#absolute power ground zero

[ultfreakme]

Pinned butterfly

[goatsghost]

absolute power: ground zero #1

okay,,,,,, despite ✨the horrors✨ that are happening right now in gamorra, i’m so glad to see jay again. it’s terrible that nia and jay are pitted against each other, because neither one is really at fault, it’s all amanda waller, but i absolutely do not want jay to be forced to forgive nia for this, ever. he deserves to be angry, even once everything is sorted out

[geekcavepodcast]

DC Comics' First "Absolute Power" Titles

DC Comics' "Absolute Power" event will pit the Trinity of Evil - the Brainiac Queen, Failsafe, and Amanda Waller - against the heroes of the DCU in a battle for the fate of all metahumans.

Fans can get a prelude into the events of "Absolute Power" in Absolute Power 2024 FCBD Special Edition. The free comic book day release will contain an original story from Mark Waid and Mikel Janín, a recap of the lead-up to "Absolute Power," and a sneak peek of Absolute Power #1.

Absolute Power 2024 FCBD Special Edition releases on May 4, 2024.

Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1 is a oversized prelude to the saga. The "key to capturing all metahuman powers on planet Earth will finally be unlocked" bringing "Amanda Waller’s total dominance to the doorsteps of DC’s Super Heroes, using the combined might of Failsafe, the Brainiac Queen, and the Suicide Squad." Creatives for the one-shot include Mark Waid, Nicole Maines, Joshua Williamson, Chip Zdarsky, Gleb Malnikov, V Ken Marion, and Skylar Patridge.

Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1, featuring a main cover by Dan Mora, goes on sale on June 25, 2024.

Absolute Power #1 (of 4), from Mark Waid and Dan Mora, sees the Brainiac Queen and Failsafe giving Amanda Waller the ability to capture metahumans' powers. The Super Heroes and their allies will face chaos on the streets, the Suicide Squad commander's methodical attacks, and a massive disinformation campaign.

Absolute Power #1, featuring a main cover by Dan Mora and variant covers by Mora, Jim Lee, Stephen Bliss, Puppeteer Lee, Chris Samnee, Chrissie Zullo, Wes Craig, and John Timms, goes on sale on July 3, 2024.

Absolute Power: Task Force VII is a biweekly companion series to Absolute Power that will be from the Super-Villain's perspective "as the Trinity of Evil co-opts the combined powers of Amazo and the technology of Failsafe in their quest to eliminate all metahumans."

Leah Williams and Caitlyn Yarsky's Absolute Power: Task Force VII #1, on sale July 10, 2024, will introduce the Last Son, who has attacked Superman and his Metropolis allies and is now heading for the Shazam family.

John Layman and Max Raynors' Absolute Power: Task Force VII #2, on sale July 24, 2024, will introduce Depth Charge, who has stolen Aquaman's powers and taken over Atlantis. But Mera and the rest of the Aqua-family are ready to launch a secret revolution.

Absolute Power: Task Force VII #3, on sale July 31, 2024, follows the Amazo robot Jadestone, who has gone after the powers of the Justice Society of America. However, Jadestone has been compromised by Green Lantern Alan Scott's willpower and may now be able to execute his own free will as opposed to obeying Waller's orders. Meanwhile, the remaining JSA members are mounting a rescue and an attempt to flee to the Tower of Fate.

Absolute Power: Origins, from John Ridley and Alitha Martinez, is the history of Amanda Waller. "Find out what has led her to this place in a tale of how Waller suffered a catastrophic loss, and how she forged her powerlessness into a path to vengeance, fueled by two words that changed her life, and the lives of everyone in the DC Universe: NEVER AGAIN."

Absolute Power: Origins #1 (of 3) goes on sale on July 24, 2024.

July 2024's tie-in comics for Absolute Power are Batman #150, on sale July 2, Wonder Woman #11, on sale July 17, and Superman #16, on sale July 17,

(Images via DC Comics - Covers of 2024 Absolute Power Free Comic Book Day Special Edition, Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1, Absolute Power #1, Absolute Power: Task Force VII #1, and Absolute Power: Origins #1)

[jerryw2011]

[fae-morrigan]

absolute power ground zero was really good

[batbabydamian]

DC July 2024 Solicitations - Comics Featuring Damian! 🦇

BATMAN AND ROBIN #11

7/10/24

Written by Joshua Williamson

Art by Juan Ferreyra

Cover by Simone Di Meo

Variant Covers: Juan Ferreyra, Travis Mercer, Christian Ward (1:25)

Bruce and Damian plan the perfect father and son getaway…to DINOSAUR ISLAND?! When the dynamic duo uncovers a deadly family secret, their investigation takes them on a fun-filled adventure to rescue one of Batman’s greatest enemies!

THE BOY WONDER #3 of 5

7/3/24

Written by Juni Ba

Art and Cover by Juni Ba

Variant Cover: Khary Randolph

The cunning Tim Drake has always been the smartest of Batman’s sons…and the most comfortable matching wits with the most sinister geniuses on Earth. Damian Wayne doesn’t like feeling outsmarted—to him, no smugly-written insult could ever be sharper than his sword—so when he’s forced to infiltrate a super-villain gala alongside the sneaky Red Robin, the biggest danger the two of them face might not be Lex Luthor but Damian’s own temper!

*John Timms Variant Cover appearance(?) + potential cameo

ABSOLUTE POWER #1

7/3/24

Written by Mark Waid

Art and Cover by Dan Mora

DC’s epic summer event kicks off with a bang, as the combined might of FAILSAFE and the BRAINIAC QUEEN has at last given Amanda Waller the ability to steal the metahuman abilities of every hero and villain on planet Earth. As chaos erupts in the streets and a massive misinformation campaign sways public opinion to her side, the founder of the Suicide Squad methodically targets each superhero dynasty one at a time, starting with SUPERMAN. But even in this darkest of hours, a resistance is forming…and BATMAN is out for vengeance. It’s a shocking blitzkrieg across the globe that is decades in the making—and will shape the course of the DC Universe for years to come! Brought to you by the superstar talents of MARK WAID and DAN MORA—it all starts here!

*John Timms Variant Cover appearance(?)

ABSOLUTE POWER: TASK FORCE VII #1

7/10/24

Written by Leah William

Art by Caitlin Yarsky

SUPER NO MORE! With the assault on Metropolis’s heroes complete, Amanda Waller’s latest living weapon, the Last Son, sets his sights on the other most powerful supers in the DCU…the Marvel Family! Will their combined powers be enough to survive this terrifying threat? In this biweekly series we'll see the ABSOLUTE POWER event through the eyes of evil—as told from the point of view of the TRINITY OF EVIL!

*Rian Gonzales Variant Cover appearance

NIGHTWING #116

7/17/24

Written by Tom Taylor

Art and cover by Bruno Redondo

Everything Dick Grayson has built is crumbling around him. His life is spiraling out of control and Heartless is at the center of all of it. Now Nightwing must leave his city. Can he take back the power he’s lost? Or will Blϋdhaven and its citizens be lost to Heartless forever?

[bobbinalong]

at absolute fucking low points in their lives but at least they're still pretty, i guess

[serpentface]

Do psychotropic drugs and/or ritual play a role in any of the blightseed cultures? A pretty broad question, lol

Yeah that’s a very broad question, the answer is about as much as it tends to play roles in real history. Alcohol is pretty ubiquitous (outside of cultures that abstain from intoxicants) and used for a variety of purposes, opioids are commonly used in some parts for pain relief or recreational purposes, stimulants (usually in mild, natural forms) are used to provide extra energy, and hallucinogens are most commonly used as part of a larger religious framework (rather than for recreational purposes). Any more elaborate answer kinda has to be case by case in a certain culture or part of the setting.

I'll just take this as an opportunity to talk about the one established sect that pretty much REVOLVES around psychoactive use. This is the Scholarly Order of the Root, which is a sort of mystery religion + elite community of scholars who currently occupy the Ur-Tree and its forest in the far southern Lowlands (southeast of Imperial Wardin, on the same land mass).

The Ur-Tree is the obligatory Huge Fucking Fantasy Tree (and its surrounding forest). It’s a mass of vegetation about a mile tall and almost as old as Plant Life Itself, its upper branches are primeval plants, which become more modern the nearer they get to the ground (and each 'level' holds tiny ecosystems, some containing descendants of LONG-extinct arthropods/other small animals). Its lowest branches and the surrounding forest are contemporary plant life, and all is connected and protected by an incomparably MASSIVE fungal mycelium network (which is itself a living god).

A lot of the Scholars' more secretive practices revolve around experimentation with substance use with the goal of expanding the Mind and transcending the body to fully connect to the Dreamlands, and they have a supply chain of traders and mercenaries called Rootrunners who traffic substances into the Lowlands. Most of their psychoactive use is in a very intentional capacity and not just like, for fun, but a LOT of them are just straight up addicted to cocaine (in the form of alchemically refined bruljenum, which is used for practical purposes of its stimulant effect during long hours of work).

All known psychoactives are desirable for experimentation (particularly hallucinogens), with each having properties that either allow expansion of the Mind, transcendence of the body, or outright divine communion. Their effects are logged in great detail and interpreted to form the basis of the Scholars' understanding of the natural world and reality itself.

The most important substance is Ur-Root, which is root matter from subterranean levels of the Ur-Tree that have both their own intrinsic psychoactive substances and a very, very high concentration of living god mycelium. The tree root contains DMT and the mycelium has its own wholly unique effects (being an actual living god). They alchemically refine it into a purer, more potent form, and use it to expand beyond the body and directly commune with the Giants, a group of entities they have identified as the only true gods.

An Ur-Root trip starts off with minor visual distortion, which turns into shifting fractals that slowly obscure the vision. Eventually the senses are entirely taken over by a 'tunnel' of rapidly shifting fractals and geometries. In a complete trip, the experiencer gets a sense that they have been pushed through a membrane and entered another realm, finding themselves in a distinct experiential Space.

At this point they may encounter entities which communicate to them in a language impossible to describe but wholly understood. These beings are understood to be the Giants, or at least aspects of the Giants that mortals are capable of comprehending (they often take familiar tutelary forms of the Mantis or the Snake, or appear resembling the same type of sophont that the experiencer is, all composed of ever-shifting geometries). The experiencer often feels a sense of unconditional and endless love from these beings, though the Giants may be more hostile and may appear in the form of the Trickster (usually a cultural figure regarded as malicious, be it an animal or otherwise) in a bad trip.

(^Up until this point, this has mostly just been a DMT 'breakthrough' experience ft. 'machine elves' and the like).

They are then removed from this space and returned to something that feels like the real world, but is nearly unrecognizable. They have a sense of rapidly moving through time, and will usually see 'the spires' towards the beginning, which just so happen to look like this:

(source + some context via Implication- the spires are exactly what this art is depicting)

The experiencer continues to move across an unfathomable amount of time, occasionally 'seeing' other such flashes of unfamiliar landscapes and creatures, and yet also being devoid of all their senses, the 'seeing' is pure, unfiltered experience. There is a sense of interconnectedness with all life, and that one has become the forest (or even Life) itself. The sense of time is wildly distorted, the trip lasts only about 5 minutes but feels like an eternity and is understood as literal hundreds of millions of years.

The experiencer has usually lost any remaining sense of Self and individual consciousness during this phase (in which case this time distortion is usually a neutral or even peaceful experience), but some retain a fraction of their identity, and find themselves trapped and conscious while experiencing what feels like eternity (which can be LIFE-CHANGINGLY distressing, even after the fact).

(^This latter part of the trip is the effects of the Ur-Tree fungus).

The trip ends with a sense of rushing through the ground and back up into one's body, at which point they will abruptly return to their senses and consciousness. The details are then immediately retrieved via interview and recorded in immense detail. The whole experience is understood as having been full comprehension of the Dreamlands, communion with the Giants, and then a tour through the act of creation.

This is done as part of the initiatory practice into the inner mystery-religion of the scholars, and as needed for study by high scholar-priests. It is not taken lightly, both as it is absolute communion with the gods and reality, and in that it can be a very, very difficult experience. People who have gone through this often walk away with a permanently shifted perspective, often in a positive and/or comforting way- a sense of interconnectedness with all life, a peace with the concept of death, seeing less of a point in individual ego and the concept of Self, and comfort in the sense of divine love they (may have) experienced. This heavily influences the philosophy of the Scholars and has had effects by proxy in the religious worldviews of the region.

Details of this experience are closely guarded, and initiates are given absolutely no prior knowledge and expectations for their trip. This is seen as a necessity- their naivety will allow for a true, unfiltered experience, and can be used to gauge whether they should or should not be accepted. Those that have a distinctly bad trip upon initiation may be assumed to have been 'rejected' by the giants and thus denied full priesthood, though this largely depends on How they interpret their distressing trip- those who identify this as a test and harsh lesson in a journey to enlightenment may be accepted (as this is how fully initiated scholar-priests interpret and handle their bad trips).

This inner priesthood is only a small fraction of the Scholarly Order, and its greater function is as a hub of education and repository of knowledge, and Scholar-trained doctors can provide some of the best medical care available in the setting ('best medical care in this setting' only means so much but it's pretty solid, relatively speaking). Only a chosen few Scholars ever get to commune with the Ur-Root, and most of the divine secrets revealed in the process are kept hidden (though they indirectly influence the politics and worldview of the entire order).

[evilhorse]

Superman is back in Metropolis.

(Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1)

[dispatchdcu]

Absolute Power #1 Preview

Absolute Power #1 Preview #absolutepower #absolutepowergroundzero #batman #superman #wonderwoman #justiceleague #titans #DCEU #dccomics #comics #comicbooks #news #dcu #dcuuniverse #art #info #NCBD #amazon #comicbooknews #previews #reviews

Absolute Power #1 Preview: THE TRINITY OF EVIL HAS WON. DC’s epic summer event kicks off with a bang, as the combined might of FAILSAFE and the BRAINIAC QUEEN has at last given Amanda Waller the ability to steal the metahuman abilities of every hero and villain on planet Earth. As chaos erupts in the streets and a massive misinformation campaign sways public opinion to her side, the founder of…

[djrenard]

My Pull List (06/26/24):

Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

The Flash #10

a week late, but I'm in the middle of a move 😛

[ultfreakme]

It is unbelievable that people are calling Jay's response to Nia as "lacking empathy" and his anger as a "character flaw" when Nia was complicit in an American force's invasion of his home country, which led to America taking full control of Gamorra (AGAIN. I need people to remember that Gamorra has been free from Bendix for a few months at most and we're back here again). Just to list out things Nia has done to Jay:

Complicit in the murder of Jay's mom

Complicit in the colonization of Gamorra

She stood by and watched him get shot

She brought him in knowing he's going to be used as leverage

She betrayed his friendship

Jay's entire story in SOKE, his life's work, was freeing Gamorra. It's why he started reporting, it's why he goes by "The Truth", it's why he's done ANYTHING. Jay has been a victim of American colonialism for years, potentially since his birth. Waller has played a role in colonizing Gamorra and was in good relations with Bendix and Kaizen Gamorra(both colonizers).

What has Jay done to Nia?

Jay was the one who was calm when Nia was in the Fortress of Solitude while Jon was on the offence. She was there when Gamorra was freed. They were friends, Jay trusted her.

And then she stood by and let him get shot and put him in a prison.

And somehow, people are saying JAY is the bad guy here, that he should've been nicer after all this, standing on an injured leg having lost literally everything. Nia is in a terrible position, but she acknowledged that the leverage Waller once held over her- doxing Parthas if she doesn't help take over Gamorra- was something Waller was gonna do regardless of her complicity. SHE KNEW. She knew whether she obeyed or disobeyed, Parthas will be doxed. That was a choice she made. This isn't even me being biased; Nicole Maines who is Dreamer's creator herself has stated that Nia is in antagonist territory right now, Jay is in the right. I feel for Nia and I actually really like the direction her character is taking- Nia's big flaw is she'll compromise anything to protect the people she cares about. Waller is the mastermind, and Dream Team is a commentary on how all these oppressed people are pitted against one another to keep each other down and occupied, so they don't gather together to face the true enemy(a whole lot of institutionalized racism, misogyny, queerphobia, xenophobia, etc). Nia is a victim here but she was also the aggressor.

IT'S TEXT. Anyways fuck you people saying the POC kid who's been labelled a terrorist in the story for trying to save his country from colonization is the bad guy. I am sure there's no kind of commentary there on the label of "terrorist" and American imperialism.

[smashpages]

Out this week: Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1 (DC, $4.99): 

DC’s big crossover event kicks off this week with this “zero” issue — ground zero, that is. Featuring a creative team that includes Mark Waid, Joshua Williamson, Nicole Maines, Chip Zdarsky, Gleb Melnikov, Skylar Patridge, V Ken Marion and more, this issue will bring together elements from Batman, Superman: House of Brainiac and Suicide Squad: Dream Team as Amanda Waller begins her plan to take down the world’s superheroes.

See what other comics and graphic novels are arriving in stores this week.

[geekcavepodcast]

Amanda Waller Takes Steps Towards "Absolute Power"

During 2024's ComicsPRO Comic Industry Conference, DC Comics announced its next big saga - Absolute Power. The four-issue series hails from writer Mark Waid and artist Dan Mora.

Amanda Waller has been working towards her pledge - the elimination of all metahuman abilities on Earth - throughout the "Dawn of DC" comics. "Waller will use the strategic and military might of Failsafe and the otherworldly technology of the Brainiac Queen to steal all metahuman abilities from every super hero and super-villain around the globe, a threat so dire it will take the combined efforts of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Super Heroes of the DC Universe to defeat it." (DC Comics)

Absolute Power #1 (of 4) goes on sale on July 2, 2024.

Readers can get an early glimpse of Absolute Power in 2024 Absolute Power Free Comic Book Day Special Edition, available on May 4, 2024. The issue will feature a recap of events leading to Absolute Power, a sneak peek at Absolute Power #1, and an original 12-page story from Waid and artist Mikel Janín.

Absolute Power: Ground Zero, a one-shot prelude to Absolute Zero, goes on sale in June 2024. The comic will bridge the gap between Superman's "House of Brainiac" Story with Absolute Power.

(Images via DC Comics - Absolute Power Logo and Dan Mora's Cover of 2024 Absolute Power Free Comic Book Day Special Edition)

[esonetwork]

The Earth Station DCU Episode 391 – Here, There Be Monsters

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/the-earth-station-dcu-episode-391-here-there-be-monsters/

The Earth Station DCU Episode 391 – Here, There Be Monsters

This Week on Earth Station DCU! Drew Leiter and Cletus Jacobs discover that here…there be monsters! Zatanna does not do magic, she does tricks in Zatanna: Bring Down The House #1. Oswalt’s children come for blood in The Penguin #11. Batman teams up with Batgirl Cassandra Cain, Azreal, and Nightwing to defend Gotham from the Orghams, in the meantime, Joker pays a visit to his daughter, Duela Dent, setting her back on the path to crazy town in Detective Comics # 1086. Using Bat-Tech Armor and apparently working for Amanda Waller, Green Arrow captures the Flash Barry Allen, while Wally West seems to have lost interest in living in The Flash #10. Brainiac unleashes his new Queen on the Super-Family in Action Comics #1066. Superman and Lobo are losing to Brainiac until Superboy Conner Kent arrives with reinforcements Superman #15. Amanda Waller captures Jay Nakamura, gets Batman’s Failsafe robot working again, and trains Brainiac’s Queen with twenty years of knowledge in Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1. All this plus, DC News, Shout Outs, and much, much more!

————————

Table of Contents

0:00:00 Show Open

0:01:06 DC News

0:03:45 Zatanna: Bring Down The House #1

0:10:18 The Penguin #11

0:13:50 Detective Comics # 1086

0:19:52 The Flash #10

0:23:20 Action Comics #1066

0:25:08 Superman #15

0:31:16 Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

0:37:56 Sweet Tooth S3 Ep6 – Here, There Be Monsters

0:45:05 Show Close

Links

Zatanna: Bring Down The House #1

The Penguin #11

Detective Comics # 1086

The Flash #10

Action Comics #1066

Superman #15

Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1

Hawkman #4 (Cletus’s Read More Comics Pick)

Earth Station DCU Website

The ESO Network

If you would like to leave feedback, comment on the show, or would like us to give you a shout out, please call the ESDCU feedback line at (317) 455-8411 or feel free to email us @ earthstationdcu@gmail.com

[fae-morrigan]

Some more comic annotations of my favorite comic moment this year (so far!)