WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Justice League Unlimited #1!
Although theAbsolute Powercrisis has ended, its aftermath continues to ripple through the DC Universe, with theJustice Leaguestill grappling with its consequences months later—especially in the realm of superpowers. To address these lingering effects, the League has launched a groundbreaking new project, one poised to bring about some of the most radical changes to DC’s power hierarchy.
The inaugural issue ofMark Waid and Dan Mora’sJustice League Unlimiteddives straight into the heart of the series, showcasing the team’s all-inclusive roster—open to every hero on Earth—and the newly unveiled Watchtower.
While the new Justice League and Watchtower made their debut in the alpha half of Joshua Williamson and Daniel Sampere’sDC ALL IN Special#1, Waid and Mora expand on this introduction with a hyperspeed tour led by none other than Wally“The Flash”West. During this tour, readers are introduced to“The Atom Project,”an initiative designed to locate and restore the superpowers that went missing after being freed from Amanda Waller’s power-stealing Amazos, Task Force VII.
…the Atom Project is set to become one of the most pivotal plotlines in the Justice League’s narrative, with the power to reshape the hierarchy of the entire DCU.
Recap ofABSOLUTE POWER:How Did Various Superpowers Go Missing in the DCU?
Cover I Raised UV Foil Variant by Yasmine Putri forAbsolute Power#4 (2024)
Absolute Power wasDC’s blockbuster summer crisis event, in which Amanda Waller declared war on the heroes and metahumans of the DC Universe. Aligning herself with Failsafe and Brainiac Queen, Waller created a task force of six power-stealing Amazo robots modeled after core Justice League members—Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter.Using these Amazos with brutal efficiency, Waller successfully stripped the majority of DC’s heroes of their powers.She also deployedTask Force VIIto capture and unjustly imprison various power-robbed metahumans, both heroes and villains.
Despite most heroes being robbed of their abilities, those who remained free of imprisonment united to confront Waller and her Amazo-powered Task Force VII, culminating in a final showdown inMark Waid and Dan Mora’sAbsolute Power#4. In this issue, Batman reveals his plan to defeat the Amazos. He explains that their ability to self-repair stems from the technology of John Starr, a brilliant scientist-turned-criminal best known for his time-manipulating hourglass. According to Batman,this hourglass technology is the key to the Amazos’ seemingly invincible nature.
With Starr’s assistance, Batman constructs a device designed to override the hourglasses within the Amazos, rewinding them to a state before they absorbed the metahumans’ powers.This device ultimately releases the stolen energy, allowing the powers to return to their original wielders.With Green Arrow’s help, the plan succeeds, and the powers are freed. However, while most powers returned to their rightful owners, some were scrambled—ending up with individuals who didn’t previously possess them—while others went completely missing. This sets the stage for The Atom Project, whose mission is to locate and restore these scrambled and missing abilities.
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Which Characters Lost or Gained New Powers After the Defeat of Task Force VII?
Cover C Card Stock Variant by Carla Cohen forSuperman#19 (2024)
Some of the most notable characters affected by the events ofAbsolute Powerin terms of superpowers and abilities include Lois Lane, Black Canary, Plastic Man, Clock King, Ice, and Fire. The iconic duo of Ice and Fire now find themselves with their powers swapped, Plastic Man has gained the ability to phase through walls, and Black Canary is now shown to have laser vision. However,the most significant changes come from Lois Lane and Clock King, both of whom were previously non-metahumans.Unlike Plastic Man, Black Canary, Fire, and Ice—who simply gained different abilities while retaining their metahuman status—Lois andClock King now possess powersfor the first time.
While some continuities depict Clock King with minor metahuman abilities, most portray him as a non-meta who relies on gadgets and inventions for his villainy.Absolute Powerhas drastically altered this for the D-list villain, as John Layman and Pete Woods’Titanscomic reveals that Clock King now has the ability to manipulate both time and memory. Similarly,Lois Lane, a previously non-metahuman, has gained a powerset resembling that of her husband, Superman.While it’s evident that The Atom Project will aim to restore traditional powers to heroes like Black Canary, Plastic Man, Fire, and Ice, it remains unclear whether the initiative will also seek to strip individuals like Lois Lane of their newfound abilities.
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Ryan Choi & Ray Palmer Are Leading the Justice League’s Atom Project (& The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever)
Main Cover by Dan Mora forJustice League Unlimited#3 (2024)
While Flash’s introduction of the Atom Project during his high-speed tour is brief, it provides a concise but clear overview of the initiative. As mentioned earlier, the project’s goal is to locate and restore the missing or scrambled powers that were released after the defeat of Amanda Waller’s Task Force VII. Wally also reveals thatthe project is being led by Ryan Choi and Ray Palmer, both of whom have served under the Atom hero mantle.With two of Earth’s greatest minds spearheading the effort, the Justice League has put its best resources toward tackling this monumental challenge.
Additional details about the project are revealed in the synopses forJustice League Unlimited#1 and #3. The synopsis for issue #1 highlights the stakes, stating,“Ray Palmer’s Atom Project triggers a race between hero and villain to control the fate of metahuman abilities on planet Earth, which threatens to destroy everything the League has built.”This indicates thatthe project’s impact goes far beyond the individuals affected, presenting consequences for the greater good of Earth.Furthermore, fans learn that Plastic Man and Beast Boy will join the Atom Project in issue #3, working to address their scrambled powers.
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Why the Atom Project Holds the Key to the DC Universe’s Future
Cover F 1:25 Wraparound Card Stock Variant by Fico Ossio forJustice League Unlimited#4 (2025)
Given that the Atom Project is teased to decide the fate of metahuman abilities on Earth, it’s clear its potential impact extends far beyond simply locating and restoring scrambled powers. The same technology used to locate and restore powers will undoubtedly hold the key to removing them as well, as Palmer and Choi would need to extract powers from certain individuals to return them to their rightful wielders. This makes the project a dangerous asset; if villains gain access to it, they could steal heroes’ powers for their own gain, creating a grim future for the DC Universe. As a result, the Atom Project is set to become one of the most pivotal plotlines in theJustice League’snarrative, with the power to reshape the hierarchy of the entire DCU.
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