Do Robots Dream Of Will Power? — Reviewing ‘Absolute Power: Task Force VII’ #3

Justice is in danger as the DC Universe’s eldest and youngest heroes must protect themselves from Amanda Waller’s dangerous coup. No power is safe as the Amazo’s continue their single-minded pursuit of the world’s costumed figures.

It’s Justice Society of America time as Jeremy Adams, Marco Santucci, Arif Prianto, and Dave Sharpe tackle Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3, the latest issue in this event anthology side series.

Having not been reading anything about the Justice Society for the past few years (I refuse to buy anything from the current writer), this one didn’t resonate a ton for me. Overall, it’s fine, with the JSA and Carol Ferris (Star Sapphire) on the run from one of the Amazos. This Amazo, having absorbed part of the magical Starheart that powers Alan Scott/Green Lantern’s ring, is finding itself conflicted as it deals with free will.

Characters just mostly kind of feel there as there isn’t a lot to really go on personality- or connection-wise. Not sure why Carol is talking like someone that just gained powers, did the hero thing, or been around other heroes. Unless there is something I’m missing that went down in the Green Lantern books. A line that I also haven’t read in quite a few years.

Santucci’s art style is one of those that rests pretty evenly between rough and smooth whimsical. Characters expressions and body language are pretty solid, some harder to parse because of masks or angles. What little action there moves pretty well, and the level of detail or depth in most panels is pretty midlevel.

Prianto adds some rougher and toned-down vibes to his colors, compared to what I’ve normally seen over in Poison Ivy all these years. Plenty vibrant still though as all these colorful figures really stand out, with the greens being heavily green here (as is natural with Green Lantern stuff). Most of the background or other colors are very neutral level, creating a solid grounded feeling all around.

Plenty of varied voices are found here, and Sharpe gives them all their own feelings and uniqueness in most cases. Shifting up bubbles, fonts, cases, and colors to really hammer home how different things are. I really liked the choice to have the Amazo’s internal battle captions being both green and red, with the computer like Y or N, prompts. Great way to showcase the struggle going on for this computer suddenly given a different voice in their mind.

Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3 is now available from DC Comics.