Absolute Wonder Woman vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me

Diana’s career in the Absolute Universe got off to a hell of a start in vol. 1 when she defeated the monster known as the Tetracide and saved her mother Circe from Hades’ clutches.  She also knows that something is deeply wrong in the world of man and is not going to stop until it’s been addressed.  Which is why she’s setting up a place to serve as a base of operations for herself and her friends – Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, and Barbara Minerva.  Just in time, too, as it turns out that someone has managed to weaponize the voice of the Tetracide.  While Diana is not surprised by the humans’ treachery here, she is surprised by what she learns when confronting it:  That an Amazon still lives in this world.

Writer Kelly Thompson and artist Hayden Sherman’s (with Mattea De Iuluis) first volume was the best of the Absolute debuts and has the Eisner win to back it up.  Vol. 2 continues the quality displayed there while making it clear that its creators are trying to subvert and play into superhero convention as much as they can.  With regard to the latter, there’s a lot of action to be had as Diana fights through a Labyrinth of worthy foes, and even a formidable version of herself in these pages, all of which are expertly and imaginatively rendered by Sherman and guest artist Matias Bergara.

It’s the former that’s more interesting to observe as it’s made clear that Diana never fights because knocking heads in is the best way to get what she wants.  She’s keen to observe the reason why a conflict is taking place and what the best way to resolve it is, be it compassion, bargaining, or fisticuffs.  This leads to some unexpected resolutions for the stories in this volume and definitely makes it a better read for that reason.  While there are some parts of this series that I think are underdeveloped at this point – more Veronica Cale, please – its reinvention of the character continues to satisfy here.

…As well as deliver some HYPE for the debut of the Absolute Suicide Squad in the next volume!