How the 'Suicide Squad' cast looks compared to the comic-book characters

Warner Bros.

"Suicide Squad" is finally here.

After a massive marketing rollout and tons of fan-generated hype, the early word is not great on the DC Comics movie with an all-star cast.

But that won't stop stampedes from seeing it when it comes out this weekend. "Squad" is looking at a historic box-office launch.

So what and who do you need to know?

Based on the comic-book series of the same name, the Suicide Squad is a team of supervillains recruited to go on missions that have almost no odds of survival. They're suicide missions, hence the name. The team is made up of almost a dozen unique villains, but many have never appeared in a DC film before.

Here's what you need to know about each member of the team.

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) creates the Suicide Squad.

Amanda "The Wall" Waller forms the Suicide Squad and acts as its leader. Because the squad members are all officially serving life sentences in maximum-security prison, she works hard to maintain their cover during missions.

In the comics, she keeps the squad in check by implanting bombs in their necks and threatening to detonate them if they step out of line. But Waller's greatest weapons are her mind games. She keeps encyclopedic knowledge of each member's weaknesses and uses them to keep the squad members under control. She wants her team to succeed, but never lets them forget they're all expendable.

Deadshot (Will Smith) is a sniper and master gunman.

Real name Floyd Lawton, Deadshot is a master assassin and gunslinger. In addition to his sniper rifle, he can fire bullets from his gauntlets and laser monocle.

In the comics, he joins the squad in the hopes of clearing off a life sentence so he can reconnect with his adopted daughter. He also starts an on and off again fling with Harley Quinn. Interestingly, Batman is the one who put Deadshot in prison after foiling an assassination attempt in Gotham City. We know Ben Affleck's Batman will appear in "Suicide Squad," so perhaps he'll be a part of Deadshot's story.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Joker's main squeeze, will appear on film for the first time.

Described in the comics as a "psychoanalyst turned psycho," Harleen Quinzel was once a brilliant psychologist. But she fell in love with her most disturbed patient, The Joker, and soon after took on the persona of "Harley Quinn."

In the comics, Harley is among the most feared of the squad members because she's unpredictable and uncontrollable. She's a surprisingly strong martial artist and Deadshot develops something of a soft spot for her. This is the on-screen debut for the character, and we'll get to see her life as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, attempting to treat the Joker, and as Harley Quinn, the giggling supervillain and squad member.