THIS WEEK: Absolute Wonder Woman #5 delivers a memorable finale to a strong first arc. Detective Comics set ups a a tense conclusion, The Last Halloween gets eerie, and Superman soars head first into a wild confrontation!
Note: the review below contains spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation on the comics in question, check out the bottom of the article for our final verdict.
Absolute Wonder Woman #5
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey
As a standalone issue, Absolute Wonder Woman #5 is a great read, an exploration of what makes Wonder Woman so powerful. As the conclusion to a five-issue arc, it bolsters this book’s case as one of the most memorable runs on Wonder Woman in recent years. This arc highlights that love is Diana’s superpower—an inherent part of her that manifests indiscriminately throughout her journey to becoming the prophesied greatest Amazon warrior. This issue makes it clear that she is only what others have uplifted her to become.
From her mother, Circe, she has drawn inspiration and an indomitable will. She embodies love, pain, sacrifice, and honor. She is a child destined to change the world. From the moment Diana landed in Gateway City, she has fought to do just that. Thompson delivers this with gusto, showing exactly who Diana is and what she stands for in this new absolute universe—how these qualities define her and leave mortals in awe. She doesn’t need to yell or scream to get things done; instead, she is polite yet resolute, like a tree unwavering in the face of a storm.
Now, facing the Tetracide and having regained her arm, she prepares for battle, fully aware of what must be done. She enlarges her sword with the power of Athena’s wisdom—and believe me, it makes for one hell of a buster sword. Even then, she knows it’s not enough. That’s when we finally see her lasso: θυσία—Sacrifice, introduced in this issue. In the next flashback, Thompson does a fantastic job illustrating how parents are the ghosts of their child’s future. As Wonder Woman practices with the lasso, she finds it to be somewhat cruel, upsetting Circe in the process. Immediately after, Diana speaks with Hecate, and we learn why.
The lasso is her mother. It was forged with love and pain, fire and blood. It is a lasso of transfiguration because that is what Circe knew best—and for Diana, her best is what she deserves. It wasn’t Hecate who taught Circe to believe in transformation. It was always Diana. A stark reminder from the earlier issues of the run when Diana says, “Love is transformative, Steve. Always.”
Diana comes to the realization that even if this isn’t the weapon she would have chosen for herself, she sees the importance of all perspectives. She acknowledges her own limitations and understands that seeking help will always benefit her. Thompson executes this beautifully, showing multiple instances where Diana listens to and learns from others, applies what she learns in the moment, and gives back tenfold. I won’t spoil what happens in the finale, but Steve being the one to save Diana serves as a poignant reminder of how much her friends—humanity itself—mean to her.
While this book sells the story with words, Hayden Sherman brings it to life with an innate ability to capture profound emotion in their art. There wasn’t a single moment where I didn’t get lost in these pages, especially in how they illustrate Steve and Diana getting lost in each other’s eyes. This creative team has really found a way to make the lessons that Wonder Woman is teaching just emanate from the pages.
This is the perfect setup for what’s to come, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next. I give it my highest recommendation and can’t wait to see this “Absolute” universe.
Verdict: BUY
The Round-Up
Detective Comics #1094: Five months into DC’s All In initiative, and Detective Comics is still delivering thought-provoking issues. Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín have been doing their best to give us a strong start to an all-new run. Now, as we near the end of the first arc, we see Batman confronting a new serial killer on the streets of Gotham while grappling with his own mortality—all while striving to remain the city’s symbol of hope. To say the least, it has been an intriguing journey. With their first encounter behind them and a plan in motion to uncover the truth behind Sangraal—the very serum that is healing Bruce and is tied to his current love interest’s company—we reach its conclusion: Asema, the serial killer, has uncovered Batman’s true identity. So far, this arc has truly felt like a detective story, bringing Batman back from the Nocturne arcs to a classic noir-inspired tale—one with plenty more to offer. But only time will tell if the payoff is worth the setup!- Superman #23: Superwoman found herself lost in time with Time Trapper in the last issue, and now their confrontation reaches its conclusion. I love Joshua Williamson’s portrayal of Lois and fantastic artwork from Dan Mora. In this book, Lois is someone who values the truth above all else, making her impossible for Time Trapper to manipulate, even with her husband’s life at stake. Because of that choice, Radiant still manages to harm an important character, forcing Lois to face the harsher realities of her role. With Zod now powerless and new players entering the conflict, there’s still so much more to unfold in this Superman run!
- Justice League unlimited #4: This new Justice League Unlimited run is unbelievably fun, which isn’t surprising with a team like Mark Waid and Dan Mora. Leaning into the teamwork and minor characters that makes the JLU so important, Waid certainly doesn’t hold back on delivering great dialogue between the characters. A standout example of this is Batman’s confrontation with J’onn. The Martian being The League’s eternal constant is such a nice thing to hear from Batman. I loved the portrayal of J’onn as someone who feels like a stranger in his own body, grappling with the fear that he himself is now a danger—especially with the sudden silence he finds to be… alien. Going as far as including Swamp Thing and having Aquaman and Tefe embark on a rescue mission into the Green—while even involving the Parliament of Trees—truly makes this feel like an Unlimited Justice League. The full page spread of the Green being controlled by Swamp Thing is incredible—Mora always delivers.
- Batman The Long Halloween The Last Halloween #5: Things have been picking up in The Last Halloween, and now with Bill Sienkiewicz taking over for this issue, Jeph Loeb has achieved an eerie feat with this new issue. Now, we follow a recovering Batman after being shot by Mario Falcone, and in his place, the Joker steps up to handle bringing all the Arkham escapees back, just to prove he’s better than Batman. All of this unfolds while you feel like you might be going crazy, thanks to how well and creepily Sienkiewicz’s art complements the story. It’s such a great addition to the ongoing series, and with the mystery of this new holiday inching toward completion, along with a newly unpredictable Two-Face, we can’t wait for more.
- Green Lantern Dark #3: GLD is such a love letter to DC, while also serving as a visual reminder of Something is Killing The Children. It’s hard not to be when you have Tate Brombal and Werther Dell’Edera teaming up to bring a gritty, punk, Elseworlds story to life. In the past couple of issues, we’ve seen our new Green Lantern come to terms with their responsibilities and discover what drives them. In this issue, they’re tasked with stopping a beast and saving kidnapped children, all while finding their willpower—with a little help from a knight clad in black armor known only as the Batwraith. It’s a fun read and definitely worth checking out for some DC fantasy antics.
- Metamorpho: The Element Man #3: This comic has probably been one of the stranger releases from the All-In movement. With that being said it also makes is one of the best. its been a campy and a fun way to reintroduce the character. Oh do they pick up the ball of ridiculousness that comes along with it. It’s absolutely strange and so endearing at the same time. By embracing both of these elements, it sets up a slew of mysteries that has driven the story forward so far. This issue is straight out of an Indiana Jones, complete with an Olmec temple, a fedora, the classic robot person switcheroo, and an “evil” Vandal Savage. I couldn’t help but laugh every couple of pages, and Al Ewing really nails the camp style as best as he can. It’s complete with a Scooby-Doo-esque maze montage, full of mishaps and humor being brought to life with Steve Lieber’s fantastic art.
Detective Comics #1094: Five months into DC’s All In initiative, and Detective Comics is still delivering thought-provoking issues. Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín have been doing their best to give us a strong start to an all-new run. Now, as we near the end of the first arc, we see Batman confronting a new serial killer on the streets of Gotham while grappling with his own mortality—all while striving to remain the city’s symbol of hope. To say the least, it has been an intriguing journey. With their first encounter behind them and a plan in motion to uncover the truth behind Sangraal—the very serum that is healing Bruce and is tied to his current love interest’s company—we reach its conclusion: Asema, the serial killer, has uncovered Batman’s true identity. So far, this arc has truly felt like a detective story, bringing Batman back from the Nocturne arcs to a classic noir-inspired tale—one with plenty more to offer. But only time will tell if the payoff is worth the setup!
Justice League unlimited #4: This new Justice League Unlimited run is unbelievably fun, which isn’t surprising with a team like Mark Waid and Dan Mora. Leaning into the teamwork and minor characters that makes the JLU so important, Waid certainly doesn’t hold back on delivering great dialogue between the characters. A standout example of this is Batman’s confrontation with J’onn. The Martian being The League’s eternal constant is such a nice thing to hear from Batman. I loved the portrayal of J’onn as someone who feels like a stranger in his own body, grappling with the fear that he himself is now a danger—especially with the sudden silence he finds to be… alien. Going as far as including Swamp Thing and having Aquaman and Tefe embark on a rescue mission into the Green—while even involving the Parliament of Trees—truly makes this feel like an Unlimited Justice League. The full page spread of the Green being controlled by Swamp Thing is incredible—Mora always delivers.
Batman The Long Halloween The Last Halloween #5: Things have been picking up in The Last Halloween, and now with Bill Sienkiewicz taking over for this issue, Jeph Loeb has achieved an eerie feat with this new issue. Now, we follow a recovering Batman after being shot by Mario Falcone, and in his place, the Joker steps up to handle bringing all the Arkham escapees back, just to prove he’s better than Batman. All of this unfolds while you feel like you might be going crazy, thanks to how well and creepily Sienkiewicz’s art complements the story. It’s such a great addition to the ongoing series, and with the mystery of this new holiday inching toward completion, along with a newly unpredictable Two-Face, we can’t wait for more.
Green Lantern Dark #3: GLD is such a love letter to DC, while also serving as a visual reminder of Something is Killing The Children. It’s hard not to be when you have Tate Brombal and Werther Dell’Edera teaming up to bring a gritty, punk, Elseworlds story to life. In the past couple of issues, we’ve seen our new Green Lantern come to terms with their responsibilities and discover what drives them. In this issue, they’re tasked with stopping a beast and saving kidnapped children, all while finding their willpower—with a little help from a knight clad in black armor known only as the Batwraith. It’s a fun read and definitely worth checking out for some DC fantasy antics.
Metamorpho: The Element Man #3: This comic has probably been one of the stranger releases from the All-In movement. With that being said it also makes is one of the best. its been a campy and a fun way to reintroduce the character. Oh do they pick up the ball of ridiculousness that comes along with it. It’s absolutely strange and so endearing at the same time. By embracing both of these elements, it sets up a slew of mysteries that has driven the story forward so far. This issue is straight out of an Indiana Jones, complete with an Olmec temple, a fedora, the classic robot person switcheroo, and an “evil” Vandal Savage. I couldn’t help but laugh every couple of pages, and Al Ewing really nails the camp style as best as he can. It’s complete with a Scooby-Doo-esque maze montage, full of mishaps and humor being brought to life with Steve Lieber’s fantastic art. Miss any of our earlier reviews? Check out the DC Round-Up archive!
