Absolute Wonder Woman #6

It’s comic book day, and with such a huge number of major releases this week, we’ve had to split the workload a little here at Nerdy Nook. So, instead of your usual check-in with Aramis, this week, I’m voyaging out of the cozy confines of the anime section to weigh in on Absolute Wonder Woman #6, in a sort of journey that mirrors the beginning of this issue, wherein Diana herself is pulled into the depths of hell.

While we usually try to steer clear of spoilers in our comic reviews, there’s far too much that I want to say about this series for me to obey that rule. While I haven’t been reviewing the series, I’ve been following Absolute Wonder Woman very closely, and I cannot wait to share my thoughts on this release. So, let’s cut to the chase! It’s time to dive into this review of Absolute Wonder Woman #6!

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The Review

Image by DC Comics

With Diana being pulled into Hades’ lair at the end of the last issue of Absolute Wonder Woman, this week picks up right where we left off, with Wonder Woman face to face with the King of the Underworld himself. As far as Greek mythology goes, Hades is one of the major players, and so his appearance here is not to be underestimated – it’s very exciting to see the God of the Underworld brought to the Absolute universe.

A good portion of Absolute Wonder Woman #6 is dedicated to the interaction between Diana and Hades, and I couldn’t be happier with this change of pace. Wonder Woman’s dynamic with the human world is always a delight, so much so that DC has turned to that storyline for the basis of just about every live-action adaptation of Wonder Woman that they’ve pursued. However, perhaps more enjoyable than her relationship with humans is Diana’s relationship with the Gods, those who can actually rival her power and stature. Delightfully, Diana manages to hold her own as a strong character in the face of Hades, not cracking under any sort of pressure in the face of the King of the Underworld, which was much appreciated.

The introduction of Hades this issue also brought to mind one of my favourite things about this issue of Absolute Wonder Woman – just how much it draws on Greek mythology. It’s been hinted since the beginning of this iteration of Diana that her ties to this mythos would be explored in a very different way. However, this issue went all-in on exploring her presence in the world of Greek mythology, which in turn, greatly expanded the universe of this comic series. While I’ve loved the series up until this point, its storyline and world did feel a little confined, especially considering just how expansive a comic series about Wonder Woman could be. Absolute Wonder Woman #6 takes advantage of the potential of Wonder Woman’s worldbuilding, a brilliant move.

Image by DC Comics

The appearance of Prometheus in this issue only helps this case further. While Prometheus’ role in this issue did nothing for my megalophobia, it was a visual spectacle, with his initial appearance taking the prize for my personal favourite panel of this issue. It also deepened Diana’s connection with the Greek pantheon, so this sequence was really incredible all round. Major props here to Mattia de Iulis for the art here.

With that being said, let’s address the elephant in the room with this issue – that being the art of Mattia de Iulis itself. Initially, Absolute Wonder Woman was illustrated by Hayden Sherman, an art style that had real charm to it. Now, it appears that de Iulis will be taking over in the art department, and I have to say, this is a welcome change for me. The new art style is absolutely gorgeous, incredibly detailed, and beautifully cinematic. Moments like Prometheus’ appearance are enhanced greatly by de Iulis’ artistic ability.

However, every rose has its thorn. There’s a certain sting to losing Sherman’s input with the Absolute Wonder Woman series. Personally, I loved how Diana used to look in the original issues of this series. Her face had a certain character to it that this new Diana, while incredibly drawn, does lack. There’s also the issue of consistency – there was really no transition between this sudden change in illustration, unless Diana’s descent to Hades’ throne room is meant to represent some sort of artistic evolution (or devolution, depending on who you ask). I do think that this change in artist is a little jarring, and so, that’s going to be a mark against this issue.

Image by DC Comics

We also get some backstory this issue on Diana herself, her various adventures throughout the Underworld, and importantly, we also get to see how she meets her faithful steed, Pegasus. It’s nice to see some of the gaps in previous issues being filled in here, even if it is starting to seem like Diana owes a lot more to Prometheus than we had previously imagined. This issue also draws again on this universe’s Diana’s ability to control her senses. Whereas before she used deafness to combat the Leviathan, in this issue, Diana not only removes her own sense of sight, but also her own sense of smell, to defeat the Basilisk. Overpowered? A little bit. But hey, maybe this is going to be a consistent element of this Wonder Woman’s superpowers. Only time will tell.

The final moments of Absolute Wonder Woman #6 makes use of one of my favourite comic techniques – the classic page turn reveal. Used masterfully here, the final page of this issue really got me amped up for when Absolute Wonder Woman returns. This issue was a welcome change of pace for the series, a slower, more narrative-driven issue that managed to expand the world of Wonder Woman, while also somewhat startling its readers with a jarring change in illustration. Overall, not the most eventful issue in the series ever, but a very solid, enjoyable entry all the same.

What are your thoughts on Absolute Wonder Woman #6 and the entire Absolute universe so far? Share them with us in the comment section of this article, and thank you for reading!

See also: Absolute Wonder Woman #5 Review

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