Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form

RTZ: Suicide Squad Is Not Exactly A Lego Brick

Posted on August 5, 2016March 6, 2023 By Sammy Younan

Sammy Younan

Girth Radio Presents…

{Special thanks to Rob Gaudette}
Halfway through Suicide Squad I finally clued in what DC is doing “wrong” compared to Marvel Movies. I dunno if wrong is the right word…it’s a different strategy that’s just not working.

Marvel Movies created an entire universe…it has physics (with the cosmic-cube/gem stone etc.) history (Howard stark, WWII etc.) and all these corners…space (Guardians), gods (Thors), Cage will be their hip hop/street justice etc…it’s the same way you can go to Europe as 1 destination but France is different than Germany which is different than Italy. Each corner of Europe has its own culture/rules…history etc. but it’s all Europe Union (Union being the key word).

DC Movies (I’m counting Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and now Squad but for fun I’ll also toss in that crappy Green Lantern) have failed to create a universe…they don’t have a European Union they have an America: one large mass with bits of randomness and odd characters slightly connected.

Scott Snyder’s excellent Batman run was so good because he constantly worked at developing Gotham City…so much so that when he unleashed the Court of Owls that story was stunning (it was like Gotham itself turned on Batman…damn that’s cold, yo. When the one you love the most; the one you protect the most turns on you…yet epicly delicious!)

Suicide Squad fails to build DC’s movie universe too. DC’s strategy seems to be…look we got the chump from Reindeer Games in all these movies…there’s your shared universe: they dusted their hands and walked away. DC doesn’t seem to get it’s more than having the buddy from Less Than Zero in all the Marvel Movies that makes it shared.

Bottom Line #1a: Robert Downey Jr. > Ben Affleck #BillionaireSuperheroes
Bottom Line #1b: Knight in Shining Armour > Dark Knight #WhiteKnights

After seeing Suicide Squad I now see Kevin Feige as an architect…he’s the one constantly building Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (and all the directors are interior designers…Feige built the building and each director gets a floor to play with and decorate). Geoff Johns hasta be that guy for DC. (Although I admit even with Rebirth and New 52 DC has never had a proper comic book universe not with the same depth and scope Marvel has had/have…Marvel has patiently built their universe over decades of work).

For example Arkham Asylum shows up in Suicide Squad for 10 seconds. Great addition to the DC Movie Universe…now build on it. Give it more life than 10 seconds…now that it’s there DC Movies would be “crazy” not to use it. To capture, harness and unleash these elements requires vision.

Bottom Line #2a: Geoff Johns has to become DC’s Kevin Feige
Bottom Line #2b: Kevin Feige > Geoff Johns #MarvelousArchitects

In the absence of a clear architect DC seems all over the place…a Superman movie than a Suicide Squad movie…what the? There’s no flow or reason; there’s certainly no story. WB does come off like a money machine…you nerds like comic book movies here’s some…now give us lots of money. At the risk of sounding like The Black Eyed Peas…yo: DC Where Is The Love?

So what’s next?
I’m cautious with Wonder Woman (I mean Chris Pine is in it…this is a guy who though Finest Hours was a good idea and couldn’t get Jack Ryan off the ground!!) and Justice League is already looking tank.

Bottom Line #3: DC Movies doesn’t put the supa in supa dupa

Sammy Baltic Web

Sammy Younan @ W • T • F

Ziggy Was Here January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016

My Pal Sammy Tags:Comic Books, Movies, Resist The Zeitgeist, Suicide Squad, Super Friends

Post navigation

Previous Post: Trial By Trailer: Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown To Off The Wall
Next Post: #CouchWorthy: Hip-Hop Evolution

More Related Articles

Morning Tea: Yo quiero Moonfall Morning Tea
#CouchWorthy: Genius: Season 1 – Albert Einstein My Pal Sammy
Trial by Trailer: Including…Space Sweepers Movies
Trailer Alert: Venom & The Spider-Verse My Pal Sammy
Good-Bye: Matthew Perry Morning Tea
#CouchWorthy: Into the Night My Pal Sammy
  • #SetTheVCR: May 05-11, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Even with your Poker Face I can tell you’re seeking TV Recommendations for your Safe House. No worries with this week’s #SetTheVCR I got it in The Black Bag.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 28 – May 04, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    April showers bring May TV listings: these TV recommendations cover all Four Seasons. It’s #SetTheVCR where I put the On in Conan.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 21-27, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    TV Recommendations can be Havoc; You need help. Well Babygirl: I got you; it's your TV Companion: #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 14-20, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    I hope you're a light Nightsleeper because the NBA Playoffs start this week. Will a new champion be Minted? Only way to know is to #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: April 07-13, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    For this week's TV Recommendations we stare into The Abyss and a Black Mirror stares back. Welcome to #SetTheVCR which is about as comfortable and as cool as Morningside.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 31 – April 06, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Secrets and Serial Killers pepper this week’s TV Recommendations. A combo like that can only mean it’s #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 24-30, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    You'll wanna Bogart these fantastic TV Recommendations: they go from Holland to MobLand. Of course it's not a Complete Unknown, why yes it's #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 17-23, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    These TV Recommendations will make you don a Happy Face: from magic of David Blaine to the Madness of March. It's #SetTheVCR here for all of Your Tomorrow TV needs.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 10-16, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    From an Electric State to a Beach party these TV Recommendations will make you a Better Man. It maybe Cold outside but #SetTheVCR is warm and just what you are Kraven.
  • #SetTheVCR: March 03-09, 2025
    by Sammy Younan
    Venom has a Last Dance while Daredevil is Born Again: that's Life. It's also #SetTheVCR for this week.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – April 2025March 28, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – March 2025February 28, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • Morning Tea: The Rocky III-Peat…February 9, 2025
    What's popping in popular culture? My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan steeps some seriously serious tea which prompts reflections.
  • #CouchWorthy: 2025 Key Midseason & Premiere Dates – February 2025January 31, 2025
    #SetTheVCR is your weekly TV Guide by Sammy Younan to help you plan a fantastic TV schedule from must-watch TV shows to fun discoveries.
  • #CouchWorthy: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-ManJanuary 28, 2025
    Following Peter Parker on his way to becoming a hero. Or is is "Peter Parker?" The stand alone vs continuity debate.
  • #CouchWorthy: The Countdown to NBA Saturday Primetime on ABCJanuary 22, 2025
    NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC– the marquee, national NBA game of the week kicks off on January 25 with a classic Tripleheader.

  • Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    Under-Review: Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: Overture
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Batman - Detective Comics: Gotham Nocturne: OvertureL Volume 1,
  • New Book Alert: California Bear
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Music Was Just Getting Good
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: The Ascent
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?
  • New Book Alert: Fantastic Four by Ryan North Volume 2
    by Sammy Younan
    New Book Alert is just that: A useful Yo for a fresh book. from your pal Sammy. What Are You Reading?

Copyright © 2025 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme