Fantastic Four and Amanda Waller

 

This is an example of where I had an image to use, but the printing quality on it was low. In those cases, I have to "recolor" through use of the clone stamp tool.  It can be time consuming, but it is a necessary step for a cohesive cover.  Wouldn't you know it, for this particular splash page, I did find a nice crisp clear image of it just a couple of days after I had completed the cover!  I could have saved myself a lot of time if I had found that sooner!  Here's a look at the behind the scenes progress:

Amanda Waller and Power Man & Iron Fist

 

Oh, I can't imagine this set up going too well.  Luke and Danny are used to working for others, but under the condition that they will be paid for their efforts.  Waller is used to being in control of subordinates, but under the threat of lethal consequences if they don't follow her orders.  There's bound to be plenty of friction with them all trying to work together, and that usually makes for an interesting story.

Amanda previously met these two in STF #2821...

Venom joins Suicide Squad

 

Now we are hearing rumors of Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom joining in on the action of the in-development third Marvel/Sony Spider-Man movie.  With Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Jamie Foxx and Electro and possible even Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire as interdimensional Spideys, this film looks to be jam-packed.  The current theory is that Wanda/Vision on Disney+, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the third Spider-Man film will combine to make a Marvel multiverse epic story line.

Power Man & Iron Fist and Amanda Waller

The upcoming comic book movie that I am most curious about is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.  Set photos indicate a very different look than David Ayers' cinematic outing with the team.  With some returning cast members, how much of a reboot will it be?  I hope that Amanda Waller get's better treatment this time around - she seemed to cross the line into villainy the last time, which did not sit well with me.

The X-Men and Amanda Waller

I am very interested in what James Gunn will be doing with The Suicide Squad.  As some actors and characters will be returning from the first cinematic outing, it can't really be seen as a reboot, even though it is said that he will be going in his own direction.  One aspect that I really hope he addresses is the depiction of Amanda Waller.  She is a tough as nails character, willing to go to extreme ends to achieve her goals - but the first film went even further and made her into a cold blooded killer, which did not sit well with me.  Hopefully, Gunn will find some way to fix that.

Amanda Waller in The Marvel Universe

I was looking forward to seeing Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad, but like Superman, DC seems to have gone darker than I preferred with the cinematic version of one of their print heroes.  I know that Waller is tough as nails and will go to extremes to further her goals, but even so, I thought it was a step top far to see her kill a group of her own men just to keep secrets.  That just made her look like a cold blooded killer, which I never felt she was in the comics.

The Watcher and Amanda Waller

John Ostrander truly created a unique character with Amanda Waller.  Without any super powers, she's been able to go toe to toe with some of the most powerful characters in the DCU, just through her attitude, smarts and determination.  I wasn't crazy with the New 52 makeover that transformed her into yet another hard bodied model type, and I am glad that they seem to be getting away from that depiction.  It only served to make her a little more generic, in my opinion.

Amanda Waller and Nick Fury

Suicide Squad seems to have withstood some harsh reviews and has made over 700 million worldwide, so maybe we will see some sequels after all.  It's the kind of team that can really be changed up from movie to movie, so there are plenty of directions to go in.  I'd like to see Bronze Tiger, Nightshade and Father Craemer show up, three of my favorite characters from the John Ostrander run on the comic series.

Amanda Waller and The Hulk

DC's New 52 reboot made a lot of changes to their long standing characters. One of the more puzzling decisions to me was to transform Amanda Waller into a hard-bodied action hero with supermodel good looks.  Was anyone complaining that Waller didn't fit the standard comic heroine mold?  I thought her appearance, along with her personalitry and position of power in the DCU were what made her a unique and interesting character.  That version worked well on Justice League Unlimited, after all.  I think that changing her physique just makes her a little more generic.