DC Comicsmay finally have an answer for the question ofAmanda Waller’salignment. Anyone familiar with Amanda Waller knows exactly how complicated she is. Yes, her more recent years at DC paint heras a true supervillain, but many of her earliest moments showcase her as more of a misunderstood hero. Her history - mixed with her current depictions - makes it difficult to place her neatly in either a hero or villain’s box.
In an interview withGamesRadar, Nicole Maines, writer of the upcomingSecret Sixminiseries starring Dreamer, Jon Kent, and others affected by Waller’s machinations, took a moment to talk about Amanda Waller’s role in DC Comics. During theAbsolute Powerline-wide event,Dreamer had to stop Amanda Wallerfrom ruining the hero’s reputation. Reflecting on writing Waller, Maine says:
I love Amanda Waller. I am so interested in characters that are like, “I do bad things for the right reasons.” I think, perhaps more than anyone else, she just so embodies, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” She’s a Black woman from a low income community who lost half her family to gun violence and sexual violence and revenge, and in her quest to regain control of her situation she’s [become] deeply ingrained in this comic book villain persona. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and I think she knows that, but you can’t stop a runaway train, and there’s no option but to double down now.
Maines gets to the root of exactly what makes Amanda Wallerso compelling, but also, again, so complicated. “Complicated” is the best way to describe Amanda Waller, especially given her long history in the DC Universe.
What Makes Amanda Waller a DC Comics Hero?
Understanding Where She’s Coming From
It’s easy to point out the reasons why people view the character of Amanda Waller as evil, but her uncharacteristic good-natured moments deserve a thorough overview. These quasi-heroic moments from Waller’s history - especially in her early years as the leader of the Suicide Squad - make determining where she stands so complicated. Those who have seen Amanda Waller’s earliest stories will know thatin her first few appearances, Waller wasn’t necessarily evil. She was always stern, yes, but as a Suicide Squad leader, she initially cared more about her team than one might expect, given her contemporary demeanor.
Debuting inLegends#1, Amanda Waller was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne.
When readers look back to her original stories with the Suicide Squad, they will recall that whileAmanda Waller did harsh thingsto ensure the right thing (in her eyes, at least) was achieved, she was never an outright sociopath. Stories like 1987’sSuicide Squad#8 by John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, Bob Lewis, Carl Gafford, and Todd Klein showcase that she stillviewed her Task Force X as people, and she was ready to punch out anyone who suggested them to be or treated them as expendable. Waller always had a humane side and valued the best parts of humanity, ready to protect the people she worked with.
Much of Waller’s worldviewwas shaped by her hardships, as revealed in her earliest origins. Living in poverty in the Cabrini-Green projects, her family was plagued by tragedy, most notably when her daughter was murdered by a drug dealer calling himself Candyman. In a rage, her husband confronted him, costing him his life andkickstarting Waller’s concerns about vigilantes. She pulled herself out of poverty and up the career ladder, but every heinous decision she makesis motivated by fear. Many can argue that, taking this into account, the Wall is just a misunderstood tragic figure, not a villain.
What Makes Amanda Waller a DC Comics Villain?
She Thinks She Knows What It Takes to “Save” the World
Alternatively, regardless of her motivations, it becomes harder to defend Amanda Waller when DC Comics readers rememberthe treachery that she has committedin the name of protecting humanity. If there was ever any ounce of empathy that could be afforded to Waller, DC Comics sealed the deal for her villainy in 2024 by molding Waller into aDarkseid-level threat to the DC Universe. She essentially gaslights and manipulates her way into a government position after twisting Beast Boy’s mind into a monster, allowing her to exit the shadowsto become DC’s worst threat.
Waller’s depictions have varied for years depending on the creative team writing for her.
Waller’s all-out war against metahumans - as seen inAbsolute Powerby Mark Waid and Dan Mora - isher worst act as an outright villain. There are multiple decisions that Waller made in her DC history that can be deemed questionable. Waller’s depictions have varied for years depending on the creative team depicting her. Some creators - like Maines, who also wrote Waller inSuicide Squad: Dream Team- remember the nuance in Waller’s character, while other creators de-robe her of that nuance in favor of portraying her as an unhinged villain. In the least generous light, Waller has experienced true character assassination.
Where Does Amanda Waller Stand on the Hero-to-Villain Spectrum?
Depends on the Eye of the Beholder - or the Creative Team
Generously, Waller’s character journey can be interpreted as DC Comics showing readers how a well-intentioned person canderail themeselves into becoming more unhingeddue to being consumed by paranoia. As Maines expressed in her assessment of Amanda Waller, her history in DC Comics has always seen her"do bad things for the right reasons.“Oftentimes, in this sense, Waller’s most heinous actions could be justified as a case of the right intentions being led by the wrong approach. In more recent years, Waller’s approach to world-saving has been overblown to shark-jumping proportions.
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Superman Jon Kent returns for a new adventure as part of the Secret Six, who assemble to hunt down the world’s most dangerous fugitive: Amanda Waller!
Some stories paint her a far cry from her original iteration, while others don’t forget the nuance that remains so integral to her character. That is what makes it so difficult to determine if Amanda Waller is “good” or “bad” - it really depends on who’s writing her. In terms of Waller’s personality and how good or evil she is, the creative team is going to determine which side she leans more toward for the sake of a specific story. Otherwise, in the history ofDC Comics, Amanda Wallerhas always contained a bit of both inside her.
