If Amanda Waller was counting on her overpowered robots to win the day, she may have another thing coming. Following the so-called blitzkrieg in Absolute Power #1, Waller's Amazos continue to hunt down the world's metahumans. Like the others, Jadestone seeks to capture the members of the Justice Society of America. Unfortunately, once Jadestone gets a taste of the Starheart, it develops a mind of its own. Let's break it down below!
Green Meanie
Jeremy Adams begins his part of the story in medias res with the Justice Society all but defeated by Amazo. Oddly, after draining Green Lantern Alan Scott, the android unexpectedly shuts down. Incidentally, Jadestone is able still to access the Starheart, while the Bureau of Sovereignty is still trying to figure out how to access the other Lanterns in Green Lantern #13. Instead of immediately fleeing the scene, the JSA temporarily stick around wondering what just happened. In fact, Wild Cat, Stargirl, and S.T.R.I.P.E end up casually tinkering with the dangerous soldier. Eventually, Scott decides that the team should seek refuge at the Tower of Fate.
Meanwhile, Jadestone cycles through new protocols of death, rebirth, and power. This new malfunction is consistent with the behavior of the other robots in Task Force VII. These malfunctions manifest as self-righteous, ego driven delusions or straight up manic behavior like the Amazo seen in Wonder Woman #11. In Jadestone's case, the robot ironically inherits the free will of optional programing. Creatively, Waller's orders manifest as red lettering, while Amazo's new thoughts show up green. In discovering the ability to choose, Jadestone is able to defy Waller or pursue its own programing. Once again, in learning to think for itself, another one of Waller's robots becomes a liability.
Questioning Power
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3 visits several additional characters in the DCU. Firstly, Amazo crashes the Oblivion Bar in search of someone who could lead it to the Tower of Fate. Within the bar, sorcerers like Monkey King, Xanthe Zhou, Blue Devil, Deadman, Dr. Mist, and more plan to hunker down for the duration of the event. Traditionally, due to the bar's neutrality, even annoying villains like Felix Faust are welcome. Moreover, this issue continues Steve Trevor's side plot of his imprisonment and escape from Gamorra. In spite of Sarge Steel's schemes, Trevor unconvincingly alleges that things are still going according to his plan. Regardless, Steve is able to sell his disguise as a Bureau agent by taking the opportunity to beat up Angleman.
Lastly, As the JSA catch her up on recent events, Carol Ferris is able to collect her thoughts on heroism. While not necessarily a hero herself, Carol is able to appreciate how the heroes continue to fight despite losing much of their abilities. Considering her eventual involvement in the new Justice League Unlimited series, readers can infer her new ideas are setting up her role after the event. I should also note that the artwork heavily relies on loose drawing and hatching. Most of the art doesn't have much detail and relies on implied poses or the suggestion of objects and settings. For example, Marco Santucci doesn't quite render the heroes in the bar nor the car Carol is riding in.
Recommended If...
- You need to keep up with Absolute Power and its tie-ins.
- Starving for JSA content.
- You're a fan of Jeremy Adams.
Overall
Overall, this particular story is overwhelmingly mediocre. On a positive note, the overarching plot about the Amazos is slowly coming together. Furthermore, each member of the squad retains interest with their individual quirks. In the same breath, the more information readers learn about these characters, the less readers will be able to take the event seriously. Despite the overwhelming strength of the Amazos, the robots are a disappointing liability. The colorful cast of characters are definitely a highlight for me, but those same characters are basically just scribbles on the page. All in all, this is yet another skippable issue.
Score: 4/10
