The original Suicide Squad saw some of DC's mightiest villains unite and join forces to stop some of the most dangerous threats to the world. But when these threats are magic in nature and too dangerous for the classic Suicide Squad team, Amanda Waller decided to form a brand new branch of Suicide Squad, full of members with mystic and arcane abilities called Suicide Squad Black.
In 2019, a back-up story in Suicide Squad: Black Files #1 by Jai Nitz and Scot Eaton depicts the Suicide Squad Black forming for the first time. A.R.G.U.S.'s top warlock, Sebastian Faust went rogue and took over Cerberus. Faust oversaw the Black Room, which was in charge of gathering and cataloging magical artifacts for the U.S. government. To combat that threat, Waller retrieved Klarion the Witch Boy from a Texas prison and had the magical child read tarot cards that predict how to best stop Faust.
The cards show the best way is to gather a magical team to defeat the warlock. Waller reveals that she has already put together a sorcery team, but her team is currently failing in the field. Alchemaster and Snarlgoyle are both killed in their initial attack on Faust. Aladdin is able to save the remainder of the team and return them to Belle Reve Penitentiary. He then tells the group that Faust has stolen his magical collection that he has gathered over the years and is even more dangerous than previously thought.
Waller then forms the new Suicide Squad Black to tackle the foe. Unofficially led by the pyrokinetic El Diablo, the team includes Juniper, an A.R.G.U.S. field agent who is a lesser-known avatar of the Green. The team also included the ghastly Gentleman Ghost, veteran Squad member Enchantress, Gotham City psychic Azucar, Dr. Thaumaturge, and Klarion.
The team's first mission does not go according to plan. While the team is scouting and planning an attack, they are intercepted by Cerberus agents and creatures that rise from the ground. While the team does not suffer any casualties in the battle, they end up destroying the Sword of Hector of Troy, which greatly angers Aladdin. The team also learns that Snarlgoyle was not killed by Faust, but turned into another creature altogether and is now working with the Warlock. The team then heads to Gemworld to try and catch Faust by surprise.
The SSB's plan goes haywire rather quick and Faust discovers their location. He offers them a chance to join his side before their interaction turns into a lengthy battle. Faust reveals that he wants to control and destroy all magical artifacts and users to save his wife and unborn child and bests the Suicide Squad Black, trapping them under rubble. Their readings go flat and Waller believes them to be dead. El Diablo is the only reported survivor, since he can not actually die. Waller then turns towards the classic Suicide Squad to stop Faust.
With the help of El Diablo, the Squad traverses the world collecting magical artifacts before Faust can get to them. When they inevitably run into Faust, he reveals that he has possessed the Suicide Squad before killing El Diablo once again. Diablo awakes at a later time at an airbase in Spain, when it's revealed the Suicide Squad Black was still alive and has returned from Gemworld. Faust proceeds with his plan and resurrects Quellzorn, an ancient creature that operates as a super-weapon. The SSB is able to transport to Fausts' location in Kansas and seemingly loses Juniper in the process. The Suicide Squad and SSB get into a fight before Enchantress is able to release the classic team from their possession.
Juniper is able to take down Quellzorn while the rest of the team apprehends Faust. Faust is almost able to channel some extreme energy but Gentleman Ghost shoots him in the knick of time, preventing the warlock from achieving his goals. The Justice League retrieves Faust from Waller as they believe they can contain him better than Belle Reve can, while the rest of the team returns to the prison. Suicide Squad Black has not been brought back for another mission but will remain as an option whenever a magical threat appears that the classic Suicide Squad can not handle on their own.