Absolute Power: Task Force VII #2 How Are You Going To Defend Spin This Slaughtering, Amanda?

[superfangirl1]

Atlantis gets attack by a Aquaman version of Task Force VII Amazo. Atlantis is losing it. Aquaman tells them his people to stand down.


Aquaman Amazo gets angry and tells Arthur that he's not in charge anymore. That it Amazo is in change and attacks Aquaman. Arthur's people decides to defend their king and angrily attacks the robot. Which does not end well for the people of Atlantis.

Comments

[thanekos]

Not sure if " Atlantis was pacified " is an intentional pun - it could be.

[cainofdreaming]

So, now Amazos can absorb intrinsic biological functions? Why don't they just absorb peoples' ability to breathe oxygen then?

[deh_tommy]

Considering the Amazos have been shown to absorb the power and wrath of the gods themselves (including capital G God!), that’s not too far of a stretch for them. Are they just described as taking away “powers” or is their real superpower to take away genetic functions?

[thanekos]

Amazos, the robots that have previously matter-of-factly demonstrated the ability to copy the capabilities of many different kinds of individuals, can do another thing related to the capabilities of individuals.

[blues32]

It...it isn't a POWER. They breathe underwater because they're Atlanteans. Is DC even thinking about this at all? Next J'onn will get his powers taken away and be transformed into a human for no reason.

[shakalooloo]

I think because Aquaman is half-human - he is, right? - the Atlantean side of his physiology is considered a power added to his 'normal' human side. That's the logic they're using.

Wonder if Hawkman's wings fall off when he gets de-powered.

[blues32]

Isn't that why the rest of the Atlanteans are dead? They lost THEIR ability to breath underwater? They don't seem to be wounded.

[shakalooloo]

Did AquAmazo also steal the ability of the sharks to breathe underwater? I think the artist just didn't draw the damage, as the scene is gruesome enough without entrails floating everywhere as well.

[blues32]

Honestly, with how this is going, I would not be surprised if they stole the sharks' ability to breathe underwater.

[giraffesforever]

I had the same thought. It's not depowering if the person involved never gained powers in the first place. Seems dumb to argue that one can depower Atlanteans, Amazons, Kryptonians, Martians, Thanagarians, etc, etc. Might as well depower a regular person of their ability to walk, breathe, or see.

Also a little interesting as I was thinking about this: DC has way way more non-human heroes that are central to their universe than Marvel. Marvel's most important non-human hero is Thor, but after him... Namor? I'm struggling to come up with a third outside of Marvel's cosmic stuff.

[cainofdreaming]

If Namor counts, as Atlanteans are human offshoots, then you can add all Eternals, Karkas and Ransak of Deviants, Inhumans, Moloid members of Fantastic Foundation (actually I'm not sure if Moloids are a human offshoot) and all the other members of secret races.

Oh, and there's also Clea and other extradimensionals.

Edit - And mechanicals and synthetics. Vision, original Human Torch, Aaron Stack and so forth.

[giraffesforever]

This is a good list, and I think it reinforces the idea that for whatever reason the Marvel world is built around humans who've gained powers to a greater degree than the DC world. I gotta be honest, before their recent synergy moment in the sun I didn't really know who the Eternals were and I still don't know who the Deviants are. Inhumans and Clea are always strange outsiders who dip in and out of interaction with others.

Vision is an good example I should have thought of. Not sure how I'd argue whether his abilities are "gained" or "inherent".

Anyway, I don't know what it means, but I'm finding it interesting how many of the important characters in DC are inherently powerful rather than created by science, technology, or skill. Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Hawkgirl/man, Starfire, Raven, Barda, and the assorted Super/Wonder/Aqua boy/girl/woman/lads is an A-list group that doesn't exist at Marvel.

[shakalooloo]

Hell, in DC wizzards are all homo magi, whereas Doctor Strange and co. are regular homo sapiens that learn a few spells.

[giraffesforever]

Homo magi? I didn't know that, amazing

[blues32]

Some are. Zatanna, Traci 13...they're Homo magi. Constantine, however, is human.

[cainofdreaming]

Not all of them. They generally keep to themselves in their own secret realm, so most magic users outside of there are just regular humans.

[windleopard2]

This is a good list, and I think it reinforces the idea that for whatever reason the Marvel world is built around humans who've gained powers to a greater degree than the DC world.

Marvel has mutants, Eternals, Inhumans, Asgardians and various alien races.

On the DC side, almost every metahuman gained their powers through an accident, encounter with supernatural forces or a scientific procedure.

[giraffesforever]

Yes, there are many inherently powerful characters in Marvel, I was only commenting on their relative importance to the shared universe. Superman is way more important than Thor. Wonder Woman way more important than Namor. Superboy/girl, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, Raven, etc. are more important than... Hercules, Odin, Sersi, Clea, and Lilandra?

Mutants are obviously super important in Marvel, but I'd argue that they are humans who have gained powers. We see that when X-genes get removed / hidden / implanted.

All of this is just mental meandering in response to the idea that Aquaman breathing underwater isn't any more of a power than fish breathing underwater. I don't know what it means.

[windleopard2]

Yes, there are many inherently powerful characters in Marvel, I was only commenting on their relative importance to the shared universe. Superman is way more important than Thor. Wonder Woman way more important than Namor. Superboy/girl, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, Raven, etc. are more important than... Hercules, Odin, Sersi, Clea, and Lilandra?

I'm confused by this. Why are you comparing the level of importance between characters not in the same shared universe?

Mutants are obviously super important in Marvel, but I'd argue that they are humans who have gained powers. We see that when X-genes get removed / hidden / implanted.

Yeah but we've seen the same done to non-mutant characters in Marvel as well.

[giraffesforever]

What can I say, I found it an interesting contrast between the two. Lord knows the things I find interesting are not always interesting to others.

[full_metal_ox]

Might as well depower a regular person of their ability to walk, breathe, or see.

Oppressive forces are perfectly happy to do that, too.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Well, there are all those mutants...

[lbd_nytetrayn]

So, now Waller is just conquering other nations, too?

Atlantis is a nation here, right?

[blues32]

Yes. This is a global operation, after all.

[shakalooloo]

But under the aegis of the U.S. Department of Sovereignty - surely this is overreaching her bounds?

[blues32]

She has clearance...in the form of a robot or two with the powers of Superman. Who is going to tell her, "no"?