Absolute Wonder Woman #1- Redefining the Mightiest Amazon
From DC Comics
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Hayden Sherman
The bold, new, darker alternate DC Comics Absolute Universe continues to burgeon this week with the release of Absolute Wonder Woman which once again proves that change can be a valuable creative tool, especially for longstanding, familiar legacy characters like Wonder Woman.
The basic premise for this iteration of Wonder Woman, as relayed in the All In Special so it’s not much of a spoiler, is that she is a child of Hell as opposed to Paradise. The overarching question of all of the main “Absolute” titles being, “If an iconic character’s circumstances are changed, will their actions and heroism be affected, or will they remain as ever, a bright symbol of hope in a dark universe?”
I absolutely (nice) fell in love with this new iteration of Wonder Woman in this first issue, but I also couldn’t help but feel once again a nagging, annoying, pervading feeling at the reminder, displayed boldly in our epic two page title spread, that each of these pivotal “Absolute” series are only five issues. I hope that DC Comics has noted how overwhelmingly positive this new direction has been, with each of the “Absolute” titles selling out at the distributor level before they have even released, and plans to continue this title with an extension, or at least a Part II. However, what worries me is the narrative direction hinted at in the aforementioned and reviewed All In Special which saw our main universe heroes attempting to find a way to seal off and destroy the Absolute Universe. I for one don’t want that to happen anytime soon- I think that would be a crushing disservice to the hype surrounding these new characters, which have already cemented themselves as definitive iterations of the “big three” DC legacy characters at least. I think the best case scenario would be for some explanation to be introduced that establishes the Absolute Universe as a constant, orbiting alternate to the main DC Universe, much like how the Ultimate and 2099 Universe exist over at Marvel, existing on the fringe edge of canon to be returned to when a particularly poignant story arises.
But that is a crisis for another time and place, so let us shift focus back to Absolute Wonder Woman #1… of the “big three” characters at DC Comics, Wonder Woman has certainly had the most meandering series and lore, which makes it just that much more difficult for new readers to become acquainted with her. Which is one of the main reasons that this iteration of Wonder Woman is so exciting, as an inherent fresh start for the character that also handily provides her some contrasting edge as a Warrior Princess from Hell Itself. If you have found it difficult in the past to connect with Wonder Woman’s backstory or her characterization, then perhaps this could be the palate cleanser you have been waiting for, which I suspect will also be the case with Absolute Superman in just a few weeks.
What’s more, contextually, this story is one of the most epic and mythological Wonder Woman stories we have had in sometime, which makes for a delightful, intrepid read that is a striking contrast to the Wonder Woman series of the past few years which have largely focused on Wonder Woman’s place in the modern world. I am not criticizing that take on the character, but personally I have to admit that I would much rather read about a Goddess fighting demons and monsters like in Absolute Wonder Woman as opposed to main universe Wonder Woman fighting “Macho Modern Action Hero #2.”
All of this is to say that Absolute Wonder Woman delivers on its promise to provide a fresh, engaging, perspective-altering depiction of the heroine we know and love and also dispenses a tremendous, goose-bumps inducing thrill ride of a tale in the process.
Let us talk more specifically about Absolute Wonder Woman #1, which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Our story begins with the bizarre imagery of a floating upside down pyramid appearing in the sky above Gateway City, which has historically been the home to Wonder Woman in mainline DC Comics. As a news reporter describes the startling scene, suddenly hundreds of winged red reptilian creatures emerge from the pyramid like bees from a hive and descend upon the helpless town.
At the same time, a rider appears in the sky with a crack of lightning, dressed in red and black armor, riding a skeletal Pegasus, as she removes a gigantic blade from a magical bag of holding. Not just that, but she descends from the heavens, slicing through the necks of the creatures before landing on the ground and dipping her hands in their blood to perform a sorcerer’s magical blast that ignites the sky, before we cut to the title page.
I don’t know about you, but I damn near felt like cheering with every shocking panel, feeling like I was witnessing something truly iconic.
From here, our tale twists back in time where we see The Wild Isle of Hell where we find the goddess Circe, the island’s sole inhabitant, aside from demons. One day as Circe toils in her punishment from the Gods, she is visited by Apollo, who places her in charge of an infant child, the last of the Amazon’s who were decimated at Themyscira. Moreover, Apollo magically decrees that the word, “Amazon” is banned and that the child should never learn about her origins before departing.
As Circe takes the child back to her cave, she rightfully determines that she does not want the burden of a child and sits idly by as a snake approaches the babe lying in an island shoal. However, as the snake strikes, the capable Amazon child grabs the snake by the neck and hurls it away. We then behold a montage of scenes, showing the young child growing and adapting to her hellish surroundings as Circe professes her deepening love for the once unwanted girl.
Admittedly, I had only been acquainted with Hayden Sherman’s artwork from their contributive work to Ram V’s Detective Comics run but they certainly make the case for themselves as one of the most unique, intelligent, and capable emerging artists with their work here in Absolute Wonder Woman. There is a certain tenderness to the extended montage pages here, as we see the small, unassuming home of Circe and Diana evolve with detail and color and comfort. The more you look at it, the more details reveal themselves and tell little quiet stories of their own, which is a really beautiful, grounding touch to this evocative story.
We then cut back to the present as we see Wonder Woman approaching the floating pyramid which begins to birth a titanic, eldritch creature that she refers to as “Harbinger Prime,” as she tells him that, “This world is protected.” However, Diana’s bold stance goes unheeded, as the Harbinger shoots at her with flaming eyes and unhinges its mandible jaws to strike. Wonder Woman dashes across the field of battle adeptly and manages to burn the creature with a spell, before she is finally sent flying by the creature’s eye beam blast.
The force of the blast seems to knock both Diana and us back in time once again, as Diana confronts her mother, Circe, about a word that she is afraid to say- “Amazon.” Circe explains that Diana is an Amazon and that she was born to protect the world like her sisters, though that life was supposed to be taken from her by the Gods. With each flash of the memory, we see Wonder Woman begin to stand back up in the present, as she heroically rouses herself with the knowledge of who she is. Finally, we see Wonder Woman floating in the sky above the Harbinger, declaring that she is Diana of Themyscira, Last of the Amazon’s, Princess of Hell, Daughter of Circe, and that she will defend this world while she still draws breath.
Not much is overtly revealed in this issue besides the personal history of Diana in this new universe, but there are several interesting plot threads laid to be developed further, such as the nature of the Greek Gods in this universe, the real fate of the Amazons, and where exactly these “Harbinger” creatures have emerged from. I for one am content to just be simply enthralled with a short and sweet introduction to the character. In the end, this issue feels like an inspiring, passionate call to action for Diana herself, and equally encourages us as readers to follow along with her legendary story.
Please support your local comic book stores and pick up Absolute Wonder Woman #1 on shelves now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
