DC officially kicks off its summer event with Absolute Power #1. Amanda Waller has manipulated Failsafe, Brainiac Queen, and more and has launched a blitzkrieg against every hero and villain on planet Earth. The story has been building for quite some while and it all begins to pay off here!

Written by Mark Waid, Absolute Power #1 is an enjoyable and entertaining start for an event that has been years in the making. Waid weaves in the fantastical and the practical giving us a story that feels like it’s partially ripped from the headlines and also a warning of what’s to come.

Waller has been putting the pieces of her puzzle together to take on Earth’s heroes and villains, seeing them as a threat to humanity. The concept has echoes of Orchis’ recent blitz against Marvel’s mutants and the execution is similar in some ways. Waller’s plan plays out in phases with each weapon tailored and carefully plotted. First up, a massive misinformation campaign that sways public opinion to her side and the people against those with powers. Waid’s inclusion of this is an interesting one, playing off the questions and fears today of AI, deep fakes, and the prevalent misinformation that’s damaging are world and society. But, where Waid’s writing gets truly interesting is the quandary of how to deal with it all? Much like today’s struggles, there’s debate and questions as to how to push back against Waller’s ruling of the airwaves that not only includes false news but outright deepfakes of debates and discussions concerning the dangers of metahumans. But that’s only one part of her plan.

We saw in Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1, Waller also was prepping more weapons beyond Failsafe and Brainiac Queen. Each hero is target with a quick move and attack that takes away their powers resulting in Superman shot and wounded.

Where things can both be good and bad is watching Batman’s terror unfold as he realizes what’s going on. If Waller has made a move like this, she believes she has already won. Waid, and the art by Dan Mora, perfectly captures the moment as Batman comes to this conclusion and his fear feels real and justified. But, it also centers another event around Batman as it’ll be his brains and tactical abilities against Waller it seems. Where the comic also feels interesting is delivering some solid motivation as to why Green Arrow would side with Waller. His speech to Batman makes his views clear and frames it in an interesting way as to why it would work with his political leanings. What seemed odd at first makes complete sense by the end.

The art by Dan Mora is fantastic. With color by Alejandro Sanchez and lettering by Ariana Maher, the comic looks fantastic mixing in so many different concepts and ideas and making it all work seamlessly. Mora nails the terror of Batman realizing what’s going on to also taking what should be an idyllic day and making it one of fear and destruction as mobs attack the heroes. The visuals capture the mob mentality and shock of the events so well. There’s a lot packed in and Mora and the team handle it perfectly conveying the emotion while also delivering over the top moments.

Absolute Power #1 is a solid start to an event that takes inspiration from real world fears and hits the zeitgeist in many ways. Waller deals a populist blow by manipulating the people to rise up against those who do have power, but also help society too in imperfect ways. Waid and the team have a start of an event that might seem like a flashy surface but underneath there’s some interesting substance as well.

Story: Mark Waid Art: Dan Mora
Color: Alejandro Sanchez Letterer: Ariana Maher
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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