As DC’s epic Absolute Power event officially begins, Superman just suffered a horrifying fall from grace – literally. The Man of Steel is famously DC’s greatest hero, with the strength to push planets out of orbit. Unfortunately, as former Suicide Squad leader Amanda Waller rises to power, she’s not just depowering Superman – she’s having him replaced.
In a preview of Absolute Power #1, Superman shows up to stop a robbery by some hugely outmatched criminals. However, as a panicked member of the crew opens fire, the Man of Steel makes a horrifying discovery: his powers are gone.
DC has started its ambitious event by stripping Superman of his powers, leaving the Man of Steel vulnerable to being gunned down by a regular handgun. Superman isn’t the only Justice League hero who’ll be losing his powers, and Earth’s protectors are going to be even more shocked when they learn what Waller is doing with their stolen abilities…
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Superman Loses His Powers as Absolute Power Begins
The Man of Steel Takes a Bullet as Amanda Waller Steals His Powers
In recent comics, Amanda Waller has been promoted to leader of the Bureau of Sovereignty – a position of absolute political power granted to her during the mass chaos of Titans: Beast World. Waller refused to hand back power afterwards, and now she’s enacting her plan to rid the world of superheroes, seeing them as too dangerous and unpredictable to live.
At the same time, Waller has recruited the new villain Brainiac Queen and Batman’s devastatingly powerful Failsafe android, creating a new ‘Dark Trinity’ of power in the DC Universe. Absolute Power will now see her attempt to stamp out all heroes, with the Justice League’s finest acting as a de-powered resistance, fighting Waller’s regime without their usual powers (but with some cool new costumes.) Sadly, Waller hasn’t just stolen the League’s powers – she’s used them to create her most powerful ‘Suicide Squad’ yet.
Amanda Waller’s New Task Force VII Have the Justice League’s Powers
Superman Has Been Forcibly Replaced by the Last Son
As part of Absolute Power, Waller will be unleashing Task Force VII. This team of Amazo robots have been imbued with the League’s stolen powers, and will be helping to defeat the remaining heroes. The android with Superman’s powers is known as the Last Son, and will be hunting down Shazam, Mary Marvel and Black Adam over in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #1 (by Leah Williams and Caitlin Yarsky.) While Waller does believe she’s doing the right thing, and the Last Son is meant to protect innocents from superhuman violence, the practical application of that mission means grinding DC’s greatest heroes into dust and shoring up Waller’s regime against all challengers, setting her up as the despotic ruler of the world.
Fans are used to seeing bullets bounce off Superman’s chest, so it’s incredibly evocative for Absolute Power to begin with the opposite. Superman’s fall from grace is the beginning of an underdog story where the Justice League’s greatest heroes are stripped of their powers and forced to fight the good fight with their wits and skills alone. Is Clark Kent still Superman without his powers? Absolute Power is offering the Man of Steel the chance to prove he is, beginning with Superman taking a bullet to his previously invulnerable chest.
Absolute Power #1 is coming from DC Comics July 3.
