Amanda Punchenkick
Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Jack Herbert
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Cover: David Yardin
Cover Price: $2.99
On Sale Date: April 25, 2018
**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**
Here is…the conclusion of this arc about “The
Wall?” I think it must be. How much further can it go? We can find out together
if you read my review of Suicide Squad
#40, which commences below!
Explain
It!
Family is a liability. Yes, they can be a
source of strength, and inspiration, and with the support of a nice family,
great things are possible. But also, families are liabilities. Feelings of
responsibility and nurturing, combined with a healthy dose of guilt force
people to accept and do things they would never have otherwise. Working a
soul-numbing, dead-end job for thirty years is acceptable if it means you can
send your kid to college. Going without new gadgetry is worth having the money
available for your children’s after-school sports equipment. That’s on the
micro scale. On the macro scale, people in power might choose their own
children over the common good if given the choice. It’s why kidnapping works.
And why I never trust any of them folks what’s got families.
Despite being estranged from hers, Amanda
Waller still loves her family. Her kids treat her like shit and refuse to allow
her into their lives—her youngest daughter didn’t even advise Amanda that she
was going to be a grandmother!—but Amanda is a mom, and therefore her love is
unconditional. Her anger is also unconditional, but that’s another thing
entirely. Point is, Amanda Waller’s family is her weakness; get at them, and
you’ll have struck Waller where it truly hurts. In her guilt bone.
Non-shocker of non-shockers, the augmented
testosterone soldier known as The Wall was electronically hijacked by Hack, who
then looked up Amanda Waller’s family so she could kill them. Or at least her
daughter and grandchild. But when the moment arrives, after a steadying speech
by Waller, Hack can’t do it, and she leaves the poor asshole who was in the The
Wall suit physically and mentally destroyed. Hack also releases some secret government info, that we learn later was a red herring. At least the Suicide Squad is all
intact! For crap’s sakes.
A tremendous amount of property damage, one
soldier’s life shattered, tens of millions of research and development wasted,
and Amanda Waller gets…a commendation from the President. Will she ever face
any kind of retribution for being a grade-A bitch? Arguably, all of The Wall’s
actions were not her fault—but just as arguably, they were. She’s the one that
got Hack involved with the Suicide Squad and led to Hack being killed. She’s
the one that placated the poor girl until she felt like everything had to come
down. I don’t know why I’m going on about this because the issue was another
story with no stakes or long-term ramifications. Rick Flag isn’t coming back to
the Suicide Squad, but since most of the team stands around doing nothing in
every issue, I don’t see that as being a big problem. This issue in particular,
we could have done away with the Suicide Squad entirely and it wouldn’t have
made a difference. This book is as boring as plain toast, and it needs a
change. Soon.
Bits and
Pieces:
The person behind The Wall freaking out and downloading Amanda Waller's contact info turns out to be just who you expected, and the denouement is less than satisfying. I think, however, that I'm going to apply to be a member of the Suicide Squad. Chances are you won't have to do anything but make fart jokes half the time.
4/10
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