Black Comics Month: Day 6

DC Comics has its share of badass characters. Most would put Lobo up pretty high, and Guy Gardner's a natural choice. Of course there's Deadshot, and Hitman, and even Green Arrow. Heck, DC has comics' first badass, the freakin' Batman (no, Namor isn't a badass, Namor's a petulant child). But there's one woman who out-badasses them all: Amanda "The Wall" Waller.

The Wall's full legal name is Amanda @#*!in' Waller. Chuck Norris trembles at the sound of her voice. She gives the Spectre the willies. And despite having no utility belt and no amazing combat prowess, she can stand toe to toe with Batman and not flinch. She's indomitable.

And despite my high opinion of this particular White Queen (much cooler than that scantily-clad bitch Emma Frost), I've not read a whole lot of comics that feature her. I first saw her during the President Luthor storyline, where she didn't do a whole lot, and frankly I didn't know who she was. After that I picked up the Legends miniseries, where she has a minor role, and a few more-or-less random issues of Ostrander's Suicide Squad, of which I need to read more. I'm buying Checkmate now, but she hasn't really had the chance to be the ball-busting bureaucrat that we all know and fear.

No, my real introduction to Amanda (@#*!in') Waller was through Justice League Unlimited, and the amazing vocal abilities of CCH Pounder. Amanda Waller was the shining star of the fourth (second?) season of JLU, walking between good and evil along the razor-thin tightrope of utilitarianism. She was a charming, intimidating foil, who never quite became a villain. It's not often that a series, whether comics or TV, can successfully pull off the depth necessary to carry a "whose side is she really on" character, but JLU made it look easy.

Besides, we all know whose side Amanda Waller is on: her own. And it just so happens that that's also the winning side. And it's no wonder why: she's a short, overweight, normal human woman, but she can surprise the World's Greatest Detective and stand steadfast against invincible demigods. Amanda Waller has nerves of steel, and possibly several other figuratively metallic organs. Her only powers are intimidation and resources, but she manages to rank as high as the Justice League, if not higher, in terms of capabilities. Badass.

I'd say more. I could come up with a list of "Amanda Waller facts" that would show Chuck Norris just what kind of wimp he really is, but I'll just let her awesomeness speak for itself.
That, my friends, is Amanda @#*!in' Waller.