Of all the Absolute titles, Absolute Wonder Woman is certainly the most epic when it comes to scale and stakes. Sure, Batman is saving lives and taking down droves of goons, but Wonder Woman is taking out city-destroying monsters. That level of destruction continues in Absolute Wonder Woman #13, where Wonder Woman delves deeper into her Amazon origins while battling a recurring global monster.
This issue opens with a close-up of an old scripture of Themyscira, rendered beautifully by Matías Bergara. Barbara is walking Wonder Woman through her findings on the Amazons, and along the way, we learn how Wonder Woman gained some knowledge of her people via Circe in secret. Wonder Woman’s true origins weigh heavily on her, yet writer Kelly Thompson reminds us that a lot of what makes this version of Wonder Woman tick is the nurturing she gained from Circe. While that’s interesting, readers will be on the edge of their seats, wondering how the Absolute Themyscira fits into things.
Before long, a screaming warning is audibly distracting our characters, and Wonder Woman zips off to help those in need. A turn of the page reveals she’s in Nevada, where a monster of some sort has taken out a casino. If there was any question who is the world’s protector in the Absolute Universe, this issue proves it’s Wonder Woman.
The story gets even more compelling as Bergara takes us deep into the casino, as Wonder Woman’s internal monologue via captions shows something is driving her to want to use violence. Over seven panels in a single page, Bergara captures Wonder Woman’s majestic nature with her glowing red eyes via her helmet, moving around the rumble of the casino. It looks very cool, and Bergara makes her stand out as otherworldly.
How good is this art?
Credit: DC Comics
Once she encounters the villain, Bergara gives the monster an electric, raw energy look, though there’s plenty of expression in the streaks of light. The casual knocking away of Wonder Woman’s axe is a nice touch. Between Wonder Woman fighting this beast and what she says in between, it’s quite clear that the pure goodness of Wonder Woman is being tested in more ways than one.
The pacing is fantastic in this issue, ramping up the attacks while Wonder Woman attempts to learn more about her people in between. Thompson also does a good job giving Wonder Woman’s supporting cast a voice and purpose, and it’s abundantly clear they’re kind of like her supporting team by the end of the issue. Even the monster has a further identity by the end of the issue, revealing a possible side effect of Wonder Woman’s existence that could hurt humanity.
It needs to be said that Bergara’s art is stunning, with any given panel being poster-worthy. The detail is great, the dynamic range is awe-inspiring. In the words of Indiana Jones, a lot of this art belongs in a museum.
Absolute Wonder Woman #13 is a stunning blend of myth, muscle, and emotional truth. A story that redefines Diana’s place in the Absolute Universe while delivering some of the most visually spectacular pages of the line so far. Kelly Thompson and Matías Bergara make a powerhouse team, proving once again that Wonder Woman’s stories aren’t just about fighting gods, they’re about understanding what makes one divine.
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