Review by Frank Plowright

Amanda Waller has lurked in the background of the DC universe for a long time, charged with protecting humanity from unimaginable threats. This began with the Suicide Squad, super powered criminals co-opted to work on dangerous missions, their co-operation assured by having a blob placed in their brain to be detonated should they divert from instructions or attempt to escape.

Such extreme methods characterise Waller, who has very 21st century idea of protecting humanity, including a lack of concern about innocents losing their life as long as the threat is nullified. Origins examines how tragedy hardened a heart into someone capable of so much worse.

She begins as a smart, but otherwise ordinary housewife and mother who loses two children and her husband to crime. She rapidly forms the view that adhering to the rules of society isn’t going to change anything as they’re too easily manipulated by the unscrupulous, so that’s what she’ll do. Along the way she develops a hatred of costumed heroes, unable to see their methods are very similar to hers. They may hide behind masks, but few have her murky ethical views.

Waller’s origin is reviewed and revised every few years, never diverting far from the solid background John Ostrander provided for her in the 1990s. In 2017 Vita Ayala wrote a decent version for Suicide Squad Secret Files, but didn’t have the space John Ridley’s given. Then again, she’s not an award winning film writer, and Ridley shows the fine instincts of a dramatist in fleshing out Waller’s motivations and the lines she’s willing to cross, which include alienating her own family in the misguided belief she’s protecting them.

It’s human drama that Alitha Martinez is predominantly called on to illustrate, and by and large she handles it well, transmitting the necessary emotions and showing a Waller who changes over the years, putting on bulk. Despite being such a motivating factor for Waller, use of costumed characters is minimal, and Martinez isn’t as comfortable when they’re doing anything other than standing around. Exceptions are a great casual Lobo and a fearsome Batman.

Ridley shows the passing of time not only through Waller putting on weight, but via her daughter Coretta ageing. She begins as a young girl and by the end is a very capable young woman, yet unfortunately shaped by her mother’s neglect and obsessions. There’s no doubting Waller is callous professionally, but Ridley’s skill ensures we’re more uncomfortable with Waller when she’s deceiving her family. This is a story told before, yet Ridley adds depth. Perhaps that won’t be enough for readers who’re not going to learn anything new, but anyone unfamiliar with Waller and coming here via Absolute Power receives a thorough grounding in the making of a monster.

Anyone wanting a sample of the way Ostrander handled Waller gets that via an efficiently told story of Batman infiltrating the Suicide Squad’s Florida headquarters back in the day. It’s an event Ridley uses in his final chapter, and as drawn by Luke McDonnell it looks dated, but stands up well as a threat to Waller’s absolute authority.