ABSOLUTE POWER #1 (DC COMICS)

Welcome to an all-new edition of Parlay Points!

For this entry, the end of the dawn has arrived! The “Dawn of DC” era sparked a resurgence of heroes in the DC Comics Universe. The Justice League is no more. Enter the Titans as the world’s greatest superhero team. A new wave of heroes entered the spotlight. It seemed as a new heroic era had been born.

All the while, a dangerous figure was working behind the scenes. Her mission: to stop metahumans for the good of the human race. Her accomplishments have been witnessed in the pages of Titans: Beast World and Suicide Squad: Dream Team just to name a few.

Her name is AMANDA WALLER!

Waller has been known to be a force to reckon with for years. Task Force X (aka the Suicide Squad) has been her team of expendable soldiers. This time, she has enlisted FAILSAFE and THE BRAINIAC QUEEN to finish her mission once and for all.

ABSOLUTE POWER #1 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez and Ariana Maher follows Waller’s first attacks onto the DC Superhero community.

Let’s not wait one more minute and check out the first installment of DC Comics’ latest event!

ABSOLUTE POWER #1 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez and Ariana Maher (DC COMICS)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

If anyone wants to know the perfect way to start an event of, THIS is it. Waid unleashes Waller’s plans with a multi-layered front. The writing depicts a reflection of society in its flawed sense of belief. Seeing Waller weave a false narrative camouflages readers to her true intent. Its’ impact can be measured on one certain character’s reaction which spoke volumes to the threat at hand.

Seeing Batman caught off-guard is an image fans won’t be able to process. There is a sense of uncertainty that looms heavy. This is brought to a fever pitch with Waller playing a wild card that will create quite the stir. It is perfectly worded: “Waller’s not playing Chess … she’s rolling tanks”. Unveiling the true attack, the writing shows the ruthlessness of Waller. This leads right into the closing act. With the frantic scrambling, one hero seems next in line to fall. Welcome to a new age of terror.

Mora and Sánchez brings Waller’s frightening world to disturbing life. The opening sequence involving Superman sets a high tempo of suspense. This is capped off with a bold full page picture of a fallen Man of Steel. It is a defining portrait of what lies ahead.

Waller’s mannerisms also tell quite the story. The cold and stoic demeanor dominates each panel. Readers won’t be able to shake what is unfolding before their eyes. This leads into a two page splash of the true attack on display. Seeing the multi-planned onslaught raises the stakes even higher. There is no doubt of the heroes’ losing conflict. The art team gives readers a few more shocks on the way to the close. With its’ final shot, the art team caps off an event of epic proportions.

FINAL POINT: 10

In one calculated strike, the entire DC Universe is put on notice that their time is up. Waid crafts a multi-layered story with superb writing. The electric artwork of Mora and Sánchez will leave readers in awe of the shocking and thrilling onslaught. Once the last page is read, there is no doubt the quest for power shows no mercy.

Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on ABSOLUTE POWER #1. Thanks for reading.

DOOM PATROL Season Four part 1 review (HBO MAX)

Welcome to a very special edition of Parlay points, the comic book blog to the ODPH Podcast. For this entry, we are checking out the return of one of the best television/streaming shows, let alone best comic book shows to hit the airwaves. Making its’ season four debut on HBO Max on December 8th, DOOM PATROL is back with an all new season! From their comic debut in DC Comics in 1963 to being one of the initial starter shows for the DC Universe service in February 2019 (along with “Titans” which just returned to HBO Max a few wees back), the quirky superhero team has won over fans with their unique adventures.

Season Four kicks off a very busy season for the heroes as they are slated to have a brand new series, “The Unstoppable Doom Patrol” by Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham, featured as a part of DC Comics’ new “Dawn Of DC” initiative slated in March 2023. I can’t stress enough: if you like what you’ve seen thus far on the show, make sure to sign up for DC Comics Infinite and check out some of their great comic stories. You will see the influence of the Grant Morrison run throughout the tv series.

Speaking of the series, DOOM PATROL will debut its’ first two episodes on December 8th with single episodes running thru January 5th before taking break and resuming later in 2023. The ODPH podcast was granted early screening privileges to the series premiere so here is out SPOILER FREE review!

Doom Patrol Season Four - Airing on HBO Max starting December 8th

Photo Credit: HBO Max

In case you are not familiar with the Doom Patrol, they are a group of super powered individuals who are flawed but still push forward somehow saving the world in the process. The team is comprised of:

Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby) who can stretch her skin but struggles to maintain it,

Negative Man (Matt Bomer), who radiates a dark energy being inside of him

Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), who’s multiple personalities each have their own powers

Robotman (Brendan Fraser), who’s human brain was installed into a robotic body

All of which were at one point being helped by Dr. Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton) until a massive reveal in season 1 fractures everything. Cyborg (Joivan Wade), the longtime member of the Teen Titans and most recently the Justice League, was added to this line-up for the series since the beginning. Cyborg is half man, half robot following an accident at his father’s lab. Joining the team this season is Madame Rouge (Michelle Gomez), a “frenemy” last season who can change her shape.

Throughout the previous seasons, the team has dealt with their haunting pasts, personal discoveries and encountered a wide variety of characters such as Danny the Street, Mr. Nobody, Kipling, Gargaux The Decimator and the Sisterhood of Dada to name a few. To say there is no show like this on TV/Streaming is an understatement. The adventures have lived up to their comic book legacy leaning heavily into their time on the “DC Vertigo” Mature Readers and “Young Animal” imprint style of story. It stands out on its own due to its incredible ensemble cast.

How Diane Guerrero hasn’t won an Emmy for this role is a complete travesty in my humble opinion. The same can be said for Frasier, Bowlby and Bomer who each have had standout arcs within the first three seasons. This show transcends the typical super hero formula as its strongest themes are how these individuals deal with their own personal issues and push forward to do the right thing, even if they have no shot of winning. Heading to season four, the bar has been set very high for this show. Does it hit the mark?

Diane Guerrero, Jiovan Wade, Brendan Fraser, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer, Michelle Gomez

Doom Patrol Season Four - Airing on HBO Max starting December 8th

Photograph by Dan McFadden/HBO Max

The answer is a resounding YES! Season Four kicks off with the group “working” as a team under the leadership guise of Elasti-Woman. The first mission viewers see goes off as one would expect with this team and is a perfect way to kick the season. From here, the team’s plan of a simple trip post mission goes drastically wrong. With a detour into the future, the Doom Patrol gets exposed to what might be the end of the world and at what cost it might take to stop it.

From the initial start, viewers can bank on another strong season from Diane Guerrero, who handles such a complex character with seemingly ease switching personas as per the story direction. Jane’s story continues to be one of the noteworthy plots of this show. Guerrero persists making Jane a must watch factor of this show. However, the one character to keep an eye on this season will be Jiovan Wade’s Cyborg. From the offset, he looks to have a big story line on the horizon. This will be a great upgrade for Cyborg, as he’s been the “outsider” of the group for quite some time. Personally, I think the banter back and forth between Bowlby and Gomez, who is such a great addition to the show, will make for quite a few memorable scenes.

This season doesn’t stray away from the winning formula that has made the show such a hit from the beginning. The writers continue to embrace the challenge of each individual’s struggles while braving the offbeat surroundings they find themselves in. Viewers can easily connect and root for this group of misfit toys because each actor isn’t holding back from adding to the emotional depth of their characters. For as much as this show doesn’t fit into a certain mold, it makes its own that more shows should follow.

Doom Patrol Season Four - Airing on HBO Max starting December 8th

Photo credit: HBO Max

FINAL POINT: Let’s get weird for all the right reasons! Season Four of Doom Patrol comes out the gates swinging with a perfect blend of delight and dysfunction. The story looks as it will challenge the team more than they ever have been before. Viewers can tag along and witness strong performances from Guerrero, Fraser, Bomer and the team as they navigate to find a way to help save the world and each other in the process.

Hit me up on the ODPH social media accounts and let me know what your thoughts are on Doom Patrol.

Thanks again to HBO Max for the early screener access!

Thanks for reading!