The upcoming Suicide Squad movie may be the most gritty and in your face version of the world-saving team of supervillains, but it isn’t the only one around.
If you can’t wait until next year to see Task Force X in action, you have a few options available to see Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and their crazy friends right now in both live-action and animated forms. And they’re available online, so you can crank up your iPad or Apple TV and watch them right now.
‘Task Force X’ – Justice League Unlimited
Photo: Warner Bros.
The producers of landmark animated series Justice League Unlimited, which features all of the best heroes and villains of the DC Universe, thought that maybe it wasn’t the best idea to evoke self-termination in a show ostensibly for kids. So the Squad goes by its official name for this outing, which has the team staging a heist on the Justice League’s orbital headquarters.
It’s not quite as awesome as it could have been, since they decide to go steal from the Justice League while Batman is away, but it was really the smartest call they could make.
Availability: Netflix (streaming and disc), Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Sony Entertainment Network
Smallville
Photo: Warner Bros.
Believe it or not, a time existed when Superman wasn’t just Space Jesus. On Smallville, he was just a high-school student, and one time bullies tied him to two pieces of wood fashioned together into a T shape, and …
Ooooooh. Oh.
Actually, forget about Superman for a minute because the 10th season of this long-running series featured a slightly weird version of the Suicide Squad. Deadshot goes full-on cowboy, ice-screaming Killer Frost is super gothic, and Pam Grier (Foxy Brown) plays ruthless team administrator Amanda Waller.
So the Squad gives and takes in this version.
Availability: Netflix (disc), Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Sony Entertainment Network
Arrow
Photo: Warner Bros.
After introducing each of the villains individually in earlier episodes, CW series Arrow brings them all together for a high-stakes job in an episode titled, appropriately enough, “Suicide Squad.”
The team’s a bit light in its initial version, consisting of assassin Deadshot, mad bomber Shrapnel, and guy-with-claws Bronze Tiger. But we do get a couple of quick nods to Harley Quinn, including a voice cameo from actress Tara Strong, who played Quinn in the past few Arkham video games.
After its first appearance, the Squad becomes something of a dumping ground for the crazy people that Arrow rounds up, since he refuses to kill people anymore. So the roster has expanded a little and will likely include Season 2 villain Deathstroke sooner or later because suddenly, everyone loves Deathstroke. He’s in games and on shows all over the place, and it’s a good thing he’s completely awesome, or that would really bother me.
Availability: Netflix (streaming and disc), Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube, Sony Entertainment Network
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)
A direct-to-video spinoff from the Arkham games, Batman: Assault on Arkham has the Squad assembling to thwart Joker’s plan to detonate a dirty bomb in Gotham City. Meanwhile, Batman’s sneaking around punching out some justice himself.
It’s a very strange movie. Tara Strong passes on voice duty for Harley Quinn, and Hynden Walch (Princess Bubblegum on Adventure Time) picks them up. But all of the cool, comic book-style costumes are there (looking at you, Smallville), and it features a great variety of characters.
I’m not the biggest fan of the art style, but hey. It’s more Batman.
Availability: Netflix (disc), Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Sony Entertainment Network
