Absolute Wonder Woman #23 hit shelves this week and it looks to be a pivotal issue. The issue comes off the back of the storyline Friends and Neighbours and begins a new one titled Heretic. Heretic will be a five issue arc, ushering in at least two major players and the promise of war.
Spoilers ahead for Absolute Wonder Woman #23!
Ares and Zeus
The stunning cover of Absolute Wonder Woman #23 by Hayden Sherman and Jordie Bellaire was a giveaway to Ares’s introduction in this issue. Ares has long been a part of Wonder Woman’s mythos in DC’s main universe and he looms large over the princess on the cover. His blue armour with a red glow emanathing through the gaps looks incredible but distracts the eye(!) from another character.
Behind Ares and Diana is a gigantic eye in the background of the cover. This terrifying design only gets scarier in the issue when its true scale is revealed. The owner of this eye is Zeus, the father of Ares.
At a surreal Olympus, home of Ares the God of War, father and son converse as Zeus takes up the entire sky, dwarfing everything. Zeus tries to convince Ares to help him but Ares knows that he is trying to stop Diana. Ares believes that Diana is to bring about the greatest war the planet has ever seen and has no wish to stop it.
“She is poised to bring the greatest war this world will ever know’ – Ares
Interestingly, Ares criticises Zeus for his treatment of the Amazons, claiming it to be ‘excessive and stupid’. We have not yet discovered why the Amazons were punished but the pieces are starting to come together. The role Ares is yet to play will be interesting as Kelly Thompson continues to create complex characters. A layer was added with Ares transforming in a writhing mass of arms, signalling the ‘true chaos of war’.
Cale’s stone-cold touch
For the majority of this issue, Wonder Woman is unaware of those developments among the gods. Instead she is looking for Barbara. Unbeknownst to Diana, Barbara transformed into the Cheetah last issue courtesy of Urzkartaga and is nowhere to be found.
Wonder Woman’s search for her friend leads her to Veronica Cale. Diana is pissed. After searching Area 41X to no avail, Diana has no time for Cale and immediately threatens her by dangling her out the window. It is a side of Diana we have not really seen before in this series. It demonstrates the care she has for her friend, as well as the stresses she is under.
Despite Cale’s attempts to stop her with gas and electrified netting, she is no match for Wonder Woman. However, Cale does not know Barbara’s whereabouts and cannot help, even if she wanted to. That does not stop Wonder Woman smashing through Cale’s office to find the secret level. It contained something very unexpected.
At the centre of this secret level is a statue of a young girl. This is Cale’s daughter Isadore, turned to stone by Cale’s touch. Cale had been cursed by Zatanna and Isadore had been the victim of this. Zatanna had provided Cale with how to lift the curse: ‘evah gnihton‘. No doubt Cale will have to lose everything, her power and wealth, before her daughter is returned.
The upcoming war
In this issue, Cale echoes what Ares had mentioned earlier. Cale states that she is trying to protect humanity from Wonder Woman. Cale is scared of Wonder Woman eventually turning on them. For her part, Diana does not question the logic, but more the method of Cale’s approach. Either way Ares and Cale both agree the Diana has put the world on a course to war.
“Many will die on this path. But it is a path you put us on. Not me. I have no choice but to find what can defeat you for the day you inevitably turn on us” – Veronica Cale
That war seems to have appeared. The last page has blue and yellow lightning over Gateway City before Zeus’s giant eye blocks out the sky. As Wonder Woman says, ‘the gods have come to Gateway City’.
What is Ceda Six?
One of the most intriguing parts of Absolute Wonder Woman #23 is Ceda Six. On the Wild Isle and in Area 41X, Diana speaks to bodiless Ceda Six. Ceda Six seems to be linked to armour she puts on her right arm. It seems to be more than just armour though, providing her intel and even putting her into ‘wrecking ball mode’. Ceda Six seems like very technogically-advanced equipment compared to the more magical items we are used to. Where or how Diana created or obtained Ceda Six, as well as its full capabilities, is a mystery for now though.
Another incredible issue from Thompson, Sherman, and Bellaire with some great lettering from Becca Carey. We did not even mention Barbara Gordon and Etta Candy! Long may the series continue.
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman Volume 1 – Bookshop.org US
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman Volume 2 – Bookshop.org UK
Buy Absolute Wonder Woman #23 (Cover A) – Forbidden Planet UK
Any purchase made on the links above earn Key Comics Vault a small commission and support local book stores.
Leave a Reply