10 Essential Suicide Squad Stories

This two-issue story refined the concept of the Suicide Squad from a military team fighting monsters to a dirty dozen inspired black ops group of misfits doing the government's dirty work. John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell were a perfect creative team to breathe new life into an old concept.

From Captain Boomerang's treacherous nature to the recurring enemy Onslaught, Trial by Fire set the tone for the 66-issue series and all future iterations.

The team has to infiltrate the fortress called Jotunheim to eliminate Onslaught's forces. The comic is a simple but effective story, but Ostrander and McDonnell elevate it to a ground-breaking classic.

Villains like Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and Bronze Tiger would have been relegated to the D tier if this series hadn't given them a spotlight to shine.

Though Trial by Fire is the oldest comic on this list, its top spot is secured as without it, the Suicide Squad as a concept would never have become the juggernaut it is today.