Absolute Wonder Woman has been a delight, enthralling readers and critics alike. Kelly Thompson has breathed new life into the character, with Hayden Sherman’s illustrations elevating the story. Interestingly though, it has not just been comic book fans who have become enamoured with Wonder Woman. People of Earth-Alpha have become enraptured with Diana, as to have mythical beings and monsters. In Absolute Wonder Woman #19, we find out there is a lore reason to why this is.
Spoilers ahead for Absolute Wonder Woman #19
Wonder Woman takes on Zatara
At the end of Absolute Wonder Woman #16, Thompson introduced the all-female Absolute Suicide Squad. The likes of Zatanna, Cheetah, and Giganta had attacked Wonder Woman at an exhibition curated by Barbara Minerva in Gateway City. Their aim was to kill Wonder Woman, but that is no easy task.
Wonder Woman’s battle with the Suicide Squad has now been over four issues, with the action only ceasing for flashbacks to Diana’s time on the Wild Isle. Although during this time, who she has faced in combat has changed, there has been one figure behind it all: Veronica Cale.
Through force and manipulation, Cale had coerced the team into being instruments in her goal of destroying Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman however was able to free Ara and even bring Zatanna onside. Her latest threat however is Giovanni Zatara, Zatanna’s father.
Wonder Woman is able to best Zatara by using the Troika, to help Zatara confront his past mistakes at the shadowy Crossroads. She could not have done it without the last minute intervention by Zatanna who forgave her father, citing that he had suffered enough.
Zatanna rescues Wonder Woman
Zatanna’s trip to the Crossroads severs Diana’s connection to the real world, trapping her there. Thankfully, Zatanna was willing to go back to the Crossroads and rescue Wonder Woman. To create a connection with Diana, Zatanna transformed into her mother, Circe. This created a powerful bond of trust that reached into the depths of the Crossroads.
This demonstrates that intoxicating effect that Diana has on those around her. Zatanna had only recently been trying to kill Wonder Woman but since their first in-person encounter in Absolute Wonder Woman #16 there has been a connection between them.
“Hey cutie.”
Zatanna
Wonder Woman was able to remove Starro from Zatanna in the following issue, freeing her from the control of Cale. In return, Zatanna goes out of her way to heal Diana and free her from a spell Zatanna’s father had cast over her.
This was another case of a foe becoming an ally. This ability was first seen back in Absolute Wonder Woman #1 where little baby Diana befriends a firebreathing lizard that had just tried to scorch her. This charm that Diana has is perhaps not the innate ability we thought it was.
Aphrodite’s gift
Absolute Wonder Woman is instrinsically linked with the gods. Her placement on the Wild Isle as a babe, under the care of Circe, was carried out by Apollo, under the orders of Zeus. Since then, the gods have taken a keen interest in the Diana’s actions, crossing paths with her often and not always as allies.
Over the last storyline, Aphrodite has been at the centre of the side-story, appearing in Diana’s dreams and flashbacks. At the beginning of Absolute Wonder Woman #19, Aphrodite is once again involved, this time without Diana, instead talking to Circe.
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, lust, and beauty. This makes her incredibly powerful, even shown in the series veiled, so others would not succumb to her beauty. As Aphrodite explains to Circe, loving her is not a choice. Aphrodite’s power and aura mesmerises those in her persence.
Aphrodite had given Diana some of her power as well. This means that people will fall for Diana. For the first time having experienced it, feeling Diana’s powers working on her, Aphrodite realised how lonely this will make Diana. She will never know if people love her truly or because they were made to.
A crisis of character
Diana’s character has been so focused on bringing people together and seeing the best in everyone. In turn, she has always been rewarded with love and friendship. What is concerning is how Wonder Woman will react if she finds out. It will cause a fundamental crisis in how Diana sees the world. How we she deal with the possibility that Steve Trevor and others are compelled to feel love for her?
This is an extremely interesting storyline in the works from Kelly Thompson. Obviously there is no doubt Diana will overcome this, but there will be a cost. Perhaps more concerning is another problem Aphrodite raised. Has Aphrodite unwittingly created a prison for humanity, one in which they are forced to adore Wonder Woman?
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman #19 David Nakayama Exclusive Virgin Variant – Forbidden Planet UK
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2 – Bookshop.org US
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2 – Bookshop.org UK
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