While David Ayer has certainly been taking MASSIVE liberties with iconic characters The
Joker and Harley Quinn, when it comes to the Suicide Squad he's actually impressively respectful
to the source material.
See, while Task Force X originally debuted in the pages of The Brave and The Bold in
1959, the version still alive and well today - ironically, considering the team's name
- was created by comic book writer John Ostrander in 1987 in Legends, before quickly getting
its own title.
Amanda Waller's founding members included Rick Flag, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and...Enchantress!
That's right, what seems like the oddest addition to the team for the 2016 movie is actually
one of the most authentic.
Yes welcome back to Suicide Squad Case Files, introducing you to each new member of the
team as well as the actors will bring them to life on the big screen.
Now as magic starts to cast its spell over big Hollywood franchises with Scarlet Witch,
Doctor Strange and Warcraft's Medivh, including Enchantress here is Warner Bros and DC's way
of keeping up with the competition.
But, when it comes to comic books, magic is tricky to weave in with what's mostly sci-fi
- evolution, genetic tinkering, gamma rays, mad science not to mention alien technology
and powers.
Look at all the problems Marvel is having working in Norse Mythology into the MCU with
Thor and Asgard!
Their solution was to instead define Asgard as merely another realm, and that magic is
simply science you don't understand.
Will magic be so easily explained away in these other properties?
Kevin Feige certainly seems to be planning to do so with Doctor Strange, whom he seems
to be redefining as an inter-dimensional traveler, but that pentagram in the Suicide Squad trailer
is pretty hard to miss.
Plus DC Comics has far more magic in its pages than Marvel, with Zatanna, John Constantine,
Doctor Fate, Madame Xanadu, Etrigan the Demon, Black Alice and more!
Interestingly, many of those characters are far more popular than Enchantress, and many
were supposed to debut on the silver screen in Guillermo Del Toro's adaptation of Justice
League Dark - where, it just so happens, Enchantress was likely to be the big bad as she was when
the title debuted as part of the New 52.
But that project ultimately fell apart, and now Enchantress will be the first DC sorcerer
to hit the silver screen all by her lonesome.
Enchantress first hit the pages of DC Comics in 1966 in Strange Adventures.
Freelance artist June Moore went to a swinging party at Terror Castle only to accidentally
fall into a secret chamber, where a strange being granted her magic powers to fight evil
- initially just in the castle itself - and when June uttered the words "The Enchantress",
the innocent blonde turned into a dark haired sorceress!
How utterly 1960s!
Only June soon discovered that she was basically DC's version of The Phoenix - except that
story was published years later in 1980!
See, it wasn't June Moore who had magic powers but an evil woman from another dimension who
was fused with June.
It wasn't just her hair that changed, but who she was inside, with June and this Enchantress
fighting for control of her body.
That means whenever June used magic, she was in danger of losing control and going full
villain.
That's why she was actually the only original Suicide Squad member to volunteer, as Amanda
Waller promised to help June control her powers.
And just in case, Waller told Deadshot to take her out should June become too much of
a liability on a mission.
I guess that was pre-head bombs, which Waller would eventually use to control her Suicide
Squaders.
Anyway, Enchantress ended her run on Suicide Squad when The Enchantress connection was
ripped away from her by a demon, and she ended up in The Ostrander Mental Institute - or
perhaps in David Ayer's movie, Arkham Asylum?
Enchantress has spent most of her time over the years joining various magic teams like
Shadowpact as a fringe character, but was brought back to the forefront with the launch
of The New 52 where Justice League Dark fought an out-of-control schizophrenic June Moore
for their first story arc.
Enchantress has been romantically involved, somewhat, with fellow mystic artists Ragman
and Deadman - but Ayer seems to have something cooking between her and Rick Flag.
So, while Enchantress definitely seems to meet the cray-cray requirements for the Suicide
Squad, what unique skill set does she bring to the team?
Well in the comics she can manipulate magical energy, including to heal wounds and track
others who are practicing magic.
But get this, she's also a teleporter!
And as any self-respecting comic book reader knows, every super team needs a good teleporter.
Plus Enchantress can get creative with how she goes from A to B, as she can also fly
and walk through walls.
Oooh, what a fantastic opportunity for some awesome visual effects, right?!
Now, as for who will portray Enchantress, it's an actress as fringe as the character
herself.
UK model Cara Delevingne has so far made headlines for her modeling career, being pals with Taylor
Swift and her romance with musician Annie Clark - but Delevingne says her burning passion
is to act.
And so far, she's doing pretty good, as while she lost the role of Alice to Mia Wasikowska
and her breakout role at Paper Towns was a box office dud, she'll next be seen in small
roles in Warner Bros' Pan, Harvey Weinstein's Tulip Fever and London Fields with Billy Bob
Thornton, Amber Heard, Jim Sturgess, Theo James and Johnny Depp.
Then of course there's Suicide Squad, but after that she's caught the eye of none other
than Luc Besson for his sci-fi epic Valerian and, let me remind you, Besson seriously helped
the careers of Natalie Portman, Milla Jovovich and Scarlet Johansson.
He's pretty much one of the best directors an actress can team up with.
But will Ayer be able to help Delevinge career here as well?
She said that for her audition, he asked her to perform a scene from Who's Afraid of Virginia
Wolf, and that role not only seems to fit with June Moore's unpredictable persona but
it also won Elizabeth Taylor an Oscar!
It'll also be interesting to see if Delevigne's Enchantress can compete with equally showy
roles for her fellow actresses Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Karen Fukuhara as Katana.
Hmm...with Waller added to this mix of strong female characters, is this movie really going
to be...Joker's Angels?
Write your thoughts down below!
I'm Grace Randolph and be sure to tell me who you want to see explored next on Suicide
Squad Case Files!
Harley Quinn, Deadshot and Amanda Waller are available to watch - right now!