Absolute Power: Origins concludes with this third issue, and I haven’t been too hot on the series so far. Amanda Waller’s motivations behind the Absolute Power event have been confusing and a little convoluted, but does the third issue bring it home and paint a clear picture of why Waller is who she is? Let’s get into it.
The issue begins with Batman breaking into Belle Reve for an unknown reason and incapacitating Task Force X led by Rick Flag. Batman confronts Waller and then it jump cuts to the aftermath of the infiltration, and Waller is complaining to Flag that Batman humiliated her by getting in the facility so easily. Waller then meets with her pregnant daughter, Coretta, and they once again have a conversation about how Waller is behaving in order to “protect democracy.” Coretta doesn’t trust her mother after all she’s done and warns Waller to get her act together essentially or else she won’t be involved in her granddaughter’s life.
The issue later shows Waller talking to Rick Flag again, and Flag tells her that if a non-powered Batman can gain access to them so easily, then what will happen when other powered-beings come to confront them? Waller then realizes how Batman was able to infiltrate Belle Reve and orders her subordinates to look into it. This leads to her to start building a database for what I assumed is for masked heroes/metahumans. The issue concludes with Waller going to the hospital where Coretta just gave birth, and one of Waller’s sons, Martin, tells her to leave and that she’s not welcomed because of all her lies. Waller leaves, but her other son, Jessie, consoles Waller, and she tells him that she’ll do whatever it takes to “make the world right.”
Like I mentioned earlier, I haven’t been that invested in this series because I just thought the story was dull and Amanda Waller’s motivations for the whole crossover event were nonsensical. But I have to admit that I enjoyed this last issue. While the story was nothing groundbreaking, I did feel that writer John Ridley wrapped it up nicely. The conversation between Coretta and Waller really conveyed how Waller would essentially lie to her own children if the ends justify the means. It showed how ruthless she could be, but it also showed that she really loves her children even if they can’t see her vision. Alitha Martinez’s artwork was also a standout in this issue, particularly when Batman infiltrated Belle Reve. The way that Martinez was able to draw out the emotions of certain characters just on their faces was pretty incredible.
Recommended if…
- You’ve enjoyed this series so far.
- You’re reading all the tie-ins to the Absolute Power crossover event.
- You want to see Batman invade Waller’s personal space. So much so that she vents about it to Rick Flag.
Overall
While the quality of the story in Absolute Power: Origins has been inconsistent throughout the series, John Ridley and the creative team were able to conclude in a satisfying manner in issue #3. Waller’s motivations might be confusing, but this series was able to depict the character’s core attributes effectively and faithfully to what has come before. Her quest for absolute power has been a bumpy ride, but we eventually landed safely.
Score: 7/10
English (US) · 