REVIEW: ‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ Issue 15

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15 is published by DC Comics, written by Kelly Thompson, art by Hayden Sherman, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and letters by Becca Carey.

Diana ventures into Gotham, encountering its guardian.

This issue features a first, changing the very face of the Absolute Universe. It’s the first time two of the heroes encounter each other, with Diana stepping into the city of Gotham and going directly to Batman for help. Thompson moves straight to the first meeting, recognising the most important aspect of Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15. The first conversation is surprising because of how civilised it is. There aren’t the immediate jumping-to-conclusions and fight scenes that often happen in team-up stories; Batman is happy to work alongside Wonder Woman.

Despite the location, this is very much a Wonder Woman comic with some minor Batman elements. The murders that Diana investigates all have a magical twist in Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15. There’s an intriguing pace to much of the issue. It’s always moving forward, but it moves slowly to let the detectives investigate. But when things go wrong, the fight scene explodes into a tornado of chaos and carnage. It forces Batman to tackle something he’s battled before. The ending is relatively calm compared to other battles in the Absolute Universe, but it’s not the end of this collaboration.

What the two heroes got up to during their team-up is vital to Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15. However, whatever these two ended up doing would have sufficed. It’s the energy and the interactions between the duo that are most crucial to the book. Thompson instantly creates fantastic chemistry. It has echoes of classic Bruce-and-Diana connections, but is now in a completely new world. Batman is usually disinterested and harsh towards newcomers. But the honesty of Diana seems to charm and disarm him. We see little of his ferocity, especially not towards Wonder Woman.

Diana’s compassion, politeness, and intrigue make him instantly aware that she’s not a threat. He also seems genuinely interested in the magical side of their adventure. He might not understand it, but he’s willing to accept it. Both are happy to share info and ideas, and their ease around each other is adorable. However, it’s important to remember that the villains communicate too, so their relative comfort can never last long.

The art offers some exceptional opportunities in Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15. These characters are still new, and so seeing them illustrated by other artists is novel and exciting. Sherman’s approach to Absolute Batman is terrific. He’s still big, though not quite as excessively bulky as others had made him out to be. Not so much that Diana is dwarfed, if that’s even possible. They are pretty even in terms of size.

The detailing on both their designs is exquisite, with tattoos, armor, and texture all looking magnificent. It’s enchanting seeing the two sitting on the side of a building, simply chatting. Then they move, travelling to a crime scene. It’s a gory sight, covered in blood and magical symbols. And from here, the comic turns into a supernatural horror story, with some terrifying and haunting elements.

The colors are mesmerising because their vibrancy is almost entirely due to magic. Gotham is dark and gloomy, but the magic of Wonder Woman and others brightens it up. The way the colors are practically painted into the buildings and floors is stunning, like they’re coated. There’s a loving reference to Wonder Woman’s Bat Signal, and the bright green shade is intense and striking. But without the magic, the shades are dark, highlighting the grim world Diana had entered. The lettering is effortless to read, and there are multiple instances where the incoherent language that constitutes magic in this universe is utilised. It adds an otherworldly quality to the moments.

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15 is a historic issue that changes the very fabric of the universe. On the surface, this chapter is a regular team-up. But it’s the very first team-up in this universe, and that makes it special. The fusion of the two series is fantastic, effortlessly inserting Batman into a world of magic and monsters. The interactions between the two heroes, born and raised in very different worlds, show that they are much more similar than they thought. Even though there are sinister elements, Batman making something close to a friend is rewarding, and the warmth is glorious to behold.

Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 15 is available now wherever comics are sold.