The fact that friend of the site and frequent Graphic Policy Radio guest Spencer Ackerman is part of this alone had me intrigued. But, that didn’t guarantee it’d be good. Thankfully, Waller vs. Wildstorm #1 is good. It’s really good. Ackerman is a national security reporter and expert on the subject, so to take on a character like Amanda Waller, one whose entire role is about national security, is a subject matter expert potentially spinning a tale on the subject they’re an expert on.
Taking place in the 1980s, Waller is an up and comer at Checkmate, an organization that is ok’ed to work with metahumans but has expanded its influence in the world. Jackson King, aka Battalion, the former leader of Stormwatch, has a run-in with Waller and through investigation finds a corruption that runs deep in Checkmate. One full of horrors and the mix of capitalism, influence, and lack of morals that infects our very lives. Ackerman, along with writer Evan Narcisse have laid out a mature story as part of DC’s Black Label, that mixes classic modern superheroes like Stormwatch with the excess taint and crumbling of our very real institutions.
The comic throws in the very real issues that face our modern national security and military including individual ambition, hypocritical morals, black sites, and a general lack of real oversight and care. We see how military peddles influence to gain capital, war as an extension of business and how business impacts war and national security. It also highlights the creep that is so many different organizations in our lives. This is a comic that can be enjoyed for the action but will leave you pondering the morals of it all.
Through the more weighty aspects of it all, Ackerman and Narcisse mix in a fun amount of characters that take Jim Lee’s Wildstorm creations from Image and blends them seamlessly with DC’s established characters. It all makes Lois Lane talking to Battalion or Deathstroke hanging out with Grifter seem like comic history… and history we want to see more of. Much like John Ridley’s Other Side of the DC Universe and recent GCPD: The Blue Wall, this is a warts and all look at our world through iconic characters while still entertaining.
Jesús Merino handles the art and delivers a style that feels bit like Stormwatch’s looks of old mix a little with a more traditional DC style. Along with Vincente Cifuentes on ink, Mike Atiyeh on color, and Dave Sharpe on lettering the comic’s look has a mature sense about it as well. There’s horrors throughout, some seen, some not, that hint at the corruption and taint of what Waller has sewn. At the same time, a discussion at a table between Lois Lane and Battalion is exciting in itself, full of tension and emotion. It’s a comic whose story and visuals feels like there’s a heavy weight to them all.
Waller vs. Wildstorm #1 is a solid debut that has us excited to read more. We sadly will have to wait for the second issue, but what has been shown so far makes us not just want that but this entire concept expanded upon. The comic entertains while also exploring our very complicated and dark reality.
Story: Spencer Ackerman, Evan Narcisse Art: Jesús Merino
Ink: Vicente Cifuentes Color: Mike Atiyeh Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 9.0 Art: 8.4 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
