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Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) #1-7
Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon
Without the island paradise, without the sisterhood that shaped her, without a mission of peace…she’s still the Absolute Amazon!
Spiraling out of the catastrophic events of Absolute Power, a new side of the DC Universe is born—the Absolute Universe!
In a different, darker world, Diana of Themyscira was not raised in paradise, but instead was exiled to the underworld as a baby and raised by an enemy. Darkness and exile did not destroy her; instead, they made her all the stronger—honed into an even greater weapon by tragedy, danger, and magic. Long denied her Amazonian heritage, Diana has finally reached the time for her to rejoin the surface world. Armed with new weapons forged in Hell, and a mission that looks a bit more like justice than peace, Diana will not be stopped on her quest to save the world and discover her place in it, even if that means carving it herself!
Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson is joined by breakout superstar artist Hayden Sherman to reinvent Wonder Woman from the ground up! Collects Absolute Wonder Woman #1-7.
Spiraling out of the catastrophic events of Absolute Power, a new side of the DC Universe is born—the Absolute Universe!
In a different, darker world, Diana of Themyscira was not raised in paradise, but instead was exiled to the underworld as a baby and raised by an enemy. Darkness and exile did not destroy her; instead, they made her all the stronger—honed into an even greater weapon by tragedy, danger, and magic. Long denied her Amazonian heritage, Diana has finally reached the time for her to rejoin the surface world. Armed with new weapons forged in Hell, and a mission that looks a bit more like justice than peace, Diana will not be stopped on her quest to save the world and discover her place in it, even if that means carving it herself!
Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson is joined by breakout superstar artist Hayden Sherman to reinvent Wonder Woman from the ground up! Collects Absolute Wonder Woman #1-7.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2025
101 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Thompson
742 books993 followersKELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
September 10, 2025
An Amazon from Hell.
Diana is the last of the Amazons (or so it seems) and was placed with her adoptive mother, Circe, who resides in Hell. The Amazons did something to piss off the gods, and this was their punishment.
This one doesn't seem to be a sweeping hit with all of my friends, so your enjoyment level may depend on how excited you are to read about an Elseworlds Wonder Woman. I'm not personally very interested in the main DC Universe much anymore, so these twisted takes are right up my alley. For now, anyway.
I've described this before as having a horror vibe, and it does but not in a oooh that's scary way, more like in a Diana makes friends with the demons in Hell and rides a skeletal pegasus into battle thinking he's adorable kind of way.
She's more magical hellspawn than Amazon, and her ideas of normal are reflected in that.
But she's still Diana. Her core personality of friendship, sacrifice, and always doing the right, good thing is still the center of who she is and how she reacts to the world around her.
Sometimes when they change a character's origin, it changes who they become. And that's fair. But, in this retelling, she is who she is because...that's who she is.
I loved her relationship with her adoptive mother, Circe, and I really enjoyed the way they introduced Steve Trevor, as well. Steve was a bit more classic Steve but the storyline surrounding their first meeting had some nice twists to keep it fresh.
Overall, I just loved this. And while it might not hit with readers who are just wanting to read a regular Wonder Woman story, I think Kelly Thompson really managed to come up with something unique here that's worth taking a peek at if you're in the mood for something a bit Elseworlds-y.
Highly Recommended.
Diana is the last of the Amazons (or so it seems) and was placed with her adoptive mother, Circe, who resides in Hell. The Amazons did something to piss off the gods, and this was their punishment.
This one doesn't seem to be a sweeping hit with all of my friends, so your enjoyment level may depend on how excited you are to read about an Elseworlds Wonder Woman. I'm not personally very interested in the main DC Universe much anymore, so these twisted takes are right up my alley. For now, anyway.
I've described this before as having a horror vibe, and it does but not in a oooh that's scary way, more like in a Diana makes friends with the demons in Hell and rides a skeletal pegasus into battle thinking he's adorable kind of way.
She's more magical hellspawn than Amazon, and her ideas of normal are reflected in that.
But she's still Diana. Her core personality of friendship, sacrifice, and always doing the right, good thing is still the center of who she is and how she reacts to the world around her.
Sometimes when they change a character's origin, it changes who they become. And that's fair. But, in this retelling, she is who she is because...that's who she is.
I loved her relationship with her adoptive mother, Circe, and I really enjoyed the way they introduced Steve Trevor, as well. Steve was a bit more classic Steve but the storyline surrounding their first meeting had some nice twists to keep it fresh.
Overall, I just loved this. And while it might not hit with readers who are just wanting to read a regular Wonder Woman story, I think Kelly Thompson really managed to come up with something unique here that's worth taking a peek at if you're in the mood for something a bit Elseworlds-y.
Highly Recommended.
May 22, 2025
7.3/10
My first of the "Absolute" titles and if the quality of this one is an indication of what's about to follow, then we are in for a great run.
Diana's origin is different, her looks are different, but her personality remains.
The plot is fine, i more look forward to what's next. The art is good, but the style of the artist is not a perfect fit for this specific story. At least in my eyes.
Fans of Wonder Woman, i believe will like this version of her, at the same time this doesn't require any prior knowledge, so it's good for new readers too.
My first of the "Absolute" titles and if the quality of this one is an indication of what's about to follow, then we are in for a great run.
Diana's origin is different, her looks are different, but her personality remains.
The plot is fine, i more look forward to what's next. The art is good, but the style of the artist is not a perfect fit for this specific story. At least in my eyes.
Fans of Wonder Woman, i believe will like this version of her, at the same time this doesn't require any prior knowledge, so it's good for new readers too.
September 10, 2025
I like this book. I wanted to give it 4.5 stars but there was no way I could round it down to 4 stars. The artwork goes with the story perfectly. I like that Wonder Woman is using more magic, weapons and a big f you to the geek mythology by correcting the injustice in it.
A giant flying island has appeared unleashing demonic creatures but Wonder Woman also appears to challenge them. However can even she stand against the biggest baddies it contains? Cursed to hell, the last of her people and the last hope of humanity.
I have always liked the more warrior version of Wonder Woman than the ambassador, and here she is literally brought up in hell with everything trying to kill her and her mother. The Hurcles reference with the serpent is not lost on me and Diana takes a very similar approach in trying to undo the injustices of cruel hedonistic Greek deities.
If I had one complaint it is that I did not get the usual Kelly Thompson big full-page fight scenes/panels but in fairness, there was no real combination fight to be had in this book. The book finishes with a thumbnail variant cover gallery and character design sketchbook.
A giant flying island has appeared unleashing demonic creatures but Wonder Woman also appears to challenge them. However can even she stand against the biggest baddies it contains? Cursed to hell, the last of her people and the last hope of humanity.
I have always liked the more warrior version of Wonder Woman than the ambassador, and here she is literally brought up in hell with everything trying to kill her and her mother. The Hurcles reference with the serpent is not lost on me and Diana takes a very similar approach in trying to undo the injustices of cruel hedonistic Greek deities.
If I had one complaint it is that I did not get the usual Kelly Thompson big full-page fight scenes/panels but in fairness, there was no real combination fight to be had in this book. The book finishes with a thumbnail variant cover gallery and character design sketchbook.
September 7, 2025
Wow! This is some amazing comic book writing. The absolute universe is a darker universe than the usual DC universe. The Wonder Woman in the absolute universe is not raised on a paradise island by her Amazon sisters, but rather in hell by the witch Circe. This leads to a Wonder Woman that is more magic focused. The real achievement of this book is that it makes clear the power that Wonder Woman's compassion and love for others has. Circe changes from a bitter prisoner of hell into a loving mother, and the corner of hell they live in becomes a home where lost creatures can find refuge. When Wonder Woman leaves hell, her love for humanity and the sacrifices she makes to fight the big bad helps readers to understand why she is a truly admirable hero.
August 21, 2025
The most original of the first wave of Absolute comics, Absolute Wonder Woman is an immersive and exciting spin on the titular character that breathes fresh life into her whilst maintaining many core elements that contribute to her popularity and longevity. Diana is no longer the princess of Themyscira and is instead raised in the underworld, bringing in the idea of nature vs. nurture; what survives of the OG characterisation, and how does she change as a result? The visual style adds to the ambience and sets it apart from other entries. There's something so captivating about the artwork and redesigns, and coupled with Thompson's writing, it creates a near perfect combination. A pretty unanimous hit, this is absolutely one to experience.
August 19, 2025
In the realm of DC Comics, it has been an exciting time to be a Wonder Woman fan, from Tom King and Daniel Sampere’s current run on the character’s main series to the Black Label comic Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons. While each of those titles have put their own spin of the Amazon princess and her world that can go between ancient Greek fantasy to dealing with current world politics, we now have a new version of the character that is quite the radical departure, but also embodies what is special about her, which is Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman.
As part of DC’s Absolute Universe, where already we had Absolute Batman, this reinvents Diana’s origin, as instead of being raised on Themyscira, she is taken to Hell by the god Apollo and entrusted to the witch Circe, who becomes her adoptive mother. Considering that Wonder Woman’s origin has changed over the decades, what immediately sets this apart from previous versions in that initial setting where Diana is stripped away from the paradise and sisterhood of the Amazons.
Being raised on an island in Hell, where she can be put through the ringer, fighting various monsters, there is this touching daughter-mother relationship at the centre between Diana and Circe, the latter of which is known for being one of Wonder Woman’s most significant foes. Imbued with a blend of Amazonian prowess and dark sorcery, as well as wielding a sword that resembles Guts’ Dragon Slayer from Berserk, this Wonder Woman obviously looks bad-ass as if she stepped out of a heavy metal cover.
As the first five issues intercuts between Diana's time in Gateway City and flashbacks to her time in Hell with Circe, we see how she is driven by this heroic compassion, which starts when she first meets Steve Trevor, who washes up on the beaches of the Wild Isle and is rescued by her. Knowing she is destined for greater things and wishing to do good in the surface world, she literally sacrifices her right arm so that Steve can live again. While there are some lingering questions that Thompson lays out for latter issues, such as what really happened to the Amazons and what plans the American government may have towards Diana, Thompson nails that sincere heroism of the titular hero, no matter how hellish her appearance and upbringing was.
From working in indie comics and licenced properties such as Batman: Dark Patterns, artist Hayden Sherman will be gaining more attention due to his amazing contributions in this book. As well as coming up with Wonder Woman’s new design, Sherman also presents amazing redesigns of some of the Greek Gods that appear throughout, to the various creatures such as a skeletal Pegasus that Diana rides. While the initial five issues mostly comprise of Diana trying to defeat a Cthulhu-like monster called the Tetracide from terrorising the city, Sherman makes great use of Diana’s magical spells, whilst experimenting with the panel layouts that resemble the visual storytelling that you would see in ancient Greek pottery patterns.
The final two issues from this volume are a change of pace when Diana is brought to the Underworld by Hades, who is angered at her having gone to the mortal realm. While there is the intercutting between flashbacks that show Diana’s ruse into a warrior to her current situation where Hades has captured Circe and forces Diana to fight a chimera to the death, you have Mattia de Iulis doing the coloured art, which is cinematic and reflects the historical art of many Greek myths.
Concluding with a bunch of short stories from Thompson and artist Dustin Nguyen called “Li’l Diana”, which are very cute, showing a more playful side towards Diana and Circe’s time together learning magic together and dealing with the many creatures of Hell, it cements how multi-faceted Absolute Wonder Woman is. Juggling mythology, monster slaying and a sincere drive to do good for the rest of the world, this reinvention of one of DC’s most iconic superheroes is an instant success that will be interesting to see unfold in subsequent issues.
As part of DC’s Absolute Universe, where already we had Absolute Batman, this reinvents Diana’s origin, as instead of being raised on Themyscira, she is taken to Hell by the god Apollo and entrusted to the witch Circe, who becomes her adoptive mother. Considering that Wonder Woman’s origin has changed over the decades, what immediately sets this apart from previous versions in that initial setting where Diana is stripped away from the paradise and sisterhood of the Amazons.
Being raised on an island in Hell, where she can be put through the ringer, fighting various monsters, there is this touching daughter-mother relationship at the centre between Diana and Circe, the latter of which is known for being one of Wonder Woman’s most significant foes. Imbued with a blend of Amazonian prowess and dark sorcery, as well as wielding a sword that resembles Guts’ Dragon Slayer from Berserk, this Wonder Woman obviously looks bad-ass as if she stepped out of a heavy metal cover.
As the first five issues intercuts between Diana's time in Gateway City and flashbacks to her time in Hell with Circe, we see how she is driven by this heroic compassion, which starts when she first meets Steve Trevor, who washes up on the beaches of the Wild Isle and is rescued by her. Knowing she is destined for greater things and wishing to do good in the surface world, she literally sacrifices her right arm so that Steve can live again. While there are some lingering questions that Thompson lays out for latter issues, such as what really happened to the Amazons and what plans the American government may have towards Diana, Thompson nails that sincere heroism of the titular hero, no matter how hellish her appearance and upbringing was.
From working in indie comics and licenced properties such as Batman: Dark Patterns, artist Hayden Sherman will be gaining more attention due to his amazing contributions in this book. As well as coming up with Wonder Woman’s new design, Sherman also presents amazing redesigns of some of the Greek Gods that appear throughout, to the various creatures such as a skeletal Pegasus that Diana rides. While the initial five issues mostly comprise of Diana trying to defeat a Cthulhu-like monster called the Tetracide from terrorising the city, Sherman makes great use of Diana’s magical spells, whilst experimenting with the panel layouts that resemble the visual storytelling that you would see in ancient Greek pottery patterns.
The final two issues from this volume are a change of pace when Diana is brought to the Underworld by Hades, who is angered at her having gone to the mortal realm. While there is the intercutting between flashbacks that show Diana’s ruse into a warrior to her current situation where Hades has captured Circe and forces Diana to fight a chimera to the death, you have Mattia de Iulis doing the coloured art, which is cinematic and reflects the historical art of many Greek myths.
Concluding with a bunch of short stories from Thompson and artist Dustin Nguyen called “Li’l Diana”, which are very cute, showing a more playful side towards Diana and Circe’s time together learning magic together and dealing with the many creatures of Hell, it cements how multi-faceted Absolute Wonder Woman is. Juggling mythology, monster slaying and a sincere drive to do good for the rest of the world, this reinvention of one of DC’s most iconic superheroes is an instant success that will be interesting to see unfold in subsequent issues.
August 31, 2025
Wonder Woman being raised in Hell by Circe? I’m absolutely here for it. These Absolute runs keep flipping the familiar stories on their heads, and instead of feeling gimmicky it comes across as fresh and exciting. The Greek mythology elements aren’t new, but in this context they really click—making Diana’s story feel both ancient and familiar at the same time.
August 22, 2025
Raised in Hell, and armed to the teeth with a big ass sword, 3 different magic lassos, magic, and her sharp as nails wit, Kelly Thompson’s Wonder Woman delivers everything I love about comics and I am completely and unabashedly in love with this beautiful book. Diana’s fierceness against injustices, kindness and compassion, makes her the hero we need right now. The art is perfect, the story is engaging and exciting and this may be my favorite ongoing comic right now.
July 24, 2025
i always love a ‘last of their line’ story, e.g. the last unicorn, the last airbender, the last targaryen. these are all favorites, so i think turning wonder woman into the last amazon was inspired. loneliness is always at the heart of this type of character, a longing for the past, sometimes revenge. personally i think that’s what makes this archetype most compelling. that aspect is undermined here by giving diana a loving mother: she spends her childhood happily in the underworld, learning sorcery, kissing monsters, and befriending goddesses. i’m not quite sure about this decision and would like to see a bit more abt how the loss of her culture has affected her. maybe this has been saved for future issues? i’m hesitantlyyy interested to see where this will go next.
July 21, 2025
The first WonderWoman story I ever read and it sets the bar so soo high. Such a beautiful mix between a pioneer of heroines and mythology. It's my favorite in the Absolute Series so far.
August 27, 2025
Go read this. One of the best takes on WW and her mythos in a long time. Don´t read anything in advace, just go and enjoy.
Vayan y léanlo. Una de las mejores versiones de WW y sus mitos que he leído en mucho tiempo. No lean nada previo, vayan y disfruten.
Vayan y léanlo. Una de las mejores versiones de WW y sus mitos que he leído en mucho tiempo. No lean nada previo, vayan y disfruten.
May 29, 2025
Of the 3 titles in the Absolute debut line, this one wins hands down. While radically altering Diana's origins, or at the very least her upbringing, Thompson brings out even more power and goodness in her and keep her spirit very much alive and indomitable.
A perfect introduction to this incarnation of WW, superbly illustrated by Hayden Sherman and Maatia De Iulis - wonderful colours by Jordie Bellaire.
A perfect introduction to this incarnation of WW, superbly illustrated by Hayden Sherman and Maatia De Iulis - wonderful colours by Jordie Bellaire.
August 19, 2025
The second released title of the new "Absolute Universe" line from DC Comics, Absolute Wonder Woman takes a dark spin on the tale of the classic character. This universe's Wonder Woman was raised not as Diana of Themyscira, but by the witch Circe who was banished to the Wild Isle, a frontier to Hell itself. The first arc, "The Last Amazon", serves as an introduction to Diana's childhood under Circe's tutelage in the ways of both warrior and witch, and as a result she emerges in the world of men as a very different styled Wonder Woman. Wielding a colossal blade, riding an undead Pegasus and brandishing a fiery new lasso known as Nemesis, Wonder Woman clashes against her first major foe - the Tetracide - a hulking, Lovecraftian entity that will consume all of Gateway City. Familiar characters like Steve Trevor and Barbara Minerva are introduced as well in the first arc spanning the first five issues, each maintaining a degree of familiarity with the regular continuity versions while including a spin that works for this new iteration of Wonder Woman. The action in this series is aplenty, courtesy of the kinetic artwork from Hayden Sherman, but the contemplative and nostalgic moments of Diana's upbringing by Circe are handled just as well.
The following two issues in this volume collected "The Lady or the Tiger", a story that fleshes out more of Wonder Woman's backstory including the crafting of the Nemesis Lasso. Told using a fable of a princess forced into making a choice of life and death, Diana's own humanity and character is elegantly explored. This second arc is illustrated by Mattia De Iulis who employs a more photo-realistic, painterly style in contrast to Sherman's energetic penciling, but it works just as well and adds to the already "Heavy Metal" vibe the series is aiming for. Cute little backup stories featuring "L'il Diana" growing up in the Wild Isle as drawn by Dustin Nguyen are also included here, and add another layer of charm to a fairly badass story thus far.
Needless to say, Absolute Wonder Woman remains one of the standouts of the "Absolute Universe" line, with main creators Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman delivering routinely on an entertaining book. The concept of a Wonder Woman raised in Hell isn't necessarily novel on its own, but the execution of this book has been great so far.
The following two issues in this volume collected "The Lady or the Tiger", a story that fleshes out more of Wonder Woman's backstory including the crafting of the Nemesis Lasso. Told using a fable of a princess forced into making a choice of life and death, Diana's own humanity and character is elegantly explored. This second arc is illustrated by Mattia De Iulis who employs a more photo-realistic, painterly style in contrast to Sherman's energetic penciling, but it works just as well and adds to the already "Heavy Metal" vibe the series is aiming for. Cute little backup stories featuring "L'il Diana" growing up in the Wild Isle as drawn by Dustin Nguyen are also included here, and add another layer of charm to a fairly badass story thus far.
Needless to say, Absolute Wonder Woman remains one of the standouts of the "Absolute Universe" line, with main creators Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman delivering routinely on an entertaining book. The concept of a Wonder Woman raised in Hell isn't necessarily novel on its own, but the execution of this book has been great so far.
September 3, 2025
everything I ever dreamed of and more I just wish the de iulius issues had a little less Instagram face Diana going on
May 29, 2025
4,5/5 j’ai beaucoup aimé !!!
September 6, 2025
Perfection.
August 31, 2025
Masterpiece
September 2, 2025
Flat out one of the best new books I've so far this year, comic or not. The story starts with a mythic kaiju battle and ends with Diana's second escape from the underworld. It's a stunner and its reinventions feel fresh, yet the character's core remains intact. The best Wonder Woman writers are great about forwarding her brilliance, compassion and curiosity in every sentence, and Thompson is inching toward Top 5 WW writers for me.
August 6, 2025
THAT WAS SO PEAK. i love you absolute wonder woman
August 26, 2025
Outstanding on every level. DC’s Absolute universe is storytelling gold. Get on it! Right now.
August 3, 2025
Muy lindo. Excelente toda la construcción de la mitología. Y el arte es espectacular. Ahora, le cambias los nombres a los personajes, lo publicas en Image y funciona igual. No se si es bueno o malo, la tiro nomás.
UPDATE: Vengo de leer Absolute Batman y la respuesta es sí, es bueno 100%. Es por acá y no por allá.
UPDATE: Vengo de leer Absolute Batman y la respuesta es sí, es bueno 100%. Es por acá y no por allá.
August 18, 2025
'Absolute Wonder Woman' - the hype is real.
I waited ages for this. When I finally got my hands on the first volume of Kelly Thompson's original, breathtaking take on the world's most famous superheroine, it felt like eons had past since I first heard of it.
The time has finally come. It was definitely, definitively worth it.
It is epic.
'Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon' is one of, if not the best 'Wonder Woman' comic in recent years, in the modern DC era, regardless of its "What if?" scenario/category. It contains no filler, no distractions linking to other DC comic storylines, no dull and superfluous side characters, no overlong and pretentious dialogue and narration boxes, and no depressing real life political allusions. It is just pure, solid, simple fun, action-packed, creative and thoughtful storytelling, brought to us in comic book form. It knows and respects superhero comic books and what they are about - and it respects its audience.
The premise of Diana being "the last Amazon" since infancy and was raised in the Underworld by Circe of all people to learn magic, alongside battling and sacrifice, as well as compassion and empathy (mostly ingrained, mind you) - where Circe is mother to her, not Hippolyta - should not have worked. But Kelly Thompson, who can almost do no wrong, made it work. She made it work without anyone seeming out of character from how we know them from the general, wider DC pop culture osmosis.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' is presented as a dark, violent, and epic modern Greek myth, without seeming gratuitous, overly morose, "gritty", or "edgy". I know I keep harping (harpy, heh) on this point, but it is mature storytelling, that knows when to breathe in moments of levity, humour, and catharsis - to let those moments in, for the appropriate amount of panel time and space.
It is also pure female empowerment. Steve Trevor is the only male main character, unless you count any of the Greek gods, including Hades. Yes, Wonder Woman faces up against a Cthulhu-type monster and gods in the comic, and the goddesses who are present in the first volume, who are her allies in their own way, are Persephone... and Hecate. I'm so pleased Hecate is given a huge and mighty role and portrayal in contemporary mainstream comics!
Hera is mentioned in a positive light, too, as are Artemis, Hestia, Demeter... and Athena, whose actions regarding Medusa (oh yes, she is included as an extra, receiving a major, important role) are excused and vindicated, but not condoned or forgotten. They are called cruel, for they are. The myth of Medusa is called a horror story, for it is.
No one, and no woman, and no goddess, is perfect.
Especially not Circe, who at the beginning saw baby Diana, given to her by Apollo - in her exile from the paradise Aeaea in a wasteland in the Underworld, in Hell - as further punishment by the gods. But she grew to love and care for the lost princess, when the Amazons were imprisoned by the vindictive, rageful Zeus. The mother and daughter have no love for the male gods, and all the love and respect for one another. Even when Diana escapes the Underworld into man's world as an adult, their bond remains the main theme of the story.
You could say the Lasso of Truth - called a Greek word in this version, and the Lasso of Transmogrification, made with blood, and is more a deadly weapon* - binds them symbolically.
Circe, who is cynical and tragic, and Diana, who is hopeful and kind. Together, they complete each other's story arc.
As of now, there is no romance between Diana and Steve. Etta Candy (who is a POC and has a sister, Gia, who is also a practicing witch) and Barbara Minerva (who resembles Barbara Gordon more than ever before here) are present.
But oh.
Oh.
Ohhhhhh....
Perhaps I have saved the best critique for last for 'Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon'.
I wouldn't call myself a reviewer, or even a person with eyes, if I neglected to mention the artwork.
Oh heavenly and hellish goddesses, the artwork.
There is not another way to phrase it: it is fucking stunning and beautiful.
All the artwork is gorgeous. All of it. I want to frame every single page of this volume. Even when the art style isn't realistic and kind of scratchy and cartoony, it is still unique and voluptuous, and impossible to look away from. The entire volume is like the combination of all the best traits of 'Wonder Woman' comics in the 21st century.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' is art, in far more ways than one.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' - absolute treasure.
That's where I'll be leaving off my review of this near-perfect masterpiece (near-perfect because, for one thing, the modern 'Wonder Woman' comic contains zero LBGTQ+ elements). It is one of the best comics of 2025. You bet I'll be reading the second volume. I can hardly wait for that, too.
Here's to Wonder Woman, aka Diana, Witch of the Wild Isle, aka Diana, Last of the Amazons, aka Diana, daughter of Circe, aka Diana, a compassionate warrior princess from Hell.
'Raising a child is how you fall in love.
[...] But letting them go is how you prove your love.'
Final Score: 4.5/5
* Diana has three lassos in 'Absolute Wonder Woman', and one of them is the Nemesis Lasso, formed by the flesh and blood from Prometheus's fingertip cut via Diana's axe, and the blood of the Last Basilisk. Told you the comic was epic.
I waited ages for this. When I finally got my hands on the first volume of Kelly Thompson's original, breathtaking take on the world's most famous superheroine, it felt like eons had past since I first heard of it.
The time has finally come. It was definitely, definitively worth it.
It is epic.
'Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon' is one of, if not the best 'Wonder Woman' comic in recent years, in the modern DC era, regardless of its "What if?" scenario/category. It contains no filler, no distractions linking to other DC comic storylines, no dull and superfluous side characters, no overlong and pretentious dialogue and narration boxes, and no depressing real life political allusions. It is just pure, solid, simple fun, action-packed, creative and thoughtful storytelling, brought to us in comic book form. It knows and respects superhero comic books and what they are about - and it respects its audience.
The premise of Diana being "the last Amazon" since infancy and was raised in the Underworld by Circe of all people to learn magic, alongside battling and sacrifice, as well as compassion and empathy (mostly ingrained, mind you) - where Circe is mother to her, not Hippolyta - should not have worked. But Kelly Thompson, who can almost do no wrong, made it work. She made it work without anyone seeming out of character from how we know them from the general, wider DC pop culture osmosis.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' is presented as a dark, violent, and epic modern Greek myth, without seeming gratuitous, overly morose, "gritty", or "edgy". I know I keep harping (harpy, heh) on this point, but it is mature storytelling, that knows when to breathe in moments of levity, humour, and catharsis - to let those moments in, for the appropriate amount of panel time and space.
It is also pure female empowerment. Steve Trevor is the only male main character, unless you count any of the Greek gods, including Hades. Yes, Wonder Woman faces up against a Cthulhu-type monster and gods in the comic, and the goddesses who are present in the first volume, who are her allies in their own way, are Persephone... and Hecate. I'm so pleased Hecate is given a huge and mighty role and portrayal in contemporary mainstream comics!
Hera is mentioned in a positive light, too, as are Artemis, Hestia, Demeter... and Athena, whose actions regarding Medusa (oh yes, she is included as an extra, receiving a major, important role) are excused and vindicated, but not condoned or forgotten. They are called cruel, for they are. The myth of Medusa is called a horror story, for it is.
No one, and no woman, and no goddess, is perfect.
Especially not Circe, who at the beginning saw baby Diana, given to her by Apollo - in her exile from the paradise Aeaea in a wasteland in the Underworld, in Hell - as further punishment by the gods. But she grew to love and care for the lost princess, when the Amazons were imprisoned by the vindictive, rageful Zeus. The mother and daughter have no love for the male gods, and all the love and respect for one another. Even when Diana escapes the Underworld into man's world as an adult, their bond remains the main theme of the story.
You could say the Lasso of Truth - called a Greek word in this version, and the Lasso of Transmogrification, made with blood, and is more a deadly weapon* - binds them symbolically.
Circe, who is cynical and tragic, and Diana, who is hopeful and kind. Together, they complete each other's story arc.
As of now, there is no romance between Diana and Steve. Etta Candy (who is a POC and has a sister, Gia, who is also a practicing witch) and Barbara Minerva (who resembles Barbara Gordon more than ever before here) are present.
But oh.
Oh.
Ohhhhhh....
Perhaps I have saved the best critique for last for 'Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon'.
I wouldn't call myself a reviewer, or even a person with eyes, if I neglected to mention the artwork.
Oh heavenly and hellish goddesses, the artwork.
There is not another way to phrase it: it is fucking stunning and beautiful.
All the artwork is gorgeous. All of it. I want to frame every single page of this volume. Even when the art style isn't realistic and kind of scratchy and cartoony, it is still unique and voluptuous, and impossible to look away from. The entire volume is like the combination of all the best traits of 'Wonder Woman' comics in the 21st century.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' is art, in far more ways than one.
'Absolute Wonder Woman' - absolute treasure.
That's where I'll be leaving off my review of this near-perfect masterpiece (near-perfect because, for one thing, the modern 'Wonder Woman' comic contains zero LBGTQ+ elements). It is one of the best comics of 2025. You bet I'll be reading the second volume. I can hardly wait for that, too.
Here's to Wonder Woman, aka Diana, Witch of the Wild Isle, aka Diana, Last of the Amazons, aka Diana, daughter of Circe, aka Diana, a compassionate warrior princess from Hell.
'Raising a child is how you fall in love.
[...] But letting them go is how you prove your love.'
Final Score: 4.5/5
* Diana has three lassos in 'Absolute Wonder Woman', and one of them is the Nemesis Lasso, formed by the flesh and blood from Prometheus's fingertip cut via Diana's axe, and the blood of the Last Basilisk. Told you the comic was epic.
May 3, 2025
I liked the look of Diana, but the volume itself was just endless fights and flashbacks.
September 4, 2025
This is so far the only super hero comic I've read so I can't judge it by that standards. The only other graphic novel I've read is Monstress but I do love that one with all my heart.
That said:
The art is absolutely wonderful, tho I prefer the artstyle of the first half. The latter half on the other hand has the more epic scenes/composition. Also Diana's design is just phenomenal.
Now... I don't like the writing. And this is where my disclaimer at the beginning comes in: I don't know if this is par of the course for the genre, but it kinda feels like it's tripping over itself to establish things during the first half. Most gratuitously in The Last Amazon 3/5 where someone just blurts out "Wonder Woman", Diana is confused, then the explanation follows that that is what the Amazons "called their champion". Like 1) an ancient Greek people would call the champion "Wonder Woman"? But I guess you have to respect the established canon. (I assume that's the reason) But 2) Really? That's how you establish her name? Over like 3 panels, via a character who wrote her dissertation on Amazons and in a life threatening situation has nothing better to do than talk about that.
Maybe also owing to the genre and format: Any threat seems to be resolved in like 5 minutes. Nothing has weight. Nothing feels like actual danger. For all the talk about the Tetracide being this massive threat, I don't think it kills anyone.
I think the writing gets better towards the second half when more things are already established and the story can take some more time, but... has Hades any reason to do any of these things? If so, it is not shown.
When there is a Volume 2 I will check it out, because I think once things are setteled there is a story to tell here, but Vol1 is not selling me on it.
That said:
The art is absolutely wonderful, tho I prefer the artstyle of the first half. The latter half on the other hand has the more epic scenes/composition. Also Diana's design is just phenomenal.
Now... I don't like the writing. And this is where my disclaimer at the beginning comes in: I don't know if this is par of the course for the genre, but it kinda feels like it's tripping over itself to establish things during the first half. Most gratuitously in The Last Amazon 3/5 where someone just blurts out "Wonder Woman", Diana is confused, then the explanation follows that that is what the Amazons "called their champion". Like 1) an ancient Greek people would call the champion "Wonder Woman"? But I guess you have to respect the established canon. (I assume that's the reason) But 2) Really? That's how you establish her name? Over like 3 panels, via a character who wrote her dissertation on Amazons and in a life threatening situation has nothing better to do than talk about that.
Maybe also owing to the genre and format: Any threat seems to be resolved in like 5 minutes. Nothing has weight. Nothing feels like actual danger. For all the talk about the Tetracide being this massive threat, I don't think it kills anyone.
I think the writing gets better towards the second half when more things are already established and the story can take some more time, but... has Hades any reason to do any of these things? If so, it is not shown.
When there is a Volume 2 I will check it out, because I think once things are setteled there is a story to tell here, but Vol1 is not selling me on it.
August 21, 2025
Diana's still Diana, but here she's got three lassos of different powers, a TARDIS bag, a skeletal pegasus to ride on, and a shonen protagonist's giant sword.
...
So yeah, she's MAXIMUM FREAKISHLY BADASS!
The flashbacks of her growing up in the Underworld with THE Circe as her adoptive mother proves that in this case, nature outright beats nurture, but she is not ungrateful for her upbringing since that ties her much more into the magical side of things beyond the myths of antiquity. And like all canon events for her variants, she wants to venture into Man's World after a man washes up on her shores (granted, she had to save him from the bloody Hydra first).
So in the modern day, she has to tackle all manner of hell-spawn and even a beastie from what looks like the Upside Down. And since these things are crazy powerful and out-muscling them aren't always an option, she has to pull from her expertise of the occult to vanquish her foes. And when Hades himself wants to be a menace, she uses her extraordinary wits to get the best of the Lord of the Underworld (also coincidentally to tickle my inner Disney fan, he's covered in blue flames...).
Love it and we have a mighty need for more of this mighty warrior woman!
...
So yeah, she's MAXIMUM FREAKISHLY BADASS!
The flashbacks of her growing up in the Underworld with THE Circe as her adoptive mother proves that in this case, nature outright beats nurture, but she is not ungrateful for her upbringing since that ties her much more into the magical side of things beyond the myths of antiquity. And like all canon events for her variants, she wants to venture into Man's World after a man washes up on her shores (granted, she had to save him from the bloody Hydra first).
So in the modern day, she has to tackle all manner of hell-spawn and even a beastie from what looks like the Upside Down. And since these things are crazy powerful and out-muscling them aren't always an option, she has to pull from her expertise of the occult to vanquish her foes. And when Hades himself wants to be a menace, she uses her extraordinary wits to get the best of the Lord of the Underworld (also coincidentally to tickle my inner Disney fan, he's covered in blue flames...).
Love it and we have a mighty need for more of this mighty warrior woman!
September 1, 2025
10/10
An excellent read from start to finish, also my first Wonder Woman comic.
Kelly Thompson does a fantastic job at making Diana a likeable, endearing female lead. I really enjoyed how involved ancient Greek mythology is throughout the story as its pretty crucial to Diana's character as she uses these stories to mold her own mentality while still feeling original and unique. They also establish Diana's relationship with Steve in a way that doesnt feel demeaning to either character while still being sweet.
The most major changes they've made to Diana is that she is the last Amazonian, Circe is her adoptive mother and she grew up in literal hell which are all great changes which have been fleshed out thoroughly. She also has a big ass Guts esque sword.
Some really cool action setpieces are displayed throughout the issues specifically Diana's battle against the creatures of hell in the first 5 issues.
I'd say this is my second favourite Absolute run at the moment.
An excellent read from start to finish, also my first Wonder Woman comic.
Kelly Thompson does a fantastic job at making Diana a likeable, endearing female lead. I really enjoyed how involved ancient Greek mythology is throughout the story as its pretty crucial to Diana's character as she uses these stories to mold her own mentality while still feeling original and unique. They also establish Diana's relationship with Steve in a way that doesnt feel demeaning to either character while still being sweet.
The most major changes they've made to Diana is that she is the last Amazonian, Circe is her adoptive mother and she grew up in literal hell which are all great changes which have been fleshed out thoroughly. She also has a big ass Guts esque sword.
Some really cool action setpieces are displayed throughout the issues specifically Diana's battle against the creatures of hell in the first 5 issues.
I'd say this is my second favourite Absolute run at the moment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2025
This run of Wonder Woman truly starts with a bang. A lot of information is put out there but in an easy to understand way that is welcoming if you’ve never read Wonder Woman but familiar enough to what long time fans know and love.
All the Wonder Woman staples are here - war, love, passion, compassion, rage, magic, action and more. Typically runs of Wonder Woman pick one or two of these traits and shape the whole narrative around those. Not Kelly Thompson. Somehow she’s mixed them all in a way that is truly engaging.
With Tom King and Kelly Thompson writing Wonder Woman the character has never had such good runs.
All the Wonder Woman staples are here - war, love, passion, compassion, rage, magic, action and more. Typically runs of Wonder Woman pick one or two of these traits and shape the whole narrative around those. Not Kelly Thompson. Somehow she’s mixed them all in a way that is truly engaging.
With Tom King and Kelly Thompson writing Wonder Woman the character has never had such good runs.
August 25, 2025
this book is amazing. Kelly Thompson understands who Diana is. She understands Wonder Woman. i cannot recommend this series enough. literally cried reading it.
you ever read something so good after reading something similar that was so bad? prior to this series the last wonder woman book i read was vol 1 of Tom King's run.....i absolutely hated it. I won't get into all the reasons here but this book is like a full whiplash of quality. i loved every page.
you ever read something so good after reading something similar that was so bad? prior to this series the last wonder woman book i read was vol 1 of Tom King's run.....i absolutely hated it. I won't get into all the reasons here but this book is like a full whiplash of quality. i loved every page.
July 14, 2025
3eme volet de la nouvelle collection DC, Wonder Woman. Et, de loin, la plus réussie !
Très belle réécriture du personnage, élevée cette fois par Circée en enfer.
On se régale de tous les petits détails, des petites références à la mythologie.
Le dessin est particulièrement agréable, original pour un comics de ce type.
Une réussite, je lirai la suite à coup sûr !
Très belle réécriture du personnage, élevée cette fois par Circée en enfer.
On se régale de tous les petits détails, des petites références à la mythologie.
Le dessin est particulièrement agréable, original pour un comics de ce type.
Une réussite, je lirai la suite à coup sûr !
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