Journey To The Ancient Depths — Reviewing ‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ #9

Ancient Greek mythology meets the modern day once more as Princess Diana’s search for the missing Amazons takes a turn. A far too helpful foe, a new ally, and a new villain take the spotlight in this wonderous issue.

Chapter two of Absolute Wonder Woman’s third arc comes in swinging from Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey.

This is absolutely unquestionably unequivocally one of the best books that DC Comics is publishing today. Accept no substitutes, this series gives Wonder Woman the absolute presence and power she deserves to have at all times.

Truly a gorgeous sight to behold on a monthly basis with character depth that would make stories of every medium green with envy.

Even though this is a fully fictional character, there is an authenticity to the voice as crafted by Thompson. Really fitting that spot where anyone can read and go “Yeah, that’s for sure Diana.” No matter what her circumstances are in this new (darker) universe, this is what we think of when we think of the character.

Tenacious, powerful, willing to do anything to save both friend and stranger, and battle-hardened but powerful in her words. Here we get a story where the character vision is so rich that the story can stop to do lore drops from within and without the universe and it swirls together smoothly. Learn some Greek mythology while watching Wonder Woman do her thing.

We love to see it.

Another thing we love to see, Ferdinand the Minotaur who is (usually) actually a Kithotaur because he’s from Kithira rather than Minos. Soon as I saw that figure on the page, I let out a little excited sound.

Everything that the story asks for, and more, is brought to the page by Sherman. Cutting loose in panel choices, depth, detail, and overall feeling. No two pages reflect each other in anything other than style and presence, allowing the book to shift and shape itself along the way in whatever is the best way to deliver a given moment.

There’s so much entrancing detail to the figures as their emotions, motion, and power lead the way.  Their being and the whole story working with the strong combination of rougher and softer textures. It creates something that is gritty and whimsical at the exact same time.

It’s assisted by the color palette style of Bellaire, swirling with a very contained natural set of tones for the most part. She slips in the more vibrant and stronger color tones along the way to highlight the fantastic nature of the characters and concepts involved. That lets the overall world embody the darkness which is at the core of this Absolute DC Darkseid created world. Diana’s hopefulness and care lights up not just her space but any part of the world that she visits.

Everything stated above also counts for the inspired lettering work that Carey brings to bear. She lets the voices hang out there and collect themselves, their uniqueness remaining apparent, shifting through fonts, bubble styles, and delivery methods to allow the voices and sounds of this world to ring loud. A carefully crafted flow on the page follows the different images and panel choices with ease.

Absolute Wonder Woman #9 is now available from DC Comics.