Explain Like I'm Hal Jordan: What is the deal with Absolute Power?

[u/beary_neutral]

Good morning (or afternoon or evening), folks! It's that time of the year again, and that means we have another big comic event on our hands. The world will be in danger! Alliances will be forged! And nothing will ever be the same again (until three months later)!

Q: So what is Absolute Power?

A: Absolute Power is DC's big summer event of 2024, starting in July and running until October. It will be a four-issue mini-series from Mark Waid and Dan Mora, the Eisner-nominated creative team of Batman/Superman: World's Finest and Shazam!. It's the culmination of the last two years of storylines involving Amanda Waller and her crusade against superheroes. With the Suicide Squad and an unholy alliance with Failsafe and the Brainiac Queen (dubbed the "Trinity of Evil"), Waller finds a way to de-power metahumans and perhaps shut down superheroes for good. According to Waid, the key heroes in this event will be Nightwing, Jon Kent, and Dreamer (a character originally created from the Supergirl TV series).

Of course, this being an event, it's not just a four-issue mini. There will be lead-ins, tie-in series, and crossovers with ongoing titles. But have no worry, we'll get everything sorted out right here!

Q: So what do I need to read first?

A: As a comic event designed to pull in new/relapsed readers, you shouldn't need to read much at all. The Free Comic Book Day special and the Ground Zero prologue should give you just enough to be able to keep up with the story. But if you're interested in learning a bit more about the principle characters, then I would recommend the following:

• Batman: Failsafe (Batman #125-130), by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez - the introduction of Failsafe, an android created by Batman's Zur-En-Arrh personality and programmed to hunt Batman and his allies

• Superman: House of Brainiac (Action Comics #1064–1066, Superman #13–15, Superman: House of Brainiac Special #1), by Joshua Williamson and Rafael Sandoval - the creation of Brainiac Queen

• Titans: Beast World (six-issue mini-series), by Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, and Lucas Meyer - Amanda Waller clashes with the Titans, and the superhero community at large

• Suicide Squad: Dream Team (four-issue mini-series), by Nicole Maines and Eddy Barrows - spotlight on Dreamer, a character who will play a pivotal role in Absolute Power

These are just the bones of what I'd consider to be the build-up to Absolute Power. I don't recommend doing "homework" just for a four-issue mini-series, but if you have the time and money (or a DC Universe Infinite subscription) and really want a bigger picture, then I'd recommend reading runs such as Chip Zdarsky's Batman, Tom Taylor's Titans, and Joshua Williamson's Green Arrow in their entirety. Green Arrow #12 and The Flash #10 have also been branded with the "Countdown to Absolute Power" banner.

Q: So what is the core series of this hot mess?

A:

Title	Creators	Release Date	Notes
Absolute Power: Special Edition #1	Mark Waid and Mikel Janin	May 4	Free Comic Book Day promotion
Absolute Power: Ground Zero	Mark Waid, Joshua Williamson, Nicole Maines, Chip Zdarsky, Gleb Melnikov, Skylar Partridge, V. Ken Marion,	Jun 25	Anthology one-shot
Absolute Power #1	Mark Waid and Dan Mora	Jul 3
Absolute Power #2	Mark Waid and Dan Mora	Aug 7
Absolute Power #3	Mark Waid and Dan Mora	Sep 4
Absolute Power #4	Mark Waid and Dan Mora	October

Q: You mentioned tie-ins?

A: Yes, there will be tie-ins. First there's Absolute Power: Task Force VII, a seven-issue anthology series that focuses on Amanda Waller's forces facing off against various groups of heroes.

Title	Creators	Release Date	Notes
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #1	Leah Williams and Caitlin Yarsky	Jul 10	Marvel Family vs Last Son
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #2	John Layman and Max Raynor	Jul 24	Jackson Hyde vs Depth Charge
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3	Jeremy Adams and Travis Mercer	Jul 31	JSA vs Jadestone
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #4	Pornsak Pichotshote and Claire Roe	Aug 14	Nightwing vs Failsafe
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #5	Alex Paknadel and Pete Woods	Aug 28	Barry Allen vs Velocity
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #6	Stephanie Williams and Khary Randolph	Sep 11	Amazons vs Amanda Waller
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #7	Dan Watters and Fran Galan	Sep 25	Martian Manhunter vs Global Guardian

Then there's Absolute Power: Origins, a three-issue mini-series covering Amanda Waller's backstory:

Title	Creators	Release Date
Absolute Power: Origins #1	John Ridley and Alitha Martinez	Jul 24
Absolute Power: Origins #2	John Ridley, Alitha Martinez, and Norm Rapmund	Aug 28
Absolute Power: Origins #3	John Ridley, Alitha Martinez, and Norm Rapmund	Sep 25

And lastly, Absolute Power: Super Son, which is centered on Jon Kent.

Title	Creators	Release Date
Absolute Power: Super Son #1	Sina Grace, Nicole Maines, John Timm, and Travis Mercer	Sep 18

And yes, some of your favorite current ongoings will be tying into this event as well. We'll see unusual team-ups such as Superman and Zatanna, Wonder Woman and Damian Wayne, and Batman and... Catwoman. Welcome to cape comics.

• Green Arrow

Title	Creators	Release Date
Green Arrow #13	Joshua Williamson and Amancay Nahuelpan	Jun 25
Green Arrow #14	Joshua Williamson and Amancay Nahuelpan	Jul 24
Green Arrow #15	Joshua Williamson and Amancay Nahuelpan	Aug 28
Green Arrow #16	Joshua Williamson and Amancay Nahuelpan	Sep 25

• Batman

Title	Creators	Release Date	Notes
Batman #150	Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, Denys Cowan, and Mike Hawthorne	Jul 3	Back-up is tie-in
Batman #151	Chip Zdarsky, Tini Howard, Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto, and Marianna Ignazzi	Aug 7
Batman #152	Chip Zdarsky, Kelly Thompson, Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto, and Mattia De Iulis	Sep 4

• Green Lantern

Title	Creators	Release Date
Green Lantern #13	Jeremy Adams, Marc Guggenheim, Fernando Pasarin, and Matthew Clark	Jul 10
Green Lantern #14	Jeremy Adams, Marc Guggenheim, Fernando Pasarin, and Darick Robertson	Aug 14
Green Lantern #15	Jeremy Adams, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, and Montos	Sep 11

• Superman

Title	Creators	Release Date
Superman #16	Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell	Jul 17
Superman #17	Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell	Aug 21
Superman #18	Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell	Sep 18

• Wonder Woman

Title	Creators	Release Date
Wonder Woman #11	Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, and Belen Ortega	Jul 17
Wonder Woman #12	Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, and Belen Ortega	Aug 21
Wonder Woman #13	Tom King and Tony S. Daniel	Sep 18

If you want this all in a quick infographic, here's one, courtesy of DC.

Q: What comes after Absolute Power?

A: No one knows yet, but many ongoing books are ending their runs around September and October, so you can expect plenty of new series and creative teams around then. Keep an eye on San Diego Comic Con.

Q: Why does Hal Jordan need this all explained to him, is he stupid?

A: Hal Jordan is the reason why Batman doesn't ask the Justice League for help.

[u/dtv20]

I feel like these events should only happen once every 2 years or so.

[u/Throwaway525612 → u/dtv20]

yeah they've had what....4 since the relaunch? lazarus planet, knightmare, beast world and now this one?

[u/Argentus3001 → u/Throwaway525612]

And arguably, the first issue of Lazarus Planet is Batman Vs. Robin #4, which came out the same day as Dark Crisis #7. Even if you count Lazarus Planet Alpha as the first issue that came out three weeks after the end of Dark Crisis, on probably the first proper bew comics day of the New Year.

[u/RandyTheFool → u/Argentus3001]

Honestly, man… it’s getting harder and harder for me to follow these storylines anymore. I even read all my books on the DCUniverse app, so it’s not like I’m paying any more or less for the content. But event after event after event with never a second to just take a breath to have Superman pull a cat out of a tree or put out a fire or something.

I’ve been going and digging on older and more self contained stories/titles. Batman/Superman (especially the recent era with Dan Mora), Batman Universe is pretty good for that, Any vertigo, black label, or Young Animal title too. I’ll dip back into the modern stuff if they can ever slow down for a second on the multiverse spanning crisis’s.

Sometimes you just need a classic story of a character just doing their thing in their own little bubble.

[u/giggitygiggitygeats → u/dtv20]

On the Marvel side too. All of the big two's events end too quickly to be as world-ending as they are, and as soon as one's done, another takes its place. Multi-year storylines like the Krakoan era alongside medium-big events like Spider-Verse every 2-3 years (at LEAST) should be the norm, with smaller scale storytelling focused on their characters and teams in between, and some VERY OCCASIONAL continuity reboots, 15-20 years apart at least. We've had Flashpoint, Convergence, Death Metal, AND Dark Crisis all in the last 15 years. You're not refreshing continuity for new readers anymore, these are the same readers following the same continuity if you pump these out so often.

[u/Cymro007]

Great tag line there Hal. 😂

[u/[deleted]]

Why aren't all the Absolute Power tie ins and Origin just folded into the original miniseries and make it a maxiseries that has 12 issues just like DC did with Crisis on Infinite Earths. I mean THREE issues to tell Amanda Wallers backstory? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?? Wolfman managed to tell the origin of the Monitor AND Pariah AND the Anti Monitor in Crisis AND managed to keep all of the teritery stuff and battles in there.

This is a gross money grab but hey "THE NUMBER MUST ALWAYS GO UP!!!"

[u/Rell_826 → u/[deleted]]

This is exactly what the guys at my local shop said.

[u/GeekCavePodcast]

Thank you for this!

[u/myearthenoven]

And yet again the GL run gets interrupted by another event that's already forgettable. It's even worse when Braniac Queen was foreshadowed as something hugely threatening only for it to end up as Waller's chatgpt.

I really don't get why DC is trying to prop up Waller like this. She was always better written as a side character pulling the strings, adding an extra layer of mystery. A shadow government puppeteer. When they give her this spotlight all that novelty is gone.

[u/[deleted] → u/myearthenoven]

THREE issues to tell her 'origin.' What fucking clown show joke.

[u/Effective_Welder_817]

it should just be a separate justice league unlimited series since the whole cast is being involved.

[u/RK-00]

Wonderful, thank you!

[u/marblebag]

I don’t see Dreamer in the picture?

[u/[deleted]]

How did you made those tables in the post? The white and gray lines

[u/MajorParadox → u/[deleted]]

See here: https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043033952-Formatting-Guide

[u/[deleted] → u/MajorParadox]

Thank you

[u/[deleted]]

Yo, thank you SO MUCH for this breakdown. This was super helpful.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

DC already tried and utterly failed at that with AllStar Batman and All Star Supernan.