As most of you might know, DC Comics is doing quite well with their Rebirth line of books. As such, it was only a matter of time before they capitalized on this. That seems to be the case with the upcoming event: Justice League vs. Suicide Squad! However, like most “Versus” stories, the actual story line won’t be ending with a simple conflict to see which team reigns supreme. Instead, the fallout looks to lead to a few reveals about the nature of Rebirth, returning characters, and perhaps even the identity of the roster for the Justice League of America spin-off series. A lot of mysteries will hopefully be solved during the six-issue series. One, in particular, has my interest piqued.

In the given synopsis for the series, one line strikes me as especially juicy.

“…but before the Justice League can shut down the Suicide Squad, a bigger problem looms: another deadly strike team is lurking in the shadows, one that could expose dark secrets throughout the DC Universe, with ties to the hidden truths of REBIRTH.”

The Suicide Squad is the premier wetworks team at DC. They are, however, hardly the only game in town. With Rebirth having opened the door for several older characters and teams to make their returns, the list of teams grows considerably. However, as far as being a threat to The Justice League and Suicide Squad? That’s a tall order to fill.

With that said, I’ve compiled a list of some of my top picks for just who this “deadly strike team” could be and what they could mean moving forward.

1. Checkmate

Checkmate recently appeared in the Suicide Squad: Most Wanted story for El Diablo. In this story it appeared as, perhaps, the antithesis to the Suicide Squad, promising freedom without the need for assistance. Uncle Sam, a powerful figure in more ways than one, appeared as a member during the appearance and a new Black Knight of Checkmate was also named during the series. It’s also of note that, despite appearing in the film, El Diablo was indeed absent from both the Rebirth one-shot and first issue of the series, despite the team featured in the movie being used (minus Slipknot.)

It’s possible that Checkmate, having ties to the government, is being sent to quell these hostilities and as a Task Force X substitute, a possible scenario could see Checkmate and Task Force-X joining with members of both teams coming together to form the Justice League of America. This is especially true considering (while having not appeared post-Flashpoint) Maxwell Lord was a member of the organization.

Potential members include:

• Uncle Sam
• El Diablo
• Maxwell Lord
• Mister Terrific
• Vixen
• Phantom Lady
• Doll Man

 

2. The Authority

The Authority are powerhouses, formerly of the Wildstorm universe. Since then, they’ve since Flashpoint, have been merged into a version of Stormwatch from Prime Earth. This is probably the most powerful team you’ll find on my list and likely capable of bringing down the Justice League and Squad if needed. With an interdimensional ship like the Carrier and their own brutal form of justice, it’s easy to see how they might be at odds with more mainstream heroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman.

Wildstorm has a number of characters and versions of those characters to draw from, so it wouldn’t be difficult to create a team worthy and capable of keeping up with the bigger names of the DCU. Many fans of the Wildstorm characters would also likely be curious to see how their old favorites do as members of the JLA, should the opportunity arrive.

Potential members include:

• Apollo
• Midnighter
• Jenny Quantum
• Swift
• Rainmaker
• Grifter
• Freefall

 

3. N.O.W.H.E.R.E

The same organization that once plagued the teenage heroes of today and tomorrow, could likely still have more left in the tank—I mean, how often do organizations disband before coming back together somehow? There’s also the issue of just who was involved with this organization.

The obviously gifted time-traveler known as Harvest, could very likely reveal himself again in the present and having learned from past mistakes, could prove a threat for more than just the super-powered teenagers of the world, but the adults as well.

The organization that brought us the previous versions of Superboy also spun-off a number of powered teens in other directions. However, when you’re talking about comic books, age really is just a number. Some powerhouses faced off during The Culling and in a contest where only the strong survive to serve, this could be just the type of force and discipline anyone looking to stop the Suicide Squad and Justice League is looking for.

Potential members include:

• Kon-El
• Fairchild
• Terra
• Thunder
• Lightning
• Ravager
• Jericho

With all this said, I’ll honestly still be surprised by whatever team ends up coming out to face the Squad and the League. Rebirth has been fun, and I do think that this event will be one worth reading about for a number of reasons.

Let me know who you think is going to appear in this story or even who you’d like to see appear in this or the aftermath.