I've gotta say, I really liked the Absolute Power Ground Zero Special. I decided to buy this, and the main Absolute Power series (minus the sub-series and the tie-ins) on paper, waiting for the secondary stuff to show up on DCUI. And so far, I'm a fan.
This book is broken into three stories, each co-written by Mark Waid. The first shows the Suicide Squad tracking and capturing Jon Kent's boyfriend, Jai Nakamura, the son of the recent president of the island nation of Gamorra. The next shows Amanda Waller coercing D-list time-travel villain Time Commander into helping her with her plans. The third shows Waller enlisting and securing the help of the Brainiac Queen, who first appeared in the recent crossover in the Superman books.
As I've probably written, I've moved away a bit from the anti-Waller bandwagon; I feel like her time on Earth 3 is sufficient motivation for a heel turn for someone who was already skeptical of superheroes, and while not every writer will play her on what I feel his her new moral line--I think there are some things she still won't do, as she still has protection of regular (American) humans as one of her core motivations--I can blame that on the creators, not the character. I think Waid and Dan Mora (and this series) will do right by her, in general.
And Dreamer! I honestly love what's being done with her, because it's so surprising to me. She's DC's flagship trans character, and you'd think they'd be wanting to keep her untarnished, always choosing the right thing. That's what I'd expected from DC, and also from writer Natalie Maines, who obviously has a very personal stake in the matter. But she's a much more daring writer than I'd expected (as seen in Suicide Squad: Dream Team, which this follows up on), and is taking some pretty huge risks with Nia. And having such a conflict between her and Jai is honestly the best thing ever for both characters, as well as Jon (who hasn't had a lot of great character moments since he aged up during the Bendis run on the Super-titles). I think this facet of the story will have great benefits.
The Time Commander story was fun, and made me want to go back and read his last appearance, in Batman: Urban Legend. I hope to do that soon.
As for Brainiac Queen, my only regret is that I spoiled the end of the Superman books for myself for reading this. But I like Waller's devotion to raising/indoctrinating her, and it was presented well. Ultimately, these stories give Waller very different relationships with all of her main allies: Dreamer, Failsafe, Brainiac Queen, and Green Arrow. (Who knows what his deal is? But as has been pointed out elsewhere, he's expressed distrust for superheroes for longer than Waller's been around, so there's certainly precedent...though I'm hoping for better from him eventually.)
So bring on Absolute Power! I think this will be exciting as hell.
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I believe it is from Free Comic Book Day: Absolute Power
I'm on record somewhere on this site in thinking that the "Joe Chill killed the Waynes" retcon was a bad idea.
100% agree.
I think it's far too much to expect someone who has had the family losses Waller has suffered to have a principled stand against vigilantism.
She presents herself as ultra-rational and ruthless, which makes it hard for me to see her jumping to irrational, emotional conclusions and acting on them. I say it's irrational, because I genuinely don't understand how she gets from A: "my family was killed by a drug lord" to B: "All superheroes are bad." But then, her actions have been heinous -- she has murdered, blackmailed and tortured innumerable people -- and she still keeps thinking of herself as the good guy. So maybe she is irrational.
I do appreciate you trying to help me understand it. Keep trying, and maybe I'll get there!
Not reading this, but:
Captain Comics said:
She presents herself as ultra-rational ……
Just because she presents herself that way doesn’t make it true.
But then, her actions have been heinous -- she has murdered, blackmailed and tortured innumerable people -- and she still keeps thinking of herself as the good guy.
Many bad people think they are entitled to something, unfairly deprived of it and therefore they are good. It’s “the enemy” that is bad, even if they are the police or superheroes.
So maybe she is irrational.
Maybe she’s an insane killer.
Captain Comics said:
Richard Willis said:
That's just what I was going to say.
Captain Comics said:
Richard Willis said:
Too, too true.
Captain Comics said:
Waller IS ruthless*, but "All superheroes are bad" isn't B for her; it's further down the alphabet.
Consider: It is fair to say that Amanda Waller is one of the most controllingest of control freaks. So when she goes to work within the system by volunteering for a budding politician's campaign (which goes to your plaint about "establishing elected oversight of some kind"), she does it her way, by making it clear to said newly elected politician that his place is in her pocket.
Later, she wangles her way into a government position and re-establishes Task Force X. Does she reconstitute it the way it was in the Silver Age, with a team of do-gooders fighting the paranormal?** She does not. Waller does it her way, with teams of expendable convicts she sends on suicide missions and whom she keeps in line with the carrot (if you do the job and survive the experience, you'll get time shaved off your sentence) and the stick (if you disobey orders or try to escape, you'll get a body part blown off).
It's from there, and all the things that we've seen with her stewardship of the Suicide Squad (or, at least, you may have seen; I haven't seen what's been going on with Waller since the original Suicide Squad series ended), that gets Waller from "I need a team I can control" to "If I can't control them, then they shouldn't exist" to "Superheroes are bad" -- because they can't be controlled.
* As Rufus T. Hackstabber once said, "Even you would be rotten without Ruth."
** I read Suicide Squad: The Silver Age Omnibus Volume 1, which collects the early Suicide Squad tales from The Brave and the Bold #25-27 and #37-39. It was painful. I'm sure MI-6 must force prisoners to read it as a form of torture. So how did I survive the experience? I'm a comics fan, that's how. We are made of sterner stuff.
Just because she presents herself that way doesn’t make it true.
I phrased it that way on purpose, to see if anyone could tell me what's behind the presentation. I couldn't understand her reasoning.
Waller IS ruthless*, but "All superheroes are bad" isn't B for her; it's further down the alphabet.
OK, I can buy that.
I read Suicide Squad: The Silver Age Omnibus Volume 1, which collects the early Suicide Squad tales from The Brave and the Bold #25-27 and #37-39. It was painful. I'm sure MI-6 must force prisoners to read it as a form of torture. So how did I survive the experience? I'm a comics fan, that's how. We are made of sterner stuff.
I'd say you read bad comics so we don't have to, but I read that, too. I could hear brain cells screaming in their death throes.
I found myself up at 4 in the morning and re-read Absolute Power: Origins #1 and #2 ... and find I was off-base in half the stuff I wrote. Waller DID go from A: "My family was killed by a drug lord" to B: "All superheroes are bad." I think I let my memories of her history in the Suicide Squad series from back in the day override what was right there on the pages of the actual comic published in the here and now.
Still, I think Richard nailed it: "Many bad people think they are entitled to something, unfairly deprived of it and therefore they are good. It’s 'the enemy' that is bad, even if they are the police or superheroes."
Absolute Power 3: Oh, man, another wonderful issue. I tried not to spoil too much here, so I'm being vauge about some things.
So many great moments: The end of the fight with Bizarro! The secret plan for Jon… and Amanda’s genuinely maternal reaction to what happens to Braniac Queen! The secret benefactor (I was thinking Ollie, but Flash would have recognized his voice; I've heard another good guess with a connection to Waller, though...)! Aquaman’s pep talk to Air Wave! A couple of new heroes emerge, whom I know nothing about! Donna Troy actually being called Wonder Girl!
Oh, I love it all.
Also, I think the ongoing-title crossovers have been handled in the main series about as well as any I’ve ever seen: In issue 2, the heroes get their missions; in issue 3, we know the heroes are doing their missions; and by the end of issue 3, we find out those missions were successful! I don’t feel like I’m missing anything, and will read about those missions a month behind, on DCUI, without anything but the success of those missions being spoiled. All in all, that’s pretty deft storytelling!
The one point I was fuzzy on was what happens with Black Alice. If she mimics magic powers, shouldn’t she have been intangible? I can’t make sense of that scene.
Other than that, this baby was Pure Gold.
I’m late! I’m late! For a very important date! I’m just catching up on last week’s Absolute Power books, while today (Sept. 11) some new ones come out! I’ll catch up on last week and do this week as soon as I can.
ABSOLUTE POWER #3
LUIS: Absolute Power #3 by Mark Waid is by far the best issue so far. Loved it.
Agreed!
If Waller somehow remains as a threat after this series (I hope not), I feel confident that she and Nightwing will have been established as bitter foes of each other for the foreseeable future.
She’s made a LOT of enemies this go-round. The entirety of the DCU superhero community, to be exact. They’ll ALL hate her. From this point on, virtually every superhero on Earth would be wise to react to the sight of her with near-lethal force. If Luthor and Joker are A-list, Waller is in a whole other category ABOVE that.
But I get your point. As Nightwing rises in importance in the DCU, so will his enemies, and Waller tops the list. So I can envision a scenario where Waller is to Nightwing as Luthor is to Superman. If she survives. (And I assume she will. She’s been around for 40 years and the IP has been used on TV. They probably won’t throw that away.)
Also a new character or two, and a bit of mystery to boot.
I’ll get to that.
We don't see a whole lot of Green Arrow (Oliver) here, but what is there makes me even further unable to believe that he would ever side with Waller. I have to assume that the two of them are keepíng a façade to each other, but it still makes no sense. I hope there is some scene retconning that Amanda attempted to brainwash Oliver, failed utterly, and somehow thinks she succeeded. I don't see that plot element making any measure of sense otherwise.
As I’ve said before, it makes sense to me that Waller would take Green Arrow’s “betrayal” for all it’s worth, while not believing a bit of it. And it’s worth a lot. What she got on the front end was access to the Justice League’s headquarters, weaponry and files. That’s a considerable haul, and from her prospective she can always kill him later, when he’s no longer useful.
And the deal that Ollie made is that he’ll work for her if she’ll leave his “family” alone. Again, from Waller’s perspective, that’s a fine deal in that none of them are super-powered and aren’t much of a threat. And again, she can always kill them later when the deal is no longer useful.
It’s win-win for her, as long as she double-crosses him before he double-crosses her. And, absolutely, she thinks she’s smarter than him and no doubt has multiple contingency plans for when, not if, he turns. And she expects it—she’s had Bright on him like a tic on a dog.
Remember when Time Commander tried to escape? Waller WAS many steps ahead of him. She no doubt has similar plans in place for Ollie, and reason to believe they work.
From Ollie’s perspective, he gets a temporary respite for his loved ones, plus he’s inside the belly of the beast—with a plan to un-do all of this via timey-wimey stuff. And the other heroes were after Time Commaner, which implies they're working together. But again, he must know that he’s got to double-cross her before she double-crosses him. So he’s on a clock. (Ha! On a clock ... to mess with time.)
In real-life terms, the deal between Green Arrow and Waller is the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. (Stalin had every intention of double-crossing Hitler, but needed time to build up the Red Army after his last purge. Hitler needed time to finish taking Western Europe and Scandinavia to avoid a two-front war, and once he had, he invaded Russia. Stalin was furious that Hitler beat him to the punch.)
ROB: Absolute Power 3: Oh, man, another wonderful issue. I tried not to spoil too much here, so I'm being vague about some things.
So many great moments:
The end of the fight with Bizarro!
Clever!
The secret plan for Jon… and Amanda’s genuinely maternal reaction to what happens to Braniac Queen!
It was nice characterization. But we know her maternal feelings have limits.
The secret benefactor (I was thinking Ollie, but Flash would have recognized his voice; I've heard another good guess with a connection to Waller, though...)!
My guess is Sarge Steel. The hand was gloved, to disguise his metal mitt. He’s expressed concern about Waller’s methods before (not lately, but early on). His loyalty has always been demonstrated to be to the country, not Waller. And he basically allowed Steve Trevor to escape. Plus, if he's double-crossing Waller, that redeems for future use as a hero.
If I’m wrong, then no spoiler. But we’ll find out pretty soon anyway.
Aquaman’s pep talk to Air Wave!
Great!
A couple of new heroes emerge, whom I know nothing about!
I don’t know them, either: Cadejos and Rana Dorada (the latter meaning “Golden Frog” in Spanish). Won’t they just be Amazo’d, though?
Donna Troy actually being called Wonder Girl!
I caught that, too, because I had to stop and think "which one?" Some people must still think that’s who she is. She didn’t answer to it directly, though.
You didn’t mention the difference of opinion between Big Barda and Nightwing, which highlighted who those characters are at heart. I thought it well done. (Especially when Barda ignored Nightwing’s orders. Because she would. And then Dick's response.)
Sadly, Red Tornado got shot in the head. But is that really a good way to kill an android?
And we didn’t see what happened to Hawkgirl, so I must assume she’s been captured.
I didn’t know who Glacier was, so I looked her up, and it’s Icemaiden I going by a new name. Icemaiden II, as we know, is now called Ice. I must assume she's been captured, as well.
Oh, I love it all.
Same! Plus, that cliffhanger ... (Shudder)
Also, I think the ongoing-title crossovers have been handled in the main series about as well as any I’ve ever seen: In issue 2, the heroes get their missions; in issue 3, we know the heroes are doing their missions; and by the end of issue 3, we find out those missions were successful! I don’t feel like I’m missing anything, and will read about those missions a month behind, on DCUI, without anything but the success of those missions being spoiled. All in all, that’s pretty deft storytelling!
One of which I’m about to get to!
The one point I was fuzzy on was what happens with Black Alice. If she mimics magic powers, shouldn’t she have been intangible? I can’t make sense of that scene.
Agreed. The helmet was created by “occult engineering,” which would seem to be in her wheelhouse. But like the Amazos, maybe her powers are determined by plot needs.
Amanda can override Brainiac Queen manually, because of course she can. Batman’s solution works … for now.
I was wondering about the “no man can set foot on Paradise Island” thing, and I have been answered. (Hint: It was weaponized.)
Other than that, this baby was Pure Gold.
Agreed!
A lot that we saw happening in the tie-in issues is continued here.
Superman and Zatanna have found the “Dark Paths,” but we haven’t seen that yet. (I assume we will, in the next issue of Superman.) Nightwing asks “Where’s Hal,” and I assume we’ll find that out in the next issue of Green Lantern. And Batman returns with waller’s mother box, because of …
BATMAN #152
This was another great issue. The fight between Batman and the Suicide Squad is desperate and exciting. But note: This needs to be read BEFORE Absolute Power #3, which happens after these events—with Batman, Catwoman and the Suicide Squad all ending up on Themyscira, where the fight concludes.
Beyond the action, though, there were some nice moments between Cat and Bat. Maybe they didn’t get married, and they both accept that, but they’re still a thing.
Also, Darkseid makes an appearance … and seems to have a plan of his own.
The backup, which was mostly a conversation between Black Canary and Nubia, was mostly about events I haven’t read. Apparently the Birds and the Amazons aren’t on good terms. Also Sin—Canary’s sister?—does something or other. I may have to read back issues of Birds of Prey to understand all this.
I've caught up with a handful of month-old Absolute Power tie-ins, since that's as fast as DCUI lets me roll.
Absolute Power: Task Force VII seems notable for bringing a few obscure heroes (Voodoo, Miss Martian, and The Ray) into Nightwing's orbit; they face off against the Batman Amazo, Failsafe. Setting the story in the Maze of Owls was a cool idea; I hadn't thought of that as something that existed once the Court of Owls storyline in Batman concluded, but why wouldn't it? Also, in the Steve Trevor interludes, he sees the villains building some giant stargate, or something like that. (Incedentally, those Steve Trevor interludes are an interesting structural thing. They're essentially a continuing backup story told in these issues, but they're incoporated as a cutaway from the incidents of the main story. It's honestly not a bad ploy!
I've read Batman 151, in which Batman and Catwoman go searching for Waller's Mother Box, and eventually find it somewhere offworld. A fight with the Suicide Squad is set up for next issue.
I've also read recent issues of Green Lantern (up through issue 14), so I've now seen how Hal wound up with all those weapons he started distributing among the heroes on Paradse Island. In recent issues, writer Jeremy Adams is experimenting with point of view, giving various characters a couple pages to explore what they're thinking (and recap recent events) as they experience a critical scene. I like it -- it grounds the issue a bit more than wall-to-wall cosmic adventure.
They're essentially a continuing backup story told in these issues, but they're incoporated as a cutaway from the incidents of the main story. It's honestly not a bad ploy!
Isn't that called a "subplot"? :) Also this:
ABSOLUTE POWER: TASK FORCE VII #6 (OF 7)
This issue features Paradise Lost (the Wonder Woman Amazo) invading Themyscira. The reboot that Failsafe initiated in Absolute Power #3 to clear the Amazos' programming of the morality they'd absorbed from superheroes kicks in, and Paradise Lost is once again lethal. It doesn't go well for the Amazons.
The refugee, de-powered superheroes are gone (presumably to a showdown, as this crossover winds down) so it's just Amazons. The only super-powered one is Artemis, and that doesn't last long. And Amazo's actual target: The well of souls. Without it, the Amazons can't replenish their ranks. (And after this issue, they've got a few slots to fill.) And, interestingly, Paradise Lost finds some super-powered souls awaiting new hosts. Who knew you could take it with you?
We see some souls who have appeared before:
And some we haven't:
I'm curious about Phantom Lady and Fury, as I don't know their history in whatever version of DC continuity we're in. (Is it "Rebirth"? "Infinite Frontier"?) I guess it doesn't matter, since that will be rebooted in the next reboot.
Also, the Steve Trevor subplot/backup takes a major turn. I expect it will climax in the next, and final, issue.
His last discovery is interesting, though: The Superwoman Amanda talks to in this issue is Donna Troy. Well, a Donna Troy. She's got the whole multiverse at her disposal, so God knows how many Crime Syndicates she's got on a string.
GREEN LANTERN #15
Hal and Wally have missions at the Hall of Justice (now Waller's Hall of Order). Hal's supposed to re-charge his ring, and Wally's supposed to attach one of Mr. Terrific's T-spheres to the Hall of Justice computer. (I don't know why. Maybe it's a surprise. Or maybe it was explained earlier and I wasn't paying attention.) They've got the Flash Scooter from the Fortress of Solitude, but Hal's plan is to liberate the Batwolf, an experimental Batplane that tends to blow up.
That's pretty reckless, but that's Hal Jordan, and I think the characterization is spot on. And Wally calls him "Uncle Hal." This is all so reinforcing for my view of these characters that I'm practically choking up. Somehow, these characters and their relationship have (mostly) survived all the reboots.
Naturally, there's resistance. It comes in the form of Major Force, but it looks like he's been cyborgized, like Jon Kent. No free will. Then Jadestone comes to play And Star Sapphire. And I will not spoil anything further.
Theres a backup story starring John Stewart. Apparently his mother's ... soul? ... is inhabiting his ring, which is "the Darkstar Ring." He's also somehow resurrected his dead little sister Elle, who also has Green Lantern powers. This has all happened in something I'm not reading. And they're all working with John Steel and his daughter. Gonna be a rockin' Thanksgiving. Anyway, they're building free mass transit (please come to my city!) and are being opposed by the rich and powerful. It's a done-in-one story.
Next issue comes after Absolute Power #4 (OF 4) and Absolute Power: Task Force VII #7 (OF 7) ship, so the crossover will be over. Our heroes will take to space in Green Lantern #16 and the Green Lantern: Civil Corps #1 one-shot to settle with the Durlan who's taken over the United Planets and the Green Lantern Corps.
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