REVIEW: ‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ Issue 5

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5 is published by DC Comics. Written by Kelly Thompson, art by Hayden Sherman, colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Becca Carey.

This issue is part of the Absolute Universe. The battle against The Tetracide is not finished yet. To protect the city, Wonder Woman must tap into a new power and become something else.

If it didn’t seem possible for this part of the Absolute Universe to get even more chaotic, Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5 defies the impossible. The previous issue looked like the end of the massive battle against the gigantic, eldritch horror with an enormous sword sticking out of its head. But there is more to come, and the city is thrown into more peril. Diana has to balance fighting the beast and protecting the humans from interfering and doing more harm than good.

Thompson’s structure is magnificent, using flashbacks to accentuate and heighten what’s happening in the present. A conversation between Diana and Circe introduces a new weapon whose power is only hinted at. Wonder Woman Issue 5 taps heavily into Greek mythology, using it to influence every part of how Wonder Woman fights. The last part of this issue is a mind-blowing surprise.

Every time Wonder Woman flies into battle, the parameters change, keeping the readers on their toes. This is the ultimate final confrontation between Wonder Woman and the Tetracide, and the ending is satisfying while also literally dragging Wonder Woman into the next arc.

The balance between heavy metal and heart continues into the last issue of this story arc. Wonder Woman keeps revealing things about herself that reveal swathes of this universe. In the previous issue, Circe summoned and conversed with the Greek God Hecate. In Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5, it is Diana’s turn to interact with the celestial being directly. It raises questions about how much Hecate had been influencing and controlling their family from both sides.

In this universe, Hecate is the god Wonder Woman worships the most. Her faith is intense and devout toward all of the Greek gods, and she is often thanked and called upon for her strength. The relationship between Wonder Woman and her mother is sincere among the intense fantasy elements. The jumps in time show how it evolved, getting strained and tested within the harsh confines of Hell. But Diana is sincere in every word, giving her voice immense power and strength.

The other person who can cut through the craziness is Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman’s ally in the present day. His devotion to Diana is like an anchor for the audience and Diana. This is important, as she becomes something else entirely to defeat the Tetracide.

The art is sensational. Sherman handles the zaniness and scale perfectly. Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5 is filled with creatures that exist at an enormous size. Wonder Woman is a speck compared to the Tetracide. The battle in the opening of the comic is gloriously illustrated. There are so many epic pieces, from the monstrous creature to the giant sword that Wonder Woman yields and the fighter jets as the humans try to get involved.

However, Sherman can also get up close and personal despite the high pressure of the climactic battle, using Wonder Woman’s eyes in the most severe moments of the issue.  Her eyes are spectacularly expressive, wide, and open to display when she is shocked, frightened, or enamored. The Tetracide has now been visible for several issues, yet it is impossible to get bored of it. It’s a true Lovecraftian horror, with tentacles and a creepy mouth that is always visible. Even when Wonder Woman moves deeper into the city, the Tetracide can almost always be seen, hammering home that it isn’t going away.

Not everything that looks scary is bad in Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5. Wonder Woman’s Pegasus is a horse from the depths of Hell, skeletal and demonic, yet both writer and artist have created a loving bond between the beast, its owner, and ultimately, the readers, too. The reveal at the end of the book recreates one of the most timeless legendary figures, adapting and adjusting the design for this world. It matches the Tetracide’s size, and the detail level is simply ridiculous.

Bellaire maintains a consistent color palette throughout this series but introduces a new shade for Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5. The book has relished using red, with Hell languishing in that color and Wonder Woman smearing it onto her face. But the monster that arrives late in the issue is various shades of green. This is hinted at earlier due to the weapon that conjures the creature, which is a bright, dazzling green. It is fascinating to see how the change in tone alters the whole world around the characters. The lettering is clear and gripping, with only slight changes in font to showcase a change in voice.

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5 digs its claws into more mythology. The framework of the Wonder Woman lore now reaches new territories, making the story fresh and expansive. What this Diana is capable of is truly unique and spectacular, creating a mystery of what else is yet to come. Each round of the battle with the Tetracide has brought out something even more extreme and hardcore, rewriting the Wonder Woman rulebook. But at its core, the woman’s love and compassion are the one truly universal aspect.

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 5 is available where comics are sold.