Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of March, 1988.
Synopsis for "Red Pawn"
Day 1
Hawk is captured by Sandinistas while running guns to the Contras in Nicaragua.
Day 2
In the United States Ronald Reagan is in a meeting with Amanda Waller, Jack, and Matt. He assigns Amanda Waller to rescue or kill Hawk. Jack and Matt want to embarrass Amanda Waller. Jack intentionally leaks this information to Val Vostok (The Negative Woman) due to a connection he has with her.
In the USSR, Stalnoivolk is talking with an unnamed Major in charge of the Rocket Reds and is tasked with sending them to Nicaragua.The Sandanistas agreed to give Hawk to the USSR soon.
Day 3
The Doom Patrol goes to Nicaragua under the impression that Hawk's death is the primary mission of the Suicide Squad.The Suicide Squad are also in the area and Psi uses her abilities to know the Doom Patrol are around. Mr.104 is angered by knowing the Doom Patrol are around and turns their explosive armbands into laughing gas and attacks Rick Flag. The Thinker stops Mr.104's attack on Rick Flag due to a desire to leave jail and retire. The teams do not meet but each of them know of Hawk's location, and old Spanish Fortress.
Day 4
At around 2:30 AM, each team enters the building separately and accidentally find each other. Due to Mr. 104's history with the Doom Patrol he instantly attacks. Thinker attempts to restrain Mr. 104 but Weasel slashes Thinker's throat and a fight between the teams start. The teams fight and Rick Flag takes The Thinker's helmet to take control of the situation. After some fighting, they are unexpectedly surrounded by Rocket Reds.
The Thinker's helmet allows the teams to start escaping. Soon after this escape Psi dies from a Rocket Red. The Thinker's helmet affects Rick Flags mind. He takes control of Celsius's mind. Tempest and Mr. 104 attempt to run away from the Rocket Reds but Celcius's burns an escape route to trap the two so Rick Flag can keep them as a diversion for the mission. While walking toward Hawk's cell, Rick Flag sees Weasel, Robotman, and Negative Woman. Rick Flag murders Weasel. Rick Flag takes off the helmet and realizes The Thinker's helmet was controlling him. Celcius is no longer under the control of the helmet, hits Rick, and goes with Robotman and Negative Woman to save Tempest.
While the teams were fighting the Rocket Reds, Stalnoivolk infiltrated the castle, freed Hawk, and threw him far away from gunfire.
After Tempest gets saved, the Doom Patrol accidentally find Rick Flag and Hawk. Due to he deaths of Rick Flag's team, there is enough room in their escape helicopter for the Doom Patrol to escape Nicaragua. At Belle Reve, Amanda Waller apologizes about how badly this mission went. Rick Flag knows this apology does not matter to him.
Stalnoivolk was working with Major Zastrow. Major Zastrow claims the USSR should rely on the populace instead of over-dependence on any faction. The next day, The unnamed Major and Major Zastrow argue. The unnamed Major knows this failure is designed to discredit himself and he attempts to take out a pistol. Major Zastrow takes out a pistol and shoots the unnamed Major before the unnamed Major could shoot.
Appearing in "Red Pawn"
Featured Characters:
- Suicide Squad
- Amanda Waller
- Mister 104 (Apparent Death)
- Psi (Dies)
- Rick Flag
- Thinker (Apparent Death)
- Weasel (Dies)
- Doom Patrol
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- KGB Agent Major Zastrow
- Rocket Red Brigade
- Unnamed Major (Single appearance; dies)
- Sandinistas (Single appearance)
- Stalnoivolk
Other Characters:
- Jack (Single appearance)
- Matt (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- This issue came out the week after Suicide Squad #11 and the story occurs concurrent with that issue and #12.