Another Brick In The Wall — Reviewing ‘Absolute Power: Origins’ #1

Every story — be it a heroic or villainous one — has a beginning and more often than not a defining moment. A point where who we were diverges from who we are to become, changing everything for ourselves and those around us.

In the midst of her universal power grab, Amanda Waller’s story and moment are being finally told. John Ridley, Alitha Martinez, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dalhouse, and Steve Wands pull back the cover and delve deep into the Suicide Squad creator’s past with Absolute Power: Origins #1.

Tying Waller’s ‘origins’ to those of Batman — and the different way that the ‘law’ works for people (of different races, classes, and positions in life) —  is an intriguing one. We’ve seen a lot from Amanda in the many years since she debuted finding ways to use villains and heroes (all vigilantes) to her own goals over the years, often through very violent means. Yet here we establish that her desire to see the vigilantes gone goes back further and has very personal ties.

In a way, it feels a very convenient origin since it’s very much tied to this event storyline. Yet, that doesn’t fully negate its effectiveness.

Ridley has delivered many stories that around the Black experience, and how it differs from the stable of white characters we generally see. With the Jace Fox/Batman stories the character was still of the rich class. Then there was the police-focused book that I wasn’t too keen to really get into. Here though, Waller comes from the bottom and uses her ruthlessness and rage at her loss and situation to claw her way to a commanding top.

For a moment, we believe she was truly working her way up for free, doing things “right” and then the Waller we know emerges. Taking no prisoners, willing to bend and break every single thing around her to achieve her ultimate aims. Which, of course, we’re seeing through the Absolute Power event.

Overall, the story is effective, and does a good job of showing the harshness of the world and the gray areas, compromises, and sacrifices that are made within it.

Martinez was a very solid choice for the art here. Leaning into a version of Waller that seems just very typical and sympathetic and giving the entire world depth and relatability. The weight of it is enhanced by Rapmund’s inks. We feel every single bit of her pain and rage on the page as the panels really keep us in the passenger seat the entire time. We’re party and witness to what is happening, and how it’s quickly accelerating Waller to the person we all know.

Visually, we can also feel that change in the color palette that Dalhouse employs. Plenty of the colors at the start are very harsh, dark, and powerful as we witness the hard moments of Waller and Bruce Wayne’s lives. They slide into a more neutral, toned down, or natural state through most of the story, helping again to lull us a bit into a false sense of being, before they get darker and more shadowy as the true Waller fully emerges.

We feel and hear that change in the words too as Sharpe makes the emotions, personality, and moments ring true verbally. Giving characters deep nuanced voices, shifting things precisely to give the right volume and tone. Spreading it across the page specifically so that it flows in a way that allows our eyes to follow the action and take in every word effectively.

Absolute Power: Origins #1 is now available from DC Comics.