absolute wonder woman 1

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 Review: Raise a Little Hell

Heaven help her enemies.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is here, and Kelly Thompson, alongside the stellar art team of Hayden Sherman and Jordie Bellaire, doesn’t just take the character in a new direction—they break the mold. While this inaugural issue may lean on a few expository moments, it succeeds in introducing readers to a Wonder Woman who is as unfamiliar as she is unmistakably Diana.

***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***

The biggest change to Diana’s origin story here is that she has been raised by Circe in Hell, who, in traditional iterations, has been one of her greatest enemies. Sent to the underworld as punishment for the transgressions of her Amazon sisters, Diana is but a babe left in Circe’s “care,” that is, left to die to the creepy crawly creatures sent by the Gods to finish off the last of the Amazons. However, Diana shows resilience and affection towards the animals trying to kill her, a strength that ultimately wins over her unwilling mother.

Diana grows under Circe’s unexpectedly nurturing guidance, as Circe grows to love the child, as she says, by raising it. The mother-daughter dynamic between Circe and Diana is surprisingly tender, layered with tension and subtle affection that builds depth into their relationship. This setup establishes a refreshingly complicated origin, grounding Diana’s powerful resolve in a complicated upbringing.

A Wonder Woman of Mystery and Magic

In the present day, Diana isn’t the stoic warrior princess we know—she’s wielding magic, calling upon powers unfamiliar to long-time fans, and she rides into battle on a skeletal Pegasus (a creature who demands more screen time). The badass factor is high, yet the story feels driven by Diana’s search for purpose as much as by spectacle. She possesses the Athena Blade, forged by Hephaestus, a weapon whose potential we’re told about but don’t quite get to see in action. Though I’m sure subsequent issues will delve deeper into the weapon’s origins and Diana’s connection to it.

Still, the character redesigns and magical elements make her stand out visually and thematically from past versions, giving readers a version of Diana who feels daring and raw.

A Quest for Purpose and Place

Perhaps the biggest question this new iteration of Diana raises for me is: Why is she so driven to protect a world she’s never known? Raised in Hell, Diana has no meaningful connection to humanity, making her willingness to defend Earth feel slightly thin. We’re told that the Amazons defended Earth from monsters, but given her unconventional upbringing, her quick acceptance of the duty of her ancestors lacks the emotional depth you’d expect. Adding more backstory on why Diana would adopt this cause without ties to humanity could have enriched her journey, giving the story’s central quest a stronger foundation.

Overall, Absolute Wonder Woman #1 is a welcome addition to the Absolute Universe. It dives into a character-centric story that explores new dimensions of a familiar hero, even if her motivations feel underdeveloped. Despite these initial growing pains, this reimagined Diana has a lot of promise, and fans looking for Wonder Woman that could make Kratos shudder will find much to enjoy in her journey.

Score: 4/5

Published by Adam Birney

As a Senior Writer and Editor for The Cultured Nerd, Adam is as dialed-in to pop-culture as Bruce with the Batcomputer. In an era where clickbait reigns supreme and misinformation runs rampant, Adam strives to provide well-researched, accurate and unbiased insights to the realms of movies, video games, superheroes and more. After all, that's what being a 'cultured nerd' is all about.