Suicide Squad Reveals the Secret Power Behind Bloodsport’s New Costume

Warning: contains spoilers for Suicide Squad #5!

With The Suicide Squad coming to cinemas soon, DC’s new comic series has taken the opportunity to include many of James Gunn’s chosen villains in Task Force X’s new roster, meaning that not only is the weapons-obsessed Bloodsport back in the spotlight, but he’s sporting a brand new costume similar to the movie outfit worn by Idris Elba. But while supervillains don’t usually need a reason to dress up in terrifying costumes and wreak havoc, it turns out Bloodsport’s redesign is intended to grant him a new ability he needs to carry out Amanda Waller’s orders.

First appearing in 1987’s Superman #4, Bloodsport is a draft evader who turned to villainy after the death of his brother, who had actually followed through on their childhood vow to serve in the military. A former pawn of Lex Luthor, Bloodsport has the ability to teleport weapons, effectively meaning he carries a huge arsenal wherever he goes and can never truly be disarmed. While this ability has generally been seen as secondary to his combat and firearm skills, Suicide Squad #5 reveals it’s more powerful than ever before, making Bloodsport the ideal operative to carry out missions in other dimensions.

In a new preview of Suicide Squad #5 from Robbie Thompson, Julio Ferreira, Eduardo Pansica, Joe Prado, Dexter Soy, and Alex Sinclar, fans see that Bloodsport has been tasked by Amanda Waller to scout out the various alternate realities that make up the multiverse and report back. Future State already established that the human body can react badly to this kind of interdimensional travel, but Waller has equipped Bloodsport with a new helmet that cancels out the vibrational energies which would otherwise scramble his mind, allowing him to become a “one-man Suicide Squad” who works separately to the main team. Enjoy a DC Comics preview of the issue below:

As he explores alternate realities, Bloodsport eventually stumbles onto Earth-3, home of the Crime Syndicate. While his scouting does not reveal any metahuman activity worth reporting back to Waller, it is only a matter of time before Bloodsport, and the rest of the Suicide Squad, cross paths with Earth-3’s evil version of the Justice League. DC’s flash-forward Future State: Suicide Squad comic revealed that Waller’s longterm plan is to conquer Earth-3 and replace its natural metahumans with a team of her own choosing. It’s likely that her desire for a new reality where her plans can come to fruition is what’s behind Bloodsport’s covert scouting mission, but as the preview ends with a hurled bus reflected in Bloodsport’s visor, it’s hard to imagine why she’d choose a world ruled over by an evil Superman as her new home.

This new Suicide Squad series has been remarkable for its willingness to kill off its villainous leads, with Waller truly treating her various Task Force X stooges like disposable cannon fodder. At the same time, it’s clear her ambitions have never been greater, and the reveal of Bloodsport‘s clandestine mission is almost as impressive as Waller’s resources in devising armor that can allow the villain to hop between realities. Fans can look forward to seeing Bloodsport go up against whoever threw that bus when Suicide Squad #5 hits the stands on July 6.