Despite the tie-ins and spinoffs, DC Comics‘s Absolute Power has been a relatively contained event. Happily, what that’s led to is miniseries that feel crucial to the overall story — and more importantly, explore aspects of the event that the main book may not have time for. Nowhere is that more present than in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3, the best issue of this mini so far.
Written by Jeremy Adams with art by Marco Santucci, the latest issue focuses (mostly) on the Justice Society of America as they escape Amanda Waller’s attack in Absolute Power #1. There are some side-trips to tie this into Adams’s ongoing Green Lantern title, like having Carol Ferris as our window character onto the action. Steve Trevor’s ongoing infiltration of Waller’s operation is a thread weaving through all the issues of this title.
But the main draw here — and spoilers past this point — is an Amazo robot who essentially gets infected with Alan Scott’s willpower and hope. It’s a classic trope by this point, a robot who struggles with being more than its programming. But Adams explores it to its full potential here. This is a creation built only for capture and destruction. But with a tiny bit of Scott’s power inside of it, it is presented with the power of choice.
The slow build throughout the issue to the Amazo’s confrontation with Scott is carefully paced, going from “something is clearly wrong” to breaking choice into a binary, to finally realizing there’s more nuance. It’s impressively crafted, as is every issue Adams has delivered on his stand-out run on Green Lantern… Though here the focus is on Alan Scott, not Hal Jordan.
It also in a not-so-subtle way digs into the themes of the event. Waller has stopped seeing the world in shades of grey, and has painted anyone with powers as “bad.” Meanwhile, a robot is realizing things might not be so simple.
This is complimented by Santucci’s art, which encompasses a wide range of characters here: the JSA, multiple villains, and an entire bar full of magical characters. Santucci is adept at both small character moments and big action scenes, and that’s all on display in this issue.
Overall, one of the most impressive tie-ins I’ve read in a long time. Not only does it tell its own story, and emotionally gets you invested in a new character in 20 pages… But it also gets the reader more excited about the main title. I can’t wait to see how this all pans out. Absolute power may corrupt, but this Absolute Power tie-in rules. Absolutely.
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