Colourist: Jordie Bellaire, Letterer: Becca Carey
One of the things that strikes me each time I pick up an Absolute title is the amazing needle that the creative teams seem to have threaded, that they've created characters who feel so different and new, yet also perfectly embody the aspects of the originals that made them so well loved. The Diana that we have in Absolute Wonder Woman could be a completely new character, and out of the three Absolute titles we've had so far this is the one that I could easily see being it's own book; just file off the serial numbers, change a few names and it's it's own indie title. It's the one that I think stands on it's own the most, that has managed to craft something that doesn't need the DC connection to be as good as it is; and that's phenomenal to me because this is still so clearly Wonder Woman.
Issue five marks the final part of 'The Last Amazon', the opening chapter to this new series. As such, readers are expecting the immense threat of the Tetracide to be dealt with here, a creature that has proven to be unstoppable and unkillable each issue leading to now. Diana has tried multiple things, magics and weapons that should spell the end of most foes. As such, it feels a little like Kelly Thompson is going to have a hard time bringing this to a conclusion that feels satisfying. If Diana is able to defeat a monster like this how will other foes be any trouble to her, and why didn't she just use whatever magic or weapon from the beginning?
Luckily, Thompson is able to not only answer both of these questions, but does it in a way that feels in keeping with everything we've had so far and sets an interesting stage going forward. A good portion of the issue is given over to flashbacks to Diana's time in Hell, where her mother, Circe, gives her her most dangerous weapon, something that should only ever be used as a last resort. We see the affect this weapon has on Diana, not in the fight in which she uses it, but in the impact it has on her following this. She describes it as 'cruel', something that Diana would never want to be, and it's only through some soul searching, and advice from a god, that she comes to understand this weapon and why her mother gave it to her.
I won't spoil what this is, but we later see first hand why she would see it as cruel, and why it's something that Diana should avoid using. Thompson gives us a conclusion that's huge in scale, yet makes it part of Diana's personal journey and creates a great reason as to why we may not see this weapon often, and why Diana can't just fall back on using it to solve all of her battles. And this is very Wonder Woman to me. Her main universe counterpart is capable of huge destruction, she's not been afraid to do bad things to save the world, such as killing Maxwell Lord, but she never relies on that. Cruelty, killing, and the endangerment of innocents isn't what Diana does unless there's no other way to save the day, and she'll be the first in line to take on the pain of having to do those terrible things; and Absolute Wonder Woman is no different in that regard.
The art team continue to create a book that's absolutely stunning to look at, one where the art is as impressive as the writing, and the two of them come together to create a book that feels damn near perfectly crafted. The moments of wonder and action feel huge and shocking, and the more intimate moments hit perfectly, and there's not a single page where you're bored looking at it. Even when it's a page of Diana and Circe talking to each other on the beach the way that the panels are presented to you draws you in, gets you interested, and leaves you wanting more.
The Absolute books were pitched as a new take on the Elsewords concept, of a unified new universe where these heroes and villains would be presented in new and interesting ways. But Absolute Wonder Woman doesn't feel like that. It's not a 'cool look how weird this is' kind of Elseworld, it's not a story that rides on the novelty of being different. Absolute Wonder Woman already feels like a book that's going to be held up as a quintessential Wonder Woman title, a book that people are going to recommend for decades to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment