DCU is filled with heroes, villains, cosmic beings, deities, parallel worlds, and alternate worlds. Among all these, there’s a certain middle-aged, stubby, Black woman from Chicago who wants everyone under her even if it’s Batman! Meet Amanda Waller. Amanda Waller gained some buzz after the talented Viola Davis portrayed her in David Ayer’s 2016’s Suicide Squad and James Gunn’s remake The Suicide Squad (2021). Amanda is known to be a no-nonsense woman who is ready to go to any lengths for what she believes or wants. She doesn’t mind going a bit far off the books for that.
She first appeared in Legends #1 (1986), created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne. Albeit she seems to be on the good side of the law, her occasional radical movements suggest otherwise. And with the events of Beast World and Absolute Power, she is a pure badass villain. She is associated with Checkmate and A.R.G.U.S. and is portrayed as a ruthless, high-ranking government official who is always ready to use guile, political connections, and intimidation, to achieve her goals in the name of national security. So, this looks like the best time to discuss two of her big moments that made us what-the-heck when reading comics!
1. In Suicide Squad #10, with Belle Reeve prison acting as the base for Suicide Squad, Batman infiltrates to expose the Squad as Matches Malone. Instead, she uses Dark Knight’s method against himself by threatening to expose him and GCPD. This is one of the start of her actions with the Batman coerced to admit defeat, and Batman decides later to keep going after Amanda and her organization.
2. Justice League vs. Suicide Squad panned out due to Waller, as she thought it was necessary to stop Justice League and Batman from disbanding Suicide Squad. But, both teams had to keep their differences aside and join forces to battle Eclipso.
And now with Mark Waid, Alejandro Sanchez, and Dan Mora’s Absolute Power Amanda Waller has become a classified threat against superheroes, as she coerces Green Arrow to side with her and joins forces with Brainiac Queen and Failsafe. In Absolute Power Amanda seizes power and launches a nationwide crackdown on everyone with a meta gene in their blood.
Absolute Power #1 is now available at comic stores now.
