Oh Amanda!

Suicide Squad #1 had a few good points (mostly involving King Shark) but one major problem is on EVERYONE’s lips: Where Is Amanda Waller?!
The REAL Amanda Waller.

She is the only middle-aged, African-American, woman of size in comics. Actually she is one of the few characters who is any one of those things. What is gained by representing even fewer types of people in comics? What is gained by diluting her iconic presence?

Waller is one of those characters who you can’t help but remember and be impressed by. Sure, in the real world as someone who believes in the Constitution and human rights, I would be disgusted by her politics– she makes even Cheney, Kissinger and their war criminal cronies look moral. But no-one can doubt her power as a character and all she has overcome to get where she is.

DC mentioned one of the reasons for the relaunch was to impart some realism to comics (not sure if that’s what they need but let’s follow that path).

Realistically, women working in male dominated government agencies don’t wear their shirts unbuttoned so low their bra hangs out (heck, even I don’t do that and I work in a liberal workplace). As the daughter of two federal employees growing up in the DC suburbs I was surrounded by powerful women (like my Mom) who worked for the federal government. They don’t dress like fake Amanda Waller.  They dressed like real Amanda Waller (and in the 80s they even wore those awkward floppy ties). They are also a range of ages and sizes. Amanda was one of the most realistic-looking characters in comics (don’t get me started on hobby horse about grown women characters wearing crop-tops out and about during the daytime like they’re going to a 80s dance party).

One of the other reasons for the relaunch is to appeal to more readers. Well, DC just told middle aged women and women of size that they don’t exist. They don’t wield power. Does that move comics?

And if all it takes to move comics is t&a they’d be selling a lot more books than they are today. So lack of t&a isn’t whats’ hurting the industry.

Bring back Amanda Waller.
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