After a year and a half of build-up and months of preludes, DC Comics' biggest event since Dark Crisis is about to kick off. First though, a few straggling plot elements must be maneuvered into place and to do that we have Absolute Power: Ground Zero. What we have here is three short stories that bridge the gap between the Suicide Squad: Dream Team, Batman, Superman: House of Brainiac, and, the main event, Absolute Power. Each story has a different creative team so I’ll score each separately.

True, this book is home to some key moments but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good comic. That’s what I’m here to determine. So, let’s get into it!

Stage One:

The first story, which follows up Suicide Squad, is written by Nicole Maines (who wrote the that mini-series) with Mark Waid and focuses on Jay Nakamura who is on the run from Waller in the jungles of Gamorra Island. It’s a simple story and, unfortunately, I didn’t find that it had much to say. All it feels like is a necessity. Characters have to be in certain places for the event to get started so here we get to see them move. All that amounts to is a fight scene and a cliche “betrayal twist.” It doesn’t help that Jay gets shot through the ankle, is left unbothered, gets up, and starts fighting. If you’re attached to these characters maybe this story could provoke some emotion but, to me, all credibility is lost after the ankle shot. The art is nothing to write home about either. It’s never badly drawn but also has little discernible style, and brings no energy to the scenes being portrayed. All in all, this was a pretty dull way to start the issue.

Score: 4/10

Stage Two:

Stage two comes off a bit better. Written by Chip Zdarsky and Mark Waid, it follows up Zdarsky’s work on Batman… sorta. The goal (and worst part) of this story is to resurrect Failsafe. Aside from my intense dislike of Zdarsky’s Batman run, it drives me crazy that Failsafe was defeated and shut down only to be reborn a month later. Thankfully the core of this story is more concerned with an (also) reborn Time Commander trying to escape Waller’s clutches. This makes things a lot more tolerable. My attention was held by his scheming and problem solving even if the ending of the story feels a little hand-wavy. It also really helps that the art is quite dynamic. Though undeniably Brett Booth worship, I won’t put V. Ken Marion down for taking inspiration from one of the greats. He sells the action and the character moments equally well and strong art does make the light narrative feel more impactful. It could be better, but I don’t resent it.

Score: 6/10

Stage Three:

Now in the final part, this issue really heats up. Josh Williamson is writing solo here with art from frequent collaborator Gleb Melnikov to show us the fate of Brainiac Queen. This very much feels like an epilogue to House of Brainiac and the Superman world continues to be where Williamson shines brightest as a writer. This story is short, just like the previous two, but accomplishes so much more. Up to this point, I haven’t felt that Amanda Waller was a genuine threat. Writers so often rely on characters telling each other how scary she is to hype her up but here Williamson finally takes the time to show it. Most refreshingly, he doesn’t resort to her “doing something horrific” to get the point across. Instead, we see how committed she is. We understand she’s a threat not because she’s the most evil villain but because she’ll do what it takes to make her plans a reality using pawns in unexpected ways. 

It certainly helps that Melnikov is one of my favorite artists to come onto the comics scene in recent years. His art has such a beautiful fluidity and a sense of proportion that sets him immediately apart from anyone else. Any time I can get another taste of his work is a good day.

Score: 8.5/10

Recommended if…

• You’re in it for the art
• You’ve been enjoying Williamson’s Superman work and want every extra tidbit you can find
• Absolute Power is on your pull list

Overall

This comic still sits squarely in the realm of prelude but by the time it’s over it does feel like we’re properly primed for the actual event. On the other hand, the stories contained are not all strong, so despite the fact that it is an important part of the buildup, I think my ability to recommend it depends heavily on a reader’s context. If you’re jumping into the event proper without reading Batman, Suicide Squad, or House of Brainiac I don’t think this is a necessary read. If you have been following all the outside context, there is some value to be had here. At the end of the day, this is more of a curiosity rather than an essential comic and that’s fine. I’m just looking forward to the event truly getting underway. 

Average Score: 6/10

DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.