this strange villain. But it didn't take long for Batman to adapt, and soon he was using trick Batarangs to take Polka-Dot Man down.
It sounds as though the DCEU's version of the Polka-Dot Man is a little different to the comic book version. Collider reports that his polka-dots are actually a super-power, patterns that grow over the surface of his body and that he can transform into powerful weapons such as fireballs. For the most part, though, he's embarrassed about his somewhat awkward abilities. James Gunn has always had a whimsical sense of humor, so it's easy to see why he's been drawn to Polka-Dot Man; the script will undoubtedly flesh him out into a more three-dimensional character.
The Peacemaker
"I'm Peacemaker - and I'll kill to keep the peace!" It's the kind of statement that you only really hear in comic books, from would-be heroes who shoot first and ask questions later. The original Peacemaker was created by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette back in 1966, and was initially published by Charlton Comics. DC acquired the rights to the Peacemaker in the 1980s after Charlton closed down, and swiftly incorporated him into their comic book universe. Christopher Smith is a diplomat so committed to peace that he will slaughter anyone he feels threatens it; he's particularly known for hunting down terrorist groups, and has formed some pretty unsavory alliances in order to pursue his own agenda. Peacemaker is a very troubled man, haunted by illusions of his deceased father - a ruthless Nazi who had served as commandant of a concentration camp. All in all, he's thematically similar to the Punisher, but deals with international incidents and is seriously disturbed.
There are reports that Gunn is considering Dave Bautista for the role of Peacemaker. The two worked together on the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and Bautista was Gunn's most loyal defender in the controversy that led to Gunn being fired by Disney. While Peacemaker is hardly a prominent character in the comics, neither was Drax until Gunn reinvented him for Guardians of the Galaxy, and no doubt Bautista believes lightning will strike twice. If Bautista does indeed decide to jump the Marvel ship and head over to Warner Bros., that may seal the fate of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But only time will tell on that front.
